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Photography: Peter Cassidy.

Photography: Peter Cassidy.

Recipe | Baked paneer cheesecake

Lottie Storey June 16, 2018

New York usually steals the thunder when it comes to baked cheesecakes. This reworking, however, owes its distinctive flavour to India – made with paneer and spiced with cardamom, it’s a revelation. 

Serves 12
300g digestive biscuits
Ground seeds from 4 cardamom pods
2 drops of vanilla extract
100g unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE CHEESECAKE TOPPING
400g full-fat cream cheese
175g soured cream
225g paneer, finely grated
175g caster sugar
Ground seeds from 8 cardamom pods
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 medium eggs

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)
Crushed pistachio nuts
Mango or cherry fruit compote

1 Line a 23cm springform tin with greaseproof paper, allowing enough to hang over the edges of the tin. Blitz the biscuits, cardamom and vanilla in a food processor until finely crushed. Add the butter and blitz until the crumbs stick together when pressed.
2 Transfer to the lined tin, using the back of a spoon to spread and press it firmly over the base. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 30 mins.
3 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3. In the cleaned bowl of the food processor, blitz all the topping ingredients, except the eggs, until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, adding one at a time, until well combined.
4 Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chilled base and spread it evenly. Bake for 1 hour or until set completely. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside until it has cooled completely before removing.
5 Chill for 4–5 hours in the fridge before removing from the tin and serving.

Recipe from Gunpowder by Devina Seth, Harneet Baweja & Nirmal Save (Kyle Books, out mid June).

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
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Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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In Eating Tags summer recipes, issue 72, june, midsummer, cheesecake, paneer, indian
Comment
SIM72.LOOKINGBACK_1375468.png

250 years of the circus | Five famous clowns

Lottie Storey June 14, 2018

To mark 250 years of the circus, we wonder at its feats, honk its red nose and cheer at its colourful past - turn to page 90 of June's The Simple Things

Five of the most famous clowns

Joseph Grimaldi 1778–1837
Not strictly a circus clown (he performed mainly in panto), but deserving of a mention as he was the first to sport ‘whiteface’ and a red smile, and is known as ‘the father of modern clowning’.

Grock 1880–1959
A Swiss acrobat, Charles Wettach started as a clown in 1903. He left the circus to perform in music halls instead, subverting the form, as someone who ran away from the circus rather than to it.

Emmett Kelly 1898–1979
American, Kelly, clowned as ‘Weary Willie’, a character based on the ‘hobos’ of the depression era. His son, Emmett Kelly Junior later continued the act.

Charlie Cairoli 1910–1980
French clown of Italian descent, Charlie began clowning at the age of seven as ‘Carletto’ and later worked at Blackpool Tower’s circus for 40 years.

Lou Jacobs 1903–1992
The first ‘Auguste’ clown (the ‘red’ clown types with big shoes, lairy trousers and orange wigs), Lou Jacobs is credited with popularising the ‘clown car’ and also being the first to sport a red rubber ball as a nose.

 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More nostalgia:

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Jun 20, 2024
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Jan 15, 2022
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Why we love a secret garden
Apr 27, 2019
Apr 27, 2019
In Think Tags issue 72, june, looking back, clowns, circus
Comment
Photography: TAEHOON KIM

Photography: TAEHOON KIM

My Plot | Daily life at Freedom Cove

Lottie Storey June 13, 2018

As innovative gardens go, this water-borne home and veg patch takes some beating. In western Canada, Freedom Cove is a world filled with greenhouses, produce and art

Catherine King and Wayne Adams met in 1987 and immediately felt a connection through a shared love of nature and art. When they came across a pile of storm-strewn lumber in Cypress Bay, on Vancouver Island, they saw an opportunity to turn it into a home. Today, Freedom Cove has a lighthouse, four greenhouses, a dance platform, smokehouse and a candle-making workshop.

Daily life at Freedom Cove

We both get up around 7–8 am. In spring and summer, the first thing I do is check my plants to make sure they have enough water, open my greenhouses, and water any plants in propagators in the house while Wayne gets the fire going.

We eat breakfast together, then I do household chores and Wayne tends to the generator or solar system. Once I have done my bodywork – pilates, tai chi, or yoga – I head out to the garden to pot up plants, sow seeds, weed, prune, and do general maintenance.

We have lunch together and then focus on our art. We both carve, and I write, paint, dance, play musical instruments and sing. I am also a healer, so people come out to Freedom Cove to see me or we speak over Skype.

Wayne is constantly repairing water lines, painting, rebuilding damaged areas, repairing greenhouses, doing boat- and chainsaw-maintenance and getting firewood. He is also a fisherman, so spends a lot of time out on his boat. I am a vegetarian.

From June until September, tours come out to visit and we both show people around. We also make moulds of our carvings and turn them into beeswax candles, which we give to anyone who visits. In the evenings, after dinner, we’ll either work on a creative project, Skype with family and friends, or watch a movie.

Turn to page 110 for more from Freedom Cove.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
Simple style | Sandals
Jun 23, 2018
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More My Plot inspiration:

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In Escape, Growing Tags gardening, wildlife, canada, my plot, issue 72, june
Comment
Photography: Catherine Frawley

Photography: Catherine Frawley

Recipe | Summer strawberry tart

Lottie Storey June 12, 2018

A light dessert that’s really easy to make, really lovely to eat

Serves 4–6
2 tbsp melted butter
1 sheet of puff pastry
400g strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
Sprigs of mint, to garnish
Icing sugar, to dust
300ml double cream

1 Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/ Gas 6. Grease a rectangular baking tray with half of the butter and place the pastry on the tray.
2 In a large bowl, add the strawberries, vanilla extract and caster sugar. Stir gently to evenly coat the fruit.
3 Arrange the berries in rows, leaving a 2.5cm border of pastry all the way round. Brush this edge with the remaining butter and then place in the oven for 15–20 mins or until golden.
4 Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and top with a dusting of icing sugar and sprigs of mint.
5 Whisk the cream until soft peaks form; transfer to a bowl to serve.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
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Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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In Eating, Gathering Tags summer recipes, issue 72, june, midsummer, strawberry, strawberries
Comment
Illustration: Kavel Rafferty

Illustration: Kavel Rafferty

How to stay up late (without the aid of matchsticks)

Lottie Storey June 10, 2018

Getting less than seven to eight hours’ sleep a night isn’t great for our bodies. But, if you want to stay up for midsummer revelry, these will lessen the damage

Get prepped
Increase sleep leading up to the big night. On the day, have a nap in the afternoon.

On the night
Drink lots of water
Use caffeine carefully – in smaller, regular doses rather than huge cups.
Practise deep breathing (see The Simple Things January 2018 for a guide).
Eye drops are your friend versus tiring, dry eyes. Resting with eyes closed for 10 minutes also helps.
Keep moving - Extra points for mingling or dancing.
Step into the light - Bright light fools the body that it’s not yet bedtime.
Snack on foods that provide long-lasting energy, such as peanut butter, Greek yogurt or apples.

Next day
Don’t drive or operate machinery when drowsy.
Have lots of water and fresh fruit and vegetables... and an early night!

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More nighttime inspiration:

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Sep 8, 2018
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In Think, Wellbeing Tags issue 72, june, midsummer
Comment
Illustrations: FLORA WAYCOTT

Illustrations: FLORA WAYCOTT

Summer horoscopes | Gemini

Lottie Storey June 9, 2018

The start of a new season is a natural time of transition, where we pause to reflect and plan for the next phase of the year. Astrologer Donna Taylor looks at the coming season in your star sign and offers her guidance on how to find balance and contentment in the months ahead.

Gemini

21 May – 21 June

“Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?” asks Canadian author Danielle LaPorte.

We all need to recharge sometimes and the Sun’s journey through your sign in June is your chance to replenish your spirit by honouring your needs and engaging in pastimes that plug you into the universal battery. August builds on this theme of time out as Mercury goes retrograde, so whether you schedule a regular massage, daily meditation or creative hobby, know that this isn’t so much a time for pushing out into the world, but a time to reflect and heal, physically and emotionally.

Turn to page 126 of the June issue for the other twelve star signs.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
Simple style | Sandals
Jun 23, 2018
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More starry inspiration:

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Oct 19, 2024
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Oct 19, 2024
Oct 19, 2024
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Oct 2, 2019
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Sep 8, 2018
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Sep 8, 2018
Sep 8, 2018
In Think, Wellbeing Tags issue 72, june, stargazing, astrology, horoscopes
Comment
Photography: Clare Winfield

Photography: Clare Winfield

Recipe | Marigold shortbreads

Lottie Storey June 8, 2018

Flecked with petals and dusted with marigold sugar, this is a floral twist on shortbread to fall in love with

MARIGOLD SHORTBREADS

Makes 16
175g plain or spelt flour
40g caster sugar
6 tbsp (14g) marigold (calendula) petals* 
110g cold butter

FOR THE MARIGOLD SUGAR
Marigold petals
50g caster sugar

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4.
2 Put the flour, sugar and marigold petals into a bowl, then rub in the butter as for shortcrust pastry. Gather the mixture together and knead gently on a lightly floured surface.
3 Roll out the pastry to 7mm thick, then cut into rounds with a 6cm cutter or into heart shapes. Bake for 15–18 mins until pale brown, depending on the thickness of the biscuits. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
4 While they cool, make the marigold sugar. Blitz the marigold petals in a blender with the sugar for a minute or two until just broken up. 
5 Serve the biscuits with fruit fools, or compote and ice-cream, and sprinkle marigold sugar over the top.

Cook’s note: Watch these biscuits really carefully while they are baking, they burn easily. They should be a pale golden – any darker and they will be bitter.

Taken from Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen (Kyle Books).

* The petals of the pot marigold (calendula) are edible. Be sure to use this variety in your
cooking as many varieties of the French or African marigold plants (from the tagetes family) aren’t.

Cake in the House is our monthly recipe feature - get a cake recipe every month in The Simple Things!

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Read More →
Jun 26, 2018
SIM72.STYLE_ulls271438_1.png
Jun 23, 2018
Simple style | Sandals
Jun 23, 2018
Read More →
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Read More →
Jun 22, 2018

More Cake in the House recipes:

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In Eating Tags cake in the house, cake, cake recipe, cookies, june, issue 72, marigold, edible flowers
Comment
SIM72.PROCESSIONS_Suffrage banner, 1908 - 1914 © The Women's Library @ LSE (2).png

Make your own pennant or flag

Lottie Storey June 7, 2018

On Sunday 10 June, marches to celebrate 100 years of votes for women will take place across the UK - read more here and on page 33 of June's The Simple Things.

Want to take part? You'll need to make a pennant or flag - here's how. Pennants and flags can have a word, name, image or quotation on them. Make them from one layer of cloth in the lightest of materials, to let them float in the wind.

YOU WILL NEED

18mm diameter pole*
Square or rectangle of fabric of a size of your choice (the bigger it is the harder it will be to carry)
Pencil and paper
Computer printer
Sewing machine
Bondaweb (buy from jaycotts.co.uk)
Iron
Embroidery threads and needle (optional)

1 To make a pennant, cut out a triangle from your fabric of whatever size you like.
2 Create a side channel on the straight edge, 71⁄2cm wide, by folding the edge over. Sew down the edge. Then sew across its top, leaving the bottom edge of the side channel open for the pole to slide into.
3 What do you want to say? Think of a word, message or image to go on your pennant or flag – it should be something to help people to understand your message quickly. Using a computer, draw them up to a scale that fits your cloth.
4 Print off your lettering in the size you need. The lettering should be as big as your cloth allows. Trace your lettering and image(s) onto Bondaweb.
5 Iron the Bondaweb to the back of your chosen fabrics, cut out, peel off the backing paper, iron the lettering and images onto your cloth.
6 If you want, you can embroider on details; ribbon the sides of your cloth to frame it in a contrasting colour; add fringing or tassels to give it movement, and sequins or beads to make it gleam. Or just keep it as a simple cloth with a clear message of what matters to you. The pennant should be secure, but you can glue the material to where it meets the pole if you think it needs further support or to stop it slipping down the pole.

FOR AN EYE-CATCHING BANNER...

Clare’s suggestions to help your creation stand out

  • Your banner will only be seen for a moment as it passes by so keep it simple and bold.

  • Don’t crowd your letters. They need space to be read at distance, so use the largest font you can.

  • You can make it personal with your own handwriting or family photographs.

  • Make it glitter in the sun with gold fabric or sequins.

  • Don’t worry about exquisite stitching; no one will notice. What they will remember is the feel of it, what it says of you.

Project by Clare Hunter, sewingmatters.co.uk

*Your pole can be long enough to enable you to carry a pennant like a flag on a parade, or, if you use one the same width as your triangle, it can be hung on a wall with hooks.

 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More weekend projects to make:

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Jun 1, 2025
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In Making Tags make, weekend project, Make project, issue 72, june
Comment
mvp-253454-unsplash.png

A could-do list for June

Lottie Storey June 5, 2018

Things you might want to do this month (no pressure!)

  • Take a siesta in the sunshine Have a car-free weekend
  • Look at things from above (climb a tree, ride a zip wire)
  • Lend your favourite book to a friend
  • Walk barefoot through a meadow
  • Tell somebody what a great job they’re doing
  • Who do you most admire? Write down the qualities you respect in them

What would you add? Come over and tell us on Facebook or Twitter. 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
SIM72.STYLE_ulls271438_1.png
Jun 23, 2018
Simple style | Sandals
Jun 23, 2018
Jun 23, 2018
SIM72.HIDDENHUT_THH_Samphire_Frittata_Salad-1290-Edit-Edit.png
Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More could-do lists:

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In Magazine Tags could do, june, issue 72
Comment
72 back cover.png

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time

Lottie Storey June 3, 2018

More from the June issue:

Featured
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Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
Simple style | Sandals
Jun 23, 2018
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018

More back covers:

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Mar 24, 2021
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Feb 23, 2021
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

In Magazine Tags back cover, issue 72, june
Comment
Photography: Alamy

Photography: Alamy

Seaside snacks for a stroll along the prom

Lottie Storey May 31, 2018

With the sea beside you, an ice-cream in hand and attractions all around, proms offer a fun coastal walk without the hike

Six snacks for promenaders

Cockles
Skewer a few of these vinegary delicacies from a cardboard tub with a cocktail stick for maximum seaside snack authenticity.

Ice-cream
Wherever you find a prom, you will find an ice-cream parlour. It would be a crime not to indulge, whether you go for a simple cornet or a sundae.

Doughnuts
Sharing a bag of freshly-fried, sugar-coated doughnuts is an ideal accompaniment to a seaside stroll. Let an increase in appetite caused by the sea air be your excuse.

Fish and chips
A piece of sustainably sourced haddock in a light batter with a tray of fat chips and mushy peas? Yes, please.

Milkshake
This frothy glass of flavoured milk has bounded into the modern age with new flavours like Oreo Cookies and Cream, and Peanut Butter Fudge. Yum.

Rock
Teeth-splintering it may be, yet a sucking a piece of this usually-mint-flavoured pulled sugar is an essential seaside experience.

Turn to page 66 of June's The Simple Things for more of our seaside prom feature.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
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Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Read More →
Jun 22, 2018

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Eye Spy | In a Rockpool
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In Escape Tags june, issue 72, outing, summer outings, seaside
Comment
sim 72 cover.png

Dream | June cover reveal

Lottie Storey May 30, 2018

Dare to dream and who knows where it could lead you. Midsummer garden nights are alive with magical possibilities. Lights twinkling in trees, maybe a glass of something, old friends for sure, and a golden hour at hand. But, though we can create a space for for magic, only you can make it happen. And it comes in many forms; helping nature to return after a long absence, breathing life into an old cinema; weaving words to tell the shortest of stories. It’s there in your imagination, just waiting to be set free.

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe.

View the sampler here, buy back issues or try our sister mag, Oh Comely 

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Featured
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Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018
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The Comfort of Things | A guide to vases
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Stories behind superstitions | He loves me, he loves me not
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Jun 16, 2018
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Jun 14, 2018
250 years of the circus | Five famous clowns
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Jun 13, 2018
My Plot | Daily life at Freedom Cove
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How to stay up late (without the aid of matchsticks)
Jun 10, 2018
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Summer horoscopes | Gemini
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A could-do list for June
Jun 5, 2018
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May 31, 2018
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May 30, 2018
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May 22, 2018
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May 22, 2018
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May 22, 2018
Make | Macramé chair
May 22, 2018
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May 22, 2018
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May 22, 2018
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May 22, 2018
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

In Magazine Tags cover reveal, june, issue 72
Comment
The Titanic in dry dock c 1911. From Ocean Liners at the V&A until 17 June (Getty Images)

The Titanic in dry dock c 1911. From Ocean Liners at the V&A until 17 June (Getty Images)

The Titanic | A liner to remember

Lottie Storey May 27, 2018

The sinking of the Titanic in 1912 is one of the world’s most famous tragedies, with the loss of around 1,500 lives. “As the first major international disaster in peacetime, it generated a huge interest,” says Eric Kentley, co-curator of ‘Titanic Stories’ at National Maritime Museum, Cornwall. “Not just in America, Britain and Ireland, but also in Scandinavia and the Baltic countries. No area seemed to be untouched.” But it continues to fascinate.

As Kentley points out, “Few people have heard about the Doña Paz or the Wilhelm Gustloff, which are far worse tragedies.” The reason, he thinks, is “partly because it is so rich in stories.” He explains: “In the two hours 40 minutes it took for the ship to sink, you can see every type of human behaviour – self-sacrifice, self-preservation, bravery, cowardice, duty, incompetence... It’s very easy to imagine ourselves on the deck of that ship and wonder how we would behave.”

Some positives did emerge from the disaster, however, such as a re-examination of safety measures at sea. And, for the QE2, a perhaps surprising surge in bookings following the release of the James Cameron film.

‘Ocean Liners: Speed and Style’, sponsored by Viking Cruises, is at the V&A until 17 June, and opens at the Dundee V&A on 15 September. ‘Titanic Stories' is at National Maritime Museum, Cornwall until 7 January 2019.

Turn to page 86 of May's The Simple Things for more on our look back at ocean liners.
 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
Titanic in dry dock, c. 1911 © Getty Images.jpg
May 27, 2018
The Titanic | A liner to remember
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018
SIM71.FORAGING_Elderflower Cleanser a1 .png
May 26, 2018
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May 26, 2018
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SIM71.OUTING_219A0080 (1).png
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May 25, 2018
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In Think Tags looking back, history, issue 71, may
Comment
Photography: SARAH CUTTLE Recipes & advice: KIM WALKER & VICKY CHOWN

Photography: SARAH CUTTLE Recipes & advice: KIM WALKER & VICKY CHOWN

Elderflower toner

Lottie Storey May 26, 2018

The scented cream blooms of elderflowers have been used by women since time immemorial – in infusions to soften the skin and even out tone. The addition of glycerine gives a moisturising effect, leaving the skin silky smooth.

Makes around 200ml
1 head of fresh elderflowers (or 2 tsp dried)
200ml boiling water
5ml glycerine (optional)

1 Remove the stalks from the elderflowers (if using fresh) and put the tiny flowers in a mug or heatproof bowl.
2 Pour over boiling water, then cover with a plate and leave to infuse until cool.
3 Strain out the elderflowers, then add the glycerine (if using) to the liquid and mix well.
4 To use, soak cotton pads or a muslin cloth in the liquid and use as a toner or simple cleanser, once make-up has been removed. Use twice a day. The liquid will keep in the fridge for up to three days.

Turn to page 34 of May's The Simple Things for more on spring hedgerow foraging. 

 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
Titanic in dry dock, c. 1911 © Getty Images.jpg
May 27, 2018
The Titanic | A liner to remember
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018
SIM71.FORAGING_Elderflower Cleanser a1 .png
May 26, 2018
Elderflower toner
May 26, 2018
May 26, 2018
SIM71.OUTING_219A0080 (1).png
May 25, 2018
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May 25, 2018
May 25, 2018

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In Making Tags natural skincare, home remedies, may, issue 71, elderflower
Comment
SIM71.OUTING_219A0080 (1).png

The bizarre art of vegetable carving

Lottie Storey May 25, 2018

Some people insist that a contest fashioning vegetables into weird and wonderful shapes is child’s play. Others, for shame, feel it is a “novelty”. Tell that to the competitor at last year’s Lambeth Country Show who fashioned her veg into a wan woman carrying a basket of greens while clad in shapeless red robe and big white bonnet, and called the entry ‘The Handmaid’s Kale’. She was no uniquely skilled chard chiseller, but a solitary example of a nationwide craft. Walk past the vegetable-carving tent of your local village show and you’re likely missing some of the most inspired work on site.

Turn to page 68 of May's The Simple Things for more of our country show feature.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the May issue:

Featured
Titanic in dry dock, c. 1911 © Getty Images.jpg
May 27, 2018
The Titanic | A liner to remember
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018
SIM71.FORAGING_Elderflower Cleanser a1 .png
May 26, 2018
Elderflower toner
May 26, 2018
May 26, 2018
SIM71.OUTING_219A0080 (1).png
May 25, 2018
The bizarre art of vegetable carving
May 25, 2018
May 25, 2018

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Stir-Up Sunday: Mixing bowl ready, Christmas is on its way!
Nov 25, 2018

Making a Christmas pudding today is great traditional way to get the whole family together, so grab your mixing bowl, spoon, sixpence and brandy, and get ready to make a wish and sing a traditional rhyme while you're stirring...

Nov 25, 2018
SIM71.OUTING_219A0080 (1).png
May 25, 2018
The bizarre art of vegetable carving
May 25, 2018
May 25, 2018
In Escape Tags may, issue 71, traditions, county fair
Comment
SIM71.LOSTLANES_8271346.png

Exploring Wales and the West Country by bike

Lottie Storey May 24, 2018

Spring is the time to explore Wales and the West Country - regions that are especially beautiful when explored by bike, says cyclist and author Jack Thurston

"There was a time when I would cycle to Cornwall every summer from my home in London, to join friends in a holiday cottage on the beach. Each year I took a slightly different route, staying overnight with people I knew along the way, or just sleeping out in the open. It usually took me four full days. By train it’s just a few hours. My average speed on those summer rides was about 12 miles an hour, which sounds slow but by historical standards, the bicycle is actually pretty quick. It’s four times walking pace and double the speed of a horse-drawn carriage.

"The bicycle, and only the bicycle, combines speed, efficiency and freedom with a total immersion in the world around us. Riding through the sun, the wind and the rain, every sight, sound and smell is as vivid and immediate as it can be. Cyclists experience the landscape with a detail and definition that is just a blur when travelling by car or train. As Ernest Hemingway puts it, “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.”

Jack Thurston is author of Lost Lanes West and Lost Lanes Wales (Wild Things Publishing)

Turn to page 79 of May's The Simple Things for more of Jack's springtime cycling advice.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

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In Escape Tags cycling, wales, west country, issue 71, may
Comment
balloon flight competition.png

Competition | Win a balloon flight for two with British Balloon Flights

Lottie Storey May 22, 2018

The winner and a friend will be taking off from Knepp Castle, flying over the wonderful West Sussex countryside. Knepp is a 3,500-acre estate, now rewilded and home to some surprising wildlife. While your balloon is being prepared, take in your surroundings with drinks, nuts and nibbles. After a memorable flight, as the sun melts into the west, you’ll get the chance to toast your landing with English sparkling wine. Photos from your flight and a commemorative certificate will help keep some
very special memories fresh.

britishballoonflights.com 

ENTER NOW

Terms & conditions:
The competition closes at 11.59pm on 11 July 2018. A winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries after this time and notified shortly after. This is the prize: a flight for two from Knepp Castle, conditions permitting, over the Sussex countryside, including pre-flight refreshments and sparkling wine afterwards, return transfers from the local train station (if needed); prize excludes travel costs. You can’t swap it for cash or transfer the prize; you must be over 18, taller than 4ft6, and you have until 30 June 2019 to take your flight. Full terms and conditions are at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

 

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
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Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
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Jun 26, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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In Competition Tags competition, issue 72, june
Comment
Photography: CHRIS MIDDLETON Project: BECI ORPIN

Photography: CHRIS MIDDLETON Project: BECI ORPIN

Make | Macramé chair

Lottie Storey May 22, 2018

Crochet and outdoor chairs are not the most obvious combination but put the two together and you have a nifty upcycling opportunity.

Have an old chair lurking in the shed, seat worn from many summers? This project uses a crochet knot to create a new seat and back from paracord. It may sound complicated but is actually relatively simple once you’ve got into the groove (if you need some extra help along the way, find handy video tutorials by searching ‘macramé chair tutorial’ on YouTube). Then sit back and admire your work, hopefully with a refreshing drink in hand.

Macramé chair

Knot your way to a new summer seat

you will need
Scissors
Unloved aluminium camping chair
200m of 4mm rope (such as nylon paracord): 100m white, 50m grey, 25m yellow, 25m pink.
2 x size Q crochet hooks
Macramé chair template
Lighter or box of matches

1 Using scissors, cut and then pull off the existing webbing from the chair.

2 Create a skein from a long, thin piece of card or plastic. Wrap your cord around it and unwind it as you go. Start with the vertical cords. Using the white cord and starting from the bottom left of the chair, tie a double knot around the frame.

3 Pull the cord through the seat of the chair, behind the centre back brace bar and up to the top left side of the frame. Make a loop in the cord at the top bar. Pull the loop behind and then under the bar and over to the left.

4 Insert your first crochet hook in the loop, with the hook pointing towards the right side of the chair and pull the cord tight so the hook rests against the chair frame. Bring the cord back down under the centre back brace bar to the front.

5 Create a loop in the cord on the bottom chair frame, then pull it over the front of the bar and behind to the left.

6 Insert the second crochet hook into the loop and pull the cord taut. The hook will rest on the chair frame.

7 Pull the cord through the seat of the chair, behind the centre back brace bar and up to the top frame. Make a loop in the cord at the top bar. Pull the loop behind and under the bar and to the left of the last vertical cords you created.

8 Hook the new loop over the crochet hook. The existing loop on the hook will overlap the two vertical cords to its right.

9 Pull the loop taut, then pull it through the loop you made in step 3. This will create a chain stitch. Rest the hook in the loop.

10 Pull the loose cord down behind the centre back brace bar and to the front. Create a loop, then pull it over the topof the front bar.

11 Pull the loop around the top bar and to the left of the last vertical cords you created. Hook the new loop with the crochet hook.

12 Pull the new loop through the loop created in step 6, making a chain stitch. Pull the loose cord taut.

13 Repeat these steps until you have 40 knots and have filled the top and bottom bars with taut cord. Cut the cord off the skein, making sure you have about 11⁄4m left. Pull the cord through the last loop and remove the crochet hook. Pull the cord behind the back brace, over the front bar and through the loop on the other hook.

14 Horizontal cords: these are completed using the same method. Follow the template, starting with three knots of white followed by the grey cord to form a semi-circle pattern.

15 Continue with the pink cord to form the second half of the circle.16 Finish with three more knots using white cord. Repeat on the base of the chair, using the yellow and grey cords. To finish, simply tie off the cord. Burn the ends of the cords to ensure they do not fray.

 

Taken from Sunshine Spaces: Naturally Beautiful Projects to Make for Your Home and Outdoor Space by Beci Orpin (Hardie Grant).

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
SIM72.STYLE_ulls271438_1.png
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
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In Making Tags make, weekend project, Make project, issue 72, june
Comment
Photography: Susan Bell  Recipe: Simon Stallard

Photography: Susan Bell  Recipe: Simon Stallard

Ewe’s cheese salad from The Hidden Hut

Lottie Storey May 22, 2018

Inspired by his Cornish café’s coastal setting, chef and owner of the Hidden Hut, Simon Stallard, picks favourite summer dishes for morning, noon and night on page 38 of June’s The Simple Things.

Want to make the Ewe’s cheese salad to accompany the 12-hour lamb with smoky aubergine? Here’s the recipe.  

Ewe’s cheese salad from The Hidden Hut

60g pumpkin seeds
160g bulgar wheat
4 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
80g mint leaves, roughly chopped
120g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, finely sliced
1.2kg watermelon flesh, chopped into 2.5cm cubes
350g ewe’s cheese or feta
Sumac, for sprinkling

1 Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry saucepan over a medium-high heat for 3 mins or until lightly browned, shaking the pan regularly. Put to one side.

2 Place the bulgar wheat in a small saucepan and just cover with water. Put a lid on and cook over a low heat for 8–10 mins until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Leave to cool completely.

3 Combine the lemon juice and oil in a small bowl and season well with salt and pepper.

4 In a large mixing bowl, combine the mint, parsley, onion and watermelon. Tip in the lemon juice dressing and toss everything to coat.

5 Transfer the salad to a large serving plate. Crumble the cheese over the top of the salad, then sprinkle over the toasted pumpkin seeds. Finish with a sprinkle of sumac.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here.

 

More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Read More →
Jun 26, 2018
SIM72.STYLE_ulls271438_1.png
Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 23, 2018
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SIM72.HIDDENHUT_THH_Samphire_Frittata_Salad-1290-Edit-Edit.png
Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Read More →
Jun 22, 2018

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In Eating Tags cheese, salad, summer recipes, june, issue 72
Comment
dance playlist.png

Listen | Music that makes us dance

Lottie Storey May 22, 2018

“Dancing helps relieve the pain
Soothes your mind, makes you happy again”

Listen to our dance playlist now.

  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well

Get hold of your copy of this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

View the sampler here

 

Listen to more playlists:

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Screenshot 2025-09-15 at 11.39.43.png
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Jul 17, 2025
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Jun 18, 2025
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More from the June issue:

Featured
DSC_1557.png
Jun 26, 2018
Nest | Delphiniums
Jun 26, 2018
Jun 26, 2018
SIM72.STYLE_ulls271438_1.png
Jun 23, 2018
Simple style | Sandals
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Jun 23, 2018
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Jun 22, 2018
Recipe | Samphire frittata with warm lemony courgette salad
Jun 22, 2018
Jun 22, 2018
In Think Tags listen, playlist, spotify, issue 72, june
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Order  our new Celebrations Anthology   Pre-order a copy of  Flourish 4 , our new wellbeing bookazine   Listen to  our podcast  – Small Ways to Live Well
Aug 29, 2025
Aug 29, 2025

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Order our new Celebrations Anthology

Pre-order a copy of Flourish 4, our new wellbeing bookazine 

Listen to our podcast – Small Ways to Live Well

Aug 29, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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