Christmas holiday issue - taster

Think of this as our present to you - a whole extra issue of The Simple Things to savour over the holiday period. We're seeing in the new year with old friends, looking the cat's meow in a flapper dress and finding ways to get through all that Stilton. Here's the cover to look out for - subscribers will find issue 18 on their doormats from this weekend. Those who haven't yet signed up can get it at newsagents and supermarkets from 6 December. Happy Holidays! Let us know what you think of the cover at our Facebook page

Dogs in blankets

The secret dreams of sleeping pets…

Talk about letting sleeping dogs lie. Stick a blanket over them while you're at it, and snap them looking all cute and cosy. Tweet us your snaps @simplethingsmag and you could be part of our new feature, Dogs in Blankets. Use the hashtag #dogsinblankets

We promise we're not barking mad…

Diwali dinner idea: pumpkin coconut curry

Pumpkin coconut curry with split peas, chickpeas & leek This light, sunshine-hued curry promises not to make your eyes water – just your mouth…

Serves 4-6 2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

1 leek, roughly chopped

1 litre vegetable stock

1 can coconut milk

230g kabocha squash/pumpkin

65g yellow split peas

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2¹/₂ tsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

¹/₈ tsp allspice

¹/₈ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

¹/₈ tsp red pepper flakes

65g kale, chopped small

1. Add onion, garlic, leek and olive oil to a frying pan over medium heat.  Sauté for 5-10 mins or until it starts to brown. Add vegetable stock, kabocha or pumpkin, split peas and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer and cover for 20-25 mins.

2. Once pumpkin and split peas are tender, add chickpeas, all spices and kale. Stew for 10-15 mins until well combined and tasty. Top with shredded coconut or natural yoghurt.

Find more yummy ideas in issue 16 of The Simple Things, which is on sale now.

The Simple Things #15 cover reveal!

A sneak peek of The Simple Things October #15 cover.

Our rallying cry this month is 'To the woods!' Packed with beautiful photography and inspiring features all designed to restore your spirits this autumn.

Subscribers will have their copies dropping on the mat very soon and you can find us in WH Smith, Marks & Spencer and larger supermarkets from 17th September.

To subscribe to The Simple Things and save up to £25, head over to My Favourite Magazines.

Win a cosy winter break with New Forest Living and The Simple Things

Relax, recharge, unwind. Spend a long weekend in a forest hideaway, Hunters Moon cottage in Godshill is the perfect setting for a weekend getaway...

As the summer holiday season draws to a close we’re already dreaming of winter breaks in unspoilt countryside: watching the sun rise across misty fields, warming our toes in front of an open fire. So we’ve teamed up with New Forest Living to give you a chance to win a three night weekend break in a rural idyll.*

Click here to enter now before 30th September 2013!

* The prize is a three-night self-catering weekend break at Hunters Moon cottage in Godshill (from Friday to Monday, accommodation only) for four people plus one dog, worth up to £775. The break must be booked before 14th October 2013 and taken between 1st November 2013 and 3rd February 2014 (excluding Christmas, New Year, school holidays and bank holidays), and is subject to availability.

To book a relaxing break call 0845 680 0173 or visit www.newforestliving.co.uk

The Simple Things 14 cover reveal!

Come and find us on the 21st August for a cycling adventure down lost lanes. We'll hunt for courgettes at the bus stop then enjoy an aromatic Moroccan feast...

A second brew with Sophie Cornish from Not On The High Street

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Put the kettle on and grab a few biscuits from the tin as we share a few more cups of tea with the co-founder and executive director of Not On The High Street, Sophie Cornish.

When is your first cup of tea? First thing in the morning I go downstairs, have a little potter and a sort, then sit down at our big table. The house is completely silent and I drink my tea whilst mentally preparing myself for the day ahead peacefully. I always have a quick chat with the most agreeable pet in the house, usually our dog Rufus but today it's Daisy.

What's your first break? My days are usually pretty packed so I don't have a specific time set aside, I just grab one when I can. I do always try to get in earlier to the office than everyone else so I can sit at my desk, have a cup of tea and go through my to do list!

What's for lunch? I'm quite health conscious so usually have a salad. Today it's salmon and watercress followed by fruit salad. But don't think I'm smug - my afternoons are all cake and chocolate. I'm a terrible sugar fiend.

Did you drink tea as a child? I remember when I first got into tea. I must have been about 8 or 9. My mum used to give me tea with lots of sugar. Lovely. I did the same for my children. Naughty.

What is your favourite kind of tea? Earl Grey, as strong as I can get it, with lots of milk.

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Do you trust other people to make it the way you like it? Generally yes. If it's hot and milky I'm happy. I used to be ridiculously uptight about it being right (how painful I must have been!) but I've mellowed and just feel grateful now.

Do you drink different teas at different times of day? I drink tea all day long. I have special kinds of brew - short, strong and sugary when I'm really tired. (I call that an espresso tea). Long and weak when I'm thirsty. Earl Grey when I'm trying to give up my morning latte (yes I go through phases of having that too!)

Can you say no to biscuits or cake? And are you a dunker? I'm not a dunker - that spoils both tea and the biscuit. But I love biscuits, cake, chocolate. The office is fully of fabulous bakers so there's always something amazing in the kitchen and everyone knows I'll be the one to eat it.

Do you slurp? No. I sigh contentedly after the first sip though.

Which is your favourite cuppa of the day?

The first.

Is there one break that's non-negotiable?

Nope. Tea doesn't mean a break for me. It often means the opposite - cracking on and getting focused.

Share a day in cups of tea with Sophie inside Issue 11 of The Simple Things out now in UK shops and available to download.

Win your own SousVide Supreme Demi with The Simple Things

As seen in our July issue of The Simple Things we're giving you a chance to win a SousVide Supreme Demi worth £450.

Sous vide cooking is a tried and tested method in restaurants since the 70s, popular with the likes of Raymond Blanc and Heston Blumenthal. French for 'under vacuum' food is 'poached' in a bag to lock in flavour and nutrients. Once a way of cooking reserved for the professionals, you can now give it a whirl in your own kitchen with the SousVide Supreme Demi water oven. This is not weird science but an easy, low energy and controlled way of cooking any meat, fish or veg (and even sauces, cakes, and infused vodkas!).

Are you ready to start experimenting, because we're giving you the chance to win your very own SousVide - click here to enter now!

A little look at Issue 11

Issue 11 is now available in UK shops and ready to download, here's a glimpse at what you'll find inside..

Don't forget, if you subscribe to The Simple Things today not only will you receive our monthly mag early and straight to your door, you can also save up to 50% on our subscription price!

So what are you waiting for?

Issue 10: the best bits

A small round up of some of the highlights of issue 10 on the blog, just in case you missed out the first time...

Discover the more of the magic of Helsinki as we spend extra time exploring the city with Lauren Memarian on the blog.

BY POPULAR DEMAND: share another brew with Maria Whiteman as she describes her day in cups of tea.

Don't miss: our picks of the best spots for a little wild camping over the summer.

If this is not enough you can see more of the best bits from inside the mag here, and order a copy online here.

What did you love about Issue 10? Share your best bits in the comments below!

Cakes in the house

You readers have been making our tummies rumble this week by sending us in pictures of the cake in your house. If the following confections don't have you reaching for the flour and eggs in your kitchen, we don't know what will.

Top: Hannah Jade sent in this 3 layered cake of chocolate delight, yum, bottom left: a delicious looking baked blueberry and coconut cake with lemon glaze from Chelsea and mini Victoria sponges from Ailie.

Left column: the recipe for this rhubarb cake was left on our Facebook wall by Margarida, Tipple Tails has a lovely fruit cake in the house, Toni's home is currently occupied by every chocoholics' dream - you can see more of her cakes here, and this classic carrot cake belongs to Katie Knott - can we have a slice?

Right column: a lovingly baked birthday cake from Libby Hayes, a scrummy looking chocolate cake from Laura Dodimead, and some cantucci from Ria Berends not cake but delicious too.

Introducing Issue 9...

Issue 9 hits the UK newsstands next week, though some of you lucky subscribers may have already received your copies. In the meantime, here's a peek at the front cover to whet your appetite.

Win one of 10 annual subscriptions to The Simple Things (closed)

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Real people are at the heart of The Simple Things so we decided to put them on the cover, and to celebrate our new look we're giving away 10 (yes 10!) annual subscriptions to the magazine. Click here to enter.

Free gifts when you subscribe today!

Subscribe today and receive this exclusive gift pack worth £38!

Delivery direct to your door at no extra cost

Receive 13 Issues a year

Your exclusive gift set includes a beautiful matching kitchen apron, oven mitt and tea towl, all made from 100% organic cotton by Orchre & Ocre (www.ochreandocre.com). Subscribe now to get your free gift!

Exclusive! Behind the scenes on our new cover shoot

People are at the heart of The Simple Things, so we decided to put them on the cover...

The urbanite who takes the time to show us round their city, the expert who shares their wisdom on specialist foods, the writer who helps send us off to bed, it is stories of life and people which fill our pages and make The Simple Things what it is.

Meet Teyha, Laura and John. Parents, friends, cooks, and the cover stars of this month's issue of The Simple Things.

Teyha lives with her daughter Isa (pictured below) in Nevada City California, where John works as a chef and lives with his girlfriend Laura and their son Desmond (also pictured below). The friends recently got together to share and enjoy a tasty Mexican buffet, a gathering we share inside Issue 8.

 "It's always a pleasure to get together a bunch of friends for a lazy afternoon of cooking..."

"Mexican food for me is all about enjoying family..."

We use real people in our mag not models because The Simple Things is about life, and we wanted to celebrate that on the cover. What do you think?

Things to wake up and WIN (closed)

We're giving away 8 fantastic prizes from this month's wake up and want wishlist inside Issue 7. Read more about the prizes below or enter here now!

Leaf impression plate | £13 | Yaela Studio

Impressed by hand with a grape leaf before another speckled texture was added, this plate is beautiful to look at.

Cake tins | £25 | Cotswold Trading

How could you say no to a piece of cake delivered by one of these three charming characters? Design by artist Tom Frost.

Pipe lamp | £69 | Bodie and Fou

House Doctor DK's pipe lamp mixes luxe with industrial to create an eye-catching statement piece.

Ceramic mug | £23 | Dawn Dishaw Ceramics

The pattern on this mug is hand-drawn and inspired by the rich patterns of Persian paintings

Harvest mugs | £16 each | Darling Clementine

Make the first drink of the day even more appealing supped from these bone china mugs

Dancers tea tray | £24 | Depeapa

Veronica de Arriba's illustration reminds us to banish the morning blues and get up and dance.

Pure Nature stool | £105 | Idyll Home

Bring a touch of rustic charm to the breakfast table with this wooden stool.

Kuppila tray and greeting cards | £36 | Polkka Jam

Serve up a reviving brew on this tea-themed tray.

CLICK HERE for a chance to win this amazing collection of prizes!

*Our wake up and want wishlist was complied by WILL TAYLOR

Inside The Simple Things Issue 7: the Collector

On Facebook and Twitter you've all been telling us how much you enjoy the collector feature inside The Simple Things. We do too. In seven Issues we've looked at all sorts of weird and wonderful collections from radios to valentines cards, and each one has been unique with a special story to tell. This month we take a look inside Michael Tyler's Cuban political poster collection, a series of stunning and powerful images in which artistic freedom meets the struggle for freedom.

1: 'Day of the Heroic Guerrilla', Helena Serrano, 1968 2: 'Day of World Solidarity with Laos', Andres Hernandez, 1972 3: 'Radiant Che', Alfredo Rostgaard, 1969

4: 'America Latina: Week of Solidarity with Latin America', Antonio Perez (Niko), 1968, 5: 'Day of Solidarity with the People of Venezuela', Faustino Perez, 1969 6: 'International Campaign of Solidarity with the People of Korea', Gladys Acosta, 1969.

To read more about Michael Tyler's Cuban poster collection download Issue 7 now or order a copy online.

Issue 7 (March 2013) is currently available in UK shops, subscribe here.

Get a free trial subscription of The Simple Things for iPad & iPhone! (expired)

Our new Apple Newsstand app is now live! To celebrate we’re offering a free trial subscription to all new subscribers!

To celebrate the launch of our new Apple Newsstand app, we’re offering a free trial subscription of The Simple Things, Mollie Makes and Gathered by Mollie Makes on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch to all new subscribers!

Click below to sign up for your free trial subscriptions

The Simple Things

Mollie Makes

Gathered by Mollie Makes

Inside Simple Things Issue 7 out today!

Spring is here and we're getting ready to plant sweet peas in the garden, transform our homes with a trip to the market, and experience Dublin for the first time. This month's issue is packed full of fresh ideas for you to try. Not made it to the shops yet? Don't fear, as we've got an inside peek into the mag waiting for you below!