Revive: February cover reveal

The shortest month is never sweet, coming at the dog-end of winter. Yet it acts as a reminder to lift our heads and engage with the outside world again, to end the hibernation and breathe deep. We need help to revive ourselves; nourishing mind and body with good food and old friends, maybe a homemade remedy or massage. A walk on a melancholy shore can be beautifully uplifting. Look ahead and you’ll glimpse winter’s end, but contentment can also be found in the here and now. Embrace February’s calm as a tonic to send you into spring.

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My kitchen is for dancing

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A could-do list for January

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

Turn up your internal central heating with spicy stews and aromatic teas

Have your sledge at the ready for the first snowfall

Enjoy the peace and order that this month brings

Take a pot of steaming soup to a friend or neighbour in need

Change your route for a month and notice new things around you

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Finding hygge

January is full of possibilities. Plans and hopes and dreams. As it should be at the start of things. But no need to rush. The warmth of hearth and home is what we need during these dark midwinter days. Appreciating what we have and where we live, embracing being indoors, cosy and comfortable together — a hygge life. Let your mind wander while you sit; make the case for adventure, for exploring the unfamiliar, for strange languages, for the mountains and for the stars and where they could lead you. 

January’s The Simple Things is all about hygge. Pronounced hue-gah, hygge is a Danish word to portray a feeling or mood that comes taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary, every day moments more meaningful, beautiful or special. Get your copy now for plenty of ideas to try this month. 

We might not have the snow here but you can pretend you’re in Scandinavia with one of these fun Nordic experiences. If you can’t beat them and all that...

l If you’re going to Paris and fancy a very different experience, head to the Insitut Finlandais and spend the night in a Finnish wood cabin (above). The cabins are a temporary installation (until May) designed in a pared-back Nordic style and guests will be treated to a taste of the Finnish hospitality with a traditional breakfast and themed events from music to film screenings. kotisleepover.com

l There’s plenty of hygge to be had in London this winter. At Southbank Winter Festival (until 25 January) pop into the Rekorderlig Cider Lodge to sample the new Spiced Plum cider and huddle round firepits with bowls of Swedish food. Or go to Winter Wigwam in Hoxton and feast at a long table, warm up with hot mead by the fire and join a hair braiding or ukulele session. queenofhoxton.com

l It’s bound to be chilly in Scotland but keeping warm is easy in the new 40ft loch-side sauna with panoramic views of Loch Tay in the Taymouth Marina. When it all gets too sweaty, you can jump into the loch to cool off before cosying up by the firepit.
taymouthmarina.com

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Hygge: January cover reveal

January is full of possibilities. Plans and hopes and dreams. As it should be at the start of things. But no need to rush. The warmth of hearth and home is what we need during these dark midwinter days. Appreciating what we have and where we live, embracing being indoors, cosy and comfortable together — a hygge life. Let your mind wander while you sit; make the case for adventure, for exploring the unfamiliar, for strange languages, for the mountains and for the stars and where they could lead you. Happy New Year from The Simple Things.

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Jolly: December cover reveal

Let the revelry begin! Time to pour the punch, dust off the decanter and lay a lavish table. There’ll be parlour games, perhaps a quiz and of course some festive telly. Tis also the season for revelations. Santa is real – Rudolph, pure fiction. Pickled walnuts are chic, and colouring is all grown-up. Gifts come in many guises; the sprouts you grew, a cake you baked or an hour of your time. Wishing you a very jolly Christmas. With love from The Simple Things 

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Fall asleep with a dream and wake up with a purpose

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Gather: November cover reveal

Abundant autumn brings much to savour, in its rich, earthy colours, in nature’s bounty, admired on crisp, sunny walks or on adventures behind the wheel. A fireside tea awaits, complete with cake, crumpets and pots of tea. Take time to regroup. Curl up on the sofa to craft woven treasures. Roast colourful roots. It’s the season for cosy polo necks, for daytime naps and early nights. There are no worries, only sweet dreams, when you relish The Simple Things 

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The tallest oak was once just a nut that held its ground

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Hirameki: Download our ink blot doodles

Every blot’s an inspiration, every line is free, unlock your imagination and draw what you see! Try your hand at Hirameki - ink blot doodling where you draw what you see

If you’ve ever doodled, then you can turn your hand to a bit of Hirameki. The word means ‘brainwave’ or ‘flash of inspiration’ in Japanese and it is the art of turning a seemingly random paint blot into a picture by adding a few dots and lines. Artists Peng and Hu realised that the tiniest blot could be easily turned into something amazing; even the most inexperienced doodlers can make something from a blot. 

“It is simply about drawing what you see,” says Peng. “All you need is a pen and a dash of imagination.”

On the subject of pens, they recommend the following: “A Hirameki pen should be no longer than your arm and no shorter than your little finger. The ink should be coal black or midnight blue, never shrieky yellow or shrinking violet. Calligraphy brushes, quills and charcoal are all acceptable. Best of all, though, is a fine-tipped felt pen.”

This new take on doodling is a fun version of the famous Rorschach inkblot test, created to reveal unconscious thinking.

Peng says: “It’s creative and a little bit anarchic for those who are bored of drawing inside the lines. And it’s a delight for hand, eye and mind, giving you an unexpected sense of satisfaction.”

Have a play with the blots on our Hirameki download PDFs or splatter your own. Just enter your email below and we'll email you with the Hirameki sheets and our fortnightly newsletter.

About Peng & Hu 
Artists Peng, from Austria, and Hu, from Germany, discovered Hirameki when they saw a cow with a splotch that looked just like a film star

Taken from Hirameki and Hirameki Cats & Dogs (Thames & Hudson) by Peng & Hu

Mischief: October cover reveal

Curious things happen at this time of year. Pumpkins transform into faces and shiny conkers fall from the sky. There’s magic afoot as a bubbling pot turns into jewel bright jam and windfall apples become a pie. Outside, more wonder at work; the golden leaves of an oak tree, berries galore and seedheads to gather. Listen to wise women and learn well their herbal lore. Make mischief when darkness falls; try your hand at Hirameki or dust off a board game for a hygge evening of candlelit company. This is autumn. These are The Simple Things.

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From the October issue:

Enjoy the little things, one day you'll remember they were the big things

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Nest: September cover reveal

September is a month with purpose; to learn something new, make something beautiful, go somewhere special. Or to find a place within yourself where contentment lies. Take up a pen and write a letter to a friend, send invitations over tea and a pile of toast. Relish being at home, sweet home. Tie your apron to rustle up veg plot lunches and cakes from the harvest. Find comfort in these mellow, end-of-summer days. Find comfort in The Simple Things.

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Life's perfect moments are now

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Slow: August cover reveal

...and breathe. Summer holidays are here. But why wait to go away? Ditch
the to-do list, assemble your favourite people and bag a brook for a shady picnic. Anyone for a blackberry shandy? Eat outside and greet the wide world from a deckchair. When you can no longer resist, take a trip to the sea; for a swim, to gather seaweed or ponder on mermaids. While you enjoy the hot yellow of sunflowers, let your mind wander on, well, nothing in particular. See where slow takes you. And on the way, linger over The Simple Things 

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The Simple Things letterpress print

When it came to writing a manifesto for The Simple Things, it actually didn’t take long. We made a list of those special moments and and stuff that’s really important.

When we handed out the flyers at shows, we realised how universal they are. People wanted one to take home. So we asked Nomad Letterpress to hand-print a special poster.

Made using Zerkall 225gsm mould-made paper

Measures 380mm x 530mm 

Colours from the top: Teal, Watermelon, Blueberry & Ginger

The Simple Things letterpress print costs £22, unframed, and UK p&p is free*

Buy at icebergpress.co.uk/shop

*Check online for overseas postage prices 

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Dogs in blankets with Laughing Dog

KIZZY, SAUSAGE DOG, 8

“I’m a proud hepdog. Not like those loser, lazy hepcats, I’m an upstanding member of the canine heptathlon association of Great Britain. Well, when I say upstanding, I’m not counting the long jump (that requires a bit of a tumble). Being a hepdog takes a lot of improvisation – sticks for javelins, balls for shot-put and the gate for hurdles. Despite the failure of the Olympic Committee to recognise our sport, I believe we should get a medal for effort alone. Try the high jump with a body like mine. Now, that’s what I call real skill...”

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#doghappy @laughingdogfood

 

Dogs in blankets is brought to you in association with Laughing Dog

Three generations ago, our bakers discovered that slow-baking was the secret to creating deliciously tasty food. By oven-baking we can protect the wholesome goodness of our farm-grown ingredients, creating a delicious taste loved by even the fussiest of dogs.

To discover more about Laughing Dog’s mission to bake the nation dog happy, visit laughingdogfood.com. Save 25% on your first order! Quote ST16 when ordering

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There are no wrong turns, just unexpected paths

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Explore: July cover reveal

Open the curtains and seize the day. There’s no better time than summer for exploring. What will you do? Perhaps pick your own cherries, swim in a stream or stay in a caravan. This could be the year you learn to sail or even just make a new cocktail. Lie still for a while among the buttercups, watch the bees and smoke from the barbecue. Holidays are memory makers; you’ll remember when you learned about jellyfish, ate cactus and stayed in a beach house. To explore is to go on a journey. Take one this summer with The Simple Things. 

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