February | a final thought

Taken from Be Wild Be Free by Amber Fossey (Harper Collins), artist and mental health expert who instagrams at @zeppelinmoon.

It’s been a slightly surreal few months, and we liked the way this illustration by Amber Fossey from our back cover gave us a bit of a new perspective on it all. Sometimes looking at something in a slightly upside-down way is all you need to gain a new view of the world.

We hope you enjoyed our February ‘Heart’ issue, and it gave you a bit of heart, and something of a lift during the last days of winter. Spring Proper is inches away now and our March issue is in shops from tomorrow or you can order it via our online shop.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More wit and wisdom from our back cover…

Why collecting is self caring

Thought yoga and meditation were the way to happiness, health and enlightenment? You might find your collection of Cornishware or coins is just as effective

Collecting often gets a bad name psychologically, with many believing that people collect in order to fill a hole that is missing in their lives, perhaps things they weren’t able to have as a child, or were unable to afford previously. There’s also a school of thought that collecting is something built deep within us, as a way of displaying to potential mates all our many and glorious possessions. And don’t ask Freud about his theory on collecting, unless you have a strong stomach. 

But psychologists now believe that there may be many positive benefits to collecting. And we’ve collected a few of them here:

Collecting can make you happy
Hunting for something and finding it, whether it’s a rare stamp, part of a coffee set, or a teddy bear, gives us a sense of joy. And having something new and beautiful in our homes is always a pleasure. We tend to collect things we love so having those things around us increases our happiness. 

Collecting can create community
Whether you’re attending conferences and collectors’ fairs in person or simply talking to others online about your collection, a collection can give you a link to others with the same passion and perhaps even create new friendships. It also gives us a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves.

Collecting can reduce anxiety
Spending time absorbed in any activity, such as arranging your collection or searching out new finds is a stress reducer. It allows you to escape from everyday life and focus completely on something else. 

Collecting allows us to be childlike
Children tend to be more natural collectors than adults, and peak ‘collector’ age is about 10. It’s something we tend to do more when we have lots of time on our hands, so children, people who have retired and, let’s face it, quite a lot of us in lockdown, are bigger collectors, and it’s lovely to rediscover that pleasure and pride we took in collections as children; like stepping back to a simpler time. 

Collecting improves our knowledge and brain function
As well as the obvious increase in knowledge about your subject area, being a collector helps with memory function and brain power, as you stretch your grey cells, remembering facts, dates and where you put that Penny Black...

You can meet more collectors in this month’s My Place pages which feature some beautiful collections from Instagram. such as the one by Nicky Guymer @somedaystuidio.co.uk pictured above.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More collections…

Eco dilemmas | digital working vs paper

In our new series for Miscellany, we answer the green questions you were too afraid – or too confused – to ask.  This month: is digital working really greener than paper?  

This answer may at first seem obvious but it’s worth remembering digital documents are not carbon neutral. By 2040, if current trends continue, storing our digital data will account for around14% of global emissions – the equivalent CO2 impact of the entire US today. So, while cutting out unnecessary use of paper is a good idea, a virtual declutter will also reduce the environmental impact of your work day: 

• Make the effort to regularly look at what you’re storing digitally, deleting documents you no longer need. 

• Many internet activities can be made greener: switch to an eco-friendly search engine that carbon-offsets the emissions from searches (such as by planting trees), and don’t leave music or videos playing on your computer. 

• Change your email habits. A 2019 study concluded that if each person in the UK sent one less email a day, national COÇ emissions would be reduced by just over 16,333 tonnes. 

• When you use paper, take time to figure out those printer settings so you can print doublesided and in black and white as a default, use scrap paper for notes and lists, and make sure you recycle everything 

 The answers to our eco-dilemmas are taken from Is It Really Green? by Georgina Wilson Powell (published by DK)  

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More eco ideas…

Playlist | Vardrypp

This playlist is compiled by Norwegian reader Katrine Wang. The direct translation of ‘vårdrypp’ is spring (vår) drip (drypp), meaning “the dripping from the roofs when snow is melting in spring.” This melting begins in March across Norway.

Stop, look and listen here.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More Simple Things playlists…

Competition | Win a £200 shopping spree at Gudrun Sjödén

Beautiful, thoughtfully produced pieces to bring colour to your wardrobe

With the new season comes new hope and energy – and that’s precisely what Gudrun Sjödén has captured in her Spring 2021 collection. Described as a love letter to nature, it features the rich palette that Gudrun encounters on her outings into the Swedish countryside, including jewel-like blues and greens complemented by spicy reds and yellows, all with her striking patterns and embroidered details, themselves inspired by traditional folk art.

As well as pouring her heart into each collection, creating clothes that will be cherished by several generations for many years to come, Gudrun is mindful to produce pieces that are kind to the planet, too. The company works hard to minimise its carbon footprint in all areas from design to production and freight and it supports its manufacturers to help them become as eco-friendly as possible – such as helping to create an organically certified production line and establishing water recycling systems. In fact, this season’s collection features digital printing, which uses a minimum of water, while still producing beautifully vivid colours. For more information, visit gudrunsjoden.com

We have two prizes of £200 to spend at the online store…

To enter

For your chance to win one of two £200 vouchers to spend in store or online at Gudrun Sjödén, simply click the button below and answer the question: The countryside of which country inspires Gudrun’s lines?

Terms and conditions

This competition closes at 11.59pm on 7 April 2021. Two winners will be selected at random from all the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap for cash. Details of our full terms are on p.127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our March issue…

Recipe: Rhubarb and custard crepes

We're never ones to approach Pancake Day in a halfhearted manner., particularly not this year of all years. Why settle for lemon and sugar when you can dress up your crepe with this continental take on a classic English treat? Shrove Tuesday never tasted quite this good before.

Rhubarb and Custard Crepes

Ingredients
800g pink rhubarb
120g caster sugar
120ml water
140g plain flour
1 egg and 5 egg yolks
2tbsp melted butter, cooled
Pinch of salt
550ml milk
2 level tbsp cornflour
1 vanilla pod
300ml double cream

1. Preheat oven to 170C (150 fan), 325F, gas 3. Trim rhubarb, place in an ovenproof bowl and cover with 25g sugar then water.
2. Bake for 30-40 mins.
3. For the crepes, sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the egg, 1 egg yolk, melted butter, 15g sugar and salt, whisking all the time and then add 300ml gradually milk gradually at the end. Leave to rest for 30 mins.
4. Make custard by whisking together the other egg yolks, 80g sugar and cornflour until pale and creamy. Halve vanilla pod and remove seeds. Place pod and seeds in a pan with the cream and 250ml milk. Bring to boil while whisking, then add to egg mixture. Return to pan. Stir over gentle heat until it thickens. Remove pod and let cool.
5. Grease a frying pan, pour in a ladleful of batter and spread thinly. Cook until top of crepe is set, then turn carefully and cook on reverse. Keep warm as you make the rest. Serve filled with custard and rhubarb - and a side of custard.

Recipe from Pancakes, Crepes, Waffles and French Toast by Hannah Miles (Ryland, Peters & Small), first published in issue 20 of The Simple Things.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More pancake posts:

From our February issue…

Recipe: Peanut butter jammie dodgers

Fans of peanut-butter- and-jam sandwiches will love this biscuity twist on the all-American classic. Give the flowers and chocs a miss and instead make a batch of these irresistible biccies for someone you love. 

MAKES ABOUT 30 DODGERS

150g butter, softened
100g shop-bought smooth peanut butter
125g caster sugar
25g light muscovado sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
large pinch salt
265g plain white flour, plus extra for dusting
100g of your favourite jam

1 Cream together the butter and peanut butter for 1 minute. You can use either a medium bowl and a wooden spoon, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add both sugars and beat for a further 2 mins until fluffy. Add the egg yolk, vanilla and salt and beat until combined, then sift over the flour and mix to form a soft dough. Knead a couple of times until smooth. 
2 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160/350F. Line two baking trays with baking parchment.
3 On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a thickness of 3–4mm. The dough will be quite fragile – if it breaks apart, gently press the crumbly edges back towards the centre, then carefully continue to roll.
4 Cut out rounds of dough using a 5cm biscuit cutter. Using a heart-shaped stamp, or another small cutter of your choice, cut a hole from the middle of half of the biscuits. Place all the biscuit rounds on the prepared baking trays.
5 Bake for 8–12 mins until lightly golden. Keep a close eye on them – these biscuits can turn from golden to burnt very quickly.
6 Remove from the oven, leave to cool on the trays for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7 When the biscuits are cool, spread a scant tsp of jam on the underside of the whole biscuits. Top each one with a cut-out heart biscuit and press down lightly. The biscuits will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.

Recipe from Homemade Memories by Kate Doran (Orion Publishing)

This recipe was first published in issue 44 of The Simple Things.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

From our February issue…

More lovely things for Valentine’s Day…

Competition | win a stylish shopping spree

Beautiful, thoughtfully produced pieces to bring colour to your wardrobe

With the new season comes new hope and energy – and that’s precisely what Gudrun Sjödén has captured in her Spring 2021 collection. Described as a love letter to nature, it features the rich palette that Gudrun encounters on her outings into the Swedish countryside, including jewel-like blues and greens complemented by spicy reds and yellows, all with her striking patterns and embroidered details, themselves inspired by traditional folk art.

As well as pouring her heart into each collection, creating clothes that will be cherished by several generations for many years to come, Gudrun is mindful to produce pieces that are kind to the planet, too. The company works hard to minimise its carbon footprint in all areas from design to production and freight and it supports its manufacturers to help them become as eco-friendly as possible – such as helping to create an organically certified production line and establishing water recycling systems. In fact, this season’s collection features digital printing, which uses a minimum of water, while still producing beautifully vivid colours. For more information, visit gudrunsjoden.com

We have two prizes of £200 to spend at the online store…

To enter

For your chance to win one of two £200 vouchers to spend in store or online at Gudrun Sjödén, simply click the button below and answer the question: The countryside of which country inspires Gudrun’s lines?

Terms and conditions
This competition closes at 11.59pm on 7 April 2021. Two winners will be selected at random from all the correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap for cash. Details of our full terms are on p.127 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our March issue…

Recipe | Sesame Prawn Toasts

Moreish, prawnish and very celebratory, these tasty triangles will get a feast started on the right foot

Chinese New Year begins on Friday February 12th this year and ends with the Lantern Festival on the 26th, and is a celebration of the arrival of Spring as well as moving into a new calendar year. If you’re marking the start of Chinese New Year this weekend why not make these crispy and very moreish sesame prawn toasts as part of the feast? They’re a bit of effort but well worth it.

Serves 4

200g prawns (if using frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight then pat dry; de-vein and de-shell , if necessary)
1 tsp finely-grated ginger
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 egg white
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp each of salt and pepper
3 pieces of thick sliced white bread, each cut into 4 triangles
100g sesame seeds (on a plate)
Groundnut or sunflower oil for shallow frying
Chopped coriander, soy or sweet chilli sauce for serving

1 Blitz the prawns, ginger, garlic, egg white, spring onions, soy sauce, salt and pepper in a food processor until you have a thick paste.
2 Spread the blitzed prawn paste on one side of each triangle of bread.
3 Gently press the prawn paste side of each triangle into the sesame seeds on a plate. Set aside for frying.
4 Heat 2-3cm of oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat. Make sure it's hot, but not so hot it's smoking. Drop small piece of bread into the oil – if it bubbles straight away, the oil is ready.
5 Place two of the triangles (prawn and sesame seed side facing down) in the oil and cook for 1-2 mins, or until the sesame seeds are golden. Fry one or two slices at a time or the oil temperature will drop and you may end up with soggy prawn toasts!
6 Turn the toast over and cook for a further 1 min. Remove and place on kitchen roll to soak up any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining triangles.
7 Serve whilst hot with a sprinkling of chopped coriander and soy sauce or a sweet chilli sauce for dipping.

Cook’s note: If you don't eat them all, let them cool, then freeze in an airtight container. To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight and oven bake at 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6 for 7-8 mins, or until piping hot throughout.

This recipe is part of our Feast of Good Fortune menu to mark the start of the Year of the Ox in our February issue. You can find the rest of the recipes, including potstickers and steamed fish, from page 34.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More feasts from our Gathering pages…

Life lessons | from Adrian Mole

We can learn all sorts of life lessons from a peek at the pages of someone’s diary (particularly those of teenaged intellectuals, of course). 

Stuck at a crossroads in life, or struggling with a moral conundrum? Look no further than the diaries of our favourite young Intellectual. Adrian Mole, who always has words of wisdom, whether you’re struggling with a friend who has become a punk or a lack of correspondence from Malcolm Muggeridge. 

When simple pleasures present themselves, make the most of them and store them away in your memory to cheer you another time. 

“At four o’clock I had one of those rare moments of happiness that I will remember all my life. I was sitting in front of Grandma’s electric coal fire eating dripping toast and reading the News of the World. There was a good play on Radio Four about torturing in concentration camps. Grandma was asleep and the dog was being quiet. All at once I felt this dead good feeling.”

Living an authentic life is important, but sometimes warmth and comfort are more vital still.

“Nigel is a punk at weekends. His mother lets him be one providing he wears a string vest under his bondage T-shirt.”

Looking after your body will improve energy levels but so much of it is about taking good care of your wellbeing, too. 

“My skin is dead good. I think it must be a combination of being in love, and Lucozade.”

Home is where the heart is but often it pays to expand one’s horizons if adventure is what you want. Just be sure it is what you want. 

“I have never seen a dead body or a female nipple. This is what comes from living in a cul de sac.”

To have a real chance at achieving your dreams, you should plot a route backwards from where you want to be to where you are now. And play to your strengths.

“Had a long talk with Mr Vann the Careers teacher today. He said that if I want to be a vet I will have to do Physics, Chemistry and Biology for O level. He said that Art, Woodwork and Domestic Science won’t do much good. I am at the Crossroads in my life. The wrong decision now could result in a tragic loss to the veterinary world.”

Don’t waste your time on things you think you should like; life is short and there are many things out there that will give your pleasure. 

“I think Jane Austen should write something a bit more modern.”

Only give for the joy of giving, rather than the prospect of receiving thanks.

“I remembered my resolution about helping the poor and ignorant today, so I took some of my old Beano annuals to a quite poor family who have moved into the next street. I know they are poor because they have only got a black and white telly. A boy answered the door. I explained why I had come. He looked at the annuals and said, ‘I’ve read ’em,’ and slammed the door in my face. So much for helping the poor!”

Remember that ‘there but for the grace of God… before criticising others’

“My grandma let the dog out of the coal shed. She said my mother was cruel to lock it up. The dog was sick on the kitchen floor. My grandma locked it up again.”

We’re all allowed to have off days, so don’t be hard on yourself. Especially if you are extraordinary. 

 “I still haven’t heard from Malcolm Muggeridge. Perhaps he is in a bad mood. Intellectuals like him and me often have bad moods. Ordinary people don’t understand us and say we are sulking, but we’re not.”

Whatever the situation, your grandmother was probably right about it. 

“Grandma rang and said that it was all around the Evergreens that I was ‘keeping bad company’. She made me go round for tea.”

We were inspired to turn to Mole after reading our feature Dear Diary, about great diarists in our February issue, which is on sale now.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More wisdom for intellectuals (and book lovers)…

Make | Rosemary, Peppermint and Lemon Scalp Rub

Clear your head and bring the zing to your shower, too, with this treatment you can make in your kitchen

Rosemary and lemon are a classic combination, made even zingier with the addition of peppermint. Great for fine to medium hair, applying this to the scalp encourages blood flow, while the essential oils clear the head.

Makes one
250ml jar
250ml coconut oil
4 sprigs rosemary
3 drops peppermint essential oil
6 drops lemon essential oil

1 Melt the coconut oil in the microwave until pourable.
2 Finely chop the needles from one sprig of rosemary.
3 Pour the coconut oil into a 250ml re-sealable jar and stir in the chopped rosemary and both essential oils.
4 Push the remaining rosemary sprigs into the sides of the jar before sealing.
5 To use, apply the scalp rub all over the head, getting right into the roots. Leave for 15-30 mins before shampooing and rinsing thoroughly.

This project by Lottie Storey is just one of the ideas on our new potion-making for grown-ups series, Heart, Body and Soul. This month, we focus on rosemary, with an infused oil, and recipes for a bread, a cake and a pasta dish, all using the herb.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More lotions and potions to make…

Where to buy | espresso cups like the ones on our February cover

Lots of you admired the espresso cups on our current ‘Heart’ issue and wanted to know where to buy some like it. We rather liked @bodkincreates’ cosy picture of her enjoying a cup of coffee of her own, while admiring the cover cups. Unfortunately, they were ‘model’s own’ so we can’t direct you right to them, we’re afraid, but for those of you with coffee cup envy, our own shopping guru Lousie Gorrod (@louise_gorrod) has sourced a few looky likeys.

Olmo Set Of 4 Speckled Stoneware Mugs, Habitat
Mulled wine mugs, £7 each, Nordic Nest
Amara cup and saucer, £24, Joules

Both the cups and the coffee were kindly given to us by the award-winning Volcano Coffee Works, founded by our own Anneliese Klos, who also styled this cover shoot. Volcano offers a range of beans, ground coffee and compostable pods, all available by mail order or through a Volcano subscription. There’s everything from Bold Morning Shot coffee to start your day with a bang, to smooth decafs that won’t interfere with your bedtime.

Must be time to put the kettle on, then!

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

Galanthomania | Or How To Find Fame on Your Daily Walk

If you go down to the woods today you might be in for a bigger surprise that you think

Hunting for snowdrops is one of the joys of this time of year, and can feel like a natural treasure hunt. Seeing their little white heads poking up through the dark floor, whether you’re in the forest or even just taking a turn around the garden is a magical moment that signals the thaw of winter. And February is Galanthomania time, as Galanthophiles (snowdrop lovers) the world over hunt for new species, which, rather thrillingly, can crop up literally anywhere. 

If you have a couple of different species sneaking up through the lawn in your garden, or know of some woods nearby where they proliferate, it’s worth getting your knees dirty to crouch down and check that what you’re looking at isn’t a rare or brand new species. 

The current record for the sale of a single snowdrop is just under £1,400 for a ‘Golden Fleece’ snowdrop, which would certainly put a spring in your spring step. But how do you tell a (literally) common or garden snowdrop from something a little rarer? 

How to spot a Special Snowdrop

Golden Fleece Snowdrops have an open look. as if they were drapped upon someone’s shoulders (hence the fleece), with splashes of lime green on the petals. Elizabeth Harrisons have a golden ‘ovary’ (the bulb bit between petals and stem) and a yellow shade to the petals. Meanwhile, Green Tears have lime green stripes on the outer petals and are a brighter green inside. You can also look out for varieties with green spots on the inside of the petals, various differences in colours, and petals that flare out or appear a different shape to normal. 

What should I do if I spot Snowdrop Treasure?

You need to ask the landowner’s permission to take just a small piece of the bulb. If you get lucky and they’re in your garden, obviously it’s finders keepers. The way to make money from them is to then grow them on and be able to sell more to collectors. But we think the most magical part is simply being able to become a rare plant collector just by stepping outside your front door. 

You can read more about snowdrop walks and other things to do in your lunchbreak in our feature, Make A Break For It, in our Feburary issue, which is out now.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More things for spring…

How to | Dress Like a Steampunk

Fetch the dressing-up trunk; we’ve found a solid reason for grown-ups to get in on the fun

If you’ve ever been intrigued by Steampunk style, or simply passed someone on the street looking like they’ve wandered out of the 19th century, via a branch of Ann Summers and an RAF outfitters, and wondered what it was all about, here’s a brief explanation: Steampunk is a style, a lifestyle and a philosophy described as ‘a sub genre of science fiction and fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic design inspired by 19th century industrial steam powered machinery’. It’s a bit of a hybrid genre, however, and often also incorporates elements of the Gothic, Wild West and more. 

In more layman’s terms, it’s dressing up in fabulous costume, adding technological accessories and having a jolly nice time enjoying all the best aspects of Victoriana and indulging in some hearty afternoon teas, to boot. 

In our February issue, we meet some Steampunks, in our Modern Eccentrics series, but if you’re keen to get in on the Steampunky action before that (we know we were) there’s nothing to stop you gathering together a Steampunk dressing-up box at home. You could hold your own Steampunk afternoon tea knowing at least that no one is going to surprise you with a visit, or look forward to surprising the postman or supermarket delivery driver if you’re feeling almost ready to take your new look out to the world. 

Here’s a guide on how to dress like a Steampunk

1. Choose your theme. Your basic Steampunk look is Victorian with a steam-powered twist, but within that are various sub genres. Some of the popular looks are Gothic, military, aviator, adventurer, explorer and pirate (we told you it was all jolly good fun, didn’t we?) but you can choose your own and give your costume your own twist, related to your own career, hobbies or heritage. 

2. Source a top with a strong Victorian style, but a bit of glamour too. A corset is ideal. Clearly stepping out in just a corset would have given Queen Vic herself an attack of the vapours, but that’s the fun of Steampunk; it takes the bits of Victorian style that are fun and leaves the judgement back in the 1870s. A laced-up corset that would look at home in a bodice-ripper novel is ideal, but if you feel more comfortable in something a bit less risque, look for blouses with big sleeves, and anything wreathed in lace. 

3. Hunt out tiered and gathered skirts that show a little leg, or trousers with a lot of attitude. Leather is very much encouraged but skirts with multiple layers and lengths are also de rigeur. It can get a bit hot under all those layers and leather so skirts are often gathered higher at the front to let a little air in. 

4. Rediscover your waist with a cinch and add a bustle. Steampunk is all about the exaggerated silhouette. And while the cinch may slightly hinder your efforts at putting away cake and cucumber sandwiches, there’s plenty of room under that big skirt for seconds.

5. Boot up with something sturdy. Long leather boots are ideal but an old pair of DMs paired with fancy tights works equally well. ‘Hardy’ and ‘a fine turn of ankle’ are your watchwords.

6. Adorn your shoulders with a faux fur stole, or a bolero, or a nice tweed jacket... whatever you like. You will never be cold as a Steampunk, even standing in front of dark satanic mills in February, trying to get a good selfie. 

7. Here’s where it gets even more fun: add lots of cogs, gears and general ‘industrial’ paraphernalia. You can go mad with brass buttons that look like nuts and bolts, earrings and necklaces made of cogs and heavy chains to adorn your jacket. As long as you look like you might chug instead of breathe, you’ve done well.

8. Add some lace into the mix. Lace is a bit of a must for Steampunks; definitely essential for the Gothic style but frankly it looks just as good if you’re going for a pirate look. Even the most intrepid Steampunk aviator’s style is improved by the softening effect of a little lace at the neck. 

9. Pop some specs on; the tiny little round ones are best, but anything that gives you an air of Miss Marplesque curiosity is what you’re going for. You don’t even have to have them on your nose; simply perch on your head, pop in a top jacket pocket or wear them on a chain around your neck.

10. Accessorise with some time pieces: as many as you like. Clocks are a big part of the Steampunk look. You can go for a beautiful pocket watch pinned to your person, or just a nod to it with some tights or a tattoo that references the inner workings of clocks. Or go all out and drape them everywhere. You’re aiming for a look that is somewhere between legendary clock-wearing rapper Flavor Flav and The White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. 

11. Pin some medals on yourself. In Steampunk circles we are told many people wear crosses and stars to celebrate their victories. What victories these are, we aren’t certain. Perhaps getting into those corsets or lacing up those boots? Who knows. Either way, if you’ve ever yearned to be decorated, now’s your chance: make free with the medals, get sewing them on your jacket and feel heroic. 

12. Invest in a pair of flying goggles. We wouldn’t say they’re a <must> for a Steampunk but they do help in adding that ‘adventurey’ look you want and they’re just the best bit. Being a Steampunk without goggles is a bit like going to a fancy dress party as Dracula without the teeth. They’re historically significant due to the Victorian need for cinder goggles when riding on the newly expanded railways and later for driving, with the advent of the motor car. And stylistically, well, a Steampunk might need them for any eventuality: to throw on when jumping in the cockpit of one’s bi-plane, for protecting one’s eyes during a pirate battle or in a mad scientist’s laboratory, or simply as protection against generic ‘industrial steam’. One can never be too careful. Also, they look really, really cool. 

13. Get an airship. Because why wouldn’t you want an airship?

Meet some Steampunks in our February issue, out now.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More fun for days at home…

Cocktail Hour | Blood Orange Negronis

It’s blood orange season;  what better excuse for a Negroni? (Like you need an excuse) 

With Saturday nights out off the menu for the moment, we’re officially reinstating Cocktail Hour. Join us for a very seasonal Blood Orange Negroni this evening. The bold colour of this cocktail is really rather cheering and it features Aperol instead of Campari so it’s less bitter than the original. And we feel a little less bitter about our Saturday nights for having one, too. Sometimes staying at home isn’t so bad. 

Makes one 

25ml gin 

25ml Aperol 

25ml sweet vermouth 

25ml freshly-squeezed blood orange juice, plus wedges for decoration 

Rosemary sprig 

1 Pour all of the alcohol and squeezed juice into a shaker or jam jar, make sure the lid’s on securely, and shake well. 

2 Fill a glass with ice and add a sprig of rosemary and a wedge of blood orange before pouring your Negroni over the top. 

Maker’s note: If you want to give your drink an aromatic, smoky twist, set fire to the end of the sprig of rosemary.

Find more tipples and other things to improve your weekends in the February issue of The Simple Things, available now.

More cocktails for every season…

More from our February issue…

January | a final thought

We’ve reached the end of our January ‘Snug’ issue. Our February issue is in shops from tomorrow or you can order it via our online shop.

We hope you enjoyed feeling ‘snug’ with us. Here’s the illustration from our back cover, which made us all feel pretty snug, too.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our January issue…

More wisdom from our back cover…

Make | blockprint sweater template

Give an old sweatshirt a new look in an afternoon and feel very clever indeed

In our February issue, we have a feature on how to upcycle an old sweater into something a little lovelier. All the items you need and the instructions are on page 42, and you can print out the template you will need for your blockprint below.

Blockprint template

Good luck! And don’t forget to send us pictures of your new jumpers!

More craft projects for cold afternoons…

More from our February issue…

Playlist | Heart

“Something’s gotten hold of my heart, Keeping my soul and my senses apart”

Listen here.

More from our February issue…

More of our playlists…

Nature | Seaweed Weather Forecasting

When there’s little else to forage, seaweed is still plentiful. But as well as being good to eat, did you know it can also act as your very own Wincey Willis? 

Hang some seaweed outside and if it feels dry to the touch the weather should be fine, whereas if it feels damp rain be on its way. It’s not a completely failsafe forecast, being based only on the fact that if there’s moisture in the air it may indicate rain soon to come. If it’s VERY wet, it may simply be that it’s actually raining already. But it’s a bit of fun. 

Here are a few more ways you can tell the weather without switching on the radio or TV.

• Have a look at the dandelions. If they’re closed it will be clouding over. 

• See if you can spot any bees. They don’t tend to leave the hive when rain is on the way. 

• Notice what leaves are doing. Those with soft stems will go a little limp when there’s stormy or blustery weather on the way to allow wind to blow them about without snapping them.

• Arrange a very elaborate picnic. Around 20 seconds after you’ve spread the blanket on the ground, it will almost certainly begin to rain.

Discover more about seaweed, how to forage it and eat it in our January issue with our feature A Winter’s Tale. It starts on page 36.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our January issue…

More foraged finds you can eat…

Organise | an excellent toolbox

Make DIY days a thing to relish by spring-cleaning your tool box into submission

We do like a Very Useful Thing, and what we like even more is a Thing that is Very Useful as well as Very Lovely. Toolboxes are an excellent example of something that should be truly useful but are infinitely improved by containing items that are lovely to hold, pretty to look at and give you a smug sense of satisfaction every time you lift the lid.  Here are a few items that we think deserve a place in every toolbox. 

Hammer
A ball hammer and a claw hammer are both useful, but if you’re only going for one, get the claw hammer so that you can pull old bits of wood apart as well as knock things into walls. A nice wooden handle that sits neatly in the palm of your hand is what you’re after, with a pleasingly cool, metal head that will sink nails into anything you like with ease. 

Tape measure
A good metal measuring tape that locks solidly and then retracts smoothly with a satisfying thunk is a must for any toolbox, and especially handy for scoping out rooms for new items of furniture. 

Jar of screws
Like a good button box, a screw jar really ought to be a little bit of history. Ideally, it should once have belonged to your Dad or Grandad and contain mostly screws that you have absolutely no idea of the heritage of but will one day be precisely the thing you need. 

Socket set and wrench
By Golly, there’s little quite so satisfying as being able to shift an unshiftable bolt whenever you want to. And having a gleaming set of sockets so you always have exactly the size you need is really very pleasing indeed. A set of Allen keys is handy for the same reason. 

A set of screwdrivers
Or at least a Phillips and a flathead and some of those teeny tiny screwdrivers you get in Christmas crackers that are good for essential spectacle maintenance. 

Torch
A nice slim metal one, with a flash function, because that’s always fun, but mainly for finding things that have rolled under furniture. 

Sandpaper selection
A few different grades are useful from 5 o’clock shadow through to pebble dash, to allow you to sand finely or roughly shave a few centimetres off fast. 

Pliers (and long-nose pliers)
Useful for a hundred domestic difficulties for things that are stuck in, up and on things, things that are shut fast, wrenched open or just difficult to reach. A nice, heavy pair of pliers is a joy to have in your hand. 

Putty knife
Look for one with a good bend on the metal so that you can get your putty neatly into any nook and cranny that needs filling. 

Hack saw
A small hack saw is very handy for making adjustments to dowel, curtain poles and anything else that’s in desperate need of shortening (apart from your in-laws’ visits). 

Stanley knife
Excellent for crafting as well as DIY. Look for a knife that fits snugly into your palm and has a pleasing weight to it. 

Spirit level
It’s not a simple meeting of alcohol and physics. It’s an magic straightening bubble, worked by elves. We won’t have it any other way. Surely the most attractive item in any tool box. Get a nice wooden one with a lovely green bubble to help with hanging shelves and the like. 

Stud detector
Great for helping you put up pictures, mirrors etc and very exciting too because they give you that feeling of metal detecting in your own home. 

Duct tape
For temporarily sorting everything from leaks to slow punctures. We recommend Gorilla tape, or Duck tape. Because who’d want a tape without a gorilla or a duck on them when you could have one with?

Pencil
All pencils are not born equal. Don’t just stick an HB in there from the kitchen drawer. You’ll only end up borrowing it back next time you need to write the milkman a note. Get yourself a proper square-shaped carpenter’s pencil that won’t roll off surfaces and will make you feel very well-equipped indeed. 

In our January issue, we are talking Cups of Tea with Louise Hames of Tinker and Fix, which sells very lovely things for your tool box, garden and more. Turn to page 30 to find out more about them. 

More from our January issue…

More things you can DIY…