Sponsored post | The Gift of Giving

With Christmas just around the corner, here are some of our favourite brands to provide a little
shopping inspiration…

Pom Pom: Happy Knits For Little Kids

What could be better than a hand-knitted present for that little person in your life, or perhaps for that knitter who loves to make for kids? Mini Pomis Pom Pom’s collection of 11 versatile knitting and crochet patterns for kids aged 0-10. From classic pullovers, to a granny square cardigan, and the perfect mittens for colder days, these are patterns that kids (and grown-ups) will love! Readers of The Simple Things can save 25%* by using the code SIMPLETHINGS at checkout. pompommag.com

Bare Kind

Nothing beats the feeling of cosy toes, except the feeling of cosy toes alongside the warm glow of helping to save endangered animals. At Bare Kind, 10% of profits are donated to help save the animal featured on their beautifully soft bamboo socks, and last year they helped to protect 1,200 acres of rainforest, planted 13 rugby pitches worth of wildflower seeds and released 4,300 baby turtles on a beach in Sumatra, which makes them a gift worth giving. Readers of The Simple Things can save 15%* by using the code SIMPLE15 at checkout.barekind.com

Oubas Knitwear

Based in Cumbria, Oubas is an independent knitwear company whose ethos is to help people enjoy dressing naturally and to embrace a slower pace. Offering knits in beautiful shades of pure wools and cashmere, Oubas has been designing and producing knitwear for 10 years, with each piece carefully made by hand. For inspiration for ideal Christmas gifts, discover their range of colourful, warm winter accessories, all in natural fibres. oubasknitwear.co.uk

Keen

Keep feet looking stylish with KEEN’s new consciously created Mosey Chukka desert boot. Featuring natural fibre laces and pull tabs, a chemical-free anti-odour system and gum rubber and cork outer sole, the women’s boots come in either felt (Natural or Taupe) – made from a planet friendly 50% recycled wool blend – or a soft, supple leather (Olive), sourced from an environmentally preferred Leather Working Group (LWG) tannery. Meanwhile, the men’s environmentally preferred leather edition comes in three colours.keenfootwear.com

Meaningful Mornings

If you’re after a dose of positivity, then the Meaningful Mornings planner has been designed to help you live a happy, healthy and meaningful life. It’s ideal for getting organised and keeping on track with all of your projects and appointments thanks to its sections for monthly, weekly and daily planning. There’s also a dedicated space for recording everything that you’re grateful for and all those happy moments that you cherish. Weekly inspirational quotes will help to inspire, along with self-care tips for improved mental and physical health, happiness, productivity and wellbeing. meaningfulmornings.co.uk

Gaia Skincare

This festive season, GAIA Skincare has launched six new gift sets to support the wellness of the ones you love. Included in the line-up is GAIA’s Strengthening Gift Set, designed to support mind and body with a Strengthening Body Oil and Pulse Point. Both infused with black pepper and ginger essential oils, they’re blended to relieve aching muscles and awaken the senses, while an energisingCitrinecrystal complements the set and is said to offer healing qualities and aid emotional balance. gaiaskincare.com

Pom Pom: Knit How

Always wanted to learn to knit gifts? Or perhaps you’re looking for a present for a new knitter in your life? Packed full of tutorials and advice, Pom Pom’s Knit How is your go-to guide to start your journey through the world of yarn. From your first few shaky stitches, Knit Howguides you through ten projects, each increasing in complexity until you’ve truly mastered your craft! Readers of The Simple Things can save 25%* by using the code SIMPLETHINGS at checkout.pompommag.com

Valiant

Whatever your tipple of choice – whether it’s a minty mojito, a classic old fashioned or a simple G&T – if you’re after a gift for any budding mixologists in your life, look no further than the Valiant Cocktail Multi-Tool, which makes the ideal stocking filler for cocktail lovers this Christmas. This handy 7-in-1 foldaway device includes a stirrer, jigger, muddler, reamer, straight, zester and corkscrew – and is a great addition to any home bar or to take away for cocktails on the go. simplyvaliant.co.uk

Sponsored post | Seasonal Snuggles

As the temperature drops, thoughts turn to staying snug and towards the magic of the season

BLACKDOWN SHEPHERD HUTS

Curl up with a hot chocolate knowing that a cosy winter can be depended upon with a Blackdown Shepherd Hut. A calming space to just sit and listen to the crackle of the log fire and to feel the warmth weave through the hut as the sheep’s wool insulation wraps its toasty arms around the walls. Whether you’re after an additional family space, a garden retreat or something quirky for your dream business, these hand-crafted luxury huts offer you a sanctuary to escape to and to tune back into yourself. Find out more at blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk.

INTERNATIONAL ELF SERVICE
Each December, daily magical letters mysteriously appear, ready for children to find and discover what the Elves are up to in the North Pole. Stunning, hand-illustrated, personalised, eco-friendly letters from International Elf Service: Gold Award-winning Advent Calendar, with new adventures every year. Bring Christmas magic into your home and create precious childhood memories. Magical Letters. Inspired by children. Delivered by grown-ups. Enter SIMPLYMAGICAL20 at checkout for 20% off. Internationalelfservice.com.

EUROSTOVE
With winter just around the corner, there’s no better way to combat the chill than to cosy up in front of the mesmerising flicker of a stove fire. The Nestor Martin Harmony range of wood and multifuel stoves, available from Eurostove, offer both comfort and the latest in combustion technology. They burn efficiently and already conform to the forthcoming Eco Design directive, due to come in to effect in 2022. Available in a range of sizes, they’re the ideal addition to any room. For more information on Eurostove’s full range, visit eurostove.co.uk

BORN PEACEFUL
At this time of year, the Danish concept of Hygge is never more appealing. There’s no direct translation into English, but it’s the idea of feeling happiness, joy, contentment, warmth and tranquillity, like when you’re cuddled up with a loved one in front a roaring fire, or perhaps soaking in a candlelit bath. Born Peaceful’s Hygge blanket can help achieve this state of cosiness with its beautiful yoga and relaxation blanket. Made from ultra-soft non-pilling fleece and finished with wool whip stitch, it features the brand’s dove design and thoughts on the true meaning of hygge. To find out more, visit bornpeaceful.com.

Sponsored post: September's cut flower patch planting diary

Louise Curley, author of The Cut Flower Patch, shares this month’s planting diary.

'I always think there’s something very reassuring about the cycle of gardening. As one element fades there’s another coming into its own and just as summer merges into autumn it would be easy to become melancholy about the approach of winter but the task of planting spring bulbs reminds me of the year to come.

'Bulbs might seem like a bit of an extravagance for the cut flower patch as most will only produce one flower stem, unlike your cut and come again summer flowers. But after a long winter it’s a real delight to be able to go out and pick a few bunches of your own daffodils and tulips. And now is the time to be ordering and planting your cut flower bulbs for next year.

'Plant up a patch of bulbs purely for cutting and you’ll have a much wider choice of varieties for cutting than anything you could buy from the shops. For me, scented narcissi are a must. The fragrance is incredible and you’ll only need a few stems in a jar to scent a whole room. My must-have daffodil varieties include ‘Geranium’, ‘Winston Churchill’ and ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’.

'Tulips come in so many stunning colours and forms, not just the single coloured goblets you’ll find in the supermarket. Conjure up arrangements inspired by Dutch Masters’ paintings with flamboyant Parrot tulips like ‘Rococo’ and plant double flowered varieties such as ‘Angelique’ with it peony-like blooms for dreamily romantic displays. For me, the discovery of scented tulips has been a bit of a revelation – the cream-flowered ‘Verona’ and ‘Ballerina’ with its vibrant red/orange petals and orange jelly scent are my own favourites.

'Think small too. Grape hyacinths and dwarf narcissi such as ‘Tête-à-Tête’ might produce flowers no more than 20cm tall but they look incredibly pretty in small glass jars and are perfect for edging your cut flower beds where they take up very little space.'

Louise Curley is the author of The Cut Flower Patch, published by Frances Lincoln.

Sponsored post: August's cut flower patch planting diary

Louise Curley, author of The Cut Flower Patch, shares this month’s planting diary.

'There are bountiful harvests of blooms at the moment and my home is chocked full of vases but it’s hard to ignore the sense that autumn is not far away. As this year’s cut flower patch slowly fades it’s time to start thinking of next year. There’s a short window of opportunity to have bigger, stronger plants which will be more floriferous next year. By sowing certain hardy annuals now they will germinate and form small plants which are able to withstand the winter weather. Then, when the ground warms up next spring, they will romp away. Don’t sow too early as they may be encouraged into flowering prematurely if we get a mild autumn but likewise don’t sow too late as they won’t form large enough plants to cope with winter. The optimum time is mid-August to mid September.

'You could sow direct into a dedicated patch of ground, moving plants in spring to their final planting place or you could sow into pots and overwinter in a greenhouse or cold frame. The best plants for autumn sowing include cornflowers, larkspur, calendula, nigella, ammi and euphorbia oblongata. Autumn sown cornflowers and larkspur on my own flower patch can be a third taller than spring sown plants and produce flowers 3 to 4 weeks earlier.

'There are a few things to bear in mind if you fancy a spot of autumn sowing. If you grow them under protection you’ll need to keep an eye out for fungal problems such as botrytis, a grey fluffy mould that thrives in moist conditions and low light levels. Keep plants slightly on the dry side and ventilate your greenhouse or cold frames on milder autumn and winter days, but remember not to leave them open at night. If you’re growing them directly in the ground and winter turns out to be very cold your little plants will benefit from the protection of fleece or cloches. And, just because it’s winter it doesn’t mean you can forget about those pesky slugs. Check over your plants regularly and use organic slug pellets if necessary. It might seem like a bit of effort but when you’re picking your flowers next may it will all be worth it.'

Louise Curley is the author of The Cut Flower Patch, published by Frances Lincoln.

Wild Swimming Italy

Discover the most beautiful rivers, lakes and waterfalls of Italy in Wild Swimming Italy.

The Wild Swimming series travels to Italy to explore freshwater lakes, rivers, waterfalls and hot springs.

• Dip in to the emerald-green plunge pools of Sicily and swim at river beaches in Campania • Discover the secret hot springs of Tuscany and amazing waterfalls of the Dolomiti • Explore the hidden shores of Lake Como and Garda

Perfect for family explorers or romantic adventurers, this stunning travel book combines beautiful photography with all the practical information you’ll need to get off the beaten track, including maps, directions, grid references and walk-in times. There are also recommendations for canoe trips, campsites and tavernas.

From the emerald streams of the Dolomites, to the azure colours of the Trentino lakes. From idyllic Tuscan hills with thermal pools to basalt gorges and valleys immersed in fragrant scrub, Wild Swimming Italy is a comprehensive guide to Italy’s wildest and most beautiful natural areas.

Buy your copy now.