Table of contents for Issue 8 in Project Calm

There’s something in the air - dare we say spring? - with all the evocative fresh scents the season ushers in. Those notes of blossom and cut grass take us straight back to last year’s sunshine and a carefree outlook. Yes, it’s amazing what an olfactory cue can do for the mood. Join us as we investigate scent, memory and natural perfumes starting on page 36. ‘Spring’ was also the theme of our short story competitor with Ad Hoc Fiction, and we’ve printed the winning entries here. Flick to page 28 and be inspired by fellow readers’ impressions of the word, in all its wonderful, varied meanings. Perhaps you’ll be encouraged to try a bit of flash fiction yourself. As discussed in our ‘Claiming your creativity’ feature on page 56,…

There’s something about a garden that’s unlike any other environment. For many, the garden is a place to come home to oneself – with our hands tucked into living soil, we breathe in the scent of rosemary and mint, and we know who we are. The garden, whether a place for edibles or flowers or cactus, connects us to our physical self, our compassionate heart and our infinite soul. It is art, food and relationship with literally billions of beings. In the middle of this simple yet complex dance, we enter into mindful presence. We are here and now, this breath, this taste of fresh green leaf. Our hearts need green and growing things to feel strong and healthy, not just in terms of eating your greens, but in growing…

TAP HERE FOR YOUR PRINTABLE TEMPLATES & PLANTS Create a little calm oasis with your own pristine greenhouse and foliage. Keep it on your desk to remind you to lovingly cultivate your own plants, whether herbs on a sunny windowsill or a vegetable patch outside, and in the metaphoric sense too, of nurturing yourself and others, and allowing yourself to bloom and grow. You will need: A metal ruler, a pair of scissors, a craft knife, cutting mat, all-purpose crafts glue, tweezers (optional) and bone folder (optional). Step 1 Print the pages of greenhouse and plant templates onto thin card, and cut out the roof and two side/end pieces. Using a metal ruler and the blade of a pair of scissors, or a sharp craft knife, carefully score along all…

Serves 4 You will need: For the soup:25g (1oz/scant 1 cup) spinach25g (1oz/½ cup) chi ves25g (1oz/⅓ cup) parsley2g (2 tsp) chopped tarragon250g (9oz/12/3 cups) freshly podded peas50ml (2fl oz/scant ¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil100g (3½oz) banana shallots, sliced2.5g (1 tbsp) thyme leaves350ml (12fl oz/1½ cups) waterSea salt For the garnish: 100g (3½oz) broad beans (fava beans), podded50g (1¾oz) sugar snap peas, deveined50g (1¾oz/1/3 cup) freshly podded peas1 spring onion (scallion), finely sliced4 parsley or micro parsley leaves, plus extra to top8 lemon balm leavesExtra virgin olive oil, to drizzle4 large radishes 1. First make the soup. Blanch the spinach, chives, parsley and tarragon together until the parsley is wilted and a vibrant green, then shock in ice-cold water. 2. Squeeze out the water using your hands, making a ball.…

We’re widening both our senses and our horizons this issue. Why limit yourself when there’s so much potential to experience life in all its richness – sights, sounds, feelings, tastes and wonderful smells? Join us in our exploration of the latter to make all-natural scented candles, oils and healing vapours, and claim your creativity from page 56 onwards, inspired by women who have wholeheartedly thrown themselves into artistic pursuits later in life.…

“One of the early spring plants we seek out is Stellaria,” says Amanda. “It’s generally considered a weed, but actually it’s a magical plant for skin health. You’ll know it when you see it, it has such soft leaves and tiny little starry flower. Pick the aerial parts growing above ground, you’ll want a couple of handfuls. Then set a thin layer of it on a rack to dry somewhere warm, cake cooling trays are perfect. Leave it until it’s dry and then put into a jar and cover completely with a really good quality olive oil (we love Mesto made by our friend Cate Steele). Put it in a cupboard and shake it daily. After about a month, it will be ready to use. It creates a wonderful skin…

TAP HERE FOR YOUR PRINTABLE TEMPLATES We’ve included two printable sheets featuring eight beautifully illustrated envelopes inspired by fruit, flowers, plants and nature to fill with lovely-smelling things – perhaps a little potpourri, dried petals, lavender, essential oil – or perfume-infused papers. Each envelope has a lightly patterned label on the front so you can write a message or a scent-related word – see page 48 for our ideas – alternatively you can use a sharp needle to follow the dotted pattern and punch small holes into your envelope, to encourage the scent to permeate. Once folded and filled, use these envelopes as scent sachets for clothing drawers – they make a sweet new home gift. Alternatively, you may wish to use them as mini envelopes for tiny greetings and…

1 RETRO SUMMER LOUNGING For spring/summer 2018, French Connection is exploring new ways of bringing macramé into home interiors. The 1970s knot-tying trend usually used to hang plants has found its way onto the sling of a deckchair as well as a 70s bohemian-style cushion, both of which use the same natural cotton but knotted to a different design. The handcrafted deckchair features macramé knotted yarns to create the seat, with a solid acacia wooden frame. A sturdy chair for the summer months ahead, perfect for lounging in the garden on a warm evening. Macramé folding chair, £295; macramé cushion, £45, frenchconnection.com 2 NO STRINGS ATTACHED Designed by the iconic architect Nils Strinning in 1949, the beautifully distinctive string® shelf collection is now available at John Lewis. Timeless, functional and…

TAP HERE FOR YOUR PRINTABLE TICKETS & MORE Step 1 Print the box templates onto thin card. Using a craft knife, a safety ruler and a cutting mat, cut the popcorn box out. Now, score along the dotted lines being careful not to cut through the paper. Step 2 Fold along the score lines. Step 3 Stick your tabs down with double-sided tape for a firm hold to construct the box. To download more popcorn and sweetie boxes, head to our website, calmmoment.com…

My husband, Dean, and I built the Tea Shed two summers ago. It’s a Waltons Contemporary Summerhouse with Side Shed, painted black on the outside (to mirror my love for the fishing huts in Hastings Old Town) and white on the inside with a reclaimed wood wall at one end. We might add more wood – the interior is always changing, part of my reason for building it was to style seasonally. I love my surroundings to evolve. It’s completely disconnected to the main house, with none of modern technology’s distractions; no phone, no wifi, no work, only birdsong and rustling greenery. Tea is drunk in the daytime, gin in the evenings. I keep a stack of books and lately, my watercolours, pastels and notebook. An extension cable plugs into…

How does the natural world inspire your work? The shapes, colours, compositions and textures you see in nature all have a strong influence on me. I’ll often illustrate a photo I’ve taken on a walk or trip and use it as a chance to experiment with new textures and brushes. What do you do to create a calm working environment? I try to keep my work space as tidy as possible with sketchbooks and papers neatly stacked, although this does tend to go out the window when a deadline is looming! When that happens I like to listen to music or a podcast to keep things chilled. What podcasts are you listening to at the moment? Too many! They are my favourite thing to have on while I work. I…

1. Helford River oyster shells-turned-candles at notonthehighstreet.com/liga. 2. Fish vases are so brilliantly retro, audenza.com. 3. A sandhill crane on a natural stone coaster evokes quiet days birdwatching, skysiouki.com. 4. Our most iconic winding river printed in gold by betsybenn.com. 5. This colourful enamel mug does flamboyantly dressed fish flies justice, annabeljames.co.uk. 6. Handmade in Scotland, the Big Catch pendant is a dedication to quirky fishing villages, eileengatt.co.uk. 7. Down at the river today, you might meet Mr Toad. We love this magnetic wallpaper from sianzeng.com. 8. A narrowboat bird box! Have it personalised at lindleywood.co.uk.…

What is more grounding than the healing energy of greenery? Of life simply going about its business – nurturing, growing, adapting – in silent, determined union. This issue we’re at home in the garden and the local park, finding a solid tree, and sitting back-to-trunk to enjoy a moment of gratitude. Whether you currently have the outdoor space or not, be inspired and impressed by plants, and make your own homage in paper.…

1 The following meditation explores your own energetic roots. Sit in a place where you will not be disturbed. Outside is best, but not necessary. Close your eyes and feel your sitting bones press into the ground. Notice how the ground presses back. Now reach your awareness past this connection, sensing into the space below you. Reach your awareness down until you enter the soil. Feel any change in your body as you connect your energy into the Earth. In your mind’s eye, imagine the Tree of Life, a tree with branches reaching upwards balanced by roots reaching down. Impose this image over yourself until you become it. Your body is the trunk, your energetic branches reach into the energy space around and above your head, and the energy you…

1. To Do: Water the plants. Write yourself reminders with notebooks from miafelce. co.uk. 2. Make a statement with this wooden cheese plant necklace, notonthehighstreet.com/onetenzeroseven. 3. Say it in Swiss cheese with a customised print, notonthehighstreet.com/theportlandco. 4. We heart monstera! Give it iconic status on a wall hanging, notonthehighstreet.com/snork. 5. Those slotted leaves are perfect for chains and earrings, notajewellerybox.co.uk. 6. Gift wrap with garden appeal, doublethumbsup.co.uk. 7. Love your fruit dish, berylune.co.uk. 8. Alphabet prints with plant power at notonthehighstreet.com/flossandco.…

Serves 4–6 You will need: 100g (3½oz/ 1 cup) walnuts650g (1lb 7oz) red beetroot (beets)30ml (4fl oz/2 tbsp) water5g (⅛oz/1¾ tbsp) dill leaves20ml (4 tsp) walnut oilSea salt Serve with: mustard; sauerkraut; sprigs of dill; salad leaves 1. Put the walnuts in a bowl and cover with cold water by at least 2cm (_ inch). 2. Leave for at least 6 hours to soak. 3. Preheat the oven to (fan) 160°C/180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Lay a 45cm (18-inch) length of foil over a deep baking tray (sheet) and put the beetroot (beets) in the centre. 4. Bring the foil up around the beetroot (beets), add the measured water, and roll up the edges to form a sealed parcel. Roast for 45–60 minutes until soft, then remove from the oven and leave until…

1 SOFT & GENTLE KIDS’ CLOTHES Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is a condition in which the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. Kids with SPD often struggle with shop-bought clothing, complaining of scratchy fabrics and itchy labels. Enter Ruth Maddock who has designed a range of clothing and fabrics specifically for these children. Patterns from £3.50 and fabrics from $17.50 per yard. ruthmaddockmakes.com 2 KINDNESS IS ON THE CARDS “In theory, we are all interested in being kind. In practice, a lot gets in the way: tiredness, anger, bitterness.” These new Kindness Cards are intended as a prompt to our better natures. Ponder them and nurture your compassion, calmness and forgiveness. They return us to who we want to be and deep…

1 FACIAL STEAM WITH FLOATING FLOWERS Detox your skin using using herbs and flowers gathered from the garden and hedgerow. Facial steams help to clear the pores, detoxify the skin and promote circulation. They can also be very relaxing, providing an opportunity to breathe deeply and allow a few moments of calm and meditation. The steam does most of the work, but you can augment its effect by adding some beneficial botanicals to the water. The example shown uses camomile and fennel, but try the following ideas for a different effect: Detoxing and cleansing Fennel, lemon and grapefruit peel, mint and wild pansy. Relaxing and soothing Lavender, camomile, marjoram, lime flowers and primrose. Problem skin Thyme, rosemary and marigold. Dry skin Camomile, rose and geranium (pelargonium leaves). Decongestant Ginger, pine,…

1. Nevertheless, she persisted. Wear a mantra from how-store.com. 2. Forever our poster girl for strength, Frida Kahlo by Tracie Andrews, eastendprints.co.uk. 3. Wear your politics on your heart like Virginia Woolf, literaryemporium.co.uk. 4. Have Emmeline Pankhurst’s spirit run your office, bookishly.co.uk. 5. The future is what you make it – promote a female view with shopthesassygirl.etsy.com. 6. Congratulate your loved one’s excellent stance, notonthehighstreet.com/girlsdonegood. 7. Let’s hear it for sweet treats and smashing stereotypes, zealoapparel.com. 8. Women take action! Pen both protests and prayers with postcards from dahliapress.com.…

Think of running and what comes to mind? Gasping for air? Bruised and battered feet? Memories of splodging through fields during dreaded school cross-country runs? Or perhaps sensations of inner peace? Or feelings of moving with grace and ease? For many, running is used as a form of meditation. Many find the more traditional approach to meditation – sitting still with the eyes closed – extremely difficult, thus writing meditation off as something that’s ‘not for them’. The great news is that there are alternatives, with ‘moving meditation’ becoming increasingly popular and ‘mindful running’ becoming the preferred choice for many. But what is mindful running? Often called Chi running, it's a concept that encourages a mindful approach, its ethos being that when we run with less effort, it becomes more…

There are times when you want to feel at the centre of the action, watching the latest superhero flick or Hollywood blockbuster. But sometimes, the surround sound experience of the modern multiplex can feel like an unwelcome bombardment of the senses, even a sense too far in the case of 3D and 4D movies. Want a calmer alternative? Dial back the speech, remove at least one of those senses and you can experience a different kind of movie magic. There are few genres of film more atmospheric than silent cinema. The first three decades of cinema gave us some of the greatest films ever made, thanks in part to the technological restrictions of the day. With just visuals to play with, filmmakers of the silent era had to eke out…

1. Finally, your name in lights! Individual neon letters available at delightfull.eu. 2. Enamelware with a nod to Dirty Dancing – what’s not to like? sophiavictoriajoy.com 3. To commemorate moments straight out of a movie, head to thedriftingbear.com. 4. Oakdene Designs have your back on cinema night, notonthehighstreet.com/oakdenedesigns. 5. Create a dressing room fit for a star, reflectionsofme.co.uk. 6. Bam! Pow! Get comic-book-blockbuster-ready with gingerray.co.uk. 7. Wear your favourite 80s teen screen titles, afinerthread.com. 8. Lights, camera, action! Studio-worthy lighting at madewithlovedesigns.co.uk.…

1 Eccentric clergyman, poet and antiquarian, Rev Robert Stephen Hawker wrote from a tiny shed built from driftwood and shipwreck timber, nestled into the cliff at Morwenstow, Cornwall. It’s now known as Hawker’s Hut. He also used to smoke strong substances there, so we could call this an opium den. It’s currently the smallest property belonging to the National Trust. 2 Another small property now belonging to the National Trust is George Bernard Shaw’s writing hut, situated in the playwright’s St Albans garden, Hertfordshire. Shaw built the shed in such a way that it could be rotated, so he always faced the sun while working. Without having to use an artificial light source, Shaw had a natural rhythm to his day, rising with the sun and working until it set.…

My nook is a little corner of our kitchen. A couple of years after moving into our home we decided to knock through the end of our galley kitchen, into the coal shed on the end of the house. It’s a small space but makes such a big difference to our lives. I live with my husband and two children; our home is very family centred which I love, but I so enjoy retreating to this corner after a stressed school run. The mornings can be fraught. I love the brisk walk home and that first cup of tea drank here with a book or magazine. Having a sacred little moment of headspace in a non-toy strewn area just does wonders. Also, because I don’t use it as my workspace,…

Sweaty palms, heavy breathing, the overwhelming sensation that something is just not right. You might have felt that tightening feeling in your chest. Or heard an alarm going off in your head. The one that tells you that you’re not OK, even if you can’t pinpoint why that might be. The statistics for panic disorders and anxiety are shocking: two in every 100 people in the UK suffer. I’m one of them. When my anxiety reaches fever pitch, like a third of anxiety sufferers, I also suffer with agoraphobia. It’s twice as common in women and every sufferer has a different experience. Despite my anxiety, I love to travel and as you can imagine, agoraphobia and wanderlust don’t mesh well. The first time my agoraphobia struck while I was abroad…

I’ve been intuitively using scent as a way to change how I feel for years. First thing in the morning I make coffee and light an incense stick to fill the house with fragrance while I shower and get dressed. Throughout the day I’ll diffuse essential oils according to how I feel – cedarwood, lime and grapefruit buoy me in the morning while lavender and clary sage ease me into the evening. Ylang ylang and sandalwood make me feel like a goddess. Peppermint is perfect at any time of day. There’s always a bowl of oils near my computer so when inspiration is lacking I roll some evocatively-scented oil onto my pulse points to wake up my brain – heady tuberose felt like the right accompaniment right now. Aromatherapists have…

1 HOORAY FOR HORTICULTURE GROW London is an inspiring day out bursting with ideas on how to transform your outside space, no matter how large or small – from large gardens to city dwellings with a window box or two. Described as a “horticultural hipsterville” by James Wong, GROW London has firmly established itself as the go-to destination for those seeking contemporary style for their outside space. Hundreds of exhibitors will be offering an unrivalled selection of contemporary and classic garden furniture, rare and hard-to-find plants and flowers from some of the country’s finest nurseries, and a tempting edit of fine garden sculpture, covetable pots, planters, accessories and tools, as well as consultations with experts from the Society of Garden Designers. GROW London, 20-24 June, Olympia, from £8. 2 DISCOVER…

Plants seem to feature prominently in your work – would you call yourself a plant lady? Yes, definitely. I particularly like tropical leaves, cactuses and leafy house plants, and I’m not as attracted to flowers as I am to leaves. I simply love the shapes. I have family ties to Mexico, and I really enjoy seeing all the lush foliage over there, in all their different shades of green. Where does your love of paper stem from? Paper comes in such lovely colours and textures. I also like making work that has a physical presence. As much as I enjoy the convenience and variety of digital artwork, there’s something about having a physical product that I really like. I also like work that you can see through, or that has…

Take a carrot and hold it in your hand. It's a carrot, right? Yes, but before that it is a root vegetable and before that it is part of a plant. Broadly speaking, all plants are the same. They have roots in the ground, stems to connect and support the various parts, leaves to capture the energy from the sun, flowers to help them reproduce and fruits and seeds to create more plants the same as themselves. There is infinite variety within this, but the structure remains the same. I live in a cottage in rural Somerset, England and my beautiful little garden is a never ending source of inspiration through the balmy summer months. Looking out through the kitchen window I can see a profusion of herbs, peas and…

“I was having a facial recently using our products and as each product was applied as I lay silently on the bed, I was taken on a journey through all my favourite places.” For Amanda Saurin of A.S Apothecary everything starts and flows from the natural scent exuding from either flower, leaf or root. “Scent is utterly evocative,” she enthuses. “It is received by the body in its most primal form, bypassing normal cognitive function as if to be felt as much as understood. This is the reason that, for example, a rose scent can transport us to a familiar garden, a person, a memory. Association with good memories is powerfully healing. Additionally, essential oils carry the essence of the plant, they hold many of the healing properties and so…

Close your eyes, take a deep inhale through your nose. Allow a few moments for your mind to process the smells in your surroundings. While this is a conscious act, so much of what we smell day to day isn’t given a second thought. Yet, this sense is important; it’s a bit like a superpower, piecing together a picture – our own unique version – of our surroundings. “Our sense of smell is said to be 10,000 times more sensitive than any of our other senses,” says Rosie Frost, complementary therapist and aromatherapist (touchforlife.co.uk). “Other senses, such as touch and taste, must travel through the body via neurons and the spinal cord before reaching the brain. Our sense of smell is linked via olfactory bulbs to the primitive part of…

There seems to be a rush in today’s western world to ‘find your passion’, with many of us feeling lost in our 30s and 40s, searching for our ‘thing’. But the wiser (perhaps older) among us know it’s far more important to be curious. Look around your community and you’ll find women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and older involved in all sorts of creative enterprises. The brain has no age limit. Research shows that changes in the brain after mid-life can even facilitate creativity. The right and left hemispheres become increasingly integrated, learned ideas come together in new combinations – we can draw on a vast storehouse of life-long learning to be expressed in unique, fresh and complex ways. And contrary to what was previously believed, the brain is…

…And what friends can resist when you’re serving popcorn and cinema? We’re inviting everyone over for a movie night this issue with retro, Wes Anderson-inspired tickets and treat boxes to make. Create your own den or pile the cushions and blankets high; enjoy a blockbuster, or rewind time and discover the peaceful charm of silent film. Escapism is our theme – whether it’s with friends or your own moment of solitude, retreat into make-believe.…

While half of all Netflix users squint at film and TV shows on mobile devices, there’s nothing quite like the magic of a big screen. But there’s also nothing quite like your sofa and a comfy pair of pyjamas, either, which might raise an eyebrow at the local multiplex. So how can you combine the comforts of home with a cinema experience? Transform your living room into a cosy and cool microplex – the hottest ticket in town. This means several things. Firstly, you get to watch exactly what you want – from nostalgic TV series to family blockbusters, from big sporting events or video game tournaments to home videos or old school slideshows. Maybe you want to reunite your best friends and watch back-to-back episodes of Sex and the…

Water: life-giving, living liquid, carving out the land in streams, rivers and lakes. So important to us in fact that we’ve long attached legend, myth and spiritual significance to these moving bodies, entranced by the wonder of such lush surroundings. This issue we’re exploring these stories, from Lake Titicaca to the Ganges, and telling our own tales about what the river means to us. Be calmed by the blue and then read our tips to plan your own stress-free adventures.…

THE SWIMMER Sarah Ditum, column, critic and feature writer The water I learned to swim in was probably like the water you learned to swim in: warm, safe, chlorinated. The difference between that and river swimming is this: river water is alive. That can be disconcerting. The squirm of mud between your toes, or the alarming slither of an algae-coated rock where you try to put your foot down. The snatch of pondweed when you kick. The silver dash of small fish flitting around your ankles; a flurry of feathers as a curious duck lands nearby. The insistent tug of a current, drawing you crosswise when you’re used to ploughing along in lanes. And then there’s the cold. While picnickers and sightseers enjoy a sunny day up on the banks,…

TIFFANY FRANCIS Writer and artist Tiffany is based in Hampshire, UK. She unearths the narratives hidden within our landscapes (see her river walks piece, page 116). Her book Food You Can Forage is out now. tiffanyimogen.com DAVID MAC MILLAN David is an illustrator from Northern Ireland, now based in Bristol, who combines a love of mark-making, bold shapes and traditional printmaking (see his gardening illustrations on page 12). davidjmcmillan.co.uk SIMONE SCOTT Simone is a writer, yoga teacher and mindful runner (see her feature on page 64) who adores the great outdoors. She enjoys reading about all things inspiring, travelling and meeting new people. @simsspace MATILDA SMITH Matilda is a graphic designer by day and an illustrator by night (see her artwork for our scent feature on page 44). She draws…