ST201901

Yo u w illneed:
Coir doormat, in need ofaperk-up
Card
Pencil
Craft knife
Masking tape
Flat paintbrush
Acrylic paint

1 Decide on a designforyour
doormat. Simpleandgraphic
worksthe best. Youcould draw
it straight onto your card,or
trace onto paperfirst.

2 Use your craft knife to cut out

the shape ofyour design, making

the cardinto a stencil. Secure

your stencilontoyour mat using

maskingtape.

3 Rapidlyandrepeatedlydab

your brush over the surface ofthe

stencil to apply the paint. Push

rightdown withyourbrushto

create a strongblock ofcolour.

4 Carefully remove your stencil

andgobackover any areas that

lookpatchy withyourbrush.

Leave todry.

REVAMP A DOORMAT

MAG OF THE MONTH

• Walnut•
  At a time of the year
  when the majority of
  magazines will be telling
  you what not to eat,
  rethink that attitude to
  food with the friendly
  help of Walnut. This
  twice-yearly magazine,
  the passion project of
  Devon couple Dermot
  and Emma, focuses on

food, health and

wellbeing and aims to

inform and inspire, as

well as introduce

passionate makers and

practitioners. Enjoy

design, photography

and illustrations that are

as mouthwatering as

the food.

£10, picsandink.com

INDIE

ONE IS ‘THE LONELIEST NUMBER’.
Or so the song says. Not so,
according to fraud detectors
anyway, who reckon on about a
third of numbers in many data sets
beginning with 1 and suspect the
figures of being fraudulent if they
don’t. Not so lonely in language
either: ‘one’ is the 35th most
commonly used word in English.

HOME (^) HA
CKS

• Keep waste to a minimum by separating fruit
  and veg after purchase. If your fruits need to
  ripen further (think avocados, or bananas),
  leave them on the side or bury them in
  uncooked rice (a handy hack). Leave all other
  fruits – especially juicy citrus fruits, berries and
  grapes – in the fridge, in a dry container.
  
  
  • Reusable cotton mesh bags or towels wick
    moisture and keep produce dry. Taking off
    rubber bands and twist ties and rolling up leafy
    greens loosely in tea towels keeps them
    fresher for longer.
  
  
  
  


• Carrots, celery and fresh herbs last longer
  stored in jars of water in the fridge. Refresh the
  water every few days.
  
  
  • Store other root vegetables (not carrots)
    in a dry, cool place with little light.
  
  
  
  


• If fresh foods are beginning to spoil, cooking
  straight away helps preserve them. Adding salt
  and seasonings reduces the amount of fresh
  moisture, the main cause of spoiling. Place
  cooked food in sealed containers.


• Freeze leftovers in glass jars or metal
  containers. Opt for wide-mouth jars that have
  larger openings and not much of a shoulder.

ECO TWEAKS

STORING FOOD

Simple steps to a perked-up mat

* Answer: A key

Adapted from Sustainable Home by

Christine Liu (White Lion Publishing)