S2 Ep5: NEST (simplify + decorate)

This episode is all about nesting – getting your home and heart ready for the winter, with natural Christmas decorations, and ideas for mindful crafting. With inspiration from Laurie Lee, Ariella Chezar (@ariellachezardesign), Lucy Hunter @lucytheflowerhunter, Truman Capote, Lizzie Kamenetzky, Cleo Wade @cleowade, The Royal Horticultural Society (@the_rhs), and my mum!Featured in this episode:A Village Christmas and Other Notes on the English Year by Laurie Lee (Penguin Classics)Seasonal Flower Arranging by Ariella Chezar  (Ten Speed Press)The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter (Ryland, Peters & Small)Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy by Beth Kempton (Piatkus)A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote in The Penguin Book of Christmas Stories edited by Jessica Harrison Winter Cabin Cooking by Lizzie Kamenetzky (Ryland, Peters & Small)Heart Talk by Cleo Wade (Atria)Slow Down and Grow Something by Byron Smith and Tess Robinson (Murdoch)Download my free guide to creating a wreath HERE  and ideas for other natural decorations HERE. To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Flower Hunter by Lucy Hunter and a signed copy of my book Calm Christmas, head over to Instagram @bethkempton. The deadline for entries is 4pm UK time on Friday December 3, 2021. Ingredients list for featured recipes:Salt dough-       1 cup of plain flour-       Half a cup of table salt-       Half a cup of water French onion soupServes 4-       25g unsalted butter-       3 tablespoons olive oil-       1kg large onions, very thinly sliced-       250ml dry white wine-       1 litre rich beef stock - or you could replace with vegetable stock for a vegetarian version-       Freshly grated nutmeg-       A small handful of fresh thyme sprigs-       2 fresh bay leaves-       75ml good quality Madeira-       1 day old baguette or other crusty bread, cut into slices-       1 garlic clove-       150g Comte cheese, grated (or you could use a vegetarian cheese)-       Sea salt and ground black pepper