5 Minute Crafts Magazine - January/February 2021 by Lawrence Ambrocio

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU USES FOR CARDBOARD VALENTINE'S DAY CARDS

Jan/Feb 2021 $5.99 (Canada) $3.99 (US)

DIY PAPER CRACKER FOR NEW YEAR

jan/feb 2021

CONTENTS

“If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.” —Maya Angelou

JAN/FEB 2021

CONTENTS

style

home

COLOR THESE NAILS Choosing the right nail polish color for yourself is not always an easy task. In fact, it can be as hard as deciding what to wear.

KIDS PLAYHOUSE Cardboard can be recycled and you can take it to special centers, if it’s customary in your region to sort your trash.

FRIZZY HAIR, SOLVED! The presence of frizz in one’s hair is very annoying if it can’t be tamed. Some of the causes that produce it are climatic factors, such as humidity, sun, and wind that we cannot control.

COOL AND WARM When your house gets too cold, there are some easy things you can do to make it cozier.

health

ON A POTATO Those who watch their figure, keep a food diary, or simply pay attention to how many calories they consume per day, don’t always know that different ways of cooking can add different amounts of calories to a dish.

features

living

departments

EAT, PRAY, LOVE Valentine’s Day is coming soon, but you still have enough time to prepare for this romantic holiday.

HAPPIEST YEARS One of the simplest things you can make out of paper is a cracker. You don’t need scissors or glue to make it, just an ordinary sheet of paper. After a series of simple steps, you will have a cracker. You can take it a step further and make a confetti cracker with a toilet paper insert and a balloon.

EDITOR'S LETTER

food

VALENTINE'S DAY CAKE There are still many debates about the name of this dessert. According to one of the most common theories, it’s all about the red sponge.

TASTE OF THAI Tom yum is a popular Thai soup that is loved by many people for its hot and sour flavors. The words “tom yum” are derived from 2 Thai words. “Tom” refers to the boiling process, while “yum” means “mixed.”

JAN/FEB 2021

TRICKS & TIPS

CHILL & DRAW COVER PHOTO © 5-MINUTE CRAFTS / YOUTUBE

PILAR GUZMÁN Editor In-Chief

FOOD DIRECTOR Annabelle Waugh FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Julia McEwen HOME & GARDEN DIRECTOR Brett Walther MANAGING EDITOR Day Helesic TEST KITCHEN SENIOR FOOD SPECIALIST Irene Fong FOOD SPECIALISTS Jennifer Bartoli, Amanda Barnier ARTICLES EDITOR, FOOD Gilean Watts INTERN Jessica Bronstein ART CONSULTING DESIGN DIRECTOR Brendan Fisher ACTING ART DIRECTOR June F. Anderson SENIOR ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Henrietta Poon CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTORS Lisa de Nikolits, Leanne Gilbert FEATURES HEALTH EDITOR Kate Daley CONTRIBUTING HEALTH EDITOR Tralee Pearce SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Jill Buchner ASSOCIATE EDITOR, FASHION & BEAUTY Andrea Karr CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jacqueline Kovacs

COPY & OPERATIONS EDITORIAL OPERATIONS & ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Olga Goncalves Costa COPY EDITOR Stephanie Zolis CONTRIBUTING COPY EDITORS Ruth Hanley, Debbie Madsen Villamere ASSISTANT EDITOR Teresa Sousa INTERNS William Dixon, Thalia Gamage, Natalie Wong

EDITORIAL DEPUTY EDITOR Jessica Pollack SENIOR EDITORS Ariel Brewster, Sadiya Dendar, Simone Olivero CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Claire Gagne ASSISTANT EDITOR Kevin John Siazon COPY EDITOR Kelly Jones PROOFREADER Janet Morassutti INTERNS Emily McDonald, Arisa Valyear

ART CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Colleen Nicholson IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHERS Carmen Cheung, Erik Putz

MARKETING SERVICES & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS General Sales Manager CAROLINE K. BRETON Creative Brand Director LAURA DENTON CONTENT DIRECTOR Kim Alison Fraser MANAGING EDITOR Renée Sylvestre-Williams MANAGER, STRATEGY AND IDEATION Stevie Gorrie STRATEGISTS Sarah Drake, Jessica Lee, Marcela Perez ART DIRECTORS Susan Jackson, Suzanne LaCorte, Peter Robertson JUNIOR COPY WRITER Victoria DiPlacibo SENIOR DIRECTOR, CLIENT DELIVERY Stefany Pierce CAMPAIGN MANAGERS Melissa Carmichael, Ivan McBurney, Rob Stephenson, Inga Terzopoulos

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD Carol Zephyrine RESEARCH SENIOR RESEARCH ANALYST Eva Chau MARKETING , COMMUNICATIONS & EVENTS SENIOR DIRECTOR Tracy Finkelstein MANAGER Silvana Sciortino SENIOR SPECIALIST Erin Quinn SPECIALISTS Carlie McGhee, Summer Varty, Alyson Young SENIOR DESIGNER Colin Elliott CONSUMER MARKETING GROUP VICE-PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING Christopher Purcell GROUP CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Doris Chan PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGERS Yen Duong, Amanda Stone DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Jason Patterson DIRECTOR, NEWSSTAND SALES Pat Strangis

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Nancy Baker DIGITAL SOLUTIONS GROUP GENERAL MANAGER, NATIONAL PORTALS Ray Ostor

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER Pat Danaher DIGITAL COLOUR SPECIALIST Nicole Duplantis (on leave), Katarina Marinic

ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS CHAIRMAN + CEO Tony Gagliano VICE-CHAIRMAN John Gagliano PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER, SJC MEDIA Ken Hunt SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, REVENUE Lynn Chambers VICE-PRESIDENT, CONTENT & CREATIVE Maryam Sanati MANAGING DIRECTOR, CONSUMER REVENUE Allan Yue MANAGING DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & CONSUMER INSIGHTS Clarence Poirier MANAGING DIRECTOR, MARKETING Nadine Silverthorne DIRECTOR, CUSTOMER SUCCESS Terry Smith DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION Maria Mendes MANAGING DIRECTOR, Branded Content Sasha Emmons HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Jason Maghanoy DIRECTOR, MARKETING SPONSORSHIPS Jessika Fink

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5 Minute Crafts is published by St. Joseph Communications, 15 Benton Road, Toronto M6M 3G2. Montreal office: 249, rue Saint-Jacques, Bureau 201, Montréal H2Y 1M6. Vancouver advertising office: 180 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver V5Y 3T9. Contents copyright 2021 by St. Joseph Communications; may not be reprinted without written permission. Article proposals and manuscripts must be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes and sufficient postage; otherwise they will not be returned or acknowledged. While the publishers will take all reasonable care, they will not be responsible for the loss of any manuscript, drawing or photograph. ISSN 0009-1995. Single copy price: $4.99 + tax. Full subscription prices: Canada, 1 year (10 issues), $15 + tax. In U.S., 1 year, $45; foreign countries, $75. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index. Printed in Canada by St. Joseph Communications, Print. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. 5 Minute Crafts receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. 5 Minute Crafts, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, republish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. This statement does not apply to materials and/or pitches submitted by freelance writers, photographers or illustrators in accordance with known industry practices.

EDITOR'S NOTE

TheSoul Publishing & Walt Disney is #1 T

ubular just revealed their 2020 social video award winners, and TheSoul Publishing is honored to sit beside The Walt Disney Company with the most unique global viewers. This incredible achievement is due to a combination of factors: We offer digital audiences a continuous variety of uplifting online content -- showcased across the top social media platforms and produced successfully by our highly creative global production team. Tubular's full awards announcement is found here on the website and on page 14 Additionally, with over 9 billion views across Facebook and YouTube in January, TheSoul Publishing holds the #1 spot of most online views for the fourth month in a row, according to Tubular. For example, creators in categories such as Film & Movies, Music, Gaming, and Sports succeeded most at reaching males aged 13-24 in the U.S. in 2020. The Movieclips channel, for example, earned an average of 14.1M U.S. monthly unique viewers in this age group to land it the #1 spot, while WorldStar Hip Hop came in second with 11M average monthly unique viewers. Food, crafts/DIY, kids’ content, music, and media creators were most popular with females aged 13-24. Tasty landed at #1 with an average of 9.4M unique viewers in this age group, and 5Minute Crafts reached this demographic the most in second place with 8.5M average monthly unique viewers in the U.S.

PILAR GUZMÁN Editor In-Chief

JAN/FEB 2021

EDITOR'S NOTE

Top Global Media Properties for Tubular

1. The Walt Disney Company 2. TheSoul Publishing 3. WarnerMedia 4. ViacomCBS 5. Essel Corporate 6. Comcast 7. Moonbug 8. Infobells 9. Jellysmack 10. Goldmines Telefilms

JAN/FEB 2021

COLOR THESE NAILS

style

Choosing the right nail polish color for yourself is not always an easy task. In fact, it can be as hard as deciding what to wear. However, following a guide based on a few factors can make this task a tad easier.

JAN/FEB 2021

STYLE Choose a nail polish color according to your skin tone.

Pale or light skin tone:

✅ Choose colors that will highlight your skin even more. Go for colors from nude and baby blue to pastel pink. ⛔ Avoid dark shades of colors because this might create a contrast that won’t look as nice.

Fair skin tone:

✅ Choose from a large variety of colors and you can apply many different shades. ⛔ Avoid yellow-based, bright orange-red, and bright shades of red, because these can overpower your skin tone. Tip: If you want to apply a sophisticated color, then make sure you avoid shades of orange and green.

Tanned skin tone:

✅ Choose colors that are bright because these will enhance the tone of your skin. So, go for bright shades of yellow undertones, purple, pink, and blue. ⛔ Avoid colors that match your skin as well as gold.

JAN/FEB 2021

STYLE

Olive or medium skin tone:

✅ Choose peach or gold nail polish color. Also, you can match it with yellow and warm undertones that go well with silver, blue, or metallic shades. ⛔ Avoid navy blue, darker purple, and red.

Dark skin tone:

✅ Choose deeper shades of nail polish like dark green, dark red, maroons, or mocha. Lighter chocolate brown shades are a good choice too. ⛔ Avoid brighter tones like orange, silver, white or pinkish colors.

JAN/FEB 2021

STYLE Choose the color according to the season.

Spring:

Summer:

Fall:

Winter:

Green tones White Yellows Bright pinks Bright blues Reds

Light nude shades Corals Orange Greens Light pinks

Muted oranges Dark purples Red shades Dark blues Light grays

Deep purples Silvers Grays Light pinks

JAN/FEB 2021

STYLE

FRIZZY HAIR, SOLVED!

The presence of frizz in one’s hair is very annoying if it can’t be tamed. Some of the causes that produce it are climatic factors, such as humidity, sun, and wind that we cannot control. But it’s possible to combat this if you avoid making mistakes while treating and styling your hair.

JAN/FEB 2021

STYLE Why does frizz occur?

Hair frizz can appear for different reasons, regardless of whether your hair is straight or curly. The most frequent causes are the use of hair dye, bleaching, a lack of hydration, and the excessive use of a hair dryer or a flat iron (excess heat).

5. Choose the right pillowcase.

Don’t use a cotton pillowcase. Cotton will increase hair static by removing moisture. Replace it with a satin pillowcase. This is a fabric that doesn’t absorb the natural oiliness of the hair and also helps keep the curls more defined.

1. Untangle the hair properly.

Detangle the hair while it’s still damp. Choose brushes with wider bristles and try to avoid using metal or plastic brushes. The best option is a wooden one. In this case, the brush passes through the hair without friction, and the water neutralizes the electrical charge that causes the hair to stand up.

2. Pause any chemical procedures.

If you notice that frizz has taken hold of your hair, it may be a signal to take a break from chemical procedures, such as coloring and straightening. Use moisturizing cream baths to recover lost moisture. The exposure time will depend on each product, and you can usually find this information on the package. When you decide to use coloring agents again, apply acid ampoules (like argan) after each coloring session, as this helps to close the cuticle and prevent frizz.

3. Use your towel correctly.

Use a cotton towel. Don’t wrap it around your head or rub it over your hair. This will only tangle the hair more than it already is and make it frizzy. Dry your hair by pressing lightly on the towel to remove excess water. This will also make it less difficult to untangle.

4. Use water at a suitable temperature.

The best option for washing is to use lukewarm water. This way, the hair won’t suffer or become “stressed,” so when it comes time to use a flat iron or blow dryer, the hair won’t fluff up and dryness will be reduced. For more shine and cuticle closure, rinsing with cold water also works well, but only on the hair, not on the scalp.

*An initial blast of cold water or even hot water on the scalp will stimulate the sebaceous glands, making it so that the wash won’t last as long.

JAN/FEB 2021

6. Help your hair by using the appropriate products.

Choose the most suitable shampoo for your hair type, as this is essential for its moisture. To do this, you must be clear about what type of hair you have, whether it’s natural or dyed, and whether it gets greasy easily. Once you have determined this, read the directions on the package before applying it. Every time you use the blow dryer to style your hair, apply a repair oil from the middle of the hair to the ends. This will close the scales and prevent frizz. To do this, you must be clear about what type of hair you have, whether it’s natural or dyed, and whether it gets greasy easily.

home KIDS PLAYHOUSE Cardboard can be recycled and you can take it to special centers, if it’s customary in your region to sort your trash. But there is one more way to take care of nature — give cardboard a second life and make useful things from it.

JAN/FEB 2021

HOME

House for kids 1. Take 2 square 15×15 in pieces of cardboard, put them next to each other, and fasten the edges together with wide adhesive tape. 2. One by one, glue 8 more pieces of cardboard that are the same size (15×15 in) to the previous piece of cardboard. Eventually, you’ll get a circle from these 10 square sheets secured together. 3. Fasten triangle pieces (each side of which also equals 15 in) of the cardboard to the upper edges of the square pieces. 4. Fill the space between the triangle sheets with cardboard fragments and secure them with each other, with the help of adhesive tape. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 and form another level of triangle sheets over the first one. Afterward, make the top of the house from 5 sequentially secured triangle sheets and secure it to the rest of the construction. 6. With the help of a stationary knife, cut one square from the bottom level and a triangle from the middle, so that you get the door of the house. Place a cozy blanket and toys inside.

Toy Rack

Shoe storage system

1. Take 2 8×8 in cardboard sheets. Apply glue on the edge of one of the sheets. 2. Glue 2 sheets together. Make 18 of these billets. 3. Glue one of them with an edge to the left edge of a rectangular piece of cardboard that is 8×24 in. 4. Glue 3 more square billets to the rectangular sheet at a distance of 8 inches from one another. Apply a thin layer of glue over the upper edges of each billet. 5. Form the crossbeams of the rack. Glue 2 square billets to the edges of the previous billets. Place one more billet between the bottom shelves of the rack, 4 inches lower than the upper crossbeams. 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 and make the second level of the rack from 7 square billets. 7. Make triangle “roofs” from the 4 billets you have left. Glue their edges together and then glue them to the upper crossbeams of the shelves. 8. Cover the rack with colored paper inside and outside, and decorate the edges with adhesive wavy stripes. Place the rack against the wall and put the toys inside.

1. Take a shoebox. 2. Cut it diagonally from both wide sides. 3. Make one more cut along the bottom of the box — on the right side, from bottom to top. Separate one part of the box from the other and cut off the edges of the triangular sides of the upper part. 4. Take the part of the box with a full bottom and apply a thin strip of glue along its edges. 5. Glue the second part of the box to the bottom of the first part so that you get inclined deepening inside. 6. Organize the storage of your footwear. Place one pair on the floor in the entryway. 7. Cover it with the construction, so that the first pair of shoes are inside. 8. Place another pair of shoes in the upper deepening. 9. Cover the box with a lid and place the third pair of shoes on it.

JAN/FEB 2021

Stationery stand 1. Take a square piece of cardboard (6×6 inches). Draw 3 triangles with the sizes 2×1.6 inches, 2×3.1 inches, and 2.7×5.1 inches. Leave a small space of 0.5 inches from every edge and leave the same distance between the figures. 2. Cut out rectangles with a stationary knife leaving a sheet with 3 “windows.” 3. Make 20-25 more of these billets, place them over each other, and glue their edges together. 4. Glue a solid square piece of cardboard (6×6 in) over them. 5. Turn the stand upside down, decorate with adhesive colored paper on all sides, and place it on your desktop.

HOME

Creative lamp 1. Take a beverage package and cut off the top with the lid. 2. Cut out 4-5 stars on each side. 3. Decorate the box with adhesive-colored tape on all sides and cut out the excess paper where the stars are located. 4. Place the box on top of an LED light so that it covers all sides of the light. Please note that the lamp shouldn’t be touching the sides of the box after installation.

Table hockey 1. Take a shoebox. Remove its lid. Make 6 round holes on the wide sides of the box (in its middle part), and make rectangular holes in the middle of each narrow side of the box. 2. Take 6 long sticks. Paint half of them in yellow and half of them in green. Put each stick through round holes. They should go through the entire box and protrude 4 inches from each side. Secure 2 clothespins colored yellow and green on each stick inside the box. 3. Throw a small ball into the box and start the game.

Tablet case 1. Measure the width and the length of your tablet. Prepare pieces of cloth, each of which corresponds to the length of the tablet + 1 inch. The width of the cloth should equal the width of the tablet multiplied by 2 + 2.5-3 inches. 2. Cut out 2 rectangular pieces of the cardboard, the length and width of which corresponds to the parameters of the tablet. And a separate sheet corresponding to the length and thickness of the device. Spread them out on the wrong side of the fabric. Leave a margin of 0.4-0.5 inches from each edge and mark the same distance between the sheets. 3. Apply glue to the edges of the cardboard sheets that are closer to the edge of the cloth. 4. Fold up the edges of the cloth and glue them to the cardboard sheets. 5. Cut out another piece of cloth that is the same size as the billet and glue it right side out. 6. Take 4 pieces of an elastic band that is 2-2.5 inches and make loops in each corner of the right side of the tablet with the help of glue.

JAN/FEB 2021

HOME

COOL AND WARM

When your house gets too cold, there are some easy things you can do to make it cozier. And, with that in mind, we come up with a few tips on how you can make your home more comfortable.

JAN/FEB 2021

HOME

1. Leave your drapes open.

2. Use a smart thermostat.

3. Double glaze your windows.

The sun will come through your window and warm up your house. It’s not only natural, but also free of charge. However, as soon as the night comes, close the drapes to retain the heat from the day.

You can set the thermostat to warmer temperatures for when it best suits you. For example, just before waking up or before you come back home after work. Your home will always be cozy.

Since heat escapes through glass, with double glazing (2 panes of glass) your windows will be effectively conserving energy and heat.

4. Use tin foil around your radiator.

5. Reverse your fan’s rotation.

6. Invest in a portable fireplace.

Place tin foil behind your radiator. This way, heat won’t dissipate through your walls, and instead, it will be reflected back into the room. This is especially effective when your radiator is against a wall.

Cool air will be pushed up which then will be mixed with rising warm air. Afterward the mixed air will spread around your room, which will make it feel cozier.

In addition to your radiator, a portable fireplace is a great way to add some extra heat to your house. Plus, you can bring it outside to the yard if needed since they’re very versatile.

JAN/FEB 2021

health ON A POTATO Those who watch their figure, keep a food diary, or simply pay attention to how many calories they consume per day, don’t always know that different ways of cooking can add different amounts of calories to a dish.

JAN/FEB 2021

HEALTH Why different dishes made from the same food have different calorie content

The nutritional value of potatoes

Potatoes contain B vitamins and vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, potassium, and iron, which are good for your health. Potatoes boiled with the skin on retain more nutrients than peeled potatoes. Potatoes contain 2 useful amino acids: lysine and tryptophan. Boiled or baked potatoes are practically fat-free. Boiled potatoes have the highest satiety index. This means that after having eaten a potato dish, you won’t get hungry for a long time and you will feel great.

The calorie content of the same food cooked in a different way can vary significantly due to temperature and processing conditions. For example, slices of French fries are completely immersed in oil during cooking, which remains in the finished dish, significantly increasing its energy value. If potatoes are boiled in water, their calorie content will be lower than if they are boiled in milk. You should remember that any additives, like butter, milk, eggs, cheese, vegetables, sauces, or meat, can also change the number of calories in the finished dish.

Raw potatoes

The calorie content of raw potatoes is 77 cal per 100 g.

Baked potatoes

The calorie content of potatoes baked with their skin on is 85 cal per 100 g.

Boiled potatoes

The calorie content of boiled potatoes without their skin is 82 cal per 100 g.

French fries

The calorie content of French fries is 280 cal per 100 g.

JAN/FEB 2021

Mashed potatoes

The calorie content of mashed potatoes with milk (7 g) and butter (5 g) is 104 cal per 100 g.

Potato chips

The calorie content of salted plain potato chips is 546 cal per 100 g.

January/February 43

JAN/FEB 2021

EAT PRAY LOVE Valentine’s Day is coming soon, but you still have enough time to prepare for this romantic holiday.

JAN/FEB 2021

Idea 1

Idea 2

Idea 3

Idea 4

1. Take wax crayons and remove their paper wrapping. 2. Break the crayons into small pieces. 3. Fill a silicone baking mold with broken crayons. 4. Bake the crayons in the oven at 230°F for 15 minutes. Then let them cool and remove the hearts from the mold. 5. Apply glue to the back of one of the hearts using a hot glue gun. 6. Glue the heart to the prepared cardstock postcard.

1 and 2. Put a heart on tracing paper and outline it with a pen. 3 and 4. Attach 2 layers of translucent tape to the drawn heart. 5. Cut the heart out. 6. Remove the heart’s tracing paper base and glue the heart made of the tape onto a carboard square. 7. Take cotton swabs and paints of different shades of red and pink. Dip a cotton swab in the paint and paint bright dots around the heart. 8. Let the paint dry and carefully remove the heart made of tape from the cardstock. 9. Glue the white cardstock square with the heart onto a slightly bigger, red piece of cardstock. Sign your card.

1. Take a piece of graph paper and draw a schematic heart on. 2 and 3. Put this piece of paper on red paper and attach it with masking tape. 4. With a cutter, make cuts in the paper along the lines you have drawn. Then remove the piece of graph paper. 5. Follow the horizontal lines with the non-working side of the cutter to help the card fold in these places. 6. You will get a 3D heart like in the photo. 7. Fold the piece of red paper in half and glue it to the white cardstock base (don’t cover the 3D heart with glue — it should be able to move freely). 8. Glue the inscription “For you” on the card, or any other inscription of your choice. 9. Decorate the top of the postcard to your taste. 10. Your Valentine’s Day card is ready!

1. Roll up a thin strip of colored paper. 2. Glue the tip of the paper to the roll you’ve made. 3. Press the roll between your fingers to make it look like a petal. 4. Glue 2 of these petals together to form a heart, and glue it to a cardstock square. 5. Make 4 similar hearts in different shades of red and pink. Glue them to your future postcard. Then glue narrow ribbons in red and pink. One end of the ribbon should touch the heart, and the other one should touch the upper edge of the card. 6. Glue the decorated square onto a cardstock square in a contrasting color and that is slightly bigger in size. Decorate it and sign the finished postcard.

JAN/FEB 2021

Idea 5

Idea 6

Idea 7

Idea 8

1. Cut a rectangle out of bright (like pink) cardstock. 2. Cut a strip out of the middle of this rectangle. One end of the strip should be straight, the other one should be rounded . 3. Take a piece of sparkly thick cardstock. 4 and 5. Draw a small heart on the sparkly cardstock and cut it out. Then cut it in half along a zigzag line. 6. Glue half of the heart to the pink cardstock rectangle next to the straight cut. Cut a strip out of the same pink cardstock. It should be wider than the cut-out area on the rectangle. The length of the strip should be slightly longer than the rectangle. Again one end of the strip should be straight, and the other one should be rounded. 7. Place the bigger strip under the cutout in the rectangle, so that its rounded part is on the same side as the sparkly heart. This rounded part should protrude slightly outside the rectangle. Apply glue to the end of the strip that shows through the cutout. 8. Glue the second piece of the sparkly heart. 9. Turn the future postcard upsidedown. Spread glue around the attached strip — it will move, so no glue should get on it. 10. Glue a rectangle of white cardstock on top. Write your love confession on it in advance and make sure that it matches the cutout. 11. Your postcard with a secret message is ready — when you move the strip, the words of love will appear.

1. Draw a heart made of lines that are at a distance of 5 mm from each other, with a ruler on a cardstock square. 2 and 3. Using a ruler and a cutter, make cuts along the lines you have drawn. 4. Pull red and pink cardstock strips through the slots you’ve made. 5. Cut off the ends of the cardstock strips that stick outside the edges of your future postcard. 6. Glue the square with the heart onto a bigger square of red cardstock. Sign your finished postcard.

1. Cut a heart out of black cardstock. 2. Cut a slightly smaller heart out of red cardstock. Glue the red heart onto the black one. 3. Cut the cardstock heart you’ve made in half. 4. Cut a cross out of white cardstock. 5. Fold its top part toward the center. 6. Then do the same with its bottom part. 7. Unfold the top and bottom parts of the cardstock cross. Now bend its left and right parts. 8. Then unfold the left and right parts and fold each of them in half. 9. Unfold everything. Glue 3 small hearts made of red and black cardstock onto the vertical part of the cross. 10. Stick the letters I and U to the left and right of the heart, respectively. This way, you’ll get the inscription “I love you.” 11. Glue the halves of the heart prepared at the beginning of your work, to the side parts of the cross. 12. Fold the postcard and give it to your loved one. When your loved one takes your Valentine’s Day card, they will open it and see your love confession.

1. Take a matchbox and a spring from an automatic ballpoint pen. 2. Glue a heart made of fabric to the spring with a hot glue gun. 3. Glue the other end of the spring to the bottom of the matchbox. 4. Glue another heart and the printed letters I and U to the matchbox lid. 5. Glue a piece of cardstock with a bright triangle on it to the side part of the box. This tab will make it easier for the recipient to open the box. 6. Your Valentine’s Day card is done!

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Idea 9

Idea 10

1. Prepare a piece of paper with drawn hearts and inscriptions on it. 2. Apply glue to its backside and then glue it onto a piece of colorful thick cardstock. 3. Place self-adhesive transparent tape on the top. 4 and 5. Squeeze out black and silver acrylic paints and dishwashing liquid at a ratio of 1:1:1, into a bowl. 6. Mix everything thoroughly. 7. Apply the resulting mixture of paint and dishwashing liquid to the hearts. 8, 9, and 10. Let the paint dry well and give this Valentine’s Day card to your loved one.

1. Take a sheet of thick white paper. 2. Fold it in half. 3. Then fold the top part of the sheet in half again. 4. Draw a gift box on the folded sheet so that its top is on one side of the sheet and its bottom is on the other. 5. Color the box with a bright marker. 6. Unfold the sheet.

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Draw red hearts of different sizes inside the open sheet. Then fold the sheet again and give it to your Valentine. Have a nice and romantic holiday!

food VALENTINE'S DAY CAKE There are still many debates about the name of this dessert. According to one of the most common theories, it’s all about the red sponge. In the past, the sponge’s unique color came from the reaction between cocoa powder, acidic vinegar, and buttermilk. Today, cocoa powder is made using a different technology, so food coloring must be added to the dough, otherwise, the sponge won’t be red.

JAN/FEB 2021

FOOD

RED VELVET CAKE 8.8 ounces of plain flour 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt 1 1/4 teaspoons of bicarbonate soda 1.4 ounces of cocoa powder (unsweetened) 8 ounces of vegetable oil (flavorless) 10.5 ounces of golden granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 tablespoons of red food coloring 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract 3.4 ounces of freshly brewed coffee, cooled 8 ounces of buttermilk 1/2 tablespoon of white wine vinegar 6 ounces of unsalted butter 14 ounces of icing 10.5 ounces of full-fat cream cheese Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can replace it by mixing 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a cup of milk, or 3/4 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of milk. However, the resulting cake will be higher in calories and fat. 1. Turn on the oven and preheat it up to 350°F. During this time, pour flour into a bowl through a sieve and add salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder. 2. Pour vegetable oil into another deep bowl and add sugar. Beat gently for a few minutes until the mixture becomes lighter in color. Then add the eggs to the mass and beat them one at a time. Add food coloring and vanilla extract. Stir with a mixer. Add 1/3 flour mass from the previous step and stir again until smooth. Tip: Food coloring from different brands may differ in composition and color options. If necessary, add more coloring than is required in the recipe. To make sure the sponge is deep red after baking, the egg-oil mass should be bright scarlet. 3. Mix some coffee and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Add half of this mass to the bowl with the egg-flour mixture. Whisk well, then add half of the remaining flour mixture. 4. Add vinegar to the remaining coffee-buttermilk mixture, mix it well, then pour it into the bowl with dough and add the remaining flour. Stir it again until smooth. 5. Put baking paper on the bottom of the baking mold and grease the walls with butter. Pour in the dough but wait a couple of minutes so that it’s evenly distributed in the mold. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. You can check whether the cake is ready by piercing the dough with a toothpick: it should come out of the sponge dry. You can bake one sponge at a time or use ready-made aluminum molds that allow you to bake 2-3 sponges at once. 6. Remove the ready-made sponge from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Then take it out of the mold and place it to cool on a wire rack. Tip: If the top is bulging, carefully cut it off with a bread knife and chop it to use for decoration later. To make the sponge slightly moist and juicy inside, leave it in the fridge for 6 hours (or overnight). 7. Now it’s time to take care of the cream. Cut the butter at room temperature into cubes, place it in a bowl, and beat well until it becomes lighter in color. 8. Divide the sugar icing into 3 parts and gradually add it to the butter without ceasing to beat. This will allow you to get the buttercream icing. 9. Take the cream cheese and drain any excess liquid off it. Now add it, in parts, to the buttercream without ceasing to beat until the mass becomes thick and smooth. Then refrigerate it for 30 minutes. 10. Take a cake plate. Put 1 tablespoon of the icing in its center. Place the first sponge on top. Gently spread the icing on it, moving from the middle to the edges. Then place down the second sponge and cover it with the icing in the same way. Next, cover the sides of the cake with the icing and sprinkle the top with sponge crumbs, if desired. Place the cake in the fridge for a few hours to soak.

JAN/FEB 2021

FOOD

Red velvet cake in a glass This way, you can serve the cake, which is made in line with the recipe above, in portions. Turn the sponge into crumbs by grating it or crumbling it with your hands. Then take a glass and pour the crumbs into it so that they fill 1/4 of the container. Add a thick layer of icing on top, then another layer of sponge crumbs and another layer of icing. Refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes. Garnish the top with sponge crumbs and mint leaves before serving. How you can diversify the recipe: Use boiled beetroot purée to replace food coloring (the amount can be the same or slightly bigger, just focus on the color of the dough). The sponges will become crimson, but the composition of the cake will be overall more natural. Soak ready-made sponges with a mixture of milk and cocoa or freshly brewed coffee to make them juicier and to add additional flavors. To make the icing slightly sweeter, mix cream cheese with thick sour cream or dairy cream (instead of butter), then gradually add sugar icing. This way, the icing will be less greasy, lighter, and tastier. Make a chocolate sponge with orange peel, colored with food coloring or beetroot, and use regular buttercream for the filling.

A quick recipe for red velvet cake 1. Take a white chocolate bar and break it into small pieces. Put them in a bowl and pour in 3.4 ounces of dairy cream (at least 30% fat). Place the bowl in a water bath to melt the chocolate. 2. Stir the hot chocolate-cream mixture well and pour it into ice cube trays. Place them in the freezer for an hour to harden. 3. Mix the ready-made red velvet concoction and milk in a mug, according to the instructions written on the package. Stir well to ensure the mixture is thick and smooth. 4. Put one frozen cube of the chocolate-cream mass in the center. Then put the mug in the microwave for 5 minutes. 5. Next, place the mug on a plate, turning it upside down, and tap its bottom slightly with a spoon so that the dessert falls onto the plate. Sprinkle the cake with sugar icing on top. It’s done! Serve it hot. Tip: You can make cubes of cream and chocolate in advance and keep them in the freezer. This way, you can make red velvet cake in 5 minutes at any time.

JAN/FEB 2021

FOOD

TASTE OF THAI

Tom yum is a popular Thai soup that is loved by many people for its hot and sour flavors. The words “tom yum” are derived from 2 Thai words. “Tom” refers to the boiling process, while “yum” means “mixed.” But if spicy paste, fish sauce, and lemongrass are typical ingredients for those in Thailand who can easily find them in their fridge, for Western countries, the recipe for this soup seems really difficult because it’s not as easy to find these rare foods.

JAN/FEB 2021

FOOD

Tom Yum 1.5 liter of chicken broth 2-4 tablespoons of tom yum spicy paste (For spicier soup, add 4 tablespoons; for less spicy, add 2 tablespoons.) 2 lemons 2 teaspoons of fish sauce 2 tablespoons of brown sugar 2-3 stems of lemongrass 0.3-0.5 ounces of fresh ginger (The amount will affect the spiciness of your soup.) 3-4 lime leaves 12 ounces of peeled shrimp 5 ounces of fresh white button mushrooms 7 tablespoons of coconut milk A small bunch of coriander A fresh, small chili pepper 1. Pour the previously cooked chicken broth into the pot and bring it to a boil. 2. Peel the ginger, chop it finely, and put it in the broth. 3. Add lemongrass stems and lime leaves at the same time as the ginger. These ingredients are easy to find at a supermarket in special tom yum sets. 4. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. 5. Add tom yum spicy paste. The spiciness of the soup depends on its amount, so follow your taste preferences. The optimal amount is 2 to 4 tablespoons. 6. Stir the soup and cook it for another 3 minutes. 7. Add fish sauce. 8. Add sugar immediately, then stir the soup. 9. In 3 minutes, add peeled, defrosted shrimp. If they’re not fully defrosted, cook the soup for 5 to 7 minutes longer. 10. Cut fresh mushrooms into thin slices. 11. Put the mushrooms into the soup after the shrimp. 12. Chop the chili pepper finely and add it to the soup. Keep in mind that the amount of chili will affect the spiciness of the soup, so we recommend trying the broth and adding the pepper to taste. 13. Add coconut milk to the broth. 14. Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. 15. At the very end, squeeze the juice of 1-2 lemons into the soup. 16. Chop coriander and add it to the soup at the very end. 17. Bring the tom yum to a boil and remove it from the heat.

JAN/FEB 2021

living

JAN/FEB 2021

LIVING

How to make a simple paper cracker an A4 sheet of paper 1. Take a sheet of paper and fold it in half horizontally and vertically. Unfold the sheet. You will have the fold lines to help you navigate in the next steps. 2. Fold the corners along the fold line as it shows. Then, fold the entire thing in half (so that the folded ends are on the inside). 3. If everything is done properly, you will have the exact same thing as the photo shows. Now, press all the folds well. 4. Turn the future cracker over. Grab the right edge. Open it to make a pocket, like the photo above shows. As a result, the sheet will be square with the splitter ends at the bottom and 2 pockets. 5. Fold the cracker along the fold line to make a triangle. Again, press all the fold lines. This will impact the quality and how loud the pop will be. How to play with the cracker: Grab the very edge of the cracker, lift it up, and make a quick swish. You will hear a loud pop. The cracker will most likely lose its shape but you can fold it and use it again. The thicker the paper you use, the louder the pop will be.

How to make a cracker with a balloon and a toilet paper insert toilet paper insert balloon tape scissors colored paper 1. Take a balloon and tie its end so that it won’t let the air out. Cut off a piece of the balloon on the opposite side. 2. Pull the balloon over the paper insert as the photo above shows. Using tape, attach the balloon to the insert. Now, you can decorate the future cracker. How to play with the cracker: Put some confetti inside the cracker (you can cut it using old magazines). Now, aim the cracker up, pull the end of the balloon and let it go. You will hear a loud pop and the confetti will fly out of the cracker. Reload the cracker and use it again.

JAN/FEB 2021

TIPS & TRICKS

How to Easily Remove Cherry Pits If you want to make cherry jam, compote, or cake, it’s better to use pitless cherries so that you won’t choke on them. And if you plan on using fresh cherries, you’ll have to remove the pits yourself.

Method 1 1. Take a bottle funnel and place it on a flat surface with its wide side down. 2. Take a berry and place it, bottom down, on the neck of the funnel. 3. Press lightly on the berry so that the pit falls out of the middle. 4. Remove the pits from other berries the same way.

Method 2 1. Take chopsticks and a narrow-necked bottle. Remove the cherry stem and place the berry on the neck of the bottle, bottom-up. 2. Gently poke through the berry with the stick. 3. When the pit falls to the bottom of the bottle, set the berry aside. 4. Remove pits from other berries the same way.

Method 3 1. Get a safety pin. 2. Stick it into the base of the cherry. 3. Carefully remove the pit from the cherry. 4. Remove pits from other berries the same way.

JAN/FEB 2021

CHILL & DRAW

JAN/FEB 2021