5 Minute Crafts Magazine - March 2017

Feel at home Get the looks for your bathroom PLUS Homemade Hamburger & Vision Board

March 2017 $5.99 (Canada) $3.99 (US)

STYLISH HOMEMADE BEAUTY DIY Facial Masks

03.2017

CONTENTS

"Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together."

-Elizabeth Taylor

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MARCH 2017

CONTENTS

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57

style

home

HAIRSTYLE TECHNIQUES Most hairstyles are designed for medium or long hair. However, those with short haircuts also want to diversify their everyday look.

HOW TO CHOOSE BATHROOM TILES Bathroom renovations are not always expensive if you plan everything ahead. But many people make the same mistakes.

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18 WHAT'S MASKING? Sometimes, skin problems may take you by surprise when you don’t have the right face mask at hand.

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34 FOLD A DUVET SHEET Setting up a fresh duvet cover is a difficult and time-consuming task, this shows you 2 step-bystep guides to make this process a bit easier.

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features

food

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53

MEMORIES OF YOU Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals. There are many examples of how the use of this technique has contributed to career growth, helped people get rich, or reduced stress. One of the techniques that can help you visualize your dreams is to create a vision board.

HOMEMADE BURGERS Burgers have long been a part of our diet, not only as a quick snack that we eat on the go but also as a part of the menu in expensive restaurants.

health

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57 COOK A SHRIMP Shrimp is one of the healthiest and most popular seafood products. It contains a rich composition of nutrients and has an exquisite taste. And it can be cooked in literally no time.

living

WORKOUT MISTAKES Squats and Push-Ups are a great exercise to strengthen the muscles of your lower body, burn some calories, and increase your overall health. But knowing the right technique is a must if you want to get the most out of your workout and avoid possible injuries.

61 SOAP OPERA Sometimes, we don’t want to throw away the soap slivers from our soap, so we put them in a separate container. Our grandmothers used to dry these remnants and use them instead of tailor’s chalk. And now, there is another way to give these pieces a second life — just turn them into soap again.

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departments

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EDITOR'S LETTER

66 TRICKS & TIPS

68 CHILL & DRAW COVER PHOTO © DEPOSITPHOTOS

TANYA WENMAN STEEL 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

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

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

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Nancy Baker DIGITAL SOLUTIONS GROUP GENERAL MANAGER, NATIONAL PORTALS Ray Ostor ROGERS MEDIA, INC. SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DIGITAL PRODUCT CONTENT & PUBLISHING Steve Maich VICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT John Intini SENIOR DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS Sean McCluskey SENIOR DIRECTOR, DIGITAL AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Sarah Trimble DIRECTOR, BUSINESS PLANNING Chris Johnston CREATIVE DIRECTOR, CUSTOM CONTENT Christopher London DIRECTOR, DIGITAL MONETIZATION Andrew Myers VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCT & INNOVATION Scott MacMillan EXECUTIVE EDITOR, CUSTOM PROJECTS Stefanie Di Verdi

Visit us at 5minutecrafts.site

Rogers Media Inc. can be reached at One Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON M4Y 2Y5 or 1-800-268-9119

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. 5 Minute Crafts is published monthly except January/February and July/August by Rogers Media, Inc. One Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON M4Y 2Y5 or 1-800-268-9119. Contents Copyright 2017 by Rogers Media, Inc. 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 0128-1839. Single copy price $5.99 + tax. Full subscription prices: Canada, 1 year (10 issues), $15 + tax. In the U.S., 1 year $45 + tax; Other countries $75 + tax, Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index. Printed in Canada. 5 Minute Crafts, it's affiliate and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, distribute, store and archive such as unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensate of any sort.

EDITOR'S NOTE

The culinary is the best M

y mom was (and has always been) not a great cook--sorry, mom! So when we moved to New York City in the early 70s from London, I turned on the channel and watched Julia Child's The French Chef pretty religiously, and so learned how to cook and feel confident in the kitchen from Julia. I grew up in the city, and thought I would be a biographer (at age 20 I was a failed model and a failed biographer) but ended up in publishing as I needed to make a salary and got my first job at Mademoiselle magazine. I left to open my own business, Makeover By Mail, an idea ahead of its time--this was pre-internet. I ran that slowly into the ground and started to look for something else to do. I realized the intersection of food and travel was a passion, so answered an ad in the New York Times for an assistant editor at Food & Wine and got the job. Guess who I met there? Julia Child! What a thrill. I continued on my path, working for a travel magazine called Diversion, then went to Bon Appetit for 10 years, and then got the role of Editor-in-Chief/Editorial Director of Epicurious, Gourmet Live and Gourmet.com. I ran Epi for 8 years and had the great fortune of working with many brilliant people, all of whom helped us win two James Beard awards, 3 ASMES, over a dozen Webbys, a New York Emmy and more. We were blessed to create a brand that people loved and felt a part of. I left to start my own businesses to follow the other passion in my life, getting people to cook and eat healthy and feel good about themselves, especially kids.

TANYA WENMAN STEEL Editor In-Chief

what's in the issue

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61

27

Easy to make homemade hamburgers

Uses for soap silver

Picks for the bathroom tiles

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MARCH 2017

style HAIRSTYLE TECHNIQUES Most hairstyles are designed for medium or long hair. However, those with short haircuts also want to diversify their everyday look.

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STYLE

Hairstyle 1 Take a small strand of hair near your face.

Gradually twist it along its entire length, picking up the strands near your face.

Secure its end with an elastic band.

Do the same with the strand on the other side of your head.

Hairstyle 2 Part your hair in the middle. The hair parts should be equal. Select a strand on the right side, right near the part, and comb it to the back.

Secure it with an elastic band at the crown of your head. Form another ponytail next to it and 2 more on the left side.

Take the outermost ponytail and wrap it inward where it’s secured with an elastic band.

Do the same for the rest of the ponytails.

Hairstyle 3 Gather the hair at the crown of your head, backcomb it a little, and secure it with an elastic band.

Form another ponytail under the first ponytail.

Secure it with an elastic band together with the first ponytail in the middle of your head.

Backcomb the ponytail.

Bend the ponytail in half and secure it with a hair clip.

Gather the remaining hair at the back of your head, secure it with an elastic band, and backcomb it.

Bend the ponytail in half and secure it with a hair clip.

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STYLE

Hairstyle 5 Side part your hair and select a small strand on the opposite side of the part.

Gradually twist it along its entire length, picking up the strands near your face.

Secure it with an elastic band.

Hairstyle 4 Side part your hair and select a small strand near the part.

Twist it tightly.

Secure it with an elastic band.

Select another strand next to it and do the same.

Choose a third strand closer to your ear and repeat steps 2 and 3.

Hairstyle 7 Part your hair in the middle and separate small strands from each side.

Twist them tightly.

Secure them together with a hair clip.

Hairstyle 6 Gather your hair at the crown of your head.

Backcomb it a little.

Secure your hair with a rubber band.

Attach a bow.

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STYLE

WHAT'S MASKING? Sometimes, skin problems may take you by surprise when you don’t have the right face mask at hand.

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STYLE

Face mask for oily skin #1 Take a piece of rice paper and cut it into 4 pieces.

Brew some green tea and soak the rice paper in it.

Place a piece of tea-soaked rice paper over your forehead and cheeks.

Cut another piece of paper into 2 parts. Put the triangular one on your nose and the rectangular one on your chin.

Remove the paper after 5-10 minutes.

Face mask to remove blackheads Break the egg into a bowl and remove the yolk.

Take a paper towel, fold it in four, go 2 inches from the right, and cut out a triangle.

Move 2 inches from the left and make a small cut, lengthwise.

Unroll the paper towel.

Face mask for oily skin #2 Place 2 tbsp of honey in a bowl.

Add 3 tbsp of cocoa powder.

Add 1.7 oz of milk.

Mix the ingredients thoroughly until you get a homogeneous thick mixture.

Apply the mask to your face.

Wait for the mask to dry and rinse it off. Pat your face dry with a soft towel.

Apply the egg whites to your face with a cosmetic brush.

Place a paper towel with cutouts for the eyes and mouth on your face.

Take off the paper towel after 20 minutes and remove the remaining egg whites with a cotton ball soaked in water.

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STYLE Moisturizing mask for dry skin Take a small banana, cut it into 4 pieces, and place them in a bowl.

Pour a cup of classic yogurt over the pieces of banana.

Add 2-3 tbsp of honey.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

Apply the mask to your face.

Leave it on for 10-15 minutes.

Rinse it off.

Face mask to remove pimples Cut off an aloe vera leaf.

Cut a square piece out of it and remove the skin from its top part.

Apply aloe juice all over your face.

After 10-15 minutes, remove the excess juice with a cotton pad.

Anti-wrinkle smoothing mask Break an egg into a bowl.

Add 1 tsp of honey.

Add some olive oil.

Add 1.7 oz of milk.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

Take a brush.

Use the brush to apply the mask to your face.

Leave the mask on for 5 minutes.

Rinse the mask off and pat your face dry with a soft towel.

Soothing mask for irritated skin Put a cup of oatmeal in a bowl.

Add a cup of water.

Add 1 tsp of coconut oil.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

Apply the mask to your face.

Wash it off after 15 minutes.

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STYLE

Face mask to remove dark circles under the eyes Brew a cup of green tea.

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Cut a cotton pad in half and dip the halves in the tea and oil mixture.

Wait until the halves get completely saturated with the mixture, place them on a plate, and put them in the freezer for 20 minutes.

Remove the halves from the freezer and place them on the lower eyelid of each eye.

Let them sit there for 4-5 minutes and then remove them. Get rid of any remaining moisture with a paper towel.

Face mask to get rid of eye puffiness and fatigue Take a medium-sized cucumber and grate it on a coarse grater.

Add half of a banana.

Mash the ingredients thoroughly and mix well.

Place the mixture in an ice cube tray and place it in the freezer.

Take a cube of the frozen mixture.

Make several circular motions along the lower and upper eyelids of both eyes with it.

Pat your eyes dry with a paper towel.

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home HOW TO CHOOSE BATHROOM TILES Bathroom renovations are not always expensive if you plan everything ahead. But many people make the same mistakes. For instance, they choose tiles only in accordance with their looks, while it’s quite useful to take into account several other factors, including the thickness of the walls and even everyday habits of the residents.

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HOME CERAMIC TILE People choose ceramic tiles for bathroom decor most often because they’re affordable and come in a variety of sizes, colors, and textures. This tile is made of a mixture of clay and sand, which is fired and glazed. It can be matte, semi-matte, or glossy and comes in a variety of patterns.

Tip: Ordinary tiles are great for walls, but it’s better to choose porcelain stoneware of the same design and color for the floor. It’s more durable and shock-resistant.

MAIOLICA This is also ceramic tile, but the colors are applied to the unfired glaze. Due to the complex manufacturing process, it’s several times more expensive than regular tile and requires special care when laying.

Tip: To avoid a gaudy look in the bathroom, it’s better to decorate only a specific zone with maiolica.

CLINKER TILE Just like clinker brick, it’s made of compacted clay that is fired at a very high temperature. The resulting material is wear-resistant, eco-friendly, and expensive. Such tiles can be smooth, rough, or glazed. They give the space a noble look, keep their color for their entire lifespan, and have minimal water absorption.

Tip: For the bathroom, it’s better to choose clinker tiles with a thickness of at least 8 mm. To make their lifespan longer, use them for wall decoration.

CERAMIC MOSAIC It’s manufactured in the same way as regular ceramic tile, but it has a smaller size and the process of laying the small mosaic chips, which are conveniently on a sheet or grid, makes it easier to fix on the wall.

Tip: Don’t decorate the entire surface of the walls with this tile. It looks beautiful if you use the mosaic style for a certain pattern or composition.

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HOME GLASS MOSAIC It’s the alloy of silica sand with various additives and components. This material is much more durable than ordinary glass.

There are 2 types of glass mosaics: Mirror mosaic levels the walls due to tricks under the light.

Smalto mosaic is perfect for assembling individual colorful panels.

NATURAL STONE PILE It’s made of marble, granite, slate, or sandstone. Each material has its own characteristics, so it’s not recommended to combine different stones with each other.

Tip: Natural stone tile can be quite heavy for thin walls, so it’s recommended to use it only for horizontal surfaces.

STONE MOSAIC This type of tile can be divided into 2 categories: There’s a natural stone mosaic, which consists of pebbles, marble, jasper, sandstone, tuff, or other materials. When choosing a stone, you should bear in mind that not all natural stones are resistant to moisture nor do they match each other.

Synthetic granite mosaic is made of broken glass mixed with granite or marble dust.

PORCELAIN STONEWARE This is an artificial finishing material that imitates natural stone or wood most often. It is durable and strong, but due to its heavy weight, experts recommend decorating floors with it.

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HOME

VINYL TILES AND PANELS This material is quite durable, and it’s suitable as a quick, inexpensive design option. Vinyl is not cold and is generally pleasant to the touch. It keeps the room warm and dries quickly. There are 2 types of such tiles: PVC panels or PVC tiles are made of polyvinyl chloride, a lightweight and durable polymer material.

Quartz vinyl tile differs in that the polyvinyl chloride in its composition is smaller due to the addition of quartz sand, so this tile is more durable and hard.

TILING LAYOUTS If you work with rectangular tiles, it’s good to understand beforehand how vertical and horizontal layouts will change the look of your room. For example, a low ceiling can be “raised” by using the tiles vertically. The length of the walls will be visually decreased, however. And vice versa: a high ceiling will look lower if the tiles are used horizontally, but the room will seem more spacious.

TILE SIZES The size of tiles affects the visual perception of the room — large tiles visually reduce a small bathroom, while small tiles in a large room make the interior appear too dazzling.

An excellent result can be achieved by combining tiles of different sizes. For example, mosaics look spectacular when a certain bathroom zone is decorated with it while the remaining walls are decorated with the plain tile.

Tip: If you have a big panel with the appearance of small tiles on it, take a close look at the edges of the panel. If they’re uneven, it will be difficult to make narrow grout lines, and the end result will look untidy.

THE WIDTH OF GROUT LINES Knowing the distance between tiles does more than help you calculate the correct amount of consumables. For example, wide seams look good with tiles that have complex textures or unusual patterns, especially if you choose a contrasting grout. If the tile imitates natural stone or wood, the seams should be as narrow as possible.

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HOME TILE COLOR AND TEXTURE One of the most common mistakes is using incorrect colors and textures of tiles. Here are some simple tips to follow: To make the room look spacious, the tiles should be in light, warm hues. A dark floor combined with light walls is an outdated trend.

Cold hues should be blended with warm ones, otherwise, it will be uncomfortable to stay in the bathroom.

Smooth glazed tiles, even with anti-slip coating, can get slippery when wet, so use them only on walls.

Those who are fond of minimalism are recommended to choose bathroom materials of different colors and textures, otherwise, the room will look too “sterile” and uncomfortable. And vice versa: if the bathroom has bright colorful walls, the furniture, textiles, and accessories should be of the same color and hue, otherwise, the interior will be too dazzling. That’s why, if possible, bathroom renovations should be planned with the help of a professional designer.

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USEFUL HACKS Use tile to cover only certain parts of the room. For example, half of the wall can be covered with decorative plaster or simple paint, while the areas that come into direct contact with water can be tiled.

Use tiles of different sizes and colors to highlight specific areas in your bathroom.

Some people save money this way by buying leftover tiles at sales.

Plain tiles will look completely different if you add a bright dye to regular grout.

HOME

FOLD A DUVET SHEET Setting up a fresh duvet cover is a difficult and time-consuming task, but 5-Minute Crafts Magazine will show you 2 step-by-step guides to make this process a bit easier.

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HOME

1. THE TRADITIONAL METHOD 1. Lay your duvet (or blanket) on the top of your bed.

2. Take your duvet cover and turn it inside out.

3. Insert your hands inside the cover and find its 2 top corners. Hold one corner in each hand.

4. With your hands still holding the corners of the duvet cover, reach down and grab the 2 top corners of your blanket.

5. Holding the 2 top corners of the blanket tightly, flip the duvet cover over the blanket so that its front side faces outward.

6. Give it a good shake for the duvet cover to fall down and cover most of the blanket.

7. Pull the duvet cover down with your hands and stuff the 2 bottom corners of the blanket inside the duvet cover as well.

8. When everything is aligned properly, zip the cover up.

9. Now you can place the blanket on your bed!

2. THE BURRITO METHOD 1. Take your duvet cover and turn it inside out.

2. Lay the duvet cover on your bed with its opening at the bottom of the bed. Make sure that it is unzipped.

3. Take your duvet (or blanket) and place it on top of the duvet cover. Make sure that all the corners and edges are aligned properly.

4. Once your duvet and duvet cover are aligned properly, stand at the top of your bed and start rolling them together toward the bottom of your bed. As you roll, adjust all the edges and make sure that they are rolled together.

5. When everything is completely rolled up, grab the opening of your duvet cover and pull it right side out, over the roll.

6. Zip up the duvet cover to create a burrito.

7. Place the roll on your bed with the zipper enclosure at the bottom of the bed.

8. Start unrolling your duvet from inside the cover. The unrolling motion should be a mixture of unrolling and pulling apart the duvet cover from the roll.

9. Once the unrolling process is complete, give the duvet cover a few shakes to smooth it down.

10. Now you can place it on your bed!

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health WORKOUT MISTAKES Squats and Push-Ups are a great exercise to strengthen the muscles of your lower body, burn some calories, and increase your overall health.

But knowing the right technique is a must if you want to get the most out of your workout and avoid possible injuries.

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HEALTH

SQUATS Step 1. Get in the proper starting position.

First, you need to get into the correct body position: Place your feet a bit wider than shoulderwidth apart and slightly point them outward.

Your weight should be on your heels and the balls of your feet.

Engage your core muscles and keep your back straight. Look in front of you and don’t bend your neck or tilt your head.

Keep your arms in front of you. They should be straight and parallel to the floor.

Step 2. Bend your knees and do a squat.

Start by bringing your hips back and lowering them closer to the floor (like you’re sitting in a chair). Focus on your hips and don’t start the movement by bending your knees.

Lower your hips until they’re parallel to the floor. Pause at the lowest point of the movement for a second.

Make sure to your knees don’t go beyond your toes.

Step 3. Return to the starting position.

Engage your glutes and leg muscles and push your body back to the starting position.

Mistake 1. You start the movement from your knees.

When you start with bending your knees instead of bringing your hips back (like you’re sitting in a chair), you put unnecessary pressure on your knees, and it makes it impossible to do a proper squat. If you struggle with doing this movement correctly, put a chair behind you and try to touch its edge with your glutes when doing a squat.

Mistake 2. Your knees rotate inward.

Make sure your knees always point in the same direction as your toes. When you bend your knees, they should be located above your feet.

If you feel that you’re rotating your knees inward, concentrate on pushing them outward then push your body back to the starting position.

Mistake 3. You arch or hunch your back.

An improper back position damages your spine and increases your risk for disc injuries. Control your back position as much as possible while performing a squat and add exercises to your workouts, like planks, that help to build the strength of your back and core muscles.

Keeping the eyes forward while performing an exercise also helps to control the body position better.

Mistake 4. You lift your heels off the floor.

You should keep your weight on your heels and on the balls of your feet to ensure proper technique and muscle activation. You should be able to lift and wiggle your toes at any point in your squat.

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HEALTH

PUSH-UPS Step 1. Start with the proper body position.

It might be easier to do a push-up if you think of it as of a moving plank. To get into a proper starting position, you should: Place your hands exactly shoulderwidth apart. Your middle finger should point forward at about 12 o’clock. The palms of your hands should be pressed tightly to the floor.

Your legs should be placed close to each other, and your toes should be flat and grounded on the floor to keep your body position stable.

Keep your neck in a neutral position and avoid bringing your chin in or out.

Engage your core and make sure your back is flat. Your body should resemble a straight line from head to toe.

Step 2. Lower your body to the floor.

Inhale, bend your elbows, and lower your body until your chest almost touches the floor. Make sure that when bending, your elbows are placed at about a 45-degree angle to your body.

Make sure you maintain the proper position of your body as described in Step 1. Your back should be straight, muscles engaged, and your neck in a neutral position.

When you do a push-up, your eyes should be focused at the point on the floor that’s about 3 feet in front of you.

To make doing push-ups easier and to not hollow your back, imagine that you’re squeezing a walnut between your shoulder blades as you’re going down.

Step 3. Push your body back up and do as many push-ups as you can.

Exhale and return to the starting position. Keep your body straight and muscles engaged.

Repeat the exercise maintaining the proper form. Don’t forget to breathe!

Mistake 1. You don’t keep your back straight.

You should remember that a push-up is a compound full-body exercise. So instead of focusing only on your chest muscles, don’t forget to engage and tighten your glutes and your leg muscles to keep your body position more stable.

When you bend your elbows, focus on bringing your chest to the floor and not your hips.

Mistake 2. You don’t maintain a neutral neck position.

You may tilt your head forward because your body may lack shoulder stability at this point, and your neck is trying to compensate for it with this movement.

This mistake may lead to problems with your neck and shoulders, so focus on keeping your neck straight and your neck muscles engaged. Concentrate on bringing your chest closer to the floor and not your head.

Mistake 3. You place your hands too high.

You might place your hands too high above your shoulders because your muscles aren’t strong enough to maintain the correct body position and do push-ups at the same time. This way, you switch the load from your arms and chest muscles to the front parts of your shoulders and your neck muscles, which may lead to an injury in the future. It also makes you spread your elbows too wide causing excessive stress on the wrists and elbows.

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Mistake 4. You don’t go all the way down.

You need to move in a full range of motion to exercise all the targeted muscles. Make sure you lower your chest close enough to the floor. If you can’t bend your elbows, start with lighter push-up modifications.

Step 4. Try other push-up variations.

After you master basic push-ups, you can try other push-up variations to target different muscle groups better: A diamond push-up to work your triceps. Your body position and technique will be the same as for a basic push-up, but you should place your hands close together, so your thumbs and index fingers touch each other forming a “diamond.”

A wide push-up to target the pectoral muscles. Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. The wider you place your hands, the more difficult the exercise will be. Make sure that when you bend your elbows, they face back and not to the sides.

An archer push-up to add more load to the biceps and chest. In the starting position, place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Bring the body down on one side, bending the elbow of one arm. The other arm is straight and stretched to the side. Then return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

March 45

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Memories

of You

Visualization is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals. There are many examples of how the use of this technique has contributed to career growth, helped people get rich, or reduced stress. One of the techniques that can help you visualize your dreams is to create a vision board.

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What you’ll need to make a vision board There are 2 basic methods: Manually by using photos and paper clippings To make a vision board with your own hands, you may need the following materials: a big sheet of paper (e.g. A2 size) or a piece of old wallpaper, photos, magazine clippings with pictures and motivating text, glue, scissors, markers or pencils of different colors, decorative paper clips, scrapbooking paper, etc.

With the help of a photo editing program on a computer Many beautiful pictures from the internet will allow you to make a vision board right on your computer.

You will need a quiet place, some time to select suitable images, and a photo editing program like Photoshop.

Important: Consider all of the pros and cons of each method to choose how you want to make your vision board. A digital board is faster, easier, and more convenient to make, and it requires a minimum of materials. However, you should bear in mind that you will invest less personal energy in creating this virtual vision board. Besides, this board may not be very convenient to use: if you use too many images for visualization, their details will be quite small, and this can ruin your work.

By making a vision board with your hands, you’ll get more opportunities for creativity. You’ll have more time to carefully study and feel every detail.

However, this process will take much longer.

How to make a vision board with your own hands 1. Before you start designing your vision board, take some time to make a list of your wishes and dreams. Think about areas like family, friends, work, study, hobbies, travel, health, wealth, etc.

Describe your dreams in detail and then proceed to the selection of pictures.

2. Use newspaper and magazine clippings, postcards, brochures, flyers and other paper pictures to illustrate your dreams. Take a close look at Pinterest: you can find many atmospheric and emotional photos there and print them out. You can also use pictures of yourself where you feel happy.

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3. Think over the style of your future vision board. Listen to yourself and decide whether you want to style it using bright colors or using softer and muted tones. Will it be simple and concise, or dynamic, lively, and filled with important little details? Think over the design of the board and select the appropriate details. This has to be done before you start making the board, so that you won’t have to be distracted by the search for some missing element.

4. Prepare everything you need for the board: a base (a sheet of paper, corkboard, or a piece of old wallpaper), scissors, glue, pictures, and decorative elements.

5. Make the space favorable for creativity. Do it alone and remove all distractions, put everything you need around you, turn off your phone, and dim the lights. You can light candles and turn on pleasant music, make an herbal tea to tune in to the work.

6. Start gluing the pictures, moving from the center to the outer sections. Add inscriptions and details to the illustrations.

7. Keep the finished board away from prying eyes. Look at it as often as possible, at least once a day. Thus the visualization of your dreams will actively work.

How to make a vision board on a computer 1. Take some time to define your dreams. Think about each area of your life and make a list of what you would like to receive.

How to place pictures on the vision board

2. Select pictures in the internet that will symbolize and reflect your dreams as accurately as possible.

3. By using a photo editing program (like Photoshop), a PowerPoint presentation program, or an online graphic design service (such as Canva), place the pictures against a colored background, and add details and decorative elements.

The section of personality and health This section has to be located in the center of the board. It symbolizes you, your well-being, beauty, and health.

Place your photo in the center. It should evoke only positive emotions in you.

Distribute the pictures of your wishes around it. These can be images associated with youth and beauty, images of a healthy, toned body, a snow-white smile, and images that you associate with proper nutrition, sports, vitality, and energy.

4. Save your vision board and review it daily while visualizing your dreams.

Life hack: You can make your vision board the wallpaper on your computer desktop. This simple trick will help you to not forget about it and pay attention to it more often.

To reflect all areas of your life on the vision board, divide the selected pictures into certain sections.

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The section of wealth and material well-being Here you can place pictures that depict material values, like an expensive car, a country house, jewelry, and just bundles of money — anything that you associate with financial stability and abundance.

The section of fame In this section, you can reflect on the dreams of your success. Images of diplomas, awards, certificates, medals, photos of people applauding, and some important conferences and forums will do. Also, pictures that symbolize good luck will be appropriate here.

The section of love and marriage This section can be filled with any pictures that you associate with romantic or family relationships. Photos of a couple in love, a wedding cake, a baby carriage, a bouquet of flowers, or an engagement ring are perfect.

Important details Listen to yourself and only place your own desires on the board People around often put their hopes on us, and we can think that these are our own desires.

While making your list, listen to yourself and ask 2 questions, “Do I really want this? Will my life be better when this dream comes true?” If your answers are “yes” to both questions, then this desire is entirely yours.

The section of home and family This section should be filled with images that illustrate family values and home comforts.

You can place a photo of a nice apartment or a country house, pictures showing interesting design solutions or a renovation process. If you want to make the relationship with your family stronger, place a photo of a happy family. If you’re interested in the relationships with your close friends, place pictures of joyful people doing something together.

The section of creativity and relationships with your children This is the section for those who want to become parents. Also you can reflect the dreams of your creative development here.

You can also place the objects that you associate with your childhood in this sector, as well as photos of items related to your hobby, with a caption to specify your wishes.

The section of wisdom and knowledge Here you can visualize your dreams of learning, getting an advanced degree, or going to college. These can be desires associated with studying, taking any courses or training, and gaining wisdom in life.

The section of career This is the part of the board where you can place anything related to your job expectations. Attach a photo of a beautiful office, a good team, and any symbol of your relationship with your colleagues and management. This can also be a picture that shows your career growth, your own business, or a new profession of yours.

The section of mentoring and traveling In this section, you can illustrate your wildest dreams for vacations and traveling. You can also wish to find a mentor in any particular area.

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Choose pictures carefully The more colorful way you choose to illustrate your dreams, the better the effect can be.

When choosing pictures, pay attention to the details and the atmosphere they show. Try to feel each image and select only those that sync with your soul.

Use as many details as possible The clearer you imagine your dream, the more chances you’ll have for it to come true. Do you dream of a car? Find a photo of the model you like, write down the details, like color, configuration, etc., on a sticker and attach it to the picture. Do you want to learn something new? Describe the learning process in detail and the results of it.

Use positive wording When describing your dreams, don’t use negative wording, phrases that limit your desires, or future or past tenses in your sentences. For example, you shouldn’t write, “I want to not get sick this year.” The right way to say it is, “I am healthy and full of energy.” The phrase, like “I will marry John Smith this year” won’t work either. The better way to put it is “I am happily married to a person who loves me. I feel cared for and protected.”

Don’t leave empty spaces on the board Since the vision board symbolizes your perfect life, you shouldn’t leave any gaps in it. Let it be bright, holistic, and full of meaning.

food HOMEMADE BURGERS Burgers have long been a part of our diet, not only as a quick snack that we eat on the go but also as a part of the menu in expensive restaurants. The good news for burger lovers is that you can cook it like a professional at home, even without much preparation.

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FOOD

HOMEMADE BURGERS To make a classic beef burger you will need: Main ingredients: Burger buns Beef patties Sauce according to your taste Refined vegetable oil for frying Additional ingredients: Bacon Pickles A tomato Lettuce Fresh onions Fried onions (you can fry them yourself or buy ready-made ones) Portioned processed cheese for burgers (can be replaced with brie, mozzarella, gouda, cheddar, or other types of cheese, according to your taste) An egg 1. Add a little refined vegetable oil to your electric grill grate (or to a pan).

It’s convenient to use the oil in the form of a spray bottle.

2. Turn on the heat for the grill according to its instruction or place the pan on the stove over medium heat.

3. Prepare the patty. The ratio of the fillet to fat in minced meat should be approximately 80:20. There are several recipes for burger patties. Here are the main ones: Method 1: Beef + salt + pepper Method 2: Beef + salt + pepper + egg Method 3: Beef + salt + pepper + onion + egg + wheat or white bread that has been soaked in milk Method 4: Beef + salt + pepper + garlic + egg + wheat rusks or white bread soaked in milk + green onions + ketchup + Worcestershire sauce 4. Use your hands or a special mold to form a patty from the minced meat.

5. Grill the patty, according to the grilling instructions, until it’s cooked. You can cook it raw, rare, medium-rare, or well-done according to your taste.

You should remember that in the first 3 cases, you have to be absolutely sure about the quality and freshness of the meat.

6. Fry the bacon until it turns a golden brown.

7. Fry an egg in a pan. The yolk should remain liquid. To do this, fry the egg over low heat.

8. When all the ingredients are ready, without letting them cool down, start assembling the burger.

9. Add sauce to the bottom of the pre-cut bun.

10. Place the hot patty on top of the sauce.

11. Place the cheese slice on the patty.

12. Put some more sauce on the cheese.

13. Place fried onions on top of the sauce. (To make them crispy, fry them until they’re golden brown in boiling refined vegetable oil. Then drain the oil). You can also use non-crunchy caramelized onions.

14. Place the fried egg on top of the fried onions.

15. Cover the egg with 1-2 pieces of bacon.

16. Place a thin slice of fresh onion on top of the bacon.

17. Cover the onion with lettuce.

18. Put some sauce and thinly sliced pickles on the lettuce.

19. Place a tomato slice on top of the pickles.

20. Add some more sauce to the tomato and cover the burger with the top part of the bun.

Tips As a base for a burger, you can use a patty made from lamb, pork, homemade minced meat, turkey, chicken, cod, salmon, shrimp, or make a vegan patty from vegetables.

The ingredients of the burger can be varied. In addition to what we used in the recipe, you can add different products like jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, basil, avocado, and so on.

It’s not necessary to use a patty. It can be replaced with thinly sliced and cooked meat or a piece of fish fillet, breaded or not.

When choosing a sauce, you also don’t need to limit yourself to ketchup and mustard.

Garlic sauce, barbecue, chili, or Thousand Island dressing are also great for a burger.

You can buy burger buns at the store or bake them yourself.

Before serving, you can warm up a bun in the oven, place it on the grill, or fry it in butter in a pan.

Serve the burger right away.

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COOK A SHRIMP Shrimp is one of the healthiest and most popular seafood products. It contains a rich composition of nutrients and has an exquisite taste. And it can be cooked in literally no time.

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FOOD How to choose shrimp As a base for a burger, you can use a patty made from lamb, pork, homemade minced meat, turkey, chicken, cod, salmon, shrimp, or make a vegan patty from vegetables.

The ingredients of the burger can be varied. In addition to what we used in the recipe, you can add different products like jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, basil, avocado, and so on.

It’s not necessary to use a patty. It can be replaced with thinly sliced and cooked meat or a piece of fish fillet, breaded or not.

When choosing a sauce, you also don’t need to limit yourself to ketchup and mustard. Garlic sauce, barbecue, chili, or Thousand Island dressing are also great for a burger.

You can buy burger buns at the store or bake them yourself.

Before serving, you can warm up a bun in the oven, place it on the grill, or fry it in butter in a pan.

Serve the burger right away.

Fresh shrimp is a food product that gets spoiled very quickly. If you don’t cook these crustaceans right on the day they are caught or if you don’t freeze them, you can forget about eating them.

Signs of good frozen shrimp: a curled tail (if the tails of the shrimp are straight, it means the frozen crustaceans aren’t very fresh); a thin layer of ice and lack of frost; the shrimp should be well-separated from each other and not stuck together; uniform color. Freshly frozen shrimp have a gray-green hue, while boiled frozen shrimps are pink. Slight changes in the color of the cephalothorax are considered normal. It can be grayish, greenish, or black-brown.

Please note: chilled shrimp are almost never found in stores (with the exception of countries where these crustaceans are caught).

And if you suddenly see chilled shrimp on the counter, keep in mind that they’ve probably just been defrosted.

How to peel shrimp You’ll need: a colander a sharp knife or scissors paper towels or napkins a toothpick a bowl of warm water How to peel: 1. Remove the shrimp from the bag and transfer them into a colander.

2. Place the colander under cold running water to defrost and clean the crustaceans. Don’t defrost shrimp at room temperature, as it may negatively affect their taste.

3. Place the washed shrimp on a paper towel and remove the excess moisture.

4. Take a shrimp, cut its shell along the back with a sharp knife or scissors, moving from its head to its tail.

5. Carefully open the incision, pick up the intestines, and pull it out of the crustacean. If you have large shrimp, you can do this with the tip of the knife. Small shrimp have very thin and fragile intestines. In order not to damage it, it’s better to carry out this operation with a toothpick.

6. Rinse the shrimp in a bowl of warm water, paying particular attention to the area where the intestines used to be.

7. Place the shrimp in a colander or paper towel to remove excess moisture.

8. Repeat this with each shrimp.

Important: You can also remove the shell and head of the shrimp before cooking it. But there’s an opinion that it’s better to do this after boiling — this way it will save most of the useful substances, and its taste will be more delicate.

How to boil shrimp You’ll need: a large saucepan water salt lemon spices (bay leaf, dill, cloves, ginger, allspice, etc.) according to your taste How to cook: 1. Pour water into a large saucepan, keeping in mind that the ratio of liquid to shrimp should be 2:1.

2. Place water on the stove and bring it to a boil.

3. Add salt. If you are cooking shell-on shrimp, add 1-1.5 tbsp of salt per 0.26 gallons of water. If you’re using completely peeled shrimp, reduce the volume of salt and put no more than 1 tbsp per 0.26 gallons of water.

4. Add spices and the juice of 1/2 lemon to the water. Don’t be afraid to experiment with seasonings and try different combinations to find what suits your taste.

5. Put the shrimp into the boiling water. To determine the cooking time, look at their size — boil large royal or tiger shrimp for 3-7 minutes, small ones — for no more than 2 minutes. When the shells of the shrimp become transparent and the crustaceans themselves float up to the surface, the shrimp are ready.

6. Put the crustaceans in a colander and drain off excess water.

7. Peel the shrimp by removing their heads and legs, or serve them unpeeled. This way, the shrimp will also look nice.

8. Decorate the shrimp with sprigs of herbs and add sliced lemon and sauce to decorate the dish.

Several important details Even if you bought peeled shrimp, always defrost them before cooking. This way, the meat will boil evenly and will definitely taste good.

Don’t cook the shrimp for very long. The crustacean meat can become viscous and similar to rubber because of prolonged heat exposure.

Don’t leave the shrimp in the broth after boiling. The meat will continue to cook in hot water, and it will negatively affect its taste.

Don’t throw away the shrimp heads and shells. You can use the shrimp peels to make a broth or to make shrimp oil.

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living

SOAP OPERA Sometimes, we don’t want to throw away the soap slivers from our soap, so we put them in a separate container. Our grandmothers used to dry these remnants and use them instead of tailor’s chalk. And now, there is another way to give these pieces a second life — just turn them into soap again.

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LIVING

HOW TO MAKE LIQUID SOAP FROM SOAP SLIVERS

HOW TO MAKE SOLID SOAP FROM SOAP SLIVERS

To make liquid soap, you will need: soap slivers or old dried soap a fine grater a funnel hot water a cosmetic bottle with a dispenser

To make solid soap, you will need: soap slivers or old dried soap of the same color a small saucepan or a glass container a wide saucepan for a water bath a fine grater a spatula or a stirring stick milk (in the ratio of 1:1 to soap) 3 tbsp of olive oil molds for solidifying soap (can be replaced with any small containers)

1. Grate the soap slivers on a fine grater and put them into a bottle using a funnel.

2. Place the grated soap in the bottle so that it takes up slightly more than 1/3 of the container.

3. Pour hot water over the grated soap, leaving some space at the bottle neck. Close the lid tightly and shake well.

4. Repeat the procedure 4-5 times throughout the day to completely dissolve the grated soap.

1. Grate the soap slivers using a fine grater. If they are dry enough, their consistency will be like flour. If not, they’ll remind you of shavings. The smaller the soap parts are, the faster they will melt.

2. Pour the milk over the grated soap. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and leave them for 3 hours.

3. After 3 hours, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and, if you want to, a few drops of scented shower gel to the mix. It’ll give the soap a pleasant smell.

4. Put a wide pot filled with water over heat and bring the water to a boil. Then place the container with soap and milk in it. Let the soap slivers melt in the water bath for 20-30 minutes. Stir the mixture constantly with a spatula and add a little bit of hot water. Make sure that the mixture doesn’t boil, but gradually melts at a temperature of 158-176°F. Optionally, you can add additional ingredients like dry lemon zest at the end of the process.

5. Smooth the bottom of the molds with olive oil. This will make it easier to remove the soap. When the soap shavings are completely melted, remove the container from the water bath and pour the mixture into the molds.

6. Let the soap bars harden in a cool dark place for 1-2 days, and then remove them from the molds.

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TIPS & TRICKS

HOW TO PEEL A POMEGRANATE THE FAST WAY Some fruits require a special approach because they are really hard to peel in a regular way. Pomegranates are a great example of fruit with a “temper.” But there’s a simple trick to make peeling your pomegranate really easy and fast.

WHAT YOU NEED Medium-sized sharp knife Plate 1. Cut the skin in a circle, 1 inch away from the top.

2. Remove the skin as the photo above shows.

3. Cut the skin from top to bottom along the lines that are visible after you’ve removed the top.

4. Carefully pull the slices free until the fruit opens.

HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD POMEGRANATE The skin of a good pomegranate should be a bright red color. It’s okay to have spots of pink or orange. The most important is to not have any green color on the fruit.

The skin should be dry, but not overly dry.

The skin of the fruit has to be a little rough. If it’s smooth, it means it was harvested too early.

There should be no brown spots. They show that the fruit is going bad.

Choose solid fruits with elastic skin.

If the fruit is soft, it might have been damaged during transportation or it was harvested too late.

The color of the seeds doesn’t influence their taste.

Pomegranates should have no green sprouts.

A good pomegranate doesn’t really have a smell.

Shake a pomegranate near your ear and listen to the sound.

Ripe fruits have a loud and clear sound.

Compare the weights of different pomegranates. The heaviest contains the most juice. Buy it.

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CHILL & DRAW

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