5 Minute Crafts Magazine - May 2017 by Lawrence Ambrocio

Get Cooking How to do the Top Knot T-Shirts transforms into a shopping bag May 2017 $5.99 (Canada) $3.99 (US)

PLUS SMART Goals and Dessert's for Mother's Day

05.2017

CONTENTS

“Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.” —Oliver Wendell Holmes

MAY 2017

CONTENTS

style

EYES ON THE LINES If you are new to applying eyeliner or if you always end up having uneven lines on one or both eyes

18 HOW TO MAKE A TOPKNOT A topknot is a stylish, universal hairstyle that’s appropriate for both business meetings and parties.

home

HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD FRYING PAN The choice of size and material will define the taste and quality of your food as well as how long you can use the pan.

28 HOW TO GET MOLD OUT OF WASHING MACHINES If you don’t clean your washing machine properly from time to time, the chances of it getting moldy can be quite high.

health

TONE YOUR LOWER ABS Exercises for abs are very simple and they bring visible results quite fast. To train your belly muscles, you don’t usually need any special equipment and you can work out at home.

features

40 HOW TO WRITE SMART GOALS In 1981, George T. Doran, a consultant and former director of corporate planning for the Washington Water Power Company, published a paper called, “There’s a SMART Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives.” In the article, he introduces SMART goals as a tool to create to improve the chances of succeeding in accomplishing a goal.

food

43 EASY TO MAKE PANNA COTTA Panna cotta is an Italian dessert made of cream, sugar, milk, gelatin, and flavoring. The flavoring used is often vanilla, but there are variations of this dessert using coffee or caramel.

MAY 2017

47 EASY TRUFFLES If you’re craving something sweet and the first thing you think of is chocolate, you’re not the only one. Desserts that have this delicious treat as main ingredient are always welcomed by pretty much anyone. That’s probably the case of chocolate truffles, small round chocolate balls that melt in your mouth.

living

51 WHAT'S IN THE BAG? Shopper bags are practical, spacious, and easy to wash. Additionally, they help the environment since they can replace plastic bags. Such a bag can be folded compactly and taken with you on shopping trips.

departments

EDITOR'S LETTER

58 TRICKS & TIPS

60 CHILL & DRAW COVER PHOTO APOMARES © GETTY IMAGES

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

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

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

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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

Word to your mom M

y final assignment before I graduated from cooking school in the late ’90s was to create an original multiple-course meal and present it like a small cookbook. The project would count toward our final grade, but more important to those of us who were irrationally competitive, the best one would be announced to my whole class at the French Culinary Institute. The concept that popped into my head seemed like the most brilliant idea of all time (in retrospect, I should have spent more than 5 seconds brainstorming): I would create a menu in which every course was a single color, and I’d garnish each dish with the color of the next course Wowsers. I don’t like cooking with firm limits, and considering that I often combine granola and Lucky Charms for breakfast, I think I’m a fan of the “arbitrary,” too. I’m actually much better suited to the kind of fun, bright food you’ll find here, in our annual Color Issue. That said, if any publishers out there have been kicking themselves for passing on Courses in Color, I can dig up those recipes for you.

TANYA WENMAN STEEL Editor In-Chief

Gifts for moms

Pearl compact mirror, $30, Amazon

Rocksbox ($49 for 3 months)

MAY 2017

Instant Pot, $99, Amazon

style EYES ON THE LINES Eyeliner can make your eyes stand out and even transform and complete your appearance in no time, like doing winged eyeliner to give you the coolest cat-eye look. If you are new to applying eyeliner or if you always end up having uneven lines on one or both eyes

MAY 2017

STYLE

Always sharpen your eyeliner pencil before applying. A blunt eye pencil can make it really hard to get precise lines, so you should sharpen them on a regular basis to get a perfect application. It also gets rid of the bacteria that build up on the eye pencil whenever you apply it.

Don’t leave gaps between the eyeliner and the base of your eyelid. These gaps make eye makeup look messy, so to avoid that you can keep the liner flat and apply it in little strokes starting from the midpoint of your eyelid to the last lash, then you can apply thinner lines from the inner corner to connect with the midpoint. Then, with the help of the tip of the eyeliner, you can color between the lashes and the line to create a stable black base for your eyeliner.

Do the proper finishing when applying the eyeliner.

Don’t line the top and bottom parts of your eyes entirely. By doing this, you’ll make your eyes look smaller. Instead, tightline your upper lash line, and apply a little eyeliner to the bottom corner. Color the rest of the bottom lash line with a nude eye pencil. This will make your eyes look bigger. Lining both the lash lines with a darker shade is only suitable when you want a dark and smokey eye.

The tail should be connected smoothly with the rest of the arrow. To get the right result, take the following steps: 1. From the midpoint of the eyelid, begin tracing a thicker arrow through to the last eyelash, keeping the eyeliner flat as mentioned above. 2. Now look straight in the mirror and imagine a diagonal line that stretches through the waterline (the line of skin between the bottom lashes and the eye). To get it right, use the tape method explained below. 3. Fill it in with the finishing touches.

5 6

As you mature, the corners of your eyes may start drooping. If you apply eyeliner the usual way, your eye makeup may end up looking a bit downturned. To prevent this, stop applying the eyeliner about 3 lashes away from the outer corner of your upper lash line. Then, make the wing go up right from the outer edge of the arrow. On the bottom lash line, you can go for a nude eyeliner in a lighter shade to make your eyes look bigger and uplifted.

Don’t stretch the skin on your eyelid when applying eyeliner. Stretching or tugging on your eyelid accelerates the process of aging as the skin around the eyelid is very sensitive. Instead, cultivate a habit of lifting your head up a bit to apply eyeliner easily.

7 MAY 2017

If your eyes are mature and droopy, don’t apply the arrow to the whole upper eyelid.

Use nude eyeliner instead of white eyeliner to make your eyes look bigger. Both white and nude eyeliners are used to make your eyes look bigger. However, it is recommended to use nude eyeliner because it will match your skin complexion and make your eyes look more natural.

STYLE

8 9

Use tape below your lash line to apply winged eyeliner. When going for the winged eyeliner look, put a piece of tape at an angled diagonal to your lower lash line, extend the tail of your arrow to your desired length. Once satisfied, connect the tip of the tail with the rest of the arrow. Then, remove the tape carefully and fill in the unfinished details. Also, don’t close your eyes while applying the eyeliner, if you are aiming for a flawless cat-eye look.

Don’t use too much eyeliner on the inner eyelid. As the inner eyelid has a very small amount of skin, going heavy on the eyeliner on the inner eyelid will create an unflattering look. Instead, apply a very small amount of eyeliner gently from the inner eyelid and keep increasing the width bit by bit to create an impressive look.

Arrow styles based on your eye shape The tips listed above can be applied to eye makeup in general. The typical arrow style may not be suitable for every eye shape. We’ve listed a few styles based on your eye shape below:

MAY 2017

STYLE

HOW TO MAKE A TOPKNOT

A topknot is a stylish, universal hairstyle that’s appropriate for both business meetings and parties.

MAY 2017

STYLE Topknot with an insert 1. Get a special insert for topknots. If you don’t have one, you can use the things you have at home. Make a ponytail, take a toilet paper roll, and put the end of the tail through the hole in the middle. 2. Put the roll at the base of the ponytail. 3. Cover the roll with your hair. 4. Fix the insert and the hair around it with a scrunchie. 5. Collect the leftover hair. 6. Wrap it around the knot and fix it with a hairpin.

Topknot without an insert 1. Make a ponytail. 2. Make a knot. 3. Pull the end of the tail upward. 4. Wrap it behind the knot. 5. Fix it with a scrunchie. 6. If needed, use hairpins.

MAY 2017

home HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD FRYING PAN A frying pan is something everyone should have in their kitchen. It’s necessary to make all sorts of different meals. The choice of size and material will define the taste and quality of your food as well as how long you can use the pan.

MAY2017

HOME When buying a frying pan, you should take many factors into account. First of all, check what kind of stove you have. For example, there are some induction cookers that require special pans. Additionally, you need to think about what you’re going to use the pan for, how much food you’re used to making, what meals you prefer, and whether or not you need nonstick surfaces. Another important factor to consider is how you’re going to wash the frying pan. If you’re using a dishwasher, find out if specific models of frying pans can be washed in there.

MATERIAL

Cast iron: This material heats up evenly and takes a long time to cool down. It’s believed that cast iron cookware makes the most delicious meals. You can put them into ovens, which makes them even more universal — you can even bake pies in them. They’re extremely durable and the only disadvantage is that you can wash them in dishwashers and keep food in them. Stainless steel: This material is used by many professionals. Stainless steel conserves the bright taste and color of the ingredients. However, if this pan doesn’t have a special non-stick surface, everything sticks to it unless it’s stirred regularly. Stainless steel is durable and you can wash it right after cooking. Ceramics: Such pans are great for cooking without oil because almost nothing sticks to them. They are ecological and durable. You can heat them to very high temperatures. But ceramic pans can’t be used on induction stoves. And if you drop them or cool them down fast, they can break. Aluminum: This cheap material has the advantage of being lightweight. Such pans are durable, but in order to prevent the food from sticking to them, cooking temperatures need to be quite low. The ingredients need to be stirred all the time. Aluminum pans are easy to scratch so they can’t be used with abrasives.

DIAMETER

Less than 22 cm are considered small frying pans and are good for making simple meals like sauces and vegetables for soups. 24 cm to 26 cm are considered average size and are good for making full meals. Plus, the diameter is no bigger than the cookers. 28 cm to 30 cm are considered large pans and can save time needed to make a meal because a lot can fit on them. But the biggest cookers are usually 24 or 26 cm in diameter, so a pan bigger than this is pretty much useless.

SURFACE Teflon: This is a very popular non-stick surface. It’s great for cooking but if it’s damaged, even a bit, it produces harmful chemicals. It’s really easy to scratch, so you have to be really careful. It’s not a very durable material. Marble. Actually, this is just Teflon with marble — it’s more durable and heats more evenly. Ceramic. Way more ecological than Teflon, this material requires a bit more care as it doesn’t do well with scratches, can break easily, and is sensitive to temperature changes. Nanocomposite (also known as titan, diamond, granite): This surface is of the highest quality and is most expensive. The pans heat up evenly, are great for high temperatures, and food cooked in them remains healthy.

PURPOSE

Classic: This is a universal pan with average sides that’s great for cooking very different meals. Brazier: These aren’t very popular and have 2 handles with straight sides. However, they’re very versatile because they’re typically made of metal and can be used on the stove or in an oven. Wok: This pan is used to fry meat, as a wok, and for cooking vegetables at high temperatures. It has wide, high sides and a relatively small bottom diameter. Grill: This is a special pan that is used to make meat or fish to prevent the juice and fat from touching the food. Saute: This is a pan with high sides and is great for frying and stewing. Pancake: This pan has low sides and is good for making pancakes.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Choose frying pans with at least 5-millimeter walls and multi-layered bottoms. This rule is true for any material. If you want to be able to use a frying pan in the oven, buy one with removable or metal handles. Don’t use pans with copper or aluminum bottoms on glass stoves because they will leave marks. If you have an induction stove, you can’t use ceramic, glass, copper, or aluminum pans.

MAY 2017

HOME

HOW TO GET MOLD OUT OF WASHING MACHINES If you don’t clean your washing machine properly from time to time, the chances of it getting moldy can be quite high. If it’s already moldy, don’t worry, 5-Minute Crafts Magazine has created a list of steps you can follow to get rid of the mold growing in your washing machine.

MAY 2017

HOME 2. Spray the solution over the mold.

Add one of the solutions mentioned above to a spray bottle. Spray it over the mold on the washing machine’s gasket. Don’t forget to use gloves and a dust mask so you don’t inhale any mold spores.

3. Clean it out with a cloth.

4. Use a toothbrush.

After spraying the areas of the gasket where the mold is, use a cloth or towel to clean it thoroughly.

5. Purify the drum and hoses. 1. Create a mold removal solution.

Once the gasket/rubber seal is cleaned, it’s time to clean the drum and hoses. Spray some mold removal solution inside the washing machine and run a cycle on the hottest setting. This will remove any mold traces and odors that are inside the machine.

There are several mold removal solutions that you can make at home to successfully clean your machine. Here are some examples: 2 cups of water, ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide, and ¼ cup of lemon juice: The mixture of lemon juice with hydrogen peroxide can effectively remove mold and prevent its growth. 2 cups of water, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and ½ cup of distilled white vinegar: This mixture of white vinegar and lemon juice can work as well as hydrogen peroxide and has the same effects. 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water: If there isn’t too much mold present, just vinegar and water will do the trick. 1 part bleach and 4 parts water: If the above methods don’t seem to work, try bleach.

6. Clean the detergent drawer and its housing. Remove the detergent drawer from the machine and clean it. Soak it in warm water to help soften whatever is stuck in the dispenser. Gently clean it with a stiff nylon brush. Make sure to also clean the top and bottom of the dispenser’s housing by using the same brush you cleaned the drawer with and some warm water.

7. Seek professional help. If you’ve tried everything mentioned above and it still isn’t working, you may have a clogged drain or filter or even mold growing back behind the drum. If this is the case, only a qualified person can help solve these types of problems, so you should seek professional help.

Note: Don’t use detergent or bleach to clean this type of drawer.

MAY 2017

health

MAY 2017

HEALTH

Lifting the legs at a right angle

Bicycle 1. Lie on the ground with your arms alongside the body, palms on the ground, and bending the knees at a 90degree angle. 2. Straighten the right leg and pull the left leg to the belly. Then switch the legs, mimicking the motion of pedaling on a bicycle. 3. Repeat the exercise in 3 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

1. Lie on the ground with your arms alongside the body, palms on the ground, and the legs together. 2. Slowly lift your legs to the belly and make sure that the knees don’t bend and the lower back stays on the floor. 3. Put your legs down and go to the starting position. 4. Repeat the exercise for 3 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

Lifting the legs in turns

Scissors

1. Lie on the ground with your arms alongside the body, palms on the ground, and the legs together. 2. Slowly lift your right leg to the belly. Make sure the knees don’t bend, the lower back stays on the ground, and that the left leg is straight on the floor. 3. Put down the right leg and repeat everything with the left leg. 4. Repeat the exercise in 3 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

1. Lie on the ground with your arms alongside the body, palms on the ground. 2. Spread the legs at the width of your hips and lift them 45 degrees from the floor. 3. Put the right leg behind the tip of the left leg, then repeat the same with the other leg, imitating scissors. 4. Repeat the exercise in 5 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

MAY 2017

HEALTH

Climbers

Crunches

1. Stand on the floor like the picture shows. The arms should be straight at the width of your shoulders. The legs, the hips, and the back should form a straight line. 2. Keeping the starting position, bend the right knee, and pull it to the belly. Make sure the left leg is straight and that the back isn’t rounded. 3. Return the leg to the starting position and pull the left leg to the belly. Switch the legs with a nice tempo like a mountain climber. 4. Repeat the exercise in 2 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

1. Lie on the floor with the arms behind your back, and bend the knees with both feet flat on the ground. 2. Put your right foot on the left knee. Pull your left elbow to the right knee, making a crunch. 3. Return to the starting position. 4. Repeat the exercise in 3 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

Lifting your pelvis

Holding the legs

1. Lie on the ground with your arms alongside the body and palms on the ground, bend the knees, and put the feet flat on the ground. 2. Keeping the palms and the feet on the ground, slowly lift the hips until they form a straight line with the belly. 3. Hold the position for 5 seconds. 4. Repeat the exercise in 4 reps, 15 times in each, with 1 to 2-minute breaks.

1. Lie on the ground with your arms alongside the body and the palms on the ground, and keep your legs together. 2. Slowly lift the legs from the ground and hold them at a 45-degree angle. Make sure the knees are straight and the lower back remains on the ground. 3. Hold the legs in this position for 30 seconds and then go back to the starting position. 4. Repeat the exercise in 3 reps, 30 seconds in each, with 1-minute breaks.

MAY 2017

May 39

MAY 2017

How to write

GOALS

In 1981, George T. Doran, a consultant and former director of corporate planning for the Washington Water Power Company, published a paper called, “There’s a SMART Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives.” In the article, he introduces SMART goals as a tool to create to improve the chances of succeeding in accomplishing a goal.

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Your goal has to be specific so you can concentrate on achieving it. These questions will help you set the goal: What exactly do I want to achieve? Why is this goal important? What resources do I have? What are the limitations?

Your goal should be measurable. It makes it more real and helps you see if you’re making real progress. You can measure the goal by asking “How much” questions. For example, “How much do I need for a down payment?” or “How much money do I have to save a month?” Also, there are non-financial goals like doing something at work or entering college. You can measure them by the number of steps you need to make to achieve the goal.

Your goal should be realistic. It should go a bit beyond what you can do now, but still be possible to achieve in the future. Think about whether you have the necessary skills and tools and answer these questions: How can I achieve my goal? How realistic is this goal considering the limitations I have?

For example, if you want to save money, decide what you need it for: do you want a passive income, a college degree, or enough for a down payment? If you are saving for a down payment, are you planning to live in the new apartment or rent it out? If you’re renting, maybe there are other better investment options? If you’re going to live there, where should the apartment be and what should it be like? Are you going to save alone or with someone? Do you have any extra income sources? Answer these questions and set a clear goal.

SMART goals SMART is a tool that can help you set an achievable goal. According to this system, a goal is SMART if it’s: Specific (mortgage for a 2-bedroom apartment not far from work) Measurable (let’s say it costs $65,000 with a down payment of $10,000) Relevant (you have a good job and you’re not planning to move to a different city) Time-bound (2 years)

Relevant

The SMART method is often used to set work goals, but as you can see, you can use it to achieve your personal goals too. All you have to do is analyze your goal by the parameters and adapt the goal if needed.

MAY 2017

For example, you’re dreaming of a palace downtown with a sea view. But if you analyze your income, you realize that you only have enough for a 2-bedroom apartment, not far from downtown. So, you should probably choose the more realistic goal of the 2.

Time-bound

Set a specific timeframe for when the goal should be achieved. Answer these questions: When should the goal be achieved? What am I supposed to do in one month, 6 months, one year, or any other significant time period? What should I do today? In our example, if we are just going to put aside money for a down payment, we don’t know when we will have enough. It’s easy to lose motivation this way. But if we know the time limit, for example, 2 years, the goal becomes more specific. This way, you can do the calculations and have a specific amount of money to save every month.

food

EASY TO MAKE PANNA COTTA Panna cotta is an Italian dessert made of cream, sugar, milk, gelatin, and flavoring. The flavoring used is often vanilla, but there are variations of this dessert using coffee or caramel.

MAY 2017

FOOD

PANNA COTTA Ingredients 200 ml of light cream 200 ml of milk 2 tbsp of water 3 tbsp of sugar 1/2 tbsp of gelatin 1/2 tbsp of vanilla strawberry jam as per your taste 1. Combine gelatin with water, mix well, and leave it to swell for 5-10 minutes. 2. Pour 200 ml of cream and 200 ml of milk into the pot. 3. Add sugar. 4. Place the pot over low heat and bring to a simmer. Keep stirring the milk and cream constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Don’t bring it to a boil. 5. Remove the pot from the stove and leave it to cool down for 5-10 minutes. Afterward, add the vanilla and the swollen gelatin. 6. Thoroughly mix the ingredients until the gelatin has dissolved completely. 7. Pour the panna cotta into the bowls or ramekins. 8. Place the bowls into the fridge for at least 4 hours, or if possible, overnight. 9. Get the panna cotta out of the fridge and place several spoonfuls of strawberry jam on top — now the dessert is ready to serve.

MAY 2017

FOOD

EASY TRUFFLES

If you’re craving something sweet and the first thing you think of is chocolate, you’re not the only one. Desserts that have this delicious treat as main ingredient are always welcomed by pretty much anyone. That’s probably the case of chocolate truffles, small round chocolate balls that melt in your mouth.

MAY 2017

FOOD

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES Ingredients 200 g dark chocolate to melt 140 ml whipping cream Vanilla essence as required Cocoa powder Colored sprinkles (optional) Shredded coconut (optional) 1. Place the heavy cream in a pot or a small container suitable for cooktop heat. 2. Add a few drops of vanilla essence. If you have vanilla pods at home, you can use them instead of the essence. Just split one in half, remove the seeds and add the peel to the cream. 3. Heat the flavored cream over low or minimum heat. Be very careful not to bring it to a boil. You will notice that it’s time to turn the fire off when bubbles start forming on the surface of the cream. 4. Separately, chop the chocolate as finely as you can. This makes it easier to melt. 5. Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-resistant container (it can be metal or glass). 6. Remove the cream from the heat just before it comes to a boil (when you see bubbles on the surface, as mentioned before). Pour it over the chopped chocolate, being very careful not to burn yourself. 7. Stir the mixture so that the chocolate melts and mixes with the cream. 8. Keep mixing until you get a creamy and shiny consistency. Make sure that everything is well combined and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes. 9. Cover the mix with plastic wrap and place the covered container in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or even better, overnight. 10. Take out the container from the fridge and scoop out small portions of the mixture that must have hardened a bit by now. Shape them into balls. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can wear gloves. 11. Place some cocoa powder in another container. Dip each ball in the cocoa. Make sure they’re all well coated. You can also use grated coconut or colored sprinkles if you want. 12. Remove excess cocoa by shaking each truffle in a small strainer. 13. Place each truffle in its own paper cup. If you don’t have paper cups, you can just serve them on a plate. 14. Chocolate truffles go best with a steamy cup of coffee or any other hot beverage. You can also eat them on their own.

MAY 2017

living WHAT'S IN THE BAG? Shopper bags are practical, spacious, and easy to wash. Additionally, they help the environment since they can replace plastic bags. Such a bag can be folded compactly and taken with you on shopping trips.

MAY 2017

LIVING

Option #1 1. Take a pair of jeans and cut off their legs right under the spot where your knees would be located. 2. Cut each trouser leg along the line of the inseam. 3. Unfold the cut trouser legs and place them with their obverse sides flat against each other. 4. Stitch your future shopping bag on a sewing machine on 3 sides. Leave the part of the soon-to-be bag unstitched in the place where the lower edge of the trousers was located, this bottom part will be the upper part of your bag. 5. Stitch the corners of the bag diagonally (see the photo) to create the bottom part of the bag. 6. Turn the item inside out. 7. Remove the waist part of your jeans. 8. Cut it in half. 9. Stitch 2 parts of the belt to the bag to make handles, just the way it’s shown in the photo. 10. Apply a wavy line to the rest of the jeans with the help of tailor’s chalk. 11. Cut out an inkle that will have a wavy edge on one side and a straight edge on the other side. 12. Collect the cutout inkle on a thread and make a flower out of it. 13. Attach the flowers you made to the bag. Sew or glue a bead or a beautiful button over each flower. 14. It’s gorgeous!

MAY 2017

LIVING

Option #2 1. Take an old T-shirt and cut off the sleeves and neckline. 2. Make a cut in the middle of the bottom part of the former T-shirt. 3. Hem the slit and stitch it carefully by hand with matching thread. 4. Stitch the place where you cut off the sleeves and the neckline. It will be the bottom part of your bag. 5 and 6. Leave some distance at the top and make the slits on the front part of the bag. 7 and 8. Your shopper bag is ready!

MAY 2017

LIVING

Option #3 1. Take an old T-shirt and cut off the sleeves and neckline. 2. Make a cut in the middle of the bottom part of the former T-shirt. 3. Hem the slit and stitch it carefully by hand with matching thread. 4. Stitch the place where you cut off the sleeves and the neckline. It will be the bottom part of your bag. 5 and 6. Leave some distance at the top and make the slits on the front part of the bag. 7 and 8. Your shopper bag is ready!

MAY 2017

LIVING

Bonus: how to decorate a readymade shopper bag 1. Get a ready-made shopper bag in a neutral color. 2. Cut an apple into 2 halves. 3. Cover half of the apple with acrylic fabric paint. 4. Apply the apple to the bag. 5. Use the apple as a stamp, cover it with fabric paint, and press it to your bag. 6. Your renewed shopper bag is ready!

MAY 2017

TIPS & TRICKS

HOW TO WHISTLE WITH YOUR FINGERS Knowing how to whistle is a learned skill that is accessible to everyone. So if you haven’t yet mastered the art of whistling with your fingers, you can take a look at this step-by-step guide that 5-Minute Crafts Magazine prepared for you.

Step 1. Make an “A” shape with your fingers. Raise your hands in front of you with the palms facing you. Extend your index and middle fingers on both hands, keeping them close together. Curl your other fingers as if you are forming a fist and hold them down with your thumbs. Form the letter “A” with your index and middle fingers using both hands. Tip: Instead of your index and middle fingers, you can also use your pinky fingers. Step 2. Wet and tuck your lips. Wet your lips with your tongue. Draw your lips back and curl them around your teeth as if you’re pretending you’re an old man without any teeth.

Step 3. Push your tongue back. Place the tips of your index and middle fingers underneath your tongue right at its tip. Using your fingers, push your tongue back in your mouth until your first knuckles reach your bottom lip. Gently press the tip of your tongue downward until you feel a “fold” formed from your tongue. Step 4. Blow. Keeping your tongue folded, your lips tucked, and your fingers placed in your mouth, tightly close your mouth. The only opening should be between your middle fingers. Start blowing through the hole between your middle fingers. Tip: You should feel the air going out over your bottom lip. If it seems to be passing by your upper lip or the sides of your mouth, close your mouth tighter around your fingers.

MAY 2017

CHILL & DRAW

MAY 2017