Stars and Stripes and a Rainbow to Boot!

So sorry I haven't blogged for awhile. You don't have to worry though. I did not get off course. My eyes are still on the prize but it has been a little hectic though.

My Level 1 Wilton - Discover Cake Decorating class began this past Monday. As you know, my goal was to book Tuesdays off at my day job. Sadly to say I wasn't able to get Tuesday off because we are completing year end inventory. I have been incredibly tired. I even had to work on Saturday this past weekend.

Anyway, this blog is not to vent about the day job (because I am thankful for it). It is a testament to show where I started, and where I end up. It is for you to follow me as I work towards my goal, of turning a love of making confections to a full time career.

And back to Wilton Level 1 / Class 1. We had learned how to make icing, colouring it and how to apply it to our cakes. The crumb coat vs using the icer tip method. Right now, I am definitely leaning towards the icer tip method. It puts on my icing nice and thick. We also learned the concept behind a leveler. I always wondered how cake decorators had their cakes looking so even.

Today we learned how to apply icing using the star method and we learned to draw stripes. Our class decorated a cake with a rainbow.

I will decorate my own cake over the weekend using the star method. I will serve it up to my co-workers on Monday. So excited!

Sample Chocolates FOR REAL

Well it has been almost one month since I took my first Confections Workshop. I would say I have come a long way.

Dec. 6/09 - Completed my Chocolatier Workshop
- My Sister-in-law tasted a few, and commented that she would like to take a few home
- My Husband had about 3, and I had to hide the rest

Dec. 7/09 -I promised some to my co-worker Jinette. She praised my confections to some of our friends on FaceBook
- I brought a few of my chocolate treats to my co-worker Sukhi, she emailed me that evening, and said her family thought they were scrumptious
- I gave a couple to my husband, and hid the balance

Dec. 8/09 - Sukhi asked if I would visit her home to give she and her a daughter a Chocolate making class (in her kitchen)

Dec. 12/09 - I got ambitious, and decided that I would make chocolate treats for my department's potluck at work
- I am enjoying obtaining more information of my new found love. I have even visited the establishment where I took lessons
- By now, I have figured that I would like to research this as a new career path
- I decided that I would start this blog, where I could journal my pathway to my new career

Dec. 17/09
- I made a tray of 75 pieces of chocolate, in various Christmas themes. They are a hit, and they all disappear
- I visit the Lindt Chocolate Outlet, and invest in some Couveture chocolate...because I'm gonna allow more people to taste, and share the views on my sweet endeavour

Dec. 20/09
- I launch my FaceBook Group
- BTW, I am Tweeting now

Dec. 23/09
- I have held my first Chocolatier workshop at Sukhi's
Dec. 29/09
- I have enrolled in a cake decorating course at Flour Confections in Ajax

Jan. 2/2010- I am putting sample chocolates together for some of my FaceBook Group friends, who joined my Group
- I am creating a white Couveture chocolate bar, with Merckens dark chocolate hearts
- I Feel I am on my way!

I Wasn't Blogging But...

I have been working on my Sweet Tooth project.

Since the last time I've blogged, my mind has been all over the place, trying to decide where should I get started. I have a 12 year old niece, and we poke fun at her because she makes a list for EVERYTHING. But you know -- lists really work! Organization is not my thing. While an "organized" list may not work for me, I have started to carry around a note book in which I list random thoughts.

Starting from the front, I write my random thoughts about the Fashionista project. From the back pages (working towards the front), I list stuff general stuff. Like today, I wrote down that I would like to go online and view our hydro account, and google how to be more energy efficient.I tend to be tunnel vision mode sometimes. So having my note book include both aspects of my life, helps me to manage my life much better.

There is a book titled "Write it Down, Make it Happen" by Henriette Anne Klauser. I think the thought behind it is if think of an idea, no matter how fleeting, or great, write it down. You will find that you will embrace more. Bit by bit your ideas will grow into actions, and you will be able to achieve your goals. Actually, this blog is a little bit of my "Write it Down, Make it Happen".

So on the top of my random list, was to join a Cake Decorating class. Today I have signed on with Flour Confections in Ajax, Ontario. I am enrolled in Wilton Course 1 – Discover Cake Decorating. At $105, I believe it's a reasonable investment towards my future. Classes are on Mondays in January, so I have already booked off the Tuesdays at work. While I would love to focus as much as possible on Fashionista project, my full-time job is my first priority. Thank goodness for my vacation plan. Mondays will be a work day, then a class night -- Tuesdays will be my day of rest.