144 in total

Macarons!  I made two batches of French Macarons, a total of  144.  I completed them just a few days ago which took several days to accomplish and now there are about 2 dozen left.  The kids, the neighbors, myself, JF and my in-laws all had a  hand in the macaron jar : )  I guess that’s a good thing because they thought they were deee-licious.

Since I’m on a roll posting food pics, I’ll post the final steps to macaron making for a sweet Friday blog post!  Since these darn things were pretty difficult to make and very time consuming, it was hard to photograph every step.  (I only took pics with my phone except for the last steps)

Thanks to my nephew for giving me some amazing tips because for a first timer, I think I nailed it : )  The proof is in the cookie jar!

Next week’s macaron attempt will be Framboise!

After piping the cookie base, you have to let it sit for at least 30-45 minutes (depending on the room temp) to form a ‘shell’

cool on the cookie sheet

pay close attention to your oven temperature!  Some of my macaron cookies were browning faster than the others because my oven was probably heating un-evenly.  Just keep an eye out!

Once cooled, fill centre of cookies with ganache (prepared at least 2 days before)

make a sandwich

refrigerate for 24 hours!  This was the painful part…waiting to have a bite!

Here’s the chocolate version.  Same basic steps except you have to add melted dark chocolate in the cookie recipe, then fill with ganache (prepared at least 2 days in advance) Once cookies are made, refrigerate for 24 hours, wait and enjoy!!

Happy Friday!!!!!!!

In between everything else

So we’re a little back logged on blogging here!  It’s been non stop for us since mid last week with stuff to do here and there!

So let’s back track a bit…

Thursday, we had to go out of town on a day trip.  Stuff.

Friday, my first attempt at making French Macaron and a chocolate cake for Mother’s day that lasted till 10pm!

Saturday, a family photo shoot in the morning and a “Twilight” photo shoot in the afternoon with the official photographer for the Canadiens.  Followed by a family dinner celebration at a local resto and ending the night with another photo shoot testing Canon’s new flash system (600EX-RT)

Sunday, Mother’s Day, the gloves came off!  I slept in, sat back and relaxed while daddy and the kids cleaned the house, did the laundry, washed the floors and catered to my demand(s) ; )  And being the gourmand that I am, I even indulged in homemade crepes souffle with homemade triple berry compote served with maple syrup with a side of pomegranate juice….ALL prepared by JF and the kids : )  With all the excitement, we forgot to take pictures!

So not to make this blog post too long, I will first post some pictures of the cake my nephew and I made.  It’s a recipe that is purely chocolate.  5 layers of chocolate goodness with a macaron base, choco mousse another macaron cookie, choco ganache and finally a choco glaze.  It took over 3 hours to make but definitely worth it!  (macaron pictures to come!)

Hope you all had a good Mother’s Day celebration : )

There’s exactly 5 slices left for indulgence for tomorrow’s dessert!  Enjoy!

The pictures below does not include all the steps to making this cake. Just in case you were wondering

And then there was light

On one of my recent meetings, I have had the privilege to a private training session using Canon’s Speedlite 600EX-RT along with the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT using the new EOS 5D Mark III.  Try saying that three times!  LOL!

If you know my style of shooting, I’ve always enjoyed and preferred shooting with natural light because I like it…natural. I even use Photoshop to a bare minimum to really showcase my clients and products the way it really is!  But after my private training, I saw light at the end of the tunnel!  And have a new appreciation for the power of light when properly used!

Not only was I posing in front of the camera (which taught me soooo much more on how to pose people!), I also learned the different lighting positions, the importance of key and fill and all the technical aspects of lighting!  My eye has been re-trained to see what others don’t see from minor light adjustments to slight turn of the shoulder which makes for a more professional and finished photo.

When I shoot at a studio setting, I used to take tons of pictures!  Thinking that if I gave the clients hundreds and hundreds of photos that they’ll be extremely happy.  Now, I —  take —  my —  time.  Especially with my new found knowledge and love for lighting, I’ve come to realize that a dozen photos (with the correct lighting, composition and feel) is far better than one hundred random pictures.  So at the end, quality wins over quantity!  Don’t get me wrong,  I am trigger happy but now I can confidently focus on taking my time and delivering an even better photograph and professional and fun experience to all my clients without having to feel the need to take thousands of pics.

A special THANK YOU!!  Un gros merci to Francois Desrosiers for your time and patience!  I look forward to our next training!!  You are a genius!

Below are some of the photos taken during our training (hence the variety of lighting tests)

Happy Friday!

A D.I.Y thank you

I love when clients are so crafty and creative!  Just like our couple Amelie and David who created their own thank you cards to give to their guest.  All of our packages, come with a digital thank you ‘card’ but our Blissful couple decided to go that extra mile  with a do-it-yourself project to add a personal touch!

I scanned their Thank You card to share with you!  Check it out : )

(oops sorry about the crooked scanning!)

Remembering Maxim

When we first met the family, we immediately connected.  When we first met Maxim, we were touched.  Months after, we are still deeply moved by their story.  The strength Roxanne exhibits is truly admiring!  No words can express how you’ve touched our lives and the lives of many with your dedication, love and endurance to fight for Maxim.  In honor of Maxim, we promise to never forget.

Maxim by Blissful Creations on Vimeo

 

For sale

Lately, there have been a lot of for sale signs popping up in the area.  It must be a stressful time for homebuyers and sellers to constantly keep a pristine household always ready for viewing! I remember our transition and all the details involved moving to another province!!! Luckily our house sold within 2 days and found a gorgeous home suited for us here.

From our experience, it’s important to have a good relationship with your agent and better more, the agent being knowledgeable with the local area and surroundings.

Last week, we worked with Stephane Scotto to showcase some of the newest and trendiest condos being built.  Here you will find some photos of the units.  It’s absolutely stylish!  If you’re a buyer or are simply interested, feel free to contact Stephane for more details about the condo.  (sscotto@videotron.ca). When the edit is finished, come back here for a virtual tour!! For the meantime, here are some photos.

Happy Friday!!

 

The unspoken hero

His name is Jacob.  And to his family and friends and especially to his little sister, Jacob is a hero.  Thank you to the Fondation Tournesol for recognizing such a fine, young man!

Bravo!

Jacob & Naomie  by Blissful Creations on Vimeo

 

$104,000 raised!

Last Friday was the Souper de Domicilia, a fundraising dinner for Fondation Tournesol.  We were responsible for the videos presented during the evening and these videos were testimonies from different families who shared their lives with hundreds of viewers.

The evening was a success!!  Everyone was extremely thankful!  Again, thank you for all those who participated and generously donated to the event.

For the families that touched our lives in more ways than one, thank you for sharing your story.

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend.

Fondation Tournesol by Blissful Creations on Vimeo

 

Souper de Domicilia

Tonight is the fundraising event for Fondation Tournesol.  Last night, we went to the hall to take some photos.  There were several volunteers and employees setting up every detail for tonight’s event.  We know the evening will be a big success!  Come back Monday for an update.

To find out more about the dinner, here’s a direct link to the Foundation’s temporary website.

And here are some behind-the-scenes photos…

Happy Friday!!

Book exterior

This post is a follow up on Monday’s blog.  I neglected to include photos of the finished books once they are published.  Again, these books are custom made and every clients’ needs and preferences are different.   I still have to create my own book from our France trip 2 years ago and I would probably use this book cover and layout : )