Endings and New Beginnings

Today was the last day of my cake decorating class. :-( Just when I was enjoying myself, it's time to do other things. Initially, I had so much difficulty doing gum paste flowers and it was only last Tuesday that I started to like it. Take note, it took me five (5) sessions to appreciate the process of doing these flowers. Am so glad I went to class today despite me not feeling so well. I tried airbrushing the flowers I made. How I love it. Just to illustrate how I love it ... well ... I'm planning to invest in an airbrush set. :-D I can't wait to buy one and spray everything I see with shimmer.

I can't believe I've been in school for two and a half months. I will be back in school but maybe next year. It's in the pipeline. I'll be enhancing my culinary and pastry skills and I plan to help my mom make our family's dreams come true. As I'm writing this blog, I'm beset with so many emotions - happiness, sadness, anxiety, hope and excitement.

When I received my certificate this afternoon, I knew it was time for me to move on and dream bigger dreams for myself. I now know better how to run my family's business. I'll miss my classmates. I'll see them in a month anyway. We're having a Christmas party in Tita Leni's home! (Tita Leni is our instructor.) I'll miss laughing my head off and joking around in class but I'm glad I enrolled myself when I thought I never would in this lifetime. I'm after all a domestic goddess.

Tomorrow, I'm back to the corporate world and that's another story altogether.

Lots of Cake

For the longest time, I've been practicing on styro for cake decorating class. Finally, I got to work on real cake today. Sheilla came over this afternoon and taught me how to make Chocolate Marble Pound Cake. It was really good and easy to make. It helps me a lot to work with someone who is an expert at what she does and Sheilla has been so generous of her time to me and my family. :-)

We made two cakes today using the same cake base. One was covered with pink marbled fondant while the other was covered with chocolate ganache. I was tasting everything and I could feel the sugar rush but what the heck, they all taste good. I can never describe how therapeutic it is for me to be in the baking room. There's a different sense of calm and drive to learn and try new things. I'm admittedly a student in this field and I don't really mind asking questions. I don't claim to know everything and I'm perfectly ok asking other people the ins and outs of what I want to learn.

Shei and I finished around past 8 in the evening and we called it a day with dimsum at Wan Chai. Both of us had our usual orders of ham siu kok, chicken feet, raddish cake, shrimp roll and seafood congee. I think I want to go back for another order of ham siu kok. It's addicting.

Akbar Cake

I can heave a sigh of relief. I was able to finish my final project just in time. I slept at 2 in the morning today when in fact, I started working on the 5-tiered cake at 4 PM yesterday. You can do the math. I only had yesterday to finish the cake with all the ongoings. I wanted to do more piping but I was running out of time. Nevertheless, I was pleased with my work. It didn't look exactly like Margaret Braun's creation but my cake had a striking resemblance to it. I'd say my work was an inspiration of Braun's Akbar Cake.

The cake wasn't perfect and I learned as I went along. That's how it is when you're a student or learning something new for that matter. You make a mistake the first time and correct on the second time you do it. (I even make mistakes the second time around.) I may not be as forgiving to myself before but I think I am now. I'd be cruel to myself if I expected everything to be perfect every single time. That's tiring. I just won't be able to do that. Everything is a learning process at this point in my life. My life is a work in progress. Whose life isn't anyway?

I'll post the pictures once I've uploaded it to my PC. For now, I'll relish the thought of me successfully finishing my project. I'm ready to take orders now. :-p

Beauty Routine

I was back at Facial Care Centre for my second round of diamond peel. I think the therapist was kind of aghast with the quality of my skin. It was dull and dry. I looked very tired. I was after all sleeping late nights for many many weeks. She pampered me still and placed different kinds of creams on my face - anti aging, sun block, moisturizing and I don't know what else. I did see the results of my first session and I like it. I need to sleep earlier though. No amount of peeling or facial would give me a glow not unless I have eight hours of sleep daily. Sleeping rejuvenates the skin and combined with enough water intake, these do wonders on the skin. I can't wait for my next session and not to mention, I can't wait to fully relax this coming weekend. I need it BADLY.

The Exhibit

The Kiddie Karnival was very successful. Our exhibit was just great. The exposure was good and there were a lot of kids and parents at the ballroom. There must have been 1,500 guests today. I felt so much like a child giving out goodies for the trick or treat. I was equally amazed with the mascots and life like figures. I won't even call Transformers a mascot for the simple reason that the robots scared the hell out of me. I wouldn't even dare come close to it for fear of being stepped on. That was how humongous these "mascots" were. Predatora was also walking around together with some other characters from Pirates of the Caribbean.

I'm very happy with the turn of events today. Pa, Ma and I were at Edsa Shangri-la at around 6:30 AM and we finished setting up the booth past 9. There were things I had to do on site such as the icing of the cupcakes. Everything that I did today was a first. I had so many lessons learned and I consider these valuable insights.

New pictures will be posted in our Multiply site. The exhibit was just the first step in marketing our products. There are so many possibilities and it can be overwhelming. For now, I'll take one day as it comes and market our products as I go along. I'll get to where I want to be and I know I will but knowing myself, once I get to my destination, I would steer things to a newer and better direction.

I'm ending this post here. I have so much more to share about my first exhibit experience. I'll share it in my future blogs. Before I forget, thank you so much to my family for the unwavering support and my thanks also goes to my true friends who cheered me on. My day is complete.

I am truly blessed by Him. O:-)

Sweet Success Multiply Site

My family created a Multiply site for our company Sweet Success. Do visit us at http://sweetsuccess888.multiply.com/. This is your online pastry shop!

There are different product categories for you to choose from. We are now accepting orders for events (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and other occasions) and other requirements. Our pastries can also be for corporate giveaways and gifts. Spread the word to your family and friends and do add us up as your contact.

This is simply my family's sweet success. :-)

Kiddie Karnival is 3 Days Away

I'm three shut eyes away from the Kiddie Karnival. The whole exercise of staging an exhibit feels like a wedding to me. The preparations are very detailed and tedious. By my standards, this is a production number. I keep a timetable just so I wouldn't miss out on anything. I'm still panting and gasping for breath. So far, we are on track but I need a vacation after this coming Sunday and I mean it.

In between classes, I do the preparations from administrative work to cake decorating to planning. Things should be easier once we "launch" the new products of Sweet Success. I'm very positive this is a challenging new experience. It's the first time I'm going into business and it feels good to be doing this with the support of my family. The vibe is just different when I'm with Ma and Orie in the baking room decorating cookies. It's just a really fun mother and daughter moment. Though my other sister Marissa and my brother Koc are not here, they are nevertheless part of this undertaking.

For those who want to bring their kids for trick or treat, tickets are still available at Edsa Shangri-la on the day itself. That's October 26, Sunday. Tickets start at Php 250. This includes activities and a drink. You can purchase a ticket of a higher value should you wish to have more activities and food included. There will be several kiddie party suppliers who will also be at Isla Ballroom so see you!