Baking in Couture

My Blog Story & Maybe My Final Post

I started Baking in Couture roughly 2 years ago. I had lost my job as an assistant for a high profile executive and was burnt out. At the time the thought of going back to work frightened me. I hadn't done anything creative in years and had completely lost touch with any and all passions. I decided to take some time off of working to explore what it was I wanted to do with my life. Fortunately I had some cash saved and was offered a nice severance package.

My first plan of action was to take a few writing courses, which led to the launch of my first blog. My first ever blog was dedicated solely to short stories. During that time I found that I wanted to explore other creative ventures. I took a cupcake baking class and enjoyed it! I then started experimenting in the kitchen and came up with all kinds of cool recipes. Soon after I discovered bloglovin which led me to tons of bloggers sharing recipes to try. I also began following various types of blogs and fell in love with the "lifestyle" blog concept. Soon after I renamed my blog and Baking in Couture was born.

Over the course of the last 2 years I have also been pursuing my love for psychology. Today I am a graduate clinical psychology student and couldn't be more thrilled about what I am studying. Up until recently my school load never got in the way of my blog or vice -versa. But more and more I find that when I am blogging I'm secretly wishing I was catching up on my reading, volunteering, or attending a workshop.

I've struggled with the concept of whether or not to end my blog for some time now. Mainly because I don't want to be that girl who starts and ends projects before they have a chance to reach their fullest potential. However today I am a full-time graduate student who loves what she is studying. I'm no longer the girl who lost touch with creativity and needed some time for reflection. I've been afraid to end it, because I never want to look back and think, "what if". But, after some careful thought I've realized that this blog was a journey. It's never been about the end result. I've learned so much a long the way; lessons I will cary with me forever.

I've also come to realize that my passions and interests have changed. I enjoy cooking healthier and have come to learn that outfit posts are just not for me he-he. So maybe I will be back soon. Maybe under a different blog name or maybe back with more inspiration and readiness to post. However with all this said I feel it's best I take time off to focus my attention on school.

I'm so happy with the journey this blog has provided me. Starting a blog was the best thing I ever did and I am forever a different person because of it. Since the launch of my blog I've met so many cool and talented people, learned how to use a digital camera / edit photos, and have even learned how to market myself. I believe the skills I learned through this blog are priceless. But best of all I've challenged my self creatively and I guess you could say I found my voice again!

If I never post again I want to leave by saying one last thing. Don't blog because you want to make money, blog from your heart and never forget why you started blogging in the first place. This is your journey!

Feel free to come back here whenever you like to browse my recipe box and archives. If you have any questions you can also email me any time at inna@bakingincouture.com .

I'll be doing my best to visit your blogs and keep in touch. If and when I decide to come back you can stay in the loop by following along bloglovin - twitter - facebook - instagram - pinterest .

Posted by Inna on February 27, 2013 | Permalink | Comments (16)

7 Tips on Photographing Food

A year ago I bought a Canon Rebel T3i, prior to that I was posting pictures taken with my iPhone. To make a long story short, I'm still learning how to photograph food. However, I've made a lot of mistakes, wasted plenty of time, and have now adopted a few key rules. I thought it would be fun to share some of what I've learned along the way. If you like these tips you may also want to check out a few on photographing food from the lovely ABM blog.

1. Plan ahead: Some recipes take longer than others. You don't want to spend 10 hours cooking one because you stopped every minute to photograph it. Trust me, I've been there. I recommend grocery shopping in advance and deciding what images you would like to capture prior to starting. It may be a snapshot of the ingredients or a specific recipe step. Or it may just be the finish product.

2. Invest in table cloth napkins: Cloth napkins make for easy backdrops and help with dead space. I like to buy a set of similar colors and patterns. Try Pottery Barn, Home Goods, or even Anthropologie. They are pretty and will give the image personality.

3. Accessorize: When I first started I would bake a cupcake and photograph it. That's it, just one lonely little cupcake on a table. While sometimes it may be nice, I now try to create a visual scenario. For example after baking a pie I may plate a slice and add a cup of milk with a pretty fork.

4. Use natural light: Natural light photos are best when taken with the flash setting off. If you do not have natural light in your kitchen then take the food to another room. You may find it helpful to invest in a prop such as a large food tray. Schlep your prop to the room with the best natural light and set up your food. My kitchen does not get great light outside of spring and summer. In all other seasons I opt out of taken step-by-step recipe shots. Instead I too schlep the final product.

5. Take it outside: Sometimes the light coming in from the window is piercing bright and abstracted by trees. If possible schlep a prop (see step 4) outside. I love taking photos out on the patio. There is no better natural light than what you will get outside.

6. Edit: Food is beautiful and like a model in a magazine even a cupcake deserves a friendly touch up. Don't be afraid to use a photo editing app to heighten color. To read more on my photo editing preferences check out my FAQ page. Labeling ingredients is also a great way to add character.

7. Try different angles and close-ups: Ok imagine this. You are my neighbor. It's 10am on a Monday. You walk by house and get a glimpse inside my kitchen. This is what you see. Me standing on top of a chair taking a photo of a piece of pie (mind you my kitchen looks like a disaster zone). Sounds crazy I know. But, hey we all do it. I'm sure even you're favorite blogger. I'll try any angle. I even sit on the counter top if I feel I may get better light.

Well those are all my crazy little tips. If you have any please share in the comment box!

bloglovin - twitter - facebook - instagram - pinterest

I read and appreciate all comments!

Posted by Inna on February 22, 2013 in 7 Tips, Favorite Posts, Photography | Permalink | Comments (28)

Grapefruit + Carrot + Strawberry

Recently I watched "Hungry for Change", a documentary on nutrition that emphasizes the vast benefits of clean eating and juicing. After watching I realized there are a ton of pros to juicing. For one anti-aging! along with weight loss and clear skin. I love the idea of taking care of your skin from the inside out and since have been juicing with my boyfriend. Today's grapefruit + carrot + strawberry is among my favorites. It gave me the boost I needed to get through the morning and was delicious. I simply juiced a 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup strawberries, and one-half a peeled grapefruit. Moving forward I plan on sharing more juicing recipes and would love to hear some of your favorites.

bloglovin - twitter - facebook - instagram - pinterest

I read and appreciate all comments!

Posted by Inna on February 19, 2013 in Healthy Cooking, Juicing | Permalink | Comments (21)

Meet Lily // Lily Says Go

Some bloggers were born to style and talk fashion. Lily is one of those bloggers. She has the sweetest style and always delivers the most adorable ensembles to her blog Lily Says Go. I've been a fan of the blog for some time now and reached out to her for a Q&A. I was thrilled when she replied with enthusiasm and am excited to be featuring her on the blog today. Seems like I'm not the only who has taken notice of how charming her style is. Lily was recently featured on Lily and Violet blog for their Style Love feature here. Make sure to visit Lily's blog soon and if you have a moment scroll through her beautiful look book of feminine and sophisticated outfits.

Q. Hi Lily! Would you mind sharing a little about yourself with the readers?

A. Hi everyone! I'm Lily and I blog over at Lily Says Go. My blog is a mix of outfit posts and snippets here and there of my life.

Q. I adore your style! Where do you pull outfit inspiration from and how has your style evolved over the years?

A. Thank you! I get inspiration from lots of places. The usual blogs, fashion magazines and websites. I love finding new inspiration on Instagram. I've also always paid particular attention to the clothes in movies and TV shows. I grew up watching old movies so that classic ladylike glamour has always influenced my style as well. As far as my style evolving, I guess I have matured. Growing up I took dance classes several nights a week and we could only wear black leotards, so literally for years I never ever wore black outside of dance. Only in the last few years have I begun to incorporate it into my wardrobe, and I like it a lot. My style has always been very soft and feminine but as I get older I'm less afraid of more edgy or sophisticated looks.

Q. You've mentioned on the blog that you work and are married. I imagine your weeks to be busy and eventful. How do you balance work, blogging, and family life?

A. I do work full time in my family's wedding accessories company, which I love, and I've been married for about a year and a half. Nothing makes me happier than spending time with him and my family. It can be easy to get too absorbed in the blog world or social media, etc. I try to unplug often and not let myself get too caught up in it.

Q. I love the name of your blog, "Lily Says Go". It's adorable. Where did that name come from and what does it mean to you?

A. Thank you! Honestly, there's no profound meaning behind it. Choosing a name is basically the first thing you do when you start a blog, and then you just go with it. I wanted to put my name in it, and then I was playing around with Lily Says... since it would be a blog from my point of view. I was doodling it on a piece of paper and added the word "Go." I made it Lily Says Go because it was short, easy to say and and had some energy to it.

Q. You always look so darling in your outfit posts. Who takes your photos and is there any advice for those of us new to posing in front of the camera?

A. Thank you again! :) Either my mom or my husband takes my photos. Once, in a pinch, my dad did, which was pretty funny. As far as posing, when in doubt, smile. Nothing is worse than us non-models trying to pull off blue steel. Sunglasses help if you're feeling less than camera ready. And just snap snap snap away. You'll always get some bad ones, but the more you have to choose from the better.