12 | 28...12/28

Birthday blog (12 | 28 is an art project I started working on a couple of months ago.  I wanted to do a monthly project and since my birthday is December 28, I decided to call the project 12 | 28. On the 28th of each month, I document the day through photographs. Why? Mostly because the days are really busy and this way, I make myself take notice of the interesting things and people around me. It's too easy to let the days slip by. 

12/28
This year's birthday was incredible. One of the best! I enjoyed 3 birthday cakes, visiting with my parents, in-laws, siblings and oldest friends. I saw a live performance of The Last Waltz. I love The Last Waltz!! If I could snap my fingers and be anywhere at any time, it would be "The Last Waltz" on November 25, 1976 at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Since I can't do that, seeing the Last Waltz performed at Strathesbay Place in Mabou did the trick. Words can't describe the performance. The crowd loved every moment. Pure happiness. It was cool to be in an audience filled with family, neighbours, and friends. My uncle was randomly sitting next to my husband. One of my best friends, 2 rows ahead. My brother and his girlfriend, 3 rows ahead. It was awesome and one of those events that we talked about for the whole night. As soon as we got home, we put the DVD on and watched/listened to it again. Then...4 parties! Wow, what a day! I can only hope the year ahead will be as magical. I love Cape Breton...

I love having a birthday close to Christmas in Cape Breton. There's always decorations, lots of people around and ready to celebrate, I can see my parents on my day of birth - and sometimes, there's a little birthday beer under the tree...hahaha.

3 birthday cakes! The first was at my parents-in-law where my 2 god daughters were visiting. A ticket to The Last Waltz - awesome birthday gift. Impromptu birthday song on guitar. Homemade cake at my dad's. Ice-cream cake. Happy Smurfday! Still love the smurfs (thanks Jen & Brian : )

Some of the fabulous people I hung out with on my birthday (unfortunately, not everyone is shown).

The Last Waltz! I started the day watching the documentary. I like Bob Dylan's "look" in The Last Waltz. Cast and crew, some of the performers and some people got dressed up 70s style. There was a standing ovation for the last song with the entire cast.

Playing with Jerry, visiting Glenora Falls (and getting the mail the old fashioned way), Inverness Beach, the girls, 3:30am and still dancing, Bran, some Loretta Lynn, Deepdale...

The Sunday Sessions...

Chocolate truffles...YUM!

A little Tom Petty, seasonally warm autumn weather, coffees in hand and boxes and boxes of Jill's Chocolates, stickers, and packaging. After 6 years, Jill is fast approaching her goal of opening her first shop in March 2012 and almost as exciting, launching her website for the 2011 holiday season. But, before the website could launch for the busy Christmas season, we needed to do a photo shoot. Jill and I have almost completely opposite schedules so we did the shoot in 2 Sunday Sessions.

Jill and I have a great working relationship – similar sense of humour, work ethic,
complete honesty and we have a lot of fun! Also, she's a fellow Cape Bretoner.

Jill and I met while teaching English as a Second Language at East Coast School of Languages in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2006.  

A year later I decided to study graphic design and Jill fell in love with chocolate making. We have had so many fun brainstorming sessions over the years - from packaging, to ideas for the shop, to which chocolates to include in which collection, to taste testing. Excitingly, it's all coming together because Jill is opening her first shop in the Trillium Building on South Park Street, Halifax in March 2012. 

Currently, Jill is making chocolates in a rented kitchen space while working at the Old Triangle, meeting with contractors and business folks for the new shop, and spending time with her husband and little girl Ellie. 

Some shots from our Sunday sessions...

We both coincidentally wore purple.

The result: 12 piece nuts and caramel. Front and centre is the Glen Breton dark chocolate. Decadent!

Chocolate tubes

I love these because they remind me of the icy cups I bought as a youth at the Inverness Arena - figure skating and hockey energy! They are toasted coconut cups - think Pot of Gold (but better ; )

Combo packs - NEW this holiday season.
The 4-box and chocolate tubes are also new.

30-Piece assorted with chocolate map.

30-Piece Nuts and Caramels

So pretty. The perfect LOCAL GIFT for the sexy chocolate lover on your list : )
My favourite? The sesame caramel in the front. WOW...

Jill Franklin – Chocolatier



www.jillschocolates.com will go live the first weekend of December. 
All of the chocolates above will be available on her website.

www.missbrenna.ca