Une Graine d'idée culinary influencer

Une Graine d'idea culinary influencer

Could you introduce yourself in a few lines so that our community can get to know you better?

My name is Stéphanie, I'm in my early thirties and I've been passionate about cooking and gastronomy ever since I was a little girl! I've decided to share my recipes and good addresses on my blog => Une Graine d'Idée : (www.unegrainedidee.com) to offer a range of simple, quick and low-cost recipes. Although I have a preference for pastry-making, which allows me to make my own creations, I also enjoy cooking good meals.

Blog creation date " http://www.unegrainedidee.com/ " ?

I decided to open my blog on a whim one evening in September 2010. Today, it's consulted all over France and even in countries I'd never have imagined. 

What triggered you to get involved in blogging and social networking?

At first, it was for my family and friends, who regularly asked me for the recipes for my dishes. Except that, being an absent-minded person, I often forgot to share them with them. I had to find a way, so I opened my blog. And then my passion for cooking won out, and I found myself blogging more and more, and sharing all this with an ever-growing community, much to my delight!

Which community are you targeting?

When I opened the blog, it was mainly about sharing recipes for students or families on a tight budget... Today, there are no major changes in this approach. From time to time, I emphasize the season or time of year (micmac salads for summer, more expensive dishes for the festive season...). But I keep in mind that not everyone has the means, that the cost of living isn't easy all the time, and that it's possible to eat good food even with just a few euros in your pocket. My aim is to make sure that we don't forget to eat well and enjoy ourselves at a lower cost.

Where do you find your main inspiration? And which social networks do you use the most?

In my head? At least I'm trying to... But I keep a close eye on what's going on around me, both the networks (facebook and pinterest I'm curious by nature, but I often go by feel. In fact, it's very rare for me to make a recipe exactly the same as it was before, and I'll always add something (or take something away). I like to write down my ideas, and sometimes it's time for me to start designing my own. What's for sure is that everything I come up with will end up online on the blog, but when...I don't know.

How do you manage your time between work, your private life, your social networks and your blog? And what's your job outside this world?

Let's face it, it can be tough! My "advantage" at the moment is that I'm quite available for the blog. I'm looking for a permanent job as an administrative assistant and I don't have any children... I have to say that this leaves me plenty of time to look after the blog during the day. At the moment, I spend as much time on my blog as if I had a job. Of course, the day I get a steady job again, I'll reduce my time for the blog. I'll try to get more organized and prepare my articles in advance, which I admit is not the case at the moment.
As for social networks, I'm on them all day long, and now that instagram "live" is available, I often find myself spending 1 hour with my community, discussing cooking or other topics with them! And in the evenings, I live my private life (but always with my cell phone close at hand...).

Did one collaboration stand out for you more than others? And if so, which one?

Thanks to the blog, I've been able to collaborationsIt's hard for me to choose just one. It's hard for me to choose just one of them... I've been lucky enough to discover the world of radio, to be a judge in some superb competitions, to be invited to some very fine restaurants, to take part in blogger/press events, to receive lots of products to test or to give away to my community. So I don't have one particular collaboration that stands out more than another, I enjoy all my collaborations equally, and I hope to have many more to come.

What would you like to undertake or develop next?

I'd love to develop my videos on youtube. I'm new to the subject, and still have a lot to learn, but I'm very interested. I've already got a few videos under my belt, but I'm going to have to get to grips with this platform and my image in front of the camera. As for the blog, I want to continue to share and publish more without getting lost in it. It's very easy to get wrapped up in your blog and forget to live your own life outside it. So trying to reconcile everything would be great!

Do you produce your own visuals and photos? And if so, what equipment do you use?

That's right! I do everything myself. I manage the shopping, the recipes, the staging, the photos, the post-processing, the publications and the sharing on social networks. The blog and the recipes are 100% for me. If it wasn't, I'd say so. Back in the day, I used a compact camera or my smartphone, then I moved on to a bridge and now I've switched to an SLR.
I even wrote about it on the blog (http://www.unegrainedidee.com/2014/07/mon-evolution-photographique.html) : (Nb : I'll have to update it). I particularly want the photos to be of me. I really enjoy taking photos (culinary or otherwise). As a result, I can't see myself writing a recipe and then using a visual I've found in an image bank. It's not my thing at all, and I'd feel embarrassed. Today, I shoot with my Canon 1100D SLR, with a choice of either the 50 mm lens or the 18-135 mm. When it's dark (in winter, for example), I add spotlights. Depending on the desired rendering, the exposure, the location or the recipe to be photographed... I now have the choice to get the best rendering.

What advice would you give to other influencers in the community?

Think of yourself!
As I said earlier, it's very easy to get lost and forget yourself. It may seem "silly" to some, but I assure you that in this world of social networks, the internet, blogs, communities... it's sometimes very easy to forget yourself!
I paid the price, and of course completely forgot myself in this connected world. Today, I'm careful, I'm still just as addicted to the networks / the blog and everything that surrounds it... but I switch off just as easily. Sometimes I even allow myself days or even weekends without internet, phone or connection... Just me, my family, a book or board games... and enjoy what's essential.

What do you think of Value Your Network?

It's a place where I can discover new sites and share information with my community. I also appreciate the financial return on it. Even if it's not my primary goal, it's still nice to have a small financial return. What I've already been able to get, thanks to my various shares with VYN, have enabled me to invest a little more in my blog (most recently, my spotlights for my photos). I really appreciate the system and the fact that you don't have to share the information if you don't want to. A very good site for discovering lots of new things and good deals.

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The photographs

- Aperitif : Soleil feuilleté
- Dish : Beef tartar
- Dessert : Nutella Charlotte
- Drink : Melon Strawberry Mint Smoothie

Thank you, pretty seed of an idea, for sharing a little piece of yourself with us. Your recipes are beautiful to look at and definitely make you hungry. If you, too, are a gourmet and curious, don't hesitate to follow her networks:

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