What Truly Started it All

I am the baker/creator behind Sweet Celebrations aka Jo's Creations Bakery (on some socials). I always had a love for decorating cakes and arts, but the ultimate learning point was in 2015. Just right past one years old, it was time to introduce the love of peanut butter to my son. He was our third and last child, as times had changed it was no longer reccomended as safe to give any child under the age of one peanut butter due to the risk of chocking so we had been waiting for that special day. The day that he, hopefully would form the great love like his siblings and us as his parents also shared did not go as planned.

One afternoon it was snack time, so I fixed him a few peanut butter crackers and fish stix. He was only one bite in when his eyes started to swell and face was breaking out. We immediately rushed him to our closest urgent care. After many tests and doctors, we later found out he was the first in both of our families (mine and my husbands) to have a peanut and tree nut allergy. This was my major turning point!

It took about a year to learn how to read food labels, learn what cross contact was and educate others on his allergies. I quickly came to the realization that for his next birthday I could no longer simply order him a cake from a grocery store or local bakery as none were now safe for him. I had around four years of decorating skills under my belt already, but now I had to turn my education toward the how.

I started researching the basics of baking as it does not truly matter how beautiful a cake is decorated without it having an amazing taste to go along with it. Learning that your child has such a dangerous life threatening allergy is scary, but I over came it by many trials, errors and fails, I am 100% self taught.

I hope to not only share recipes, the tips and tricks I have learned along the way plus any new ones with other decorators, but also hope that I may help others who have a loved one with nut allergies as well.