It’s fun to share my joy in hands-on creating through this blog: via curated dessert tables, florist services, and personal recipes. I’m the owner and founder of two small businesses: Mili’s Sweets and Glorified Hobby.
Here’s some of my story…
Becoming an expert baker stemmed from being blessed beyond my dreams. The worry of having a son with severe peanut and tree nut allergies fueled my passion for developing my own recipes at home. I self-taught while being a stay at home mom with two little ones. With a lot of work, and the encouragement of my friends and family, my confidence clicked-in and I took the leap to become a full fledged professional.
Back in 2010, (when cupcakes were trending) Mili’s Sweets won the title, “Best Cupcakes in San Diego” on local tv. It was an incredible opportunity to put myself out-there and grow. From 2015-2018, I was at retail while still catering, with a shop-in-shop storefront in Vista. From 2018 through today, I’m in my comfort-zone of dessert catering with production from a commercial kitchen facility in San Marcos.
Over the years my hands have made hundreds of cakes, and thousands of desserts for dessert tables. I am constantly working at developing my own recipes, elevating what I already know, and cultivating relationships that span the many reasons we celebrate with dessert.
Mili’s Sweets is a preferred vendor for several venues throughout town. I am a go-to in my community for custom-recipe cakes, and an extensive menu of small-batch desserts, that are always made free of peanut and nuts, with both gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options. Through Mili’s Sweets we offer delivery services, convenient pick-up at the parking lot of our San Marcos commercial kitchen facility, or fully-catered and serviced dessert tables. Most of our work is fulfilled for weddings. Please visit milissweets.com for more information.
In 2019 I expanded my work-life by opening a second vendor business, Glorified Hobby florist services, where we have naturally extended as a vendor. I partner with my dear friend Karen and master-florist, and a handful of assistants, to fulfill full-scale floral work and installations for weddings. Please visit our florist services page for more.
Being a hands-on creative is beyond a passion for me – it is a need, woven into my DNA. I was raised as a first-generation American with the most influence from my Italian-mother. I share her love of faith, family, food and all things homemade. In 2013, I started this website so share a little of the depth and details about my process.
Before any of this business-business, and before I was a wife and mom, I had a several-year career as vice president of marketing and public relations, managing licensees worldwide for lifestyle and apparel brands. I earned degrees in journalism and marketing from San Diego State University.
Home is where my heart is. With my husband of 20+ years, our children, as a caretaker to my mom, and our two little dogs, it’s a beautiful life. I love tending to our backyard garden and growing Dahlias. Outside this space, I want to be at the beach or in the mountains. I’m like a child when it comes to nature and to seeing the world. Taking big trips is an amazing gift, but I feel that same excitement while exploring on a local hike right here, in my hometown, and throughout our beautiful state of California.
The blog portion of glorifiedhobby.com, is like a treasured little journal for me, and I’m so happy to click in and share some of my work and personal recipes over the years. My free recipes are little gifts to anyone who wants to see how I personally create things in my kitchen, with my experience-level, full transparency, and with my equipment at home. If you would like to make my recipes in your home kitchen, with your experience, it would be at your own risk, as results may vary. You can see a little more behind the scenes via the Glorified Hobby YouTube Channel.
If you have questions or comments about any of my work or posts, please reach out to me.
Thanks and take care,
