I’d spent years making all kinds of things, but never a homecoming mum. Caleb didn’t hesitate for a second.
“Here, Mom. I know you can do this.”
That was all he said.
Just a handful of words, spoken a few short weeks before my grandkids’ very first homecoming. Yet hidden within that simple sentence was the beginning of something none of us could have imagined. In that moment—before the first ribbon was cut, the first braid was woven, or the first flower was placed—828 Mega Mums By Starla was quietly coming to life.
When your child looks at you with such unwavering confidence and asks you to make something extraordinary for your grandbabies, you do not waste time explaining all the reasons you might fail.
You find a way.
I knew absolutely nothing about constructing a homecoming mum. I did not understand the ribbons, the braids, the layers, or the countless delicate details that transform a collection of materials into a magnificent homecoming tradition. I had no experience to guide me and no certainty that my hands could create what my heart envisioned.
But I knew how deeply I loved those children.
And love, as it turns out, is more than enough to begin.
I labored over every ribbon as though the entire creation depended upon it. I studied every color, questioned every placement, and agonized over details so small that no one else might ever notice them. There was no perfect blueprint spread before me, no elegant set of instructions promising that everything would come together exactly as I hoped.
There was only an idea, a table filled with ribbons and decorations—and my determination to make something worthy of my grandkids.
So I began the only way I knew how: one layer, one braid, and one careful decision at a time.
Some pieces seemed to fall effortlessly into place, almost as though they had been waiting all along for my hands to discover where they belonged. Others unraveled before my eyes. Braids had to be undone. Ribbons had to be removed. Entire sections I had spent hours creating were taken apart and started again.
There were moments of frustration, moments of doubt, and moments when I wondered whether I had taken on far more than I could manage.
But I kept going.
Those first mums were not merely homecoming accessories. They were gifts for my grandkids, and I poured every ounce of myself into them. Every flower was chosen with care. Every ribbon carried intention. Every sparkling detail—whether anyone else noticed it or not—held a piece of my heart.
And then I saw my grandkids wearing them.
For a moment, I could scarcely hold back the tears.
Naturally, my eyes still found every tiny imperfection I had worried over and every detail that had cost me sleep. That part of me will probably never change. But what I remember most is the extraordinary pride that rose within me as I watched them stand there smiling—beaming beneath the glorious weight of all those flowers, ribbons, sparkling details, and immeasurable love.
In that moment, every mistake, every anxious thought, and every painstaking hour became worthwhile.
And I knew, with absolute certainty, that I wanted to do it all over again.
So I did.
With every new homecoming came another mum, another garter, and another opportunity to create something unforgettable for my grandkids. Season after season, I watched them proudly wear pieces I had designed and assembled with my own two hands.
Then, one day, another mother asked whether I could make something for her child.
Soon, another family asked.
And then another.
One order became two. Two became several. Several became more than I had ever expected. Slowly and almost imperceptibly, the labor of love that began at my own kitchen table started reaching other families, other students, and other treasured homecoming memories.
What began as a gift for my grandkids blossomed into 828 Mega Mums By Starla.
I have always been a crafter. I have always felt most at home when something beautiful is taking shape beneath my fingertips—when imagination becomes tangible and ordinary materials are transformed into something meaningful.
Perhaps that is why Caleb believed in me so completely, even when I was still uncertain of myself.
He knew I had never made a homecoming mum before. But he also knew me. He knew that once I began, I would remain stubborn, steady, and determined until I found a way to bring the vision to life. He saw a gift in me before I understood where that gift might lead.
I am not sure Caleb fully realized what he set in motion that day, but I certainly do.
His faith in me gave me the courage to step beyond what I already knew. His encouragement opened the door for me to transform a lifelong love of crafting into a business that brings me more joy than I ever could have anticipated.
Today, every mum and garter I create carries the same devotion I poured into those very first pieces. Each one is designed to celebrate a student, honor a cherished tradition, and become part of a memory that families will hold dear long after the final ribbon has stopped swaying.
Because to me, these creations have never been merely ribbons and flowers.
They are celebrations made visible.
They are pride fashioned by hand.
They are love, joy, tradition, and memory—woven together one exquisite detail at a time.
Looking back now, I believe the Lord knew precisely what He was doing when He used my son’s simple words to gently guide me toward something I was meant to discover. What felt like an unexpected challenge became a calling, a business, and a beautiful new chapter in my life.
Caleb, thank you—for believing in me before I believed in myself, for encouraging me to try, and for setting a quiet dream into motion with one unforgettable sentence.
Without you, 828 Mega Mums By Starla might never have existed.
You were right, son.
I could do it.
— Starla
