Grapevine woman keeps tradition alive with iconic Texas mums for homecoming season
GRAPEVINE — In Texas, homecoming isn't just a celebration of school spirit — it's a grand tradition, and no one embodies it better than Cecilia Valudos, the creative force behind Regal Homecoming Mums.
For over 30 years, the Grapevine mom has been at the forefront of designing the elaborate, eye-catching mums that are synonymous with this Texas rite of passage.
"I started with my boys when they went to high school," Valudos said. "Then it just evolved from there, doing their friends, and then from there, so on and so on."
What began as a hobby in a spare bedroom has since transformed into a booming business, filled with backers, ribbons and bling.
On average, Valudos makes about 500 boot and peewee mums and 100 big mums every homecoming season, with each mum taking an entire day to craft from start to finish.
Her signature items — boa balls, custom senior ribbons and perfectly tied bows — make homecoming dreams come true, one ginormous mum at a time.
"When I first started, it was, everything was about, it wasn't very big. It had one flower," Valudos said. "If it had two or three, it was massive. Now it has evolved into having huge mums, different shapes, and every color. Everything has evolved."
For Valudos, crafting these iconic Texas mums is more than a tradition — it's a cherished part of the homecoming experience that that embodies the essence of the Lone Star State, where everything is, indeed, bigger.
Among her many memorable designs, Valudos fondly remembers a particularly grand mum she made for a Pilot Point senior two years ago.
"A dad came in, and he wanted one that he could give his senior daughter because he always told her he was going to do this for her, and it was going to be massive. And it was," she recalled. "It was 48 inches wide. He barely could hold it up."
The time, effort, passion, and detail Valudos invests in each mum go beyond creating the biggest and brightest.
"It's a way of expression," Valudos said. "This is the only time in their life they've, they don't have everything that they could express themselves with before in school. So now they're expressing themselves on their mums. And that's really where they shine."
The most rewarding part of her work? The heartfelt reactions from her clients. Valudos recalled a recent moment when a mother texted her, saying she cried because her daughter's mum was "so beautiful."
As homecoming season sweeps across Texas, Cecilia's mums remain a vibrant symbol of tradition, celebrating community and connection.
"It gets in your blood," Valudos said. "I mean, you know, as many times as I say I'm going to retire and not do this anymore, I'm always back at the table, the craft table, the next year doing it."