We had the good fortune of connecting with Velma Medina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Velma, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Savanah, my five year old is the reason for my blog and with the encouragement of my husband, Caffeine and Cardigans was created. Growing up without a mom I didn’t get the chance to make memories that I can look back on and share with my own children. I don’t recall having any pictures of my mother or any pictures of us for that matter. Somewhere along the way they got lost, stolen or damaged. The only photo I do have of my mother is a black and white photo of when she was a teenager. And the one memory I do recall is her love of decorating for every holiday which is something I also do for my family. I was forty years old when I had Savanah and my biggest fear was and still is.…..the thought of something happening to me and her growing up without a mom. Once she was born I wanted to detail everything about her life. I felt it was important to create memories of us for her to look back on someday. I want her to always know that she is loved and what a wonderful blessing she is to everyone in her life. Caffeine and Cardigans is dedicated to her and I hope she will always treasure the fun memories we create together.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I currently have a career working in education with high school students which I love. I provide guidance to students when needed and often share my own high school experiences with them. And when I am not at the school I am working on my blog. Caffeine and Cardigans is a mommy/ daughter lifestyle blog which was first created as a way for Savanah to remember our fun and exciting moments. It has since expanded into sharing fun creative ideas for other moms. I love sharing our cheap inexpensive fashion finds usually from Target. And we also share our cute little baking ideas for sweet yummy treats. This past year we kept busy with collaborations. Savanah did a collaboration with Zimpli Kids and had a blast with the slime and gelli products she received. I on the other hand did a collaboration with Costco and Potts & Co to help introduce their new Apple and Cinnamon crumble dessert. They were each fun and exciting experiences for us both and we look forward to working on more collaborations in the future. It wasn’t always easy working on the blog since time was one of the biggest issues I had when I first started blogging. I always felt like there was never enough time to do anything and creating content for my blog or Instagram post also created some challenges. Especially when Savanah is unwilling to cooperate at times which is fine. It is her decision. When it comes to blogging or even posting to Instagram, I never want to force her to do something unless she feels comfortable. But for now, I think I have found my balance and everything is starting to fall into place.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Day One: For my bestie visiting the Houston area, I would take her to my favorite pizza place for some delicious Chicago style pizza. I would highly recommend the Cowbell in the Chicago crust personal size pan pizza. It is packed with lots of flavor and then afterwards since we are in the neighborhood we can watch a movie at the Sawyer Yards Drive in Movie theatre. Grease is a favorite that gets shown several times a week. Seriously, getting to watch John Travolta and Olivia Newton John on the big screen is definitely an experience. Day Two: Le Peep off Westheimer would be a great place for breakfast. Anything on their menu is just great and the staff always goes out their way to make you feel like family. My favorite is the Migas with a side order of French toast and a coffee. Also we can do a bit of shopping at the Galleria or head into Highland Village for some window shopping. Both are down the street from Le Peep. Day Three: Kemah Boardwalk is a nice place to get a break from the city traffic. It’s feels refreshing to be by the water enjoying the breeze and looking at the boats on the water. Plenty of rides and games to play. It is also a great place for delicious seafood. Bubba Gump is a favorite as well as the Aquarium. I usually get the fried shrimp with fries at either location. And then after eating we can treat ourselves to the funnel cakes on the boardwalk. Day Four: Next stop will be Galveston. We can take a walk on the beach, do some sightseeing and feed the seagulls. Maybe even visit the Galveston Railroad Museum. (This is always on Savanah’s summer bucket list) Visiting the museum always feels like you are stepping back into time. Later in the day we can head over to Papas Pizza located along the seawall for some delicious food. And no! Not pizza but for their amazingly delicious Philly Cheesesteaks and Wings. I seriously recommend getting the dry wings….excellent! The best part about Papas Pizza is that it is located right next door to a Ben and Jerry’s. It’s a double win! Day Five: The last day of our itinerary would include a trip to the Houston Zoo followed by a train ride through Herman Park. Afterwards we can grab a bite at Velvet Taco. My favorite is the Buffalo chicken taco and the Kobe bacon burger taco. I always get one of each since they are delicious. Then we can do some thrift shopping at the cute local boutiques down Weshtheimer.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Recognizing people in your life is always important because without them you wouldn’t be where you are today. I would like to recognize and give a big shout out to my husband Pete for his loving support. He is always supportive of everything I want to accomplish even when I am being difficult. I would also like to recognize my three adult kids Yasmeen (26), Kara (25) and Julian (21) for offering their help and support when their littler sister Savanah (5) was born. They all inspire me to be a better mom and person. And for that I am forever grateful.

Website: www.caffeineandcardigans.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeineandcardigans/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caffeineandcardigans

Image Credits
All images are my own.