It’s Meet A Mom Monday and today we are featuring Amanda Blissit. Mandy, as she’s more commonly known, is the owner of the stunning floral creations of Blume Haus Fine Flowers. If you haven’t checked out her work you really should – she’s extremely talented! When Mandy isn’t busy making floral arrangements or hosting workshops you can find her with her husband and three beautiful girls. Read to find out more about Mandy and her Blume Haus dream she turned to reality.
Oh – and did we mention she is currently doing an Easter Giveaway. Be sure to head to our Instagram page to enter for your chance to win!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in San Antonio?
I’m a military brat. My dad was in the Marine Corps, so we moved around a lot during my young childhood. We even spent three years in Japan which was the most amazing experience ever. There I got to visit Korea and witness a Korean wedding, visit the scared temples in Kyoto, Japan on the mainland, swim in an international swim meet in Hong Kong. After my father retired we moved to Sugarland, TX and that’s where I spent my middle and highschool years. I moved to San Antonio in the fall of 2004 and fell in love with the city. My husband and I say its the biggest little town you’ll ever experience. It has all the amenities of a big city, but no matter where you go it only takes 30 minutes to get there and you always run into someone you know!
What is your name how many kids do you have and what are their ages?
My name is Amanda Blissit, but everyone knows me as Mandy. My husband and I have three beautiful daughters, Tessa 10, Brooklynn 7, and Cassidy 4. They are the light of our lives and the source of all our wrinkles and grey hair as the same time!
Tell us a little about your backstory – what did you do before you were a Mom, any schooling – what did you study/degree in?
Man where to begin! Before I was a mom, my young adult life consisted of Iirst a year at Houston Baptist University. While at school I worked as a server and bartender at a very high end steak house. I learned SO much from being a server that I apply almost every day at work. I highly suggest that everyone serves tables at some point in their lives! I loved HBU but did not have a great experience with such a small student body. I took a year off of school and worked full time. Looking back, I can’t believe my parents were okay with that! I saved up a ton, and moved myself out to San Antonio and Iinished college at UTSA with a BA in Marketing. While at UTSA I met my future husband and several friends that I am still very close with today! I LOVE Marketing – especially the physiological/scientiIic part of it. What makes humans WANT to buy something!!
What is your favorite thing about raising a family in the San Antonio area?
The strong sense of community. Boerne and San Antonio citizens support each other like no other place I’ve seen.
Tell us the Greatest gift about being a mom?
The snuggles!!! Seeing your child beam with pride over a job well done, or learn something new and their eyes just light up, or express love, affection and/or compassion without your direction. Those are the things I cherish the most about being a momma!
Whats your least favorite “mom” job ? (i.e packing lunches, washing dishes, laundry, bath time, etc)
Honestly it kinda all boils down to not listening. Nothing makes my blood boil than when I’ve asked 5,000,000 times for them to put their shoes away or hang up the towel and it doesn’t get done.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I’m actually a REALLY shy person. It took me a LONG time to break out of my shell and learn how to engage with strangers.
Favorite local things to do in the San Antonio and surrounding areas? (With kiddos or just for mom!)
I love to go out to eat and hang out with friends. Can be with or without kids. But not having to plan, cook or clean up a meal + good company, even if its just us, is my favorite.
Do you have a family favorite restaurant in the area?
We frequent BJ’s Brew Pub most often. Willies, Las Palapas, Long Horn Cafe, and for date nights we like Perry’s Steak House.
Best Mom hack – that makes your life easier.
My google calendar!! I live and die by that. I tell my husband, if it’s not on the calendar, its not getting done. I even put the kid’s spelling words on the calendar and slot it for the travel time to practice. Its a quick 20-30 minutes – I don’t have to look up the words again because I put them in the meeting planner, the alarm reminds us to do it, and doesn’t take away from the kids’ or our down time at home ! WIN WIN WIN!
Tell us about your career outside of being a mom? Where are you located (if applicable)? How can people purchase your product?
I’m the owner of Blume Haus. We’re a wedding/event and retail floral company.
Tell us what your inspiration was behind starting this career and what your mission has been?
The why behind starting Blume Haus is I needed a better way to balance the work I loved doing and being there for my family. The wedding and event world can be all consuming because events happen on the weekends, but business is done during the week. So being able to say “ I don’t have to do it all today”, has been really empowering.
Our mission has always been helping brides achieve the wedding of their dreams. Planning a wedding is always really stressful. Its an entire world that they’re not familiar with. Listening and letting our brides know that we hear them is super key to what we do. We also take the time to educate our brides even beyond just their flowers so that they can make the best decisions for them and their wedding! This is where my years of being a coordinator really comes into play.
How important is community to you in motherhood?
Community is everything. We as moms and parents cannot do it all! I cannot stress that enough. There are so many areas of my life, professionally and personally, for myself and for my family, that we rely on others for information, advice, services, a lending hand, a listening ear etc. As for honesty, its just a way of living your life. It’s not even really a thought. Be yourself, tell the truth, and do the right thing and usually your life will stay uncomplicated. Or certainly less complicated than the opposite would require!
Best advice for moms who stay at home but looking to do “something” (whether that means going back to work or starting their own career from home)
Start with small and large goals, then map out how to get there. You won’t ALWAYS know how to get there that’s why the small, daily goals are so important. My husband is a huge Tom Brady fan, and his TB12 moto is daily habits, hard work, winning mindset. I absolutely LOVE it.
Also shower and get dressed each morning. No you have no plans of being seen by anyone but your toddler, but:
1. You will FEEL better.
2. You WILL be more productive
3. Why do only strangers get to see you “put together”?
4. You never know who you might meet that day.
This last part has saved me so many times. When I didn’t feel like doing my hair and make up one day and did it anyway, THAT”s the day I get a call to go to a high profile meeting last minute! I ’ve 100% been thankful I looked okay!
P.S. don’t get me wrong. I ’m not suggesting FULL make up and hair and super cute outIits every day. But washed hair and face, and mascara go a long way
How important is it for you to have a passion outside of being a mother?
It is important, and it is OKAY that your work is your passion. Just don’t expect everyone to understand and/or relate to that.
Best advice for mom guilt?
It will pass. You’re doing the absolute best you know and can do right now. It will be enough. Drink a glass of wine and stop comparing yourself to others. That’s really where that stems from!
Who has most influenced you to be the mom that you are today?
There isn’t just one. As I mentioned earlier it takes a village/community. I’ve taken tips, tricks, better ideas, better way of doing things and staying organized from SOOO many. One thing that has always stuck in my mind: In the middle of some really big growing pains for Blume Haus, we were growing so fast, and I didn’t have all the staff I really needed, or the structure honestly, a Mother of a Bride, who also had three, now grown, children and a job etc, lovingly told me “Mandy, its not going to get any easier, especially as your kids get older. You need to figure this out and get more help.” And that’s exactly what I did. I hired more team members, hired a business coach, and things are so much better!
When parenting gets hard – what’s something you tell yourself that get you through?
They are little. They don’t know what I know. But they need discipline. A lot of times the discipline is also on me – doing what I say I ’m going to do. They don’t do their chores, then I HAVE to follow through and take away X, Y or Z that I said I would. They need ME to teach/show them. And always keeping in mind what parenting is all about – teaching/shaping kids to be well adjusted, fully functional/independent adults.
Name one thing you hope your kids look back and remember about their childhood and you as their mama?
The little things – movie nights, them dancing a new routine for us, every. single. night. The trips we take, the fun times with friends at the house. Cooking and baking together.
To learn more about Blume Haus:
Website: https://blumehausfineflowers.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/blumehaus_fineflowers
