This week Karla and I are super pumped to introduce you to Hola Dear Deer, created by two fabulous sisters from Houston, Texas. Erika and Jessica are a crazy talented duo (and apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. They credit their knack for sewing from their papa who was a tailor.) Their shop is full of hand made goodies all created using up-cycled and vintage materials. Can we say LOVE! Lucas received their super hero cape and mama got a bowtie necklace. So let’s discuss the cape. Lucas is head over heels and flat out refuses to take it off. It is seriously just about the cutest thing ever watching him roam the streets of New York sporting his super hero accessory! Toddlers to the rescue, ya’ll 😉 My necklace? What’s more fab than a bow tie! It’s the perfect funky accent to pair with a white tee and a pair of skinny jeans (mom uniform anyone?).

Here’s what Jessica had to say.

Any advice you would like to share to someone dreaming of starting a business or following their passion?

My advice would be to never give up. I know it is very cliche but it is very true. I would also suggest making a plan and trying your hardest to stick with it. As a full time bilingual teacher, my schedule is really tight. Good realistic planning and scheduling equals more productivity in my case. 

What part of being hispanic do you love the most?

Oh goodness..I love our culture. The food, family, and the fun

What do you enjoy doing on your free time?

I enjoy lots of things on my free time. Depending on my mood I guess, on a great sunny day I love to ride around on my bicycle. On those gloomy days, staying in and watching a movie or reading a book..I’m also very fond of happy hour. 

Who is your biggest inspiration?

I would have to say my parents are my biggest inspiration. They are such hard workers but at the same time keep such a great spirit. Also, we have a lot of family members who are very artistic or crafty with their hands. My dad is a tailor and my grandmother and aunt crochet blankets and little booties for the family. So I love the idea that we are continuing to keep the arts so to speak in the family. 

I absolutely love reading with Lucas. For a long time Lucas didn’t share my enthusiasm. He was much more interested in slamming books shut and chucking them as far as he could. Sometimes the dog would catch a swift blow to the head (sorry Humphrey!). As he is getting older, I find that he enjoys sitting with me and reading for longer periods of time. He of course loves book options that make noise, because well, donkey and pig sounds are pretty rad. One of my favorite books to read with Lucas is Buenas Noches, Luna – the spanish version of the classic Goodnight Moon.

Karla and I are both giving Dos Borreguitas two thumbs way up! This adorable company features clothing and accessories for the whole family. Every design features fun sayings in Spanish. A few of my favorites: Chicle: Pegado a Mama (Gum: Stuck on Mom), Mijito/Mijita (my little son/my little daughter), and Se Habla Spanglish (I speak Spanglish). Every shirt is produced using American Apparel organic shirts and they are super soft. Love!

Karla and I talked with Cynthia Garza, founder and owner of Dos Borreguitas. First off, I can’t express enough how lovely she was! We absolutely loved her responses to our q&a and we hope you do too.

Any advice you would like to share for someone dreaming of starting a business or following their passion?Do one thing every day that moves you closer towards doing what you really want to do. I’m a former journalist so making the jump to starting my own business was a really scary idea at first because there was so much to learn and do. It can feel overwhelming at times, but just make a to-do list and keep moving forward and scratching things off that list, one at a time. You’ll get to where you want to before you know it. How does being Latina affect the way you raise your children and what traditions do you hope they will continue to pass on? I very much want my daughters to grow up knowing all the traditions I knew, everything from cracking cascarones at Easter to attending posadas and eating tamales at Christmas. We live in Washington, D.C., though which is a fabulously rich cultural city to raise kids, but also a hard place to find a good authentic taco or a bonafide piñata. I grew up in South Texas and my husband in South Florida where it’s all Latino all the time, but here it takes real effort to connect with our culture. That’s a big part of the reason why I started Dos Borreguitas, because I wanted to somehow channel all these wonderful cultural ideas and experiences to my own two little ones. And in return, they’ve been such a source of inspiration to me. What part of being hispanic do you love the most?The passion, that little flicker inside!

Dos Borreguitas got it right with their quality and fun sayings. Lucas rocked his tees and received so many smiles from strangers who clearly approved of Luche Libros. PS I absolutely loved this fun spin on the infamous Mexican wrestler Luche Libre. The graphic features Luche Libros: two books in battle. Because clearly books and learning rule! You can follow Dos Borreguitas on Facebook and Instagram @dosborreguitas. And don’t forget to head on over to Karla’s blog to see France sporting her tees and read part two of our interview with Cynthia!  

This week on Besos de Mami, Karla and I wanted to share one of the many sweet traditions we have created with our babies. Lucas is a big cuddler. Always has been (I know. I’m a lucky mami ;). Part of our cuddling and snuggles involves singing lullabies. Our favorite is Que Linda Manita. The lyrics are: