Happy Friday Mamas! This week’s meet a mom is the beautiful and talented Velma Perez of Cookiegram. I am so excited to showcase this amazing Mom and Grandmother!. Her cookie decoration always leave me in awe, and her classes are a hit! Her beautiful energy is so contagious!!! I wish her talent was contagious too! I first got to meet Velma during a cookie decorating class which she was hosting for the Northwest Houston Moms Club. I joked with her that she may want to bring me onboard, we both had a good long laugh about it based on my cookie decorating skills. Yet, she always makes sure to uplift everyone and to spread her sweet energy with everyone she meets. She is holding another cookie decorating class, with a Dia de Los Muertos theme tomorrow. I went to her last cookie decorating class in early October and loved every second of it! If you have been thinking of going, do it – you will go home with an amazing looking set of cookies plus filled with joy from a good night out.
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in town?
I am a Texas girl, born and raised in Corpus Christi, TX. We moved to the Cypress area in 2005 after a brief time in SoCal.
How many children do you have and what are their ages?
I have 3 amazingly beautiful grown daughters and 6 wonderful grandchildren: 5 grandboys and 1 Grand Princesa. They’re 2 months, 22months, 2, 2.5, 7, and 8 years old. Each one of the rambunctious, fun, and all so stinkin sweet. A love like no other, it’s no reason they call them GRANDchildren!
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I enjoy crossfit and lifting weights. I am most proud of my heavy lift personal records: 285# deadlifts and 230# back squats.
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
I was in my mid 20’s when my mom lost her battle to colon cancer(she was 59). I was just beginning to learn my role as a mother. I am grateful to have had my Aunt(Tia Emelia) and older sister, Pat, in my corner. Guiding me and helping me steer the course of parenthood and life in general. And of course, it goes without saying but my husband, Andy, is truly the epitome of a life partner. The good Lord knew what he was doing when he placed him by my side.
Favorite things to do with your kids around town?
I’m an empty nester now so more often than not my favorite thing to do is squeeze in whatever time I can get with my grandchildren. One of the best things we enjoy doing is decorating cookies together.
Favorite local things to do in the Cypress area?
Sitting patio side enjoying the warm Texas weather with a cold adult beverage at a number of local favorite restaurants has become one of our favorite things to do. In particular in the Town Lake area because it’s close to home also and offers some sunset views on the lake.
Are you involved in a business venture, a local organization, a creative endeavor, or in the corporate world? Please share!
I am the owner, operator and Cookie Artist Extraordinaire of CookieGram. Hand-crafted from scratch, CookieGram specializes in custom decorated sugar cookies for all occasions. CookieGram is a product of an answered prayer. Having fallen on hard times and seeking direction, I spent an entire evening praying about it. There is every truth in the power of prayer. The very next day, I received a call that catapulted me into a venture I never dreamed of.
Two and half years into my journey, I was discovered on social media by Food Network casting and after several phone and Skype interviews with network casting and Senior producers, I was cast and featured in the Food Network Christmas Cookie Challenge. It was an experience of a lifetime and truth be told I learned so much about myself than I ever anticipated.
Sometimes timing is everything, the power of prayer is incredible. Can you tell us more about the call you got?
The morning after (my prayer), I had an appointment with the Chiropractor. While I sat waiting to see the doctor, I happened to search upon some sort of cake supply shop to see what if anything they offered in the way of cookie supplies. (I’d always been a crafty Pinterest kind of mom and thus had begun to be the same for my grandbabies.) Hoping to find one in the area as I was out and about, I did find a small shop just 10 minutes away. I marched on over after my appointment and immediately found myself in awe of the wall of cookie cutters. (Enter angel chorus and shining light here lol) It was left to right and from floor to ceiling! I spent about an hour in the shop just perusing thru each cookie cutter. Going back and forth, I finally made my selections; And as I approached the register, I remember telling the cashier I really didn’t need them. In the sweetest of fashions, she assured me that I’d be able to do something cute with them. (Truth be told, money was tight and I was feeling guilty for splurging on a whopping $18) I paid for my goods and was on my way out. No sooner was I driving out of the parking lot when I received a call from a lady who was referred to me by a mutual friend. She was looking to get a quote for 15 dozen cookies! Yes! FIFTEEN DOZENS! Again..finding myself in awe…I began to wonder how is it even possible that someone would consider my amatuer work worthy of a referral. But alas, it was true. This potential customer needed 5 dozen of her company logo and 10 dozen of a beach theme. At that point, I was completely blown away. You see the very cookie cutters that just moments ago I declared I did not need, the same ones the cashier assured me that I would do something very cute with, were in fact BEACH themed cookie cutters. The set was a palm tree, a sunburst and flip flops. You can imagine the OVERWHELMING feeling that completely consumed me in that very moment. It left me a gasp but nothing short of that awesome realization that the good Lord didn’t just shine the light on my prayers but He opened the door and paved the path for me. There isn’t a day or a set that I don’t pour my heart into. Every gram of sugar and ounce of icing starts with a prayer.
Contestant Velma Perez and Host Eddie Jackson, as seen on Christmas Cookie Challenge, Season 3.
How has this community been instrumental in getting you to where you are now?
I am so grateful to not only live in a community that has embraced my work but continues to show love and support every single day. Nothing short of a blessing, I love that this community has opened their doors and has allowed me to partake in all of their special moments by celebrating w cookies. It has been a complete honor to grow with these families; from bridal showers to weddings onto baby showers and then to 1st, 2nd and 3rd birthdays and everything in between! It truly is an awesome feeling to be in that mix!
