Remember the New Mom Giveaway for 2018 Mother’s Day we did a few months back? Well, today we’re excited to introduce you to one of the winners who received a great pampering and headshots from our friends Dottie Salamone of Hair by Dot, Molly Hebda of Motion Inspired Photography, and swags from The Beach Waver. So, let’s get to know her more.

01. Introduce yourself (include your name, your business/what you do for living)

My name is Maude Cordoba. I am a French Canadian born in the province of Quebec, Canada. I moved to Chicago 2 years ago after meeting my husband.

I am the owner and CEO of Ma Fleur de Lys-Handcrafted Floral Decors. I started my business about a year ago, shortly after the birth of my daughter Thalia. I mostly design and create decors for weddings, but for other types of events as well.

I am truly passionate about what I do, and I enjoy any opportunities to meet new people, share, network, connect and collaborate.

02. What’s your background?

Handcrafted floral decors, artist painter.

03.How did you start your business/career?

I have always been passionate with arts. I started drawing and painting in kindergarten, and my passion for arts followed me through elementary school where I have won drawing competitions, and through high school where I was part of a decor program that involved my artistic talents.

I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do.

It all came together when a friend of mine asked me to help her make paper flowers for her baby shower. That’s when I fell in love with the elegance and the endless possibilities of handcrafted floral decors.

04.What inspires you as a woman?

Other women! I admire women wearing many hats: moms, wives, career women, business women, homemakers, you name it! I look up to them for strenght and motivation when I feel down and overwhelmed.

I’m also deeply inspired by self development, because it makes you feel connected and in harmony with who you truly are. There is nothing more inspiring to me than a confident woman who rises by lifting other people up along the way!

05.What is your most awarding feel or moments as a new mom?

Hearing my daughter laugh, seeing her run to me as soon as she hears the door when I get back home from being away and seeing her learn the things I teach her every day.

06.What has been the highlight of your career thus far?

Having the honor of collaborating with designer Caitlin Wilson, Mark&Graham and the ladies from The Revelry Co on the decor for their product launch event held in San Francisco on May 3rd 2018.

07.Walk us through your day as (insert what you do here).

Handcrafted flower artist.

First things first: Coffee!

Next, I choose a picture of my creations to post on my Instagram and Facebook account.

And I get down to business: I make my to-do list for the day, look at the projects I need to work on, start sketching my designs, tracing every single petal of every flower I need to make, cutting them all out (by hand), assembling and shaping each petal to bring the flower to life.

I then assemble the flowers together to create the arrangement, do a little bit of accounting, planning, goal setting for the rest of the week and I call it a day!

08.Tell us how you balance your new routine with the little one these days too, we’d love to hear it.

I’m not sure if I can say that my new routine is balanced (haha), but I definitely had to rearrange my schedule around my daughter and her routine.

Since I’m home with her all day, it is hard for me to get any work done during the day. For this reason, my work day starts the moment she falls asleep around 7h30pm, and I work for a couple of hours, sometimes late at night when I’m very busy.

When it’s possible, I like to leave her with a family member for a few hours while I get some work done at home or at the library.

09.What advice would you give to yourself during the first 6 months of having your first newborn?

Give yourself some time! To acknowledge your new role, to feel all the emotions that come with it (because there will be a lot of them and they can be very contradicting), to get to know your baby but also to get to know yourself again.

Having a baby is a game changer, so take your time to enjoy every moment, don’t stress about the mess and accept all the help and the support from your friends and family.

Breathe. Everything is going to be ok. It’s all worth it!