Today we’d like to introduce you to Xochitl Flores.
Xochitl, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Both our boys have been diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, which limits the ability to attend public school for many reason. As a family we decided that homeschool would be the best for our boys. This is where our journey started, I was looking for hands on ways of teaching our boys. I know a bit of carpentry, so why not teach the boys math with a trade skill??? So we did we started making bed trays, boxes, wall art, and anything that involved wood. We did have to use primitive tools since both our boys have high sensitivity to noises from power tools. Any one item would take twice as long to be completed, but it was all part of the teaching moment.
My oldest son didn’t speak till the age of seven but from the age of two he would draw what he wanted to communicate, so we introduced painting, he would paint our finished products and also add some of his creative art to the wall decor. Our youngest is a tinker, if we needed holes drilled, or items to look aged he is our guy. We are able to incorporate homeschool and learning a trade all in one for our boys.
After making different items, what to do with them was the question??? So I worked part time for a local gift shop, and they were our first place to carry our items, they no longer carry our items. We have since participated in art shows and craft shows around the Houston and College Station area. As we continue adding different items to our inventory and creating unique eclectic pieces, we do this for a bigger purpose, we now market our items and my son’s art for fundraising. We found the amazing STAR Institute in Greenwood Village Colorado, that has been helping our family with our boy’s sensory sensitivity. So when shopping from us you don’t only get a one of a kind item, but you also shop for a cause, and that’s to make it possible for our boys to attend STAR once a year for a month. Our boys are older now, this journey started 5 years ago and we have gotten far not just in the imagination my boys have with what they create, but also the progress they have shown with their special needs. Never did I imagine that finding unique was to teach my children math, reading, writing, and much more would lead us to being invited to our local art shows to participate or even having an inventory of eclectic items enter other people’s homes and become a conversational piece.
Speechlessart has a home now at T&J Mercantile in downtown Bryan.
Has it been a smooth road?
Our journey has not been a smooth road, first and foremost I am a mom. I will always put my children first and their needs first. My oldest is a selective mute, and has sensory processing disorder which makes days difficult at times. Our youngest is nonverbal and also has sensory processing disorder. I always say to people I have yin and yang at my house because they have the same disorder but have different needs. Moving forward with our items as the business I have to make sure that what we create is trending, yet not alike anything else out there. As a family I would say we are definitely an out of the box family. We don’t need to belong and that’s how I teach my boys about life and when we are learning and creating. The biggest challenge would be getting out there marketing your small business with a cause. I am doing this for my boys and for them to get to therapy once a year, but being a mom of special needs boys, time away from home is hard for them and me as well. I have had shows where people understand what I do and want to know more about us and I have come across other shows where people don’t care about the cause they just care about the items you have to sell. That is a challenge creating that one thing that make people want to know you more.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Speechless Art – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Our business is eclectic, we do a little bit of everything. We continue marketing wooden items. We make home decor, toys, wall art, canvas original art, antiques, we have started incorporating metal too. Being proud of one thing is hard for me because I love what we create together, but I also appreciate the old durable antiques I come across. I want to say we are known for our recycled crayons, we save a crayon at a time!! We save crayons from ending up in the garbage and make them into brand new crayons in random shapes for kiddos to enjoy. What really sets us apart is that we are a sensory family that lives a sensory lifestyle and creates its items based on sensory therapy ideas. For example, making a box, anyone can get a power tool measure cut and nail, we on the other hand we look for random pieces of wood some may have texture some may not, that piece of would could have been part of something else, we measure and then cut with a Japanese hand saw, we then pre- drill a hole with a hand crank drill and then glue and nail it together, we add handles to this box out of old spoons or forks. So not one piece will ever be the same, that’s what really sets us apart.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Houston is an amazing city!! It is full of all types of cultures. It has always been welcoming to our items and I am sure several people have our items in their homes and tell others from whom they acquired the piece. I don’t think I can say there is something to least like about the city, everything has a purpose a meaning a feeling.
Contact Info:
- Address: 400 North Bryan,
Bryan, TX 77803 - Website: Tandjmercantile.com
- Phone: 9794922036
- Email: purungis@yahoo.com
- Facebook: Speechlessartbcs
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
