[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ayers upon layers of ribbon, a few bells and maybe even a whistle or two are common when it comes to the world of creating the perfect homecoming mum.

Yes, the sights and sounds of elaborate mums and garters donned by students was visible across Hays CISD over the past two weeks as Hays and Lehman High schools held their annual homecoming festivities. 

But for many area moms, the annual coming-of-age tradition involves collecting materials to create a one-of-a-kind creation t...