Looking for inspiration + ideas for things to do with kids in Metro Detroit? Tried and true suggestions that real moms actually do? Here they are! Hungry Howie’s appreciates Moms and joins LittleGuide Detroit in spotlighting a local Mom each week in the #MomLife series. To take one thing off her plate and give her more time for fun, Hungry Howie’s is giving each week’s featured Mom a free pizza dinner for her and her family to enjoy. Thank you Hungry Howie’s for being the Official Pizza of Moms.

Are you following @quileenforcreativehina on Instagram? Quileen is a local mom to two kids and the owner of Creative Hina Design. 

Meet Quileen

Hi there! I’m Quileen, a creative mom to Valenie (8) and Evan (5). My husband is Duane, an amazing software engineer and house repair wizard. I can’t forget about our rescued tabby bree bree, a very important part of our family. 

I am a digital/graphic designer and owner of Creative Hina Design. I specialize in designs for apparel, paper goods, home decor and gifts. In addition I had the wonderful opportunity to create art for AIGA Detroit, and Race Forward: Facing Race.

The journey in motherhood for me is a surprising one; I have had to learn and find creative ways to teach and understand my son who has Autism. In learning how to cope with his ASD, I created Creative Hina Design to share and express my experiences, plus learn more about Autism. From time to time I share thoughts about my family life and creative nodes on my blog.

During the height of the pandemic quarantining at home with a child on the spectrum was/is challenging, especially with many places closing, however we found ways to get out safely. The Michigan Science Center was the biggest resort for us because it has a lot of sensory inputs for our son. Being at home in virtual school, we toughed it through and I can’t express enough gratitude to our kid’s teachers who helped immensely. From dropping off and picking up material bins, to text messages and emails with instructional lessons throughout the school year; I’m so happy everyone supported these kids during this school year!

Outside of designing and parenting, I enjoy cooking and trying new delicious vegan food, visiting art exhibitions, nature walks, designing party themed props, creating our sensory garden and spending time with my family.

Favorite Ways To Spend Family Time:

Favorite Places To Go:

Favorite Bedtime Stories:

Favorite Family-Friendly Restaurants:

Best Park/Playground: Sullivan Park (Royal Oak)

Now that it’s summer, we love Sullivan and Inglenook park, and most likely all the splash parks we can find, thanks to LittleGuide Detroit.

Your Mom Must-Have:  An Early Wake Up

I have conditioned myself to get up very early (4/5am) to have my alone time. This is very important to my mental and physical health, especially living with someone on the spectrum. Sometimes it’s simply just watching the sun rise while taking a walk by myself that prepares me for the long day.

Best Summer Destination or Event: Kensington Metropark (Milford)

Pre-pandemic, we enjoyed Wilderness Trails Zoo in Birch Run and Kensington Metropark – my daughter also enjoys TreeRunner Adventure Park in West Bloomfield.

“Pat Yourself on the Back” Accomplishment: Balancing My Personal Needs + My Family’s

I think the biggest accomplishment I made so far is being able to maintain and balance my creative needs with my family’s needs. I am really passionate about designing art, so while keeping this balance can be difficult, I am proud to have made it work smoothly so far.

Our #MomLife Series is Presented by Hungry Howie’s – the Official Pizza of Moms!