Crab Legs and My Christmas Tantrum

December 25, 2014 mithra ballesteros

Merry Christmas from The Bubble Joy! When you are a child, Christmas is magical. When you are a parent, Christmas is magical. But for those who are neither, Christmas can be tricky. It requires more effort to capture the spirit of the season. This, my husband and I learned together during our first Christmas back in our salad days. And the manner in which we learned this lesson inspired a collection in the shop.

Side note: I come across quite badly in this story. My mother-in-law, who recently started subscribing to this blog, is going to read this post and then spend the afternoon whispering to herself, "I knew it. I knew it!"

Santa and His Reindeer Need a Shave

December 18, 2014 mithra ballesteros

This was our holiday card last year -- a reincarnation of the days, sixteen years earlier, when my sons actually did what I asked. By which I mean they donned antlers and Irish knit sweaters and lined up by age.

We took the original photo the year that we moved to Wisconsin. The boys loved how deer, foxes, even coyotes would meander through our woods and the idea of dressing up as reindeer delighted their innocent little imaginations.

They don't really do what I tell them anymore. Because at this point, what can I tell them that will be heard? To match their socks? Those days of parenting are over.

Text Message on a Plate?

December 12, 2014 mithra ballesteros

I love text as art and so do a lot of people these days. Mottos as fashion statements or design elements are everywhere -- on pillows, t-shirts, phone cases, as tattoos, in wall collages, on babies' onesies. Maybe these cheeky catchphrases resonate because we regularly condense our communication. We put a lot of heart and soul into tweets, texts, snaps, etc. Does this mean that we glorify the shallowness of slogans? Probably. So, to celebrate the glorification of throwaway sentiments, I'm here to show you how to make your own creed to adorn any pretty little thing. It's fun and easy and yes, it peels right off. It's temporary, which I suppose means that it is shallow.

A Holiday Table Wisconsin-Style

December 5, 2014 mithra ballesteros

When I was in the sixth grade, I wrote a play called "A Thanksgiving to Remember." My wonderful teacher, Mr. Hombaker, agreed to stage it for the parents of Room 117. The plot was an eleven-year-old's version of Little House on the Prairie meets The Waltons, with plenty of woolen clothing, blizzards, meagre rations, and general misery on the plains. I don't know how to describe how horrible this play was. Truthfully, the only action that took place involved the characters setting the table, speaking a few lines like, "sure hope Pa's oxen team blah blah blah" and then clearing the table. Plates on. Plates off. Plates on. Plates off. I remember overhearing some first-grader in the front row groan to his mom, "Not the dishes again!"

My fascination with a well laid table has not abated since.

Our Video! Of Pond Frogs, Pizza, and Passing Years

November 27, 2014 mithra ballesteros

Happy Thanksgiving Friends! I have for your Black Friday enjoyment a little ditty of a video for Finder Not Keeper. If you enjoy it, I hope you "like" it and share it. After watching, scroll down below for a few fun tidbits about the making of "Shelf Life."

Thanksgiving with Two Lovebirds and Three Roasted Birds

November 21, 2014 mithra ballesteros

I talked to my parents on the phone this morning and my mother had just returned from the grocery store where she had purchased a turkey for Thanksgiving. She is such a pro, she calls them ‘birds’. She usually roasts three birds, so why she came home with only one was a mystery to me. Evidently, the grocery store is running a turkey promotion limited to one turkey per customer per day. She will be going back tomorrow and the day after for two more birds. I said that was a lot of gas and time and trouble to save ten cents a pound.

I could hear her shrug over the phone. “What else do I have to do?” she joked.

Introducing Minnie and her Scottie Friends

November 14, 2014 mithra ballesteros

This is a photo of Minnie the Doorstop Scotty. Minnie is short for Minerva, as in Miss Minerva McGonnagal, the esteemed professor at Hogwart's. My cast iron Minnie is antique and heavy, making her an excellent protectorate of the young wizards and witches of Gryffindor House.

In actuality, I named my Minnie after a living Minnie here in Milwaukee. She is a dear dog with a wavy coat, short legs, and a sweet disposition. I have always coveted her.

My Personal Shopper in South America

November 7, 2014 mithra ballesteros

My husband is half South American and half American South. He grew up on fried chicken and iced tea in a midcentury modern home filled with Colombian art and textiles. His ladylike mother speaks in a soft southern voice while his father's thick accent and debonair manner always remind me of that lovable Latin, Ricky Ricardo.

Recently, my husband's work requires him to travel to South America. It is a valuable opportunity for his career while also providing him a way to see the land of his ancestors and reconnect with the Colombian branch of the family tree. But most importantly, it is a chance for him to shop!

The Farmer, the Curator, and Their Loves

October 30, 2014 mithra ballesteros

This collection is called Prairie Textures and it comes with two interesting stories. The first is about the unframed canvas. It is a watercolor study of a calf and I think it is wonderful. Unsigned but wonderful. Such thick cottony paper. Such expertly mixed colors. I admire the confident brush strokes. And the economy of brush strokes as well.

I bought it from the estate of a gentleman who had sold the family's dairy farm to move to the Big City, meaning Milwaukee. He lived in a loft apartment down in Bayview and his place was kitted out like a 1960s bachelor pad. Swanky barware, Danish teak furniture, a stunning collection of Blenko blown glass, stacks and stacks of vinyl, very expensive audio equipment, and really good lighting. Not at all what I expected from a former dairyman.

Costuming the Family is Fun!

October 24, 2014 mithra ballesteros

I have a treat for you today, a rich buffet of Halloween goodness. My sister and her family dress up together, as a fivesome, every Halloween. Anyone who has conceived of, organized, and executed a group costume knows the difficulty involved. Committing to this endeavor, year after year, even as her children grow into obstinate teens, even when her inner voice begs for a break to just sit out a year for land's sake, and watch that other modern family celebrate Halloween on TV, shows a strength of mind that I am proud to see in my little sis. I must publicly say how much I admire her achievement. And now you can too!

Best Trick or Treat Prank

October 17, 2014 mithra ballesteros

Anyone in a clown mask can frighten a small child. In my family, little kids are what we call low-hanging fruit. Today's prank is the equivalent of a ladder to the top branches of the apple tree where the teens hang out. Teens make the best Halloween victims because they hate to show fear in front of adults -- it is a sign of weakness, an acknowledgment that we still have influence on them.

My Birkin Bag Smells Like Weed

October 15, 2014 mithra ballesteros

Did you hear about the Birkin bag snafu? According to recent customers who paid $20,000 for the privilege of carrying the iconic Hermès design, the newly purchased handbags emit a strong scent of marijuana, especially when exposed to heat. (Imagine that.) The smell, transmitted through badly-tanned leather, then infects other items in close proximity. Outbreaks are spreading and it's a real scary situation.

Mrs. Matthiessen is Right

October 9, 2014 mithra ballesteros

This week my camera, video camera, and laptop all went haywire and torpedoed my plans to post about a Halloween prank. Boo. Hiss. And to make matters worse, by openly sharing my technology woes, I just broke a cardinal rule of blogging. Which is this. Never make excuses to your readers. Don't apologize. Just shut up and write good stuff.

Because no one cares if your hard drive is shattered or B&H didn't deliver your light meter. It is boring. Unprofessional. Annoying too.

Queen of Halloween!

October 3, 2014 mithra ballesteros

It is that time of the year when my skin gets goose pimply just thinking about new and creative ways to make small children cry. The possibilities are endless! Just call me the Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Today I am sharing some of the photos Renn and I shot for Finder Not Keeper. We had a hoot setting the table for our favorite skeleton named Stewie. (He's got no meat on his bones. Get it?) (Don't worry. He doesn't mind the jokes. Nothing really gets under his skin.)

Fun on French Streets

September 26, 2014 mithra ballesteros

Readers of The Bubble Joy know that my recent journey to France was far from a pleasure trip. My husband and I spent much of our time in a hospital room. (More on that here.) However, French hospitals enforce strict visiting hours, so most mornings and late evenings, we found ourselves sometimes wandering the streets of Dijon, relishing the little differences and chuckling at the similarities.

American Fish and French Coconut

September 19, 2014 mithra ballesteros

I have been quiet for a few weeks following an emergency trip my husband and I took to France. Our son, studying abroad, suffered a terrible accident. We are all home now and he is recovering beautifully, which means I can breathe again and string words together again and most importantly, express my thankfulness. So, here is my Facebook-style gratitude list:

Leland Gal

August 22, 2014 mithra ballesteros

*Photo of Maggie Revel Mielczarek by John A. Gessner.*

I would like to introduce you to Maggie Revel Mielczarek. She lives across the lake from me, in Michigan, and our paths crossed in Utah at Alt Summit. Maggie is the founder of Leland Gal, a line of textiles, wallpapers, and accessories. When I saw her design work, my heart skipped a beat.

Matchmaking Then and Now

August 15, 2014 mithra ballesteros

By far my most favorite aspect of this business venture has been creating the scenes for Finder Not Keeper's landing page. These lifestyle shots are important -- they set the tone and grab the attention of the visitor -- the equivalent of a brick and mortar window display. A good photograph will entice the web surfer to open the door.

For these images, I recruited a sleepy son for a model and an amiable husband to help move furniture and hang fabric panels along the patio. Then I raided the shop (my basement) for the cool Middle Eastern stuff that always attracts me.

The Nose Knows Where Mildred Kept Her Weed

August 8, 2014 mithra ballesteros

One of the necessary tools in this trade is a well-developed sense of smell. Almost everything I buy must pass the sniff test because certain scents can be neither eradicated nor disguised. Who wants a pillow reeking of mothballs or cat.

I honed my sniffer skills on the front line of a war with stinky boys. Call me Inspector Javert but no one gets away with anonymous passing-of-gas around here. If someone in my kitchen or worse, in my car, cuts the cheese, my nose is attuned to certain nuances that allow me to identify the culprit. It is to the point now where my sons are like Jack Donaghy who informs Liz Lemon, "I only pass gas once a year. For an hour. Atop a mountain. In Switzerland."

Me and Melanie Griffith, Writing a Bio

July 31, 2014 mithra ballesteros

First off, Finder Not Keeper will soon be featured on the site ScoutMob. ScoutMob is one of my favorite places to shop. I like how they provide a platform for independent makers to tell the story behind the product.

However, being featured has one major drawback. Three letters: b-i-o.

Welcome! I'm Mithra (pronounced Mee-thra). I'm an interior stylist and a writer. I'm also a vintage and antiques lover. I have an online shop, Finder Not Keeper, where I sell my best finds. (That's a white lie. I keep the best finds.) Read more about me and the blog here.

FIND ME IN YOUR INBOX

Instagram posts

A few days back in the ‘Quon. All of February is the price I’m willing to fork over for one week in September.

Latest blog post about our new outdoor shower and the differences of opinion between this guy and his mother (me) on how it should be used. #linkinbio

Brainy, brave, kind, genuine, indefatigable, funny, patriotic, fair, hard working, gentle, strong, iconic.

Those aren’t my hands forming baguettes. But I took the pic. @heat_her_all_a_man has it down and I’m ready with my salted butter and honey. What do you eat with baguettes?

Surveying the herb garden after a good weeding session. Basil took a hit the last couple weeks but everything else is flourishing like summer lasts forever.

First restaurant account for @littlelaurentide! Also first time eating out since the snow was flying. Really really fun night. (Not to mention that building’s white with black trim paint color scheme is 💯)

Surprise lilies, also known as naked ladies, fit in well here at the farm for reasons we will let you ponder.

This is son #2, the farmer. Walter is working hard to turn this place into a sustainable organic farm. Follow us @littlelaurentide for the latest on how mother and son align, clash, argue, hug.

On the blog today, the newest bachelor at Little Laurentide. Will he draw viewers or is he a train wreck along the lines of Juan Pablo Galavis? Read the latest blog post to find out! Link in bio.

On the blog today: a tour of the best places on the farm to sit for a spell. And I write a bit about what it’s like to cohabit with a son who used to give me every kind of gray hair. He could teach a polar bear how to be grumpy and I could teach a grizzly bear how to be grumpy. It’s a new world for the two of us, farming together, and can you guess how it’s going??

FIND ME IN YOUR INBOX

CATEGORIES

Instagram posts

OLD POSTS