About Valli B

Hi, I am Valli, the human behind Mostly Harmless Things. Based in sunny California, I design vintage-style garden signs and wall art with a passion in earth, space, science, and food (growing, cooking, eating). The designs are printed by a brilliant print studio that’s been doing this for 25 years, right here in the USA.

THOUGHT FORMATION

I grew up fascinated with geography, loving every bit about rocks, volcanoes, weather systems and all else about earth. Our small town was a new one made after a patch of tropical jungle was cleared rather roughly. Which meant, I grew up amidst thousands of exotic colorful species of insects, frogs, reptiles and other small animals right there in my backyard and many times even inside our rooms! Over the years I saw the disappearance of these animals, until the few that adapted, remained. That was my earth by day.

And at night, it would be the sky! I would spend long hours in my rather dark unlit front yard swatting mosquitos and looking up, in awe and wonder about the planets and stars. At least a few shooting stars could be seen within a span of 2-3 hours of uninterrupted staring at the black sky. Then I chanced upon Hawking's A Brief History of Time and it cracked my brain open to the terrifyingly vast universe with the result of having a full-on existential panic attack just trying to comprehend it all. I remember hugging myself, quivering on the couch, much unlike Hitchhiker's Zaphod Beeblebrox, who had walked out of the Total Perspective Vortex without a scratch and full of himself. Icon.

MAKING OF THIS STORE

Long story short, between making an environmental feature doc film Sunganges that landed on Netflix for a few years and a five-part feature film series called FireFly, which I hope to direct someday, here I am with Mostly Harmless Things.

In North Californian summer, I design out of my backyard deck, amidst chirping birds and curious squirrels. This is where it all collides - wild weather, black holes, food obsessions, porch philosophy, and personalized signs that feel like they belong in your little patch of the galaxy. When here, expect a little science, a little sarcasm, a little weirdness… and a lot of heart and love for yourself... and your space.