Proudly Serving Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Surrounding Communities in North Dakota and Minnesota!
Proudly Serving Grand Forks, East Grand Forks &
Surrounding Communities in North Dakota & Minnesota!
Meet the People Behind the Balloons
About Misti
Hello, I'm Misti Kauffman, and I'm the proud owner of Balloons by Misti. As a wife and mother of six children, my passion for balloons and the joy they bring began to grow in 2009. Since then, I've been creating unique and magical balloon decor for a variety of events and occasions, including those for my family, friends, and affiliated organizations.
In May of 2019, I took a big step forward by launching Balloons by Misti as a business, and I couldn't be happier with the decision. My goal is to spread happiness and make people feel special, one balloon at a time. I find great joy in creating fun and memorable balloon arrangements that put smiles on faces and make any event more special.
I am dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and creating custom balloon designs that meet the unique needs and preferences of each and every customer.
In November 2021, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Balloon Boss Summit in Orlando, Florida. This immersive experience gave me the chance to learn new balloon techniques and gain insights that will help Balloons by Misti run even more smoothly and efficiently as we continue to grow.
I had the privilege of serving as an instructor and mentor at the Balloon Boss Summit in 2022, thanks to the generous sponsorship of BalloonTags.com. It was an incredible opportunity to share my knowledge and experience with other balloon artists, and to learn from some of the best in the industry. I'm thrilled to announce that I've been invited to join the team of instructors and mentors once again for this year's conference. It's an honor to be able to help other artists grow and develop their skills, and I can't wait to see what we'll be able to achieve together.
At Balloons by Misti, we're committed to pushing the boundaries of balloon art and design, and we're excited to share that passion with others. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help make your event truly unforgettable.
In July 2022, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in Balloon Wonderland, the largest balloon build ever. It was a thrill to work alongside 300 other talented balloon artists and see what we could create together for Give Kids the World Charity. If you'd like to see some of the amazing designs we came up with, check out this 360 video footage from the event.
This year, Rebekah will be traveling to Greeley, Colorado to participate in another exciting balloon build. Along with 65 other artists, she'll be creating a stunning display to benefit Life Stories Child and Family Advocacy, a wonderful charity that's making a real difference in their community. We're always looking for ways to use our talents and passion for balloon art to make a positive impact, and we're excited to be able to support such worthy causes.
Rebekah
Allow me to introduce my amazing daughter Rebekah, who is truly a force to be reckoned with. At just 18 years old, she's accomplished so much already, including being a member of both the National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society. Last year, she graduated from high school ahead of schedule and is now moving on to pursue even bigger and better things.
Rebekah first discovered her love for balloon art during the pandemic in 2020, when she started learning how to twist balloons and create beautiful arrangements alongside me for Mother's Day. Since then, she's been hooked, and has continued to hone her skills and develop her passion for the craft. In fact, she's already attended three Balloon Boss Summits, one in 2021 and another in 2022, where she learned from some of the best in the industry and gained valuable insights that will help us take our business to the next level.
While balloons are a big part of her life, for 15 years Rebekah's true love and passion was gymnastics. She currently dreams of one day traveling the world to help with big balloon projects and builds, and we couldn't be more proud of her ambition and drive.
July of 2023 she was one of 65 balloon artists at the Big Balloon Build in Greeley, Colorado helping to put together an "Out of the World" space themed balloon display to benefit Life Stories Child & Family Advocacy. She will be participating in two more Big Balloon Builds this year. One the first part of May and the second in July of this year.
Micah
Micah, who is 17 years old, plays a significant role in the operations of Balloons by Misti and Kool Kreations. Micah helps with deliveries and set ups or tear downs as needed. In the shaved ice business he is responsible for tasks such as managing finances, tracking product and supplies, and providing physical assistance during event setup and loading the van.
During the off season Micah has started working at Crumbl Cookie as well. Micah enjoys participating in VEX Robotics, playing the guitar, and building with tools. He also has a sweet tooth and loves mixed Grape and Peach shaved ice and Cherry cotton candy.
Elijah
Elijah, 15 years old, brings a lot of energy and fun to both Balloons by Misti Kool Kreations. He enjoys spinning cotton candy and shaving ice at events, and always offers exceptional customer service. He will also lend a hand with balloons if we need him to and is pretty good at inflating balloons for our balloon garlands. Elijah is a hard worker and contributes to every aspect of the business. When he's not helping out, he likes to participate in VEX Robotics and spends most of his time at Red River Valley Gymnastics, where he excels as an award-winning competitive gymnast and even had the opportunity to compete at the USAG Western Nationals this past May. He is dedicated and passionate about his sport, and we are proud to have him on our team.
Nehemiah
At just 13 years old, Nehemiah is already an accomplished entrepreneur, having started his journey at just 5 years old with a simple lemonade stand. However, he quickly saw an opportunity to switch to selling shaved ice, and convinced his mother to let him use her shaved ice machine. Despite his young age, Nehemiah played a crucial role in getting the business off the ground, even donning the mascot costume to promote the brand as "Shavey" the purple-haired cup of shaved ice.
Nehemiah's involvement in the business doesn't stop there; he actively engages with customers, helps track finances, and keeps a close eye on the supply stock to ensure the business is always ready to serve its customers. Beyond the world of shaved ice, Nehemiah is also involved in VEX Robotics and enjoys spending time playing video games and Dungeons and Dragons with his brothers and friends. It's clear that Nehemiah has a bright future ahead of him, and we're excited to see where his passions and entrepreneurial spirit take him.
This is my AMAZING family that always steps in to help out when we get busy.
I am so glad that Families are Forever!
- RUSS (my AMAZING husband of 24 1/2 years)
Russ is both a physician assistant and a professor of physician assistant studies at UND Medical School. He is a critical member of my business team, helping me with every aspect of my business operations. He provides essential organizational support by creating customized Excel spreadsheets and always comes to my rescue whenever I become overwhelmed with tasks. Additionally, Russ is always willing to lend a hand with various projects, including acquiring new tools, inflating balloons, repairing equipment, delivering lunch during busy times, and contributing to large-scale installations. His unwavering dedication and assistance have been indispensable, and without him, my business would not be as successful as it is today.
- NOAH (my oldest son)
Noah is great at helping out whenever needed. He is currently away at college but helps when he is around.
- JONAH (my 2nd oldest)
Jonah is a full-time gymnastics coach at All-Around Gymnastics in Iowa. He moved away last year, but when he's around he's still helping out. We are grateful for the help he gave us for our big Amazon balloon job over Christmas.