Last weekend Jason and I had a couple of opportunities to go scootin’ with our buddy Leila. It was so fun! So, yes, now we want one of our own. Again.
Phone Photo Friday
04/30/2010
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Posted by mahlbrandt
Wise Words
04/29/2010
“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” — Swedish proverb
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Happy Birthday Mama!
04/28/2010Today is my mama’s birthday. As I was growing up, she was an example of selfless love and generosity that I hope I can someday model for my own kids. Thank you for being such an awesome mom. I love you!
This picture is of my big sister and my mom when she was about my age back in the mid-70s. Love that lamp! Oh, and I certainly remember that orange, brown and gold knit afghan!
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Posted by mahlbrandt
Exterior Paint Colors
04/27/2010I recently saw an article on Exterior colors for 1960’s Houses on Retro Renovation (the mac-daddy of mcm home blogs). Good timing because some friends/neighbors of ours have a 1960’s brick ranch that needs painted – *needs* because it’s an ugly color of carrot-orange brick! I took the initiative to mock up some color suggestions for them. The trim and gutters have recently been painted chocolate brown.
Current
Lemon Loaf Yellow
Cool Coastal Blue
Elephant At-Least-Its-Not-Beige Gray
Charcoal Taupe Gray
I’m trying to nudge them toward something besides beige/cream/vanilla/blah. Which do you like best?
(CBB)
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Posted by mahlbrandt
Wedding Invitations
04/26/2010I’ve been selling quite a lot of wedding invitations through my etsy shop Light Hand Design this spring. It’s always so humbling when someone chooses one of my designs as the first impression of their wedding day. And I have so much fun working with brides (and sometimes grooms) to make something really special for them.
Bicycle Built for Two has definitely be the most popular this spring. (Last spring it was Love Birds.) This color purple also seems to be quite trendy. I’m not a huge fan of purple myself but I think I’ve had this color requested at least 4 times.
I have new value price options for couples who don’t need RSVP cards or thank you cards. But most people still opt for the full set—invitation with return address printed envelopes, RSVP cards with return address printed envelopes and thank you cards with envelopes:
Usually this is a one color design but I’m willing to cooperate with special requests. This couple’s colors are fucshia and chocolate. I love how these turned out!
And speaking of special requests, one bride asked if I could combine the Swirly Tree Birds invitation with the Love Birds invitations for a colorful, funky outdoor wedding. Works for me!
These are so much fun for me! One day soon I’m going to make some new designs. Real soon. Because I’m kind of getting tired to the tandem bikes and birdies. 🙂
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Posted by mahlbrandt
Phone Photo Friday
04/23/2010
One of our azalea bushes in full bloom
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Posted by mahlbrandt
House Tour – April 2010
04/22/2010
I don’t think I’ve ever done a tour of our modest mid-century modern ranch on this blog. Jason and I live in this 1420 sq. ft. 3 bedroom 2 bath home. We love it so much that we can never imagine moving! Come on in, I’ll show you around…
Living Room
Studio (just a peek)
Dining Room
Kitchen
Hall
Office (the only clean corner in this room, which is currently in transition)
Bathroom
Master Bedroom
Master Bathroom (still under renovation)
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Posted by mahlbrandt
Bathroom Renovation Stage 12
04/21/2010Bathroom renovation has been slowly coming along the past couple of weeks. Jason hung the new mirror over the vanity.
We hung the “relax” sign made by etsy seller William Dohman. It’s hand cut recycled wood that has been dry brush painted. I custom ordered this because Jason and I both wanted a spa-like retreat and relax seems to be the perfect reminder as I step into the steamy shower and wash away all the stresses of the day.
And the bathroom floors have been tiled! We decided on gray 12″ x 24″ porcelain.
The first 11+ chapters:
Here’s our history:
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Posted by mahlbrandt
CCM – April 2010
04/20/2010
Remember when I took a short leave from my blog a few weeks ago? Here’s one of the projects that was eating up a lot of my time.
This is one of the magazines I design at my day job, CCM. The cool thing about it – it’s all digital. It looks like a magazine on screen but it is interactive with videos and audio and links throughout.
Do you read any digital magazines? If so, which?
(If you go to the link, you’ll have to log in with your e-mail address. This is just a one time thing. Everafter it connects you automatically. The e-mails you’ll get notify of when the new issues are available.)
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Posted by mahlbrandt
9 By Design
04/19/2010
I know it’s been already talked about in the home/lifestyle/design blogsphere (that’s how I found out about it) but I wanted to share my thoughts about the new Bravo reality show 9 By Design. I really enjoyed watching the premiere last week. (If you, like me, don’t pay for cable tv you can watch it on Hulu.)
It’s a reality show about Robert and Courtney Novogratz. They’re self-taught interior designers, house builders/stagers and sort-of-flippers. The couple, whose company is called Sixx Design, renovates or builds new homes; designs them with thrifted, flea market, new, international and unique pieces; lives there until someone offers to buy or rent it; then they move and start over.
They do most of their work in NYC. What makes the show particularly interesting is that they have 7 kids. In the first episode Courtney is 8.5 months pregnant with their 7th and they’re moving into a new temporary apartment … a small (2bR for 9 people) temporary apartment.
People can say what they want about the couple’s bickering and lying to each other over the phone (I believe most of it is staged anyway) but I love the couple’s energy and creativity and passion for what they do. And I love how having a family hasn’t slowed them down one bit.
I’m inspired and entertained. A couple CAN be successful entrepreneurs and still have a fun and happy family.
Here are their kids: Wolfgang (12), twin sisters Tallulah and Bellamy (10), Breaker (8), Five and Holleder (4) and baby on the way Major. In case you can’t tell by the unusual names, they’re all boys except for the twin sisters.
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Posted by mahlbrandt
myMCMlife.com 