Christmas Gift Guides

12/16/2010

(Picture taken on December 13, 2010, the morning after Nashville’s snow storm. We got about 1.5″ at our ranch.)

I’ve seen lots of great gift guides out there this year but two blogs, A Cup of Jo and Design*Sponge, seem to stand out above the rest. Great ideas, wide ranges of prices and broken into creative categories. In case you’re still shopping:

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #1: Your Beautiful Mom Who Gives Pitch-Perfect Advice and Has a Secret Crush on Niles from Frasier. (from Cup of Jo)

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #2: Your Hilarious Younger Brother Who Rides a Yellow Motorcycle and Dressed as a Bedbug for Halloween.

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #3: Your Twin Sister Who Loves Hiking by the Ocean and Wept When She First Met Your Baby.

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #4: Your Best Friend Who Wears the Prettiest Lipsticks and Knows (and Keeps) All Your Secrets.

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #5: Your Awesome Dad Who Makes the Best Family Lunches and Always Has a Good Book Recommendation.

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #6: Your Favorite Little Dudes Who Love High-Fives, Zerberts and Giggling Just ‘Cause.

Cup-of-Jo Gift Guide Part #7: Your Beloved Husband Who Makes Peppery Eggs, Sings The Rolling Stones to Your Baby and Can Always Make You Laugh.

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: For Flower Lovers

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: AC’s Guide for Guys

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: Gifts by Color

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: For Animal Lovers

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: Crafts

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: $50 and Under

Design*Sponge 2010 Gift Guide: $25 and Under

(More Design*Sponge guides here.)

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Wishing You a Shiny Brite Christmas, Again

12/14/2010

OK, last time I’m going to mention this, I promise. Wishing You a Shiny Brite Christmas poster and postcards are available for sale in my Etsy shop, Light Hand. (Sorry, the poster sold out already! Let me know if you want one and I can order more from the printer if there is enough interest.)

What can I say, I love my Shiny Brite ornaments!

2 Comments | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: interior design, Art: mid-century design, Art: modern design | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt

Christmas Gift Ideas for MCM Lovers

12/13/2010

A Christmas Gift Guide for the Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lover!

A Colorful Rotary Phone – Price: $20-60
I found this turquoise beauty on Etsy for $55. I prefer to do my own hunting rather than paying the mark up for someone else’s vintage find, but I have a friend who is on the lookout for one and she’d be happy to receive one like this for Christmas.

Funky Vintage Mugs – Price: $12
Perfect for a hot drink lover, these mugs could be paired with a favorite local coffee, gourmet tea or specialty hot cocoa.

Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes – Price: $26.40
Inspiration galore for the atomic ranch owner in this beautiful coffee table book.

Eames Style Rocker – Price $120-160
Of course the real deal would be great but if you’re looking for something equally attractive (and uncomfortable), there are many more affordable replicas out there. Braxton Studio sells a few different options like the one above through Amazon.com.

Saturnus Coat Hook – Price: $18
These retro style over the door hooks would be great for anyone who needs a little more hanging storage space (and who doesn’t?).

Vintage Style Crosley Alarm Clock Radio – $58
No authentically mid-century alarm clock radio would be mp3 player ready but this one definitely pulls off the retro look.

Giclee Print Mushrooms – $35
I’m a big fan of JennSki’s mid-century inspired art. This 5×7 print called Mushrooms is available in her Etsy Shop.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Phone Photo Friday

12/10/2010

My mama knitted me a new hat (with ear flaps!) to match my coat. (Sorry about the flash. I forgot to turn it off.)

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Shiny Brite in the Mailbox

12/09/2010

As I was brainstorming ideas for our Christmas cards this year, I decided that the Shiny Brite Christmas ornaments poster design could translate to a postcard. (Hopefully I’m not spoiling the surprise for anyone … I mailed these out on Monday so, my family and friends, you should be receiving one soon if you haven’t already!) When I ordered these from the print shop I decided to get some extras to sell in my Etsy shop. Have you bought your Christmas cards yet? I’m selling these as sets and as individual cards. 🙂

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Wishing You a Shiny Brite Christmas

12/08/2010

Last year I was inspired by the old cardboard boxes from my Granny’s Shiny Brite ornaments and I decided to make a small Christmas poster. This year I have a few available for sale in my Etsy Shop in case anyone else would like to add one to their holiday decor. Sold out! If you are interested in one, leave a comment. I can order more from the printer, however it may take a couple weeks to get it to you.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Shiny and Bright Christmas Tree

12/07/2010

Every year at Christmas I love to unpack and admire the Shiny Brite ornaments that I inherited from my mom’s mom a few years before she passed away. Jason and I have come up with a few creative ways of displaying them the past several years. (Three examples here.)

This year we decided to copy our mid-century modern loving friends in Cincinnati and get a vintage aluminum Christmas tree on eBay. We don’t have a color-wheel light for it; maybe we’ll get one next year. It’s so sparkly and shiny just on it’s own. I love it!

I think our Shiny Brite ornaments look so at home on it’s metal branches.

 

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Merry Christmas from My Mid-Century Modern Life!

12/06/2010

I’ll be celebrating Christmas for the next few weeks on this blog, mid-century modern style. I hope you stick around. It’s the most wonderful time of the year … though I could do without the cold weather! 🙂

Jason and I got an early Christmas present from my parents this year: a fresh balsam wreath. It’s lovely and it smells like Christmas. We had it hanging in the house for the first few days so we could enjoy the smell but it started shedding a lot so we moved it out to the front door. Isn’t it lovely?

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Phone Photo Friday

12/03/2010

Two cameras at one time.

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Posted by mahlbrandt

Busyness

11/30/2010

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. (Has anyone even noticed? I’m sure you’ve all been busy too.) My amazing husband has been home a little over a week and I haven’t figured out where to reinsert blogging into my schedule. I’m still soaking up all the evening and weekend time I can with him. We had a great Thanksgiving. Jason smoked a 13 lb. turkey (it took 8 hours!) and we enjoyed all kind of deliciousness and fun times with his parents, my parents and a sweet family of 6 from our church (including a precious 2.5 week old baby girl that I had the privilege of holding for a wonderfully long time.) We put up our Christmas decorations, tore out some walls, chainsawed up some bushes, polished the cloffice (it’s almost done) and caught up with friends and family. It’s been a good week.

How was your Thanksgiving?

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Posted by mahlbrandt

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