Remember ask a kid when you would stand back to back with your friends to compare height? That’s what I feel like I’m doing with our Japanese Flowering Plum tree and our banana tree. They’re planted close together and they’re really competing for height this year.
The interesting thing about this competition is that the banana tree dies back to the ground every year. After 6 months or so it’s about the same height as our 3 year old plum tree (which is also growing quite fast).
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Art, Art: gardening, Art: God's creation | Tagged: comparison, garden, height, trees | 
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Posted by mahlbrandt
“Are those ‘fall’ leaves or just dead from the heat leaves?” my friend Brienne asked. True, it was in the 90’s when I took this photo yesterday ont he first day of fall. But cold weather will be here soon enough and I, for one, am enjoying this little burst of record heat.
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: Phone Photo Friday | Tagged: cell phone photography, fall, leaves, Phone Photo Friday | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Despite the calendar saying it’s the first day of Autumn, it’s still in the 90s for a few more days here in Nashville. (I’m not complaining; I love the heat!) However, fall is here and scarf weather is on it’s way! My patient and gracious mother taught me how to knit on Sunday afternoon. She had to fix, unknit and reknit for me many times but I’m happy to report that after 4 days, I’m getting it!
My scarf is now 4″ long! Only 43″ more to go! At this pace, I should be done around the beginning of November. Just in time!
1 Comment | Art, Art: crafts | Tagged: fall, knitting, scarf | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
I wrote about Jason’s great-grandpa Carl back in July after our trip to Naples and our visit to the lot where his house used to stand. We both really loved this portrait of him. His horned-rim glasses, his raised eyebrows, the pencil behind his ear, the stubby cigar he’s smoking, the strap across this shoulder … it’s all part of the story of this character that I only know about through second-hand stories. Jason considers Carl to be an inspiration for various reason (explained more in the original post) and he wanted a poster of this portrait to hang in his studio as a reminder of his great-grandpa and as a reminder that if we keep working hard maybe we’ll get that mid-century modern beach house in Naples we’re dreaming of…
Anyway, I just wanted to share this really good deal I found. This 20″ x 30″ photo poster was only $7.28 ($17.12 with shipping) through Vivyx with their first time customers special offer! Most other sites are sound $21-30 for a poster this size. Score! Plus we found a frame for it at Michael that was originally $29.99 but was on sale for 40% off plus another 25% off with coupon. Came to around $12. Bonus!
2 Comments | Art, Art: interior design, Family, Family: Extended Family and Friends, Family: Jason | Tagged: Carl Ahlbrandt, photo poster printing, poster, wall art | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
1 Comment | Art, Art: interior design, Art: modern design | Tagged: home repair, remodel, renovation | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Lots of stripes in the laundry pile!
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: fashion, Art: Phone Photo Friday | Tagged: cell phone photography, Phone Photo Friday, stripes | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
We (meaning mostly Jason) recently replaced all of the pine mulch in the front of our house with pea gravel. From a distance it doesn’t look all that different.
But closer up it looks really nice and clean.
And it won’t decompose and need to be refreshed twice a year.
A little piece of Arizona style xeriscape in Nashville, Tennessee.
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: gardening, Art: God's creation, Art: modern design | Tagged: landscaping, mulch, pea gravel, rocks, xeriscape | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
I know—like I have time for another hobby, right? Wasn’t I just saying last week how I didn’t have time to blog because I had so much freelance. (Freelance isn’t really a hobby, I guess…) Regardless, I’ve decided to start knitting. I bought this soft gray yarn last week …
and turned it into these fingerless gloves!
Just kidding. They’re from H&M. But I think I did get a pretty close match with yarn.
What I plan to make is this scarf this from Pickles:
I’m hoping it’ll match the fingerless gloves…
And also kinda-sorta this headwrap/earwarmer/topless-hat that Jason bought me from the Faroe Islands.
Not quite but maybe I can pull it off. Or else my next project might be a teal blue scarf!
1 Comment | Art, Art: crafts | Tagged: crafts, knitting | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Everyone who collects mid-century antiques knows about craigslist. Heck, anyone who buys and sells secondhand anything knows about craigslist! But have you heard about Craiglook? Our friend Sean tipped us off to it a few months ago. It’s an RSS Browser for craigslist that can save searches, broaden your results up to 250 miles from your zip code and best of all: search results have photos and you can quickly look at details without having to leave the search results page. Brilliant!
Thank you, whoever created craiglook, for making the great local classifieds database more user-friendly! (And thanks Sean!)
1 Comment | Art, Art: mcm thrift store find, Art: mid-century design, Art: modern design | Tagged: craiglook, craigslist, craigslook | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Oh no! Last one! Good thing they’re on sale at Target. I love Lindt Lindor truffles, especially the hazelnut ones!
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Sorry for the lack of blogging this week. I’ve been really busy with freelance—which is a huge blessing—but means I’ve had to work every evening this week when I get home from my regular job. Plus, you know, things like laundry, cooking, dishes, banking, paying bills and some quality time with the husband and pup. Blogging got squeezed out this week. I hope to be back at it next week.
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: Phone Photo Friday | Tagged: cell phone photography, chocolate, lindt lindor, Phone Photo Friday | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
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Graphic designer, MCM interior design enthusiast, wife to amazing guitarist and hard working realtor, mama—by way of foster care, adoption and biology—and follower of Jesus Christ.
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