I brought this poster design back into my etsy shop for a couple that wouldn’t leave me alone about it. (Sorry it took me so long!) Anyone else want one? The shipping is higher price to make sure it gets to you more quickly.
Wishing You a Shiny Brite Christmas
12/06/2011
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Art, Art: graphic design, Art: mid-century design | Tagged: Christmas, poster, shiny brite | 
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Posted by mahlbrandt
Nikon CoolPix and a Handmade Wool Felt Case
01/11/2011
Jason got me a new digital camera for Christmas. It’s a Nikon CoolPix S205 that we snagged at Target’s Black Friday sale. I LOVE it!
Someday I’d like a nice, fancy DSLR but the truth is that I don’t really know enough about photography to use anything other than auto-mode most of the time anyway. I love that this camera is 12 mega pixels and it’s smaller than my cell phone. My brother-n-law swears by Nikon cameras and so far I’m really pleased with the photo quality, even with the flash. My old Kodak EasyShare DX6490 was terrible with indoor pictures. The flash blew everything out and without it the pictures were almost always dark and grainy.
It didn’t come with a case or protective sleeve or anything so to protect my little baby, I decided to make a cute little pocket pouch for it. I used olive green wool felt for the outside and light green fleece for the inside. (By the way, this is my first time working with wool felt and I love it! I bought it almost 2 years ago and I’m finally getting around to using it for something!)
I found a big gray button in my stash that matched the gray contrast stitching (really I was just too lazy to change the thread in my sewing machine) and some green ribbon to make a loop to close it up.
I’m happy with how it turned out and I’m confident it will protect my tiny, slippery little camera. That and making sure I utilize the wrist strap!
Sidenote: I was using a 128 MB memory card with my 7 year old 4 MP camera. It was sufficient for about 100 pictures or 10-15 minutes of video. With my new 12 MP camera, it was only enough for about 30 pictures or a 1.5 minutes of video. I just ordered a new 16 GB memory card (for only $25 on Amazon.com, by the way!) and now I can take over 2,000 pictures or 25 minutes of video. Yay! Also, my 4 MP camera cost over $400 in 2004 but this 12 MP cost less than $100 in 2010.
1 Comment | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: modern design, Family, Family: Jason | Tagged: camera case, Christmas, CoolPix, digital camera, handmade, Nikon, technology | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Christmas 2010
12/30/2010
My last post on our mid-century modern Christmas 2010 is a recap through photos. (I’m still in vacation mentality so most of these are staight-out-of-camera shots.) First, we got together with Jason’s parents, his brother and our sister-in-law (who is 7.5 months pregnant with our niece) at our house for an early, laid-back celebration. We played dominos, ate pizza, opened presents and watched a movie.
Then, for Christmas weekend, we drove with my parents to my brother and sister-in-law’s house in Pennsylvania. We had great weather the whole way. Clear roads and snow on the ground in some places.
Lucy came along. She sat on my lap most of the way. Jason gave me a new camera for Christmas so I was still trying to learn it over the holiday. It’s a Nikon Coolpix. (I got him rain boots and a drill bit & driver set, in case anyone cares.)
This is Lucy’s cousin Queso. She’s wearing a Penn State sweater.
Hi Mama!
My brother-in-law Jeff and my brother Aaron
Jason and I accidentally matched our black and white striped shirts on Christmas Eve.
SISTERS! 🙂
Our Swedish meatballs on Christmas Eve tradition. Jessica, mama and me.
My sister-in-law Laura gave Aaron a pair of thrifted cowboy boots as a joke. The joke is on her when he starts wearing them for real!
Queso got a new toy from Aunt Martina and Uncle Jason.
Jason enjoying his new subscription to Money magazine.
Dad spent a lot of time playing with is new iPad.
Lucy is very tolerant.
Aaron, Laura, my parents.
Jeff’s sister Megan, his dad, Jess and Jeff.
Neko got a new bone from Aunt Martina and Uncle Jason.
Me, Jason, Jessica on Christmas Day 2010
A major snow storm was forecasted to hit Eastern Pennsylvania on Sunday night so we left a day ahead of schedule and headed home a different route, which led us right through Cincinnati were our dear friends live. They generously offered to host us overnight. It was a great Christmas gift to get to see them again this year!
1 Comment | Family, Family: Extended Family and Friends, Family: Jason, Family: Lucy, Family: Me | Tagged: a mid-century modern Christmas, Christmas, Family, framily, friends | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Phone Photo Friday
12/24/2010
One of my fellow graphic designers surprised me with an Angry Bird for Christmas!
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Merry Christmas All! Thanks for reading my everyday ramblings and leaving me comment love just often enough to keep me from quitting. 😉 Hope you have a great weekend celebrating with your loved ones!
1 Comment | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: Phone Photo Friday | Tagged: Angry Birds, cell phone photography, Christmas, Phone Photo Friday | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Modern Gingerbread House
12/21/2010
I wish I could take credit for this but alas, I cannot. I saw it on a blog last year and saved it in my inspiration files. (The blog is now private so there is no point in citing it.) Maybe it will inspire someone else out there, too!
1 Comment | Art, Art: Cooking, Art: crafts, Art: mid-century design, Art: modern design | Tagged: Christmas, gingerbread house, mid-century, modern | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
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:
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.)
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: crafts, Art: modern design, Family | Tagged: Christmas, christmas gift guide, our house | Permalink
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: Christmas, Christmas cards, Christmas decorations, shiny brite, vintage ornaments | Permalink
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.
1 Comment | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: mid-century design | Tagged: Christmas, poster, shiny brite | Permalink
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?
1 Comment | Art, Art: mid-century design, Art: modern design | Tagged: Christmas, evergreen, mid-century modern, wreath | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Christmas 2009
01/04/2010
We had a lovely Christmas. I hope you did, too! Here are some highlights:
Watching home movies on the old reel-to-reel from ranging from 1977 – 1986
Dad’s the only one who knows how to use the projector.
My sister and I rolling the traditional Swedish meatballs on Christmas Eve
Jason said they’re the best he’s ever had (compared to the previous 9 years.)
Jason’s brother Dan and his wife Ginger.
Jason’s parents
Chloe and Jason staying warm by the fireplace
New jeans + funny face + Mom
(I think the look of confusion was because I had just said I left the camera in the car but by the time he was done unwrapping I was standing there with it, taking a picture.)
New hat (t0 match jacket) + new down puffer
Nashville Preds hockey game on Boxing Day. So nice to have Jessica (my favorite sister) and her husband Jeff visiting this year!
Leave a Comment » | Family | Tagged: Christmas, Family, Swedish meatballs, traditions | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
myMCMlife.com 