Between Christmas parties, cookie making, work, present wrapping and working on CCM, I’ve been finishing up two sets of Bicycle Built for Two wedding stationery this week. This is just one of several sets of wedding invitations available through my etsy.com shop Light Hand Design. It may not have anything to do with mid-century modern homes and housewares but I love designing wedding invitations! (Shameless self-promotion.)
Front of invitation, RSVP card & thank you card:
Backs:
3 Comments | 
Art, Art: graphic design | Tagged: bicycle built for two, graphic design, stationery, tandem bike, wedding invitations | 
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Posted by mahlbrandt
I love my vintage Shiny Brite ornaments … as you can see from my Christmas decor the past few years. This year I was inspired to make a Christmas poster to add to our decor, ya know, being a graphic designer and all. I scanned one of my Shiny Brite boxes and made a design based off of it. I had so much fun making these.
The first one is the original.
I know it’s hard to read at this size … I changed the words to read “Wishing You a Shiny Brite Christmas.”
I’d sell this poster in my etsy shop but I have a feeling I’m infringing on copyrights here.
I’m going to order the last one for my home – brown, red and white. I’m thinking white frame.
Which color combination do you like best?
4 Comments | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: mid-century design | Tagged: christmas decor, graphic design, mid-century modern christmas ornaments, poster, shiny brite | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Have you seen the commercial for the new HP TouchSmart PC? As a devote Mac-user, normally an HP (or any PC) commercial would not excite me. But this got my heart a-racing! Mac has been using touchscreen technology with the iPhone for years now so I don’t know why a touch screen computer like this caught me by surprise.
Can you imagine the possibilities for an artist/designer? Envision Photoshop that you can manipulate with your fingers on the screen. After years of doing art and graphic design through a mouse cursor controlled by one hand, I’m so excited about the idea of getting both hands into my work, so to speak. We’ve perfected the scroll ball, the subtle right hand movements and fingers on the track pad; how cool would it be to get to use our fingers to actually draw, paint, cut, smudge, shadow, enlarge/shrink, turn …
Does this potential excite anyone else??
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: modern design | Tagged: graphic design, hp touchsmart, technology, touch screen | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
I love the variety that comes with doing freelance work. Today I finished a web site design for a dentist office, resized an ad for a masters program at a university, cut up some business cards for a guitarist and designed/printed/cut fliers for a guitar teacher. And that was all after work!
Tonight was some catch up work. Feels good to get a bunch of things knocked off my to-do-list after a couple of really busy weeks. (The last 2 projects listed are for my lovely husband. He doesn’t pay me but he’s still my favorite client…and if he’s successful, I benefit too, so it all comes around.)
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: graphic design | Tagged: business cards, fliers, freelance, graphic design, web site design | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
Have I ever mentioned that I actually have a real full-time job? I mean besides collecting MCM junk from dark, dusty corners of the earth? Besides baking sweet treats and crafting? Well I do … I have a very cool job as graphic designer and art director at a Christian publishing (magazines & websites) company.
For part of my job, I collect a bunch of images of covers for books, movies and CDs that are being reviewed for a youth worker resource guide. There is a lot of good design out there, especially that which is targeted towards young professionals. And sadly, there is a lot of mediocre design, too. Occasionally a book cover design really stands out to me. Here are a few good ones from my latest collection:
Ok, so the first one isn’t really that special. But isn’t that umbrella cute? Fun rain gear makes rainy days so much better. The second one isn’t super cool either but I do like the use of texture mixed with sleek graphics.
I like this third one because I’m a minimalist and I like that the font is uncommon AND the title placement is creative. I’m a fan of the watercolor map of the world on the Matt Papa cover. I tried to do something once with watercolors on one of my hubby’s band’s CD design and it didn’t come out anywhere near this cool.
My whole point in writing this post was to celebrate this fifth book cover. I love it! It’s got several things going for it: 1. Nice use of texture & color & depth, 2. Good hierarchy & order, 3. ORIGINAL illustration (I am so sick of seeing stock photos used on book covers!) and—what really did it for me— 4. Unique typeface. It’s so nice to see something other than the typical sans serif fonts used on a book cover.
Isn’t it lovely? Have you seen any particularly good book covers lately?
Leave a Comment » | Art, Art: graphic design, Art: modern design | Tagged: book cover design, graphic design, job | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
The second “love painting” is finally done and hanging above the new mcm credenza in our bedroom. (Did you see Love Painting #1?) Hubby and I quite pleased with it and we’re already talking about doing more paintings like this.
1 Comment | Art, Art: crafts, Art: modern design | Tagged: crafts, graphic design, modern design, painting | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
One of the projects I have the privledge of designing at my job is a quarterly online magazine called CCM Digital. It’s a new release guide featuring faith-based music that’s being released during the quarter. Each issue also features 1 or 2 special sections. In this issue the special features are on worship music and the Christian indie music market.
Check it out, even if you’re not a Christian music fan. The online magazine format is pretty unique as it incorporates hyperlinks, videos and audio right into the “magazine,” which has flipping pages. I hope you enjoy the design, too. This publication is truly a labor love for me, the editor and the other designer who pull this together every 3 months.
Do you read any other digital magazines or online catalogs? What are your favorites?
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Posted by mahlbrandt
On Valentine’s Day this year hubby and I decided to do an impromptu painting together. Somehow it got nicknamed “the love painting.” I really enjoy abstract paintings, especially those done quickly, because they capture the emotion, the passion, the energy of the moment in which they’re created. This is abstract but also graphic. It means something very specific and personal to us.
This week, hubs and I are planning to create Love Painting #2. We have a big empty space in our bedroom above our new dresser. Last night we procured a scrap piece of plywood. And now I’ve come up with some ideas for a meaningful graphic overlay. Look for the a picture of #2 next week!
Sidenote: we desperately need a mid-century modern chair to replace that poang.
3 Comments | Art, Art: crafts, Art: mid-century design, Art: modern design | Tagged: crafts, graphic design, modern design | Permalink
Posted by mahlbrandt
A co-worker just passed this on to me. Very fun use of Macromedia Flash. I think you’ll enjoy it even if you aren’t familiar with Flash:
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Posted by mahlbrandt
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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