Snuggles with the new Kitty Thea

July 5, 2015 By Karen Mitchell

I’ve finally finish both of my scrap yarn projects, snuggle blankets for our cats, Tigger and Thea. Here’s a photo of Thea I shared on Instagram a while back with her blanket.

via Instagram

I crochet a large granny square in acrylic 8ply/DK yarn in interlocking stripes and backed it with fleece fabric and finished it with a shell border. My favourite part of this blanket is the skip blade I bought for my rotary cutter. It cuts small slits in the edge of the fleece so I can attach the backing fabric to the granny square.

The next crochet project is a significantly larger one called Sophie’s Universe.

Focus on Life – Week 7

February 16, 2013 By Karen Mitchell

This year I am taking part in a photo challenge set up by Sally of Studio Sublime. Each week Sally sends the participants a word prompt and the following Saturday we will post our photo interpretations on our blogs, Flickr or Instagram. Follow me (MixedMediaJewel) on Instagram or follow the hash tag #focus1photoaweek.

Week 7 – Beauty of Flowers

“A single flower with it’s beauty has the ability to lift our spirits and bring a sense of happiness to our souls. The sheer sight of flowers can evoke feelings of excitement, positivity and enhance our well being. This week take a moment to bring a little happiness to your soul and enhance your well being.”

I thought I’d share some of the last remaining flowers in our yard this Summer. Although the temperatures have been mild, it’s been very dry here in the Hills, so everything is dead or near enough. Australia is the driest continent on the map and South Australia is the driest state in Australia. So, after that lesson in geographical meteorology…

The only thing flowering at our place at the moment is the Potato Creeper.It’s doing its best to take over the back yard, even the shade from the Bay tree and the Walnut tree can’t slow it down! Looks very tropical doesn’t it? It’s our very own oasis in the desert, all I need now is a pineapple cocktail with a little umbrella!

I must take you on a photographic tour of my Mum’s garden, half an acre of cottage garden, fruit trees and a vegetable patch that fills two freezers with produce. The cutting from the creeper came from Mum’s garden, she prunes hers into a hedge, I just let mine go wild!

Focusing on Life – Week Two

January 12, 2013 By Karen Mitchell

If your looking for the Memories and Thanks Blog Hop please click here.

Week Two – Word or Resolution for 2013

Well this is an interesting one. Your might remember here I was not going to chose a word for this year or even make New Year’s resolutions. Instead I made a list of goals for the year, no pressure just things to keep in mind throughout the year.

As I looked at my list, trying to find a word that felt right, I realised that the one thing I needed was FOCUS.

52 Week Challenge – Week 6 and 7

February 21, 2012 By Karen Mitchell

This is week 6 and 7 of my 52 Week of iPhoneography Challenge. Subscribe (via RSS or email) or follow me on Instagram to see my progress throughout the year.

Week 6

I suppose one of the benefits of a mild summer is that there have been some spectacular sunsets. Not sure about sunrises though, although I’m up early enough to look I’m not awake enough to take any photos.

The only editing this photo has is a crop and frame. I did however use the white balance when I took this shot as it was just a little dark.

Week 7

This weeks photo was one I couldn’t resist. My SIL is a bit of a wiz in the kitchen and with this year’s crop of blackberries a bumper one a massive jam cook up was called for. Now, one thing about my SIL is that she likes playing with recipes (you should taste her ice creams). Blackberry and Vanilla Bean (real vanilla bean) is absolutely delicious!! In most blackberry jams the seeds are quite noticeable but in this jam you hardly know they are there. I’d love the know her trick.

This jar won’t last long! This photo was edited with the Luminance app and the frame is courtesy of Frametastic.

52 Week Challenge – Week 3 and 4

February 9, 2012 By Karen Mitchell

This is week 3 and 4 of my 52 Week of iPhoneography Challenge. Subscribe (via RSS or email) or follow me on Instagram to see my progress throughout the year.

These are the last of the Instagram Photos taken with my iPhone 3GS. Next week I’ll share photos taken with my iPhone 4S

Week 3

This is a photo taken of my Mother’ garden, looking out of the dining room.

Mum has recently had some significant work done on her house. Fifteen or so years ago she had an extension built onto her home, adding a family room and bedroom with ensuite and walk-in robe. Last year, just before she retired, she had the “cathedral” built. We call the pergola the “cathedral because of the very high roof. The garden bed in this picture is on the edge of the pergola.
week3

Edited with Photoforge II and Instagram

This year, just after Christmas 2011 she called in the builders again and knocked down the wall between the kitchen and dining room and installed a door in what was the dining room window. After New Year the kitchen was gutted and a new kitchen installed. She hasn’t stopped cooking since.

I’ll have to take some more of my 52 Week Challenge photos in my Mother’s garden, it really is quite beautiful.

Week 4

This photo was taken at my SIL on Australia Day. I just couldn’t resist the label of the wine bottle “The Postmistress”. This is taken from the winemaker, Henrys Drive website.

“A woman of unimpeachable rectitude, the Postmistress is trusted to preserve the town’s mail affairs. Her nimble fingers sort carefully wrapped parcels, letters from distant places and a single postcard, written in a familiar hand. Whilst eager young men queue daily for her attention, for the Postmistress there is only one man who always delivers.”

week4

Edited with Photoforge II and Instagram

For any one who is curious the bottle is sitting on the outside bar that was made by my Hubby as a gift for his brother. It consists of two wine barrels topped with a Redgum slab with the bark still attached. Doors were installed in both the barrels for wine glass storage. Next time I at the in-laws I’ll take a photo of the bar, it looks quite good especially since some heavy duty castors have been installed to make it moveable.