Cats in the Kitchen, Flora in the Garden

This is my last posting for 2006, I am in the middle of changing over to the new blogger system, so will spend the next few days experimenting, I could do with a new background and fresh layout for the new year, so I am hoping to achieve this and want to come up with something special.

I am just rounding off 2006 by publishing some Christmas photos, that I have just had emailed to me tonight by my daughter, Sweetpea, who took them, they mainly seem to concern food and the Xmas meal! She can be a greedy little girl when the mood takes her.

First, to the right is our Christmas tree with the presents under it, all waiting to be opened on Christmas morning.

The children have returned to London and their own lives now, leaving a house, that for a day or two will seem exceptionally quiet. I did a little bit of tidying after they had gone, but have decided to be very very lazy from today, Saturday, until the day after New Year. The artroom needs a really good sort, as a lot of the Christmas present wrapping took place in there and I stored items in there over Christmas. I shall probably take the decorations down after New Year's day, I don't very often leave them until Twelfth Night, once we hit January, I like to feel New Year Fresh, with new calender, diary, journal, and no Christmas fripperies left hanging.

This was the dining room table almost set for Christmas dinner. We started with the actual Christmas main course this year, as I have noticed when we have starters, no one wants the Christmas Pudding.

I carve the turkey in the kitchen and plate it with the stuffing and place all the vegetables etc, on the table, finally bringing the gravy boat to the table when we sit down.



For some reason, Sweetpea, decided she should have this photographic reminder of what her Christmas dinner looked like! For such a slight, slim girl she does have an exceptionally hearty appetite at times!



This was Sweetpea, wearing what I think must have been her favourite present, a tweed baker boy cap, that are just so in fashion over here at the moment. I don't think she has had it off her head since Christmas Day, except, I presume to sleep.




I must post this photograph of the beautiful tote bag I received off Robyn,it is so beautifully made, and I will really treasure it, I love the hare that is leaping across it, and the green reminds me that spring won't be too long in appearing. Thank you Robyn.



I found these three photographs that I had never posted of my new artroom that I moved into in November. I photographed three sides of it, one side of it has a lot of boxes that I need to sort through before bringing in some bookshelves. That's my drawing and crafting desk, because it is right next to the window.



That's my sewing desk, with its boxes of material underneath. It is piled hight with bits of Christmas wrapping paper and empty boxes at the moment. The bags that hang on hooks on the wall are useful for storing bits and pieces in.

That's the long wall of the room, the other side is the upstairs corridor. The wall hanging is enormous and is from Africa, and is all block printed.

Also thank you to Beth, for the cute snowman and snowman Christmas card etc that arrived in the post today, I haven't had time to take a photo of it yet.

I think that just about tidies up the year, both the good parts and the bad, and now I want to chill out so that in January, I can start up and organise lots of projects I have in mind.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL