What Katie Did

Christmas Socks.........

.........courtesy of Nana!

Christmas Production Line

The production line has been in full swing. I don't think there is anything else in the kitchen that could be covered in chocolate and isn't (this includes Martha)

Dried mango. I am allergic to mango - my face swells up to twice its usual size - not a pretty sight. These will have to be for Geoff!

Florentines waiting to get their bottoms covered with chocolate.

The white truffles are made with cream infused with cardamom and white chocolate. Very delicious! Very rich!
And last but no means least!

Christmas wouldn't be the same without mince pies!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

First - THANK YOU to all the people who have left comments or emails of support for the coming year. I feel very excited to be launching into a bit of unknown and would be very interested to hear more from those of you who are doing the same thing - or something like it, and what your plans are. Hanna asks if I will be posting a photo every day and I think not, because I want to have some 'internet free' days, I feel like I spend too much time sitting at the computer and I need to spend more time DOING rather than READING about other people doing. (But I will be taking lots of photos though!)
Having said that, Blogland is a wonderful source of inspiration for me so I will no doubt spend plenty of time here too.
Here in Northumberland the weather is hovering around freezing.

Then it melts a bit and gets all grey and gloomy and today as the moon is full and bright in the sky, it is frozen again. Martha, who has been in Bristol for months, is really enjoying being home

and tried to persuade Poppy that hard water was OK to walk on

hmmm - not too sure.
Today we went for a walk with Mike, Suse and Flo and their very well behaved dog Benji. Now if you want to see some decent pictures go and spend a bit of time there.

Tomorrow there will be chocolate truffles to show you - just to get everyone in a festive mood!

My Year of Small Things

Welcome to this - my Year of Small Things - starting today - on the shortest day of the year - the day the year turns and begins again.

My decision  to leave conventional employment and step into a simpler way of living was not an easy one to make, but in the end it made itself.

I now have stretching out before me a year of infinite possibilities, challenges, new connections, rediscovering and redefining.

I may have less of some things - money being the main one - but much more of others - time being the obvious one. And I hope to have more opportunity to notice the small things that usually pass me by as I rush from one place to another - always a bit late for this and in the wrong place for that.

Stop everything - slow right down - take it easy - notice more.

Come along for the journey - its going to be fun.

Testing testing 1-2-3

trying some redecoration - how about the pictures in the middle?

how do I make that happen?

Giving it all away!

The Mosrbag distribution went very well indeed. Its lovely to see someone's face when they realise that this is a free, no strings attached, giveaway.

we are not all singing carols here - we're all having a look at the page of information we put together to go into the bags. Look at those intrepid women - a force to be reckoned with!

gratuitous picture of a puppy - a guide dog in training - very well behaved

Then Look North turned up and started interviewing people

It was all very lovely.
And at the end of it all, the sky did this

Amazing planet we live on eh? Worth saving.

A visit to the shed...

...or should I call it an invasion? I used to have small children, I think I was fairly good at it, but I am now completely exhausted and ready for a lie down, And this is because..... I have just entertained Nancy, nearly one, Iris, two and Cala three and their Mums to lunch and Christmas Shed Shopping!

here we are selecting badges

and Nancy and Lara blending in.
We had a visit to the Treehouse for a bounce on the bed


and now I need a lie down.
Anyone who would like to call by the shed for a bit of Christmas Shopping would be very welcome. I have badges and beads and envelopes and book bags and juggling balls and craft packs and some other things. I have been thinking of having a blog shop for ages, and need to get the time to do it properly, but if you are within driving distance and would like to call by, let me know and I'll put on the kettle!

Short on pictures

Alston Craft Fair was a success for me, but I have no photographic evidence of this as I forgot my camera. here is some of the stuff in the car on its way

and much less of it came back - so that is good! And thank you Annie.
I have got a photo of the meal we went to on Friday to celebrate Andy's birthday

It was one of those Japanese places that chucks the food around and is more theatre than meal. I don't think vegetarians are that plentiful in Japan?
Nice cats though.

Well now. There are going to be a few changes around here - I visit lots of blogs - don't we all - and have decided that my page looks d-u-l-l. So when I get time I am going to have an overhaul here on What Katie Did. I find the style people choose for their blogs really interesting. I know where I am on my favourite sites because they have become so familiar to me - Julie on L.C. Rabbits is like this, and Tania - like this and Jennywren like this and so on - and I have grown so used to them. I have lots of favourites that I instantly recognise and feel at home with. Its a bit like being in their kitchen and having a chat. Well - I'm going to decorate my kitchen!
Not any time soon though! What should I chuck out and what should I keep? Oh the decisions!
Have a fun week!