Christmas was a lovely day at the Whatman house! I was up early making Chocolate Chip muffins. It is a tradition that we started long ago and my boys wait all year for them. Trevor and Rose arrived around 10am with a surprise breakfast. We then proceeded to open presents. Another tradition in our family is to prolong Christmas morning by opening the presents one at a time. We even do this when opening gifts in the stockings. We like to make the morning last! We spent the rest of the day watching movies, playing games and eating! I think I do the "eating" the best! I don't know why I think that all food consumed on Christmas Day has no calories! I was eating chocolate bars before noon! Not to mention muffins, peanuts, M&M's, nuts and bolts... all before our turkey dinner! I was a mad women! Speaking of which...my sister gave me the DVD first season series of Mad Men. I have watched several episodes and have enjoyed every one! We watched one on Christmas Day and my boys told me to stop talking. I kept repeating, "We had one of those", or "I remember that"! The series takes place in 1960 and the clothes and set and everything is dead on to the era! I just love the show! I want to wear my hair with a flip, wear a pointed bra and put on pair of white gloves! The show has won all sorts of awards. It is so neat to see familiar dishes, furniture and clothes. The one thing that you have to get use to when watching the series is that everyone smokes. They smoke at work, at home, when pregnant. They smoke at all times and everywhere!

I managed not to craft on Christmas Day! But, I have done lots since. I am ready with the handouts and kits for January. I am starting to make the samples for the Convention in March. Wait until you see the wallet card. It is just TOO cute. I actually made one a gave it to Howie for his birthday, which was yesterday. He said that he was taking it to work to display on his desk! What a guy!

Well, it is time to put Mac to sleep and for me to say good night. Good Night!

I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Holiday season! Thank you for following me on my Blog. I enjoy making entries and sharing my life stories with you. I love that there are so many of you that are interested in what I am up to! Wishing everyone a healthy and prosperous 2010, full of great friendships and happy times!

I have come to the conclusion that I am not Super Woman! I have been madly trying to complete samples for January classes so that I can take pictures, write the class descriptions and get the Newsletter together and emailed out by tonight! Well, it's not going to happen. I ran out of juice and I ran out of time! I guess I am not Super Woman with the ability to do 3 things at once. Darn it anyway. I had to sleep and do a few things for Christmas!! I will continue working on the samples tomorrow. I did complete the Scrapbook Recipe Album. People have been asking for this class. I used Cosmo Cricket paper and it is so darn cute. I love the album and it will make a great gift for someone special!! I also made 6 cards using the new "Boy Themed" sheet of cards. What fun that was. I was able to include Velvet tape, ribbon iris folding, paper punches and a spinner card. You will love the cards. I have the "Scrap-a-page" almost completed using the new foil paper with a winter theme. I haven't found any pictures to use, so Daisy might have to pose in the snow for me tomorrow morning!!

I was madly painting an ornament this weekend. I always made an ornament for my boys, nieces and nephews for Christmas. Once the kids got to 18 or 19, I stopped. That leaves Carrie (17) and Kara (13) to send ornaments to. I made one for Kara this year and forgot Carrie! She asked me if I would send her one this year, as it is a tradition that she loves. Both my sister's kids still lay all the ornaments out in order of the year and then take turns putting them on the tree. It is a lovely tradition and I certainly won't forget again to keep it going!! I am going to finish watching Tim Holtz's DVD. I am getting lots of ideas for the upcoming "Tim's Techniques" class that will be starting in January. More samples to make!

Just a note to let you know that if you subscribed to my posts by email, you can click on the "& more" that is above the post in your email and that will take you to my Blog. That way you can see the slide shows and pictures on my blog. Also, leave a comment!! I would love to hear from my followers!!

Here are the recipes that I promised to post:

Elsie's Potatoes (from ENJOY! the Best of Bridge cookbook)

5 lb. potatoes

1 pkg. cream cheese soften

1 cup sour cream

pinch of pepper

2 tsps. onion salt

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter/marg.

Cook and mash potatoes very fine. Add all ingredients. I whipped them with the mixer. Put into a large greased casserole and dot with butter. Bake covered for 30 minutes @ 350.

**Note: My mom says nothing heats properly unless it's in the oven for 45 mins!

If making ahead cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze. Thaw before baking. Serves 10-12

Cranberry-Sour Cream Mold

1 can mandarin oranges (keep syrup)

1 pkg. large cherry Jello

3/4 cup boiling water

1 can whole cranberry sauce, drained

1/2 cup sour cream

Combine Jello and water. Add cranberry sauce and orange syrup. Chill until partially set. Beat until light and fluffy. Fold in oranges and sour cream. Spoon mixture into mold. Chill until firm.

Note: This has been a staple at our Christmas dinner for as long as I can remember and always in the old Tupperware jelly mold with the tree lid!

Howie and I went to his work Christmas Party last night. It was at the Convention Center and over 800 people attended! Can't say that it was intimate, but very enjoyable. I usually have a hard time at events like this because my mind is always "crafting" and I am thinking I should be spending the time doing something constructive! Luck was with me and I was able to turn the crafts OFF and turn the relax ON! It was nice to get dressed up and have a date with my husband! I am going to visit Shelmerdine's Garden Supply on Monday to browse through their Christmas Gift Shop. A trip like that really puts one in a Christmas mood! Speaking of Christmas, I am almost finished my shopping! Actually, Kevin did most of it for me, but the job is almost complete! I will do the Stocking shopping myself. Would you believe that my Mom still fills my stocking! She may live far away but every year she sends wrapped items for Howie to fill my stocking with. I love it and it is a tradition that has been going on for 56 years!! It is something that I look forward to every Christmas.

Classes for the month of November were over the top in attendance! I had a couple of classes that were 16 and 19 ladies!!! Card making has been huge this year! The most popular papers were red card stock and Mirri paper. A new shipment of both will be here on Wednesday. Scor-pals will be back in-stock on Thursday. There are 3 Calendar Kits left out of 80! Now that is wonderful! I am so happy that there will be that many people out there receiving such a memorable gift this Christmas. Well, today is a day of house cleaning, gift wrapping and I had better do a couple of hand-outs for kits that I have been working on. I have started to make "Scarp-a-page " kits for the Convention in March. Have an enjoyable Sunday.

I am so happy that "Marilyn's Favorite Fonts" was so well received! Put the CD in your disc drive and it will open up. If a folder is visible then double click on it to open it up. You should see all the names of all the fonts. Now, leave that alone and open up another window by clicking on the START button (bottom left corner) and click on CONTROL PANEL. In the Control panel you should find a FONT folder. Double click on it to open it up. Now you have two windows open: one with my fonts and one with your fonts. You can SELECT ALL of my fonts by highlighting them, then click and drag and drop them over to your font folder, or you can click and drag and drop each of my fonts individually. If you already have one of my fonts a box will appear asking if you want to replace it. Just say no or cancel. There you go, now you have my favorite fonts! Enjoy!

I am wrapping up my Christmas projects. Not actually wrapping them with paper, but finishing them! I just completed a page for my nephew, Sean. I plan on framing it for him for Christmas. I was lucky enough to have a Graduation picture of him from Kindergarten and Grade 12! I love the layout, and I know he will too! I finished my Mom's 8x8 album on our trip to Cabo. I loved making it too! I also finished up 2 more Heritage albums for gift giving. My oldest son Trevor has asked for a framed photo of his Grandparents Wedding picture. Luck was with me and I got a great frame that says Grandparents around the perimeter. He will be thrilled with it! I have a turkey cooking at the store today, which not only makes the store smell like Christmas, but it is making me very hungry! Wishing everyone a great weekend!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...finally! I got the store decorated for the season, with garland and snowmen and lights. I now have to decide if I want to do this all again at my house. I am thinking that I will be Mrs. Bah Humbug and not bother to decorate at home! It makes no difference to the men in my life if the house is decorated for Christmas. As long as we spend time together and have a turkey dinner, they are happy campers!

Carole had a wonderful birthday today. She had so many Birthday wishes from friends and customers and she gathered up lots of SOCKS! Siloam Mission will be very happy with everyone's donation.

I finished and mailed the 5 Heritage albums that I had been working on for my Uncle. He lives in Orillia, ON and he is giving the albums to his children ( my cousins) for Christmas. He is an artist, a cartoonist actually for Playboy. Remember "Mr. Mugs" from a school reader? He drew good old Mr Mugs too! Artistic talent runs in the family!! I use to love to draw. I remember getting a "Learn to Draw with Jon Gnagy" Kit for Christmas one year and it was the best gift ever! I would draw and doodle on anything and everything. I cake decorated for 17 years and was able to use my love of drawing and apply it to my cakes. Back them there wasn't "photo cakes" and computer generated cake designs. The gel pictures on the cakes were done by hand. I would draw the image that was ordered and transfer that image on to the cake and then "color" it in with cake gel. That was way back when...I remember doing a cake for Dale Hawerchuk when he played for the Jets...so like I said it was a few years ago!!

Back to the present, or should I say presents! I am now working on albums for my Mom and sisters and I have almost completed them! All other gifts will be in the form of gift cards. Every time I taught the gift card class, I made some for myself. Smart thinking, eh?!

There still calendars left and you still have time to create one for that special someone. I made one for my Aunt. She had been on a trip to Italy recently. My cousin posted pictures of the trip on Facebook, so I copied and printed them from there. The pictures look great on the calendar and my aunt will be pleasantly surprised with her gift this year!

Check out Tim Holtz' blog for the 12 Days of Christmas Tags. They are amazing. He is one talented guy!