Looking Back A Bit to Goals for 2009

As a former special ed teacher, I honestly believe that goals need to be attainable, not just something we reach out to with little to no hope of achieving. It's sort of like loosing weight.

Most of us feel that we need to loose weight. I know I do. I'd like to set a goal of loosing 20 pounds this year. In order to do a reality check on this goal, I have to ask myself a couple of questions.
1) Is it realistic to think I can loose 20 pounds in a year?
2) If so, how am I going to do it?

Last year, about this time, I asked myself what I needed to do to improve my online sales. (Little did I realize, at the time, that the economy would tank.) I set two goals for myself, with one being much more important than the other. My main goal was to improve my photography. Photographing my beads is something I have struggled with since day one.

When I did my reality check, I answered yes to question #1. I then proceeded to develop a plan.
1) I decided to look at my photo set up and, with my dd's help, improve that. (Jenny is a professional photographer. You can visit her Etsy store here.) If she lived in town, I would have just hired her to take the photos for me.
2) Determine which time of day had the best light for me to shoot the beads.
3) Eliminate the glare on the beads.
4) Improve my artificial light.
5) Try to shoot my beads in as much natural light as I could.
6) Improve my photo editing skills.

With Jenny's help, I was able to improve my photo set up. She made me a frame. In the beginning I used white paper as a background. I had read that white was the best background for most beads. Didn't work very well. I eventually went to the garage and found some tiles that were left over from the ceramic floor that was installed in the basement. I also found an old book and a bamboo mat to cover the join in the tiles. I used a light weight piece of white fabric to cover the top of the frame to diffuse the light. I have recently added an old mirror to give my beads a little bit of reflection. Bingo! I now have a respectable photo setup, and the quality of my bead photographs has improved!

I learned that I just don't have enough natural light in my house to shoot my beads. In the winter, it's just too cold to go outside and use the natural light the sun produces!

Since I use Picassa I have limited options when it comes to editing my photos. The good thing is that I honestly can't do any color changes on my beads. If I can, using this program, I don't know how.
I am debating whether I should buy Photoshop Elements. If you use that program, could you give me some feedback? I'd appreciate it.

I think I can give myself an accomplishment on this goal. My bead photos have improved. I'm very proud of that fact.

Goal 2 was taken care of by the Google Data Base. I wanted to improve the names of my beads and bead sets. I have found using the Google Data Base, the best thing you can do to improve your ratings is to spell out exactly what you have in the bead or set and not worry about a fancy name.

This goal was not truly completed, but I did learn from it.

2010 is quickly approaching! Next blog, I plan to look forward.

It's December 27, 2009

Do I look forward or back?
Do I dream of the future
or
Remember the past?
The
New Year,
2010,
will bring changes,
as did
2009.
So, what do I do
for the rest of the year,
Do I look forward
or
do I search my mind
for the past?
What should I do?

Christmas Eve 2009 The Start of the Day

It's now 5:45 AM on Christmas Eve morning. I actually woke up just before 4 AM after going to sleep around midnight.

I looked around the neighborhood when I decided to get up at 5, and my lights were the only ones on. I wish mine were out, but it is a wonderful, quiet time. I'll have to catch a nap a little bit later, I hope. Now, I'm up for the day. Even Pixie, who is now fed and has done her duty outside, is sleeping again. The snow is still falling. I guess we have a lot more to come. Nick is home. Jenny will be home sometime tonight.

I lit the fireplace. It's much warmer in the family room now. Most of the presents are wrapped and ready to be put under the tree. I've hesitated on some because the boxes have food and candy in them. Some are for Jenny's kitties. I think Pixie would take over them if she could. She'd also eat the food. Those presents will be the last under the tree. The luminarias have to be put together. They are our traditional Christmas decorations. We light them after Mass on Christmas Eve to bring the Child of Christmas to our home, and they burn until the wee hours of the morning. Other than cooking the meal for Christmas Eve, the putting together the luminarias is the last chore to be finished. Maybe there won't be a nap today.

Now, I'm off to shower. It's time for the daily ritual to begin. After that, I'm off to torch for a bit. I don't know how long that will last. I seem to have pulled a back muscle. I suspect it was sword fighting with Nick using the Wii. I did beat him in a couple of games though!

Today brings another day of being with my children, and, for that, I am very grateful! I have amazing children! They are adults now, and I love getting to know them as grownups. So, it's time. The Christ Child is coming soon, and we need to be ready for His Birth. This silence allows me to reflect and remember.

May you all be blessed this Christmas season. Merry Christmas to you! Peace, Love and Joy be the blessings you receive on this day of days.

My Facebook Status for 2009

Isn't this fun?
It's a new application I found on Facebook.
If you want to be my friend on Facebook,
here I am!
See you later,
but the tall kid is home.
Christmas has begun!

Hoffman Family Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas!
This year I decided that things needed to change.
I always want to keep up with
family and friends,
but writing Christmas cards
just got to be too much and too expensive.

This year,
this will be the
Hoffman Family Christmas Letter!

No, this isn't Spike. ------------->
I had to put Spike to sleep at the end of August.
That nearly broke my heart.
He was a good dog,
but he had lived way past his life expectancy.
His last week of life was not a happy one for him. We both knew it was time. Jenny was able to come home to be with us during Spike's final hours. I still miss him a lot, but I have a new love in my life.
Her name is Pixie Marie, and she's a wonderful, loving greyhound!
She's a retired racer, and that girl loves to run!
I am so blessed to have been given the gift of this beautiful dog!
She's filled a spot in my heart that needed to be filled!
I am most grateful for that.
If we are "friends" on Facebook, you can see all the photos I have of her there. Most of the photos of Pixie are of her laying down.
She truly is a 45 mph couch potato!













Life continues to be good for us. Nick gave me a wonderful birthday present this year! Jenny and I were gifted by Nick with tickets to a Joshua Raiden concert in the Twin Cities. This is Jenny with Josh Raiden.--------->
We had such a good time that night! I only wish Nick had been able to be there, too!

Speaking of Jenny, she has a new job! She's working for an insurance company in the Twin Cities as a phone center specialist.
Yipee!
She's doing well, and keeping busy! I can't keep up with either Jenny or Nick!
They will both be home for Christmas!
I can hardly wait!


















Nick turned 30 this year!
That is so hard to believe.
I still remember that little boy who only wanted a
big gun for his birthday!
Nick still lives in Chicago and loves it there.
He's moved into a new apartment. While being sick with the Swine Flu, the ceiling in his bathroom collapsed.
That's a very long story, and I won't go into it. He's in a much better apartment now not far from where his old apartment was located.

That was just a brief summary of the year.
Of course many other things happened.
I attended the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee again.
That was so much fun!
I hope to go again in 2010.
Both of the kids were able to be home for my birthday this year.
We had fun.





















This --------------------->
was part of my birthday celebration.
I had a Margarita at the restaurant.
















I was also wearing my
new shoes! ------------------>




Overall, it was a good year!
So, to all of our family and friends,
We wish you peace, love and joy!
Merry Christmas
and a
Happy New Year!
Mallory, Jenny, Nick, and Pixie Marie

Memorial Day 2009

We will not forget your sacrifices.
Thank you!
Peace!

How Spike and I Spent New Year's Eve

You got it! We slept the New Year in! Spike didn't really like the fact that I had to share the bed with him, but he was willing to tolerate me as long as he was comfortable. You'd think he was a cat! Oh, well, Happy 2009!