Wanna' see some new beads I made?

Here they are.

Fun, aren't they?

 Here's another one!
This one is going to
Beads of Courage.

 Here are a couple more whispy beads.

You can't see it very well, but this is a whispy bead, too.  It's blue on blue.

How did I learn to make these beads?

These beads are made courtesy of a tutorial in Nikki's monthly
newsletter.
Here's the link.
You will enjoy it.
And while you're there,
sign up.
It's fun to get, and you get to hear first about Nikki's sales!
Enjoy!

My goal to develop and send out a newsletter

was thwarted by a broken computer! My laptop, with my lists, is now on its way to Houston, Texas, where it will be repaired. It won't be back until February, so I decided to use this blog as my newsletter for January and, most likely, February.

I am offering two specials for the rest of January in my Etsy Store.

1) For my returning customers!!!
I love you all! I am offering 10% off of your entire order if you are a returning customer.

a) When you go to the checkout, DO NOT PAY until you receive a revised paypal invoice!

b) To insure that I know you are a returning customer, when you check out, write IMBACK in the note to the seller. I will then calculate your discount and send you a new paypal invoice. Then, you may pay!

And that's not all!!!!
2) This special is for EVERYONE!

All my discs will be on special for 10% off.

a)Again, DO NOT pay at checkout! I'm not going to mark them down in my Etsy store. I will calculate your discount on the revised paypal invoice.

b) In the note to the seller write
DISCS. I will then send you a revised paypal invoice. Then, you can pay.

RETURNING CUSTOMERS:
If you order discs from me, and that's all you order, you will end up receiving a 20% discount on your order. Not bad for someone who comes back for a visit.

So. go shopping! Enjoy!

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