November’s Freebie Winner!

I hope this finds you filled with gratitude for all your blessings and ready to bestow them on others during this Christmas season.

I’m excited for you to meet the winner of the most recent First Friday Freebie.

Let’s meet –

Freebie Winner Pattie www.midweststoryteller.com

Pattie from Morristown, Tennessee!

Congratulations, Pattie!  I’ve known Pattie for a long time and am thrilled that she keeps up with my blog and entered to win!  Seeing her hold that sign seems so fitting as it’s her way of living life.

Remember that I do send freebies anywhere in the continental U. S., so don’t be shy.  I seem to have many more subscribers than those who enter to win.

Pattie had her name drawn after she commented on the freebie post as directed in the post.  I do have to make it just a little tricky each month in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention. 

You can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month also.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer for the one Pattie won here. 

If you’re reading this and haven’t become an email subscriber yet, please do that today.  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, have enticed you to do that.  I’ve been a little lax lately due to working on edits for my publisher. 

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Coming up on December 1st, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, December 1st, 2023.

I hope you are entering in to the full joys of the Christmas season.  After all, that’s when we received the greatest Gift of all – and it was also free! 

Time to Be Grateful (and time for a Freebie)!

It’s Time to Be Grateful!

I’ll admit it – the world is on fire.  We’re seeing and hearing more hate and discontent on the news lately than we’ve seen in a long time and it’s enough to get you down.

It is so important in this time to remember from whence cometh our help and to pause, lift up thanks to the Giver of every perfect gift, be grateful for all the things we do have and pray for those who are suffering.

This month’s First Friday Freebie might help you prepare for this season of Thanksgiving and serve as a reminder that others might wish they were in your shoes.

Be Grateful Freebie www.midweststoryteller.com

This hammered metal wall hanging with attached twine for hanging measures approximately 8 inches square.  Its “Be Grateful” sentiment is apt for the season and it will fit into any décor.  It’s a great find from Hobby Lobby

To enter to win the “Be Grateful” wall décor, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m grateful for every good thing in my life!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, November 3rd, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

Haven’t subscribed yet?  You’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

Be sure to share my blog with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”. Hey!  The world needs to know.  People have enough news every day to drag them down.  Give them something smile about.

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, November 3rd, by leaving a comment which says, “I’m grateful for every good thing in my life!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

We’ve had a nasty little cold snap that felt like a harsh reminder that winter is about to hit the Midwest.  Then, things came to their senses and returned to where they ought to be, which is sweater weather.  I hope that wherever you are, you can enjoy the glory of the outdoors as long as possible.

Meet Author Diane Yates!

If you are at all within range of KWRT, 1370 AM radio, be sure to tune in and listen to an interview with author Diane Yates on Friday, November 3rd at 8:30 AM.

Diane is a dear friend of mine and as a fellow author has helped me navigate through the world of publishing and I am eternally grateful for that. Would you like to meet her?

If you are at all within driving distance, please join us! Diane will be speaking at 10:00 AM on Saturday morning, November 4th and following that will chat with you at a book signing from 11:00 AM till 1:00 PM. Details are in the photo below.

The bake shop is in the historic district in one of the beautiful old buildings of this river town. You’ll be able to get breakfast and/or lunch there if you so choose.

I’ve interviewed Diane here on the blog as well, so check that out here. Of course, she’s been very busy since that interview and has much more to share and more books for you to enjoy. You can get the latest at dianeyates.com

Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet this wonderful romance author!

Meet October’s Freebie Winner!

It’s time to see who won the most recent First Friday Freebie.  I promise I got it to her in plenty of time for decorating throughout the month, even if I am slow in posting this.

Let’s meet –

Freebie Winner Shirley www.midweststoryteller.com

Shirley from Boonville, Missouri!

Congratulations, Shirley!  This was my “two-fer”, so I hope you enjoy them both.

Shirley is a repeat winner.  She’s learned to enter every single month and that it pays off.  Remember that I do send freebies anywhere in the continental U. S., so don’t be shy.  I seem to have many more subscribers than those who enter to win.

Shirley had her name drawn after she commented on the freebie post as directed in the post.  I do have to make it just a little tricky each month in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention.. 

You can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month also.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer for the one Shirley won here. 

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Just a shameless plug here.  When my soon to be released novel comes out (the first in a three part series), it won’t be free.  Well…perhaps one special copy might just pop up as a First Friday Freebie?  We’ll see!

Coming up on November 3rd, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, November 3rd, 2023.

Enjoy the glories of autumn.  Like the First Friday Freebie, it is fleeting – it’s not here to stay. 

It’s an October Two-fer and It’s Free!

I couldn’t resist.  My favorite season is spring, but my favorite season to decorate for is fall! So, when I found myself choosing a First Friday Freebie for you, I couldn’t make up my mind.  Take advantage of my indecision today because I got both!

Let’s take a look at them.

Fall Decor Give-a-Way www.midweststoryteller.com

The slatted wall hanging on the left measures 13.5” X 9” (not counting the twine hanger) and invites your guests to “Gather Here with Warm Hearts”.  The metal section adds some sparkle and shine against the rest of the rustic wooden slats which are all connected with twine, enabling the whole thing to collapse accordion-style for storage.  This is great if you have limited space as I do.  On the right you’ll see “Leaves are falling – autumn is calling” on a 6” square wooden box that can either perch on a shelf as it is 1.5” deep or hang on the wall.

When I say I was undecided, I really mean it.  I started out with three items and ended up falling in love with one and keeping it for myself. Just true confessions here.

To enter to win the “October Two-fer” wall décor, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Make mine a double, please!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, October 6th, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

Haven’t subscribed yet?  You’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

If you’ve missed my recent post, you’ll want to visit my Food Freedom page and get the recipe for “Lime Sillies” which only takes seconds to make.

ANNOUNCING: The September First Friday Freebie went to Ruth in St. Louis, Missouri! Ruth didn’t have a way of getting a photo to me, so if you’d like to see what she won, check it out here.  Congratulations, Ruth!  I hope this finds a great spot on your wall during “sweater weather”. 

Be sure to share my blog with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”. Hey!  The world needs to know.  People have enough news every day to drag them down.  Give them something smile about.

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, October 6th, by leaving a comment which says, “Make mine a double, please!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

We’ve been doing a few things to beautify our porch and also screening it in.  We’re thinking we may not see much of Phoebe June when she finds out she can get out there and glory in the fresh autumn air.  You get out and do the same and remember – October is a gift!

Introducing…Lime Sillies!

I probably should have passed this one on to you at the beginning of summer so you could enjoy it in the summer months, but since we enjoy it year-round I decided to go ahead and share it now that it has a name.

Lime Sillies www.midweststoryteller.com

I’m quite a lot like Anne of Green Gables when it comes to names. I like a little romance or beauty in a name rather than something ordinary. I, like Anne, would never have called it Barry’s Pond when I could’ve re-named it The Lake of Shining Waters and what is a better name for a blooming orchard than The White Way of Delight? It’s like she’s in my head.

I gave up soda a long time ago – decades in fact. After a while, I actually grew to detest the stuff and the way it made me feel.  However, I do somehow miss the bubbles and had to content myself with the occasional bottle of sparkling water because I’m way too frugal to drink it all the time.

Then I did some bartering one day with a friend who was doing a rummage sale with me.  I traded her some tea tree oil I’d over-bought for a Soda-Stream.  We had lots of fun with successes and fails as we tried various additives and blends to flavor the sparkling water we could now just fizz up in our own machine. (There is a cartridge that you trade in when it’s empty so after your initial purchase you pay only half price when you make the swap.)

We found it to be economical.  We started our first cartridge around July 4th and didn’t run out of bubbles till the middle of September!

Flavorings seemed to be the sticking point.  Smuffy is super picky on taste.  I am super picky on healthy add-ins.  Some of the ones you buy turn your carbonated water right back into soda! 

After a while, I just threw something together one day as a “lime thing” and ended up loving it.  Then I started serving it to guests and they liked it, which is good because when they come to my house I don’t stock “junk” drinks.

I knew this was ready to pass on to you when Lil’ Snookie gave it a name.  All on his own, when he was still two years old, he began to say that anything with carbonation in it had “sillies” and would ask Pookie, his mama, if he could have sillies in his drink.

Now he’s grown to love my invention and almost every day asks me if he can have “Lime Sillies”.

And there you have it!  It needed the perfect name and now it’s ready to share.  No free printable necessary for this recipe because this is all you do –

Lime Sillies

1.  Pour 1” to 1 ½” inches of Real-Lime or fresh lime juice into the bottom of your glass.  (Everyone has a different preference as to how much lime they prefer.)

2.  Add a tiny pinch of mineral salt (not the table salt gunk).

3.  Add 1 doonk of THM Pure Stevia or any on-plan natural sweetener.

4.  Add a couple of drops of pure vanilla extract.

Swirl the glass well or stir the mixture with a spoon before filling the glass with cold, carbonated water.  Add ice if you wish.

NOTE:  You cannot add the ingredients to the water.  You have to add the water to the other ingredients.  For some mysterious reason, dropping the sweetener into the carbonation makes the contents of the glass explode all over the counter.  Ask me how I know.

Also, with a SodaStream, you must carbonate only plain water.  Adding any ingredients to the water prior to pumping in the carbonation will result in more exploding things.  Ask me how I know.

There you have it – Lil’ Snookie’s Lime Sillies!  Fix a glass and head for the porch on these beautiful autumn days.

If you’d really like to see me explode things, check out “Don’t Blame the Cat – The Spaghetti Squash Did It”.  I can’t let Smuffy have all the fun, you know, and you can get a taste of what it’s like to live my Life With Smuffy here also.

I fully disclose that I am a THM Certified Lifestyle Coach and at times receive financial compensation as such.

If you need support in your journey to better health and weight loss, head to the Contact page or my Food Freedom pages on Facebook and Mewe and let me know.  I’ll give you all the info on group sessions which I conduct locally in person on a weekly basis.  Private coaching can be done in person or by phone.  Share with friends and let’s see how many are ready to get Trim & Healthy!

The Trim Healthy Mama Plan is a great way to boost your immune system, reduce inflammation, and certainly to lose weight safely and sustainably if you need to do that. 

Leave a comment after you sip your Lime Sillies and let me know how you like it.  Do you have a carbonation machine of any kind? What are your favorite flavors to add that keep it healthy and make it tasty?

Welcome September and Sweater Weather!

We have arrived.  It’s “relief month” here in the sweltering Midwest.  September means that there is a chance that perhaps even half of the days this month won’t be those that enable you to fry an egg on the sidewalk in less than a minute.  A few of them may even leave your hair without the frizzies.  One or two might even get you out of your flip-flops. Today it is a certainty that you can enter to win my First Friday Freebie.

Let’s take a look at it.

Sweater Weather Wall Hanging www.midweststoryteller.com

I’m a believer in positive confessions, so join me in announcing “Sweater Weather” even if it hasn’t actually made itself felt yet.  This round wooden declaration of crisp days to come measures just under 8 inches in diameter.  The white inset is metal with cutout lettering and leafy embellishments.  It’s just the thing to prop on an easel, tuck into a shelf or hang on the wall using the attached metal hanger or even its twine extender.  This is just one of Hobby Lobby’s great fall items.

This time, instead of just getting one for you and wishing I had one just like it, I went ahead and bought an extra for myself.  Now I’ll have no regrets when this one leaves my house for yours! 

To enter to win the “Sweater Weather” wall décor, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I can’t wait for sweater weather!”  You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, September 1st, 2023.

NOTE:  An occasional problem occurs with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  Should this happen, email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

Haven’t subscribed yet?  You’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.

If you’ve missed my recent post, don’t forget to check out the results of Smuffy’s kitchen remodel!  We are both glad to have the bulk of that ordeal behind us and I can’t wait for you to see how my design and all Smuffy’s hard work turned out! 

Be sure to share my blog with friends and family through all your social media.  They’ll never know about it unless you do.  If you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”. Hey!  The world needs to know.  People have enough news every day to drag them down.  Give them something smile about.

On the “Freebies” page, you can see what readers have been winning every month.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, Septemer 1st, by leaving a comment which says, “I can’t wait for sweater weather!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

Enjoy every bit of pleasant weather coming your way.  I know I’m going to try.  Life for me will fluctuate between getting outdoors to enjoy these days and closeting myself to do final edits on my novel series.  More news on that in the days ahead!

Life with Smuffy (Special Episode – Part 8):  “Smuffy’s 99% Kitchen!”

This was to be my real “TAH-DAH!” moment, complete with video tour, but for some reason my six-minute video refuses to load to my computer. Others have, but no, not this one. I started to get into my “I’ll conquer this one” mode and then remembered how I am trying to simplify my life after being held hostage by this kitchen for so long and gave up. Photos will have to do.

We are 99% finished with Smuffy’s grand kitchen makeover! It’s been a long, long road – years in fact. I won’t count them because every time I do it makes me cry.

Here are some photos of how things turned out.  Due to the lighting, the cabinetry appears at times to be more yellow than it actually is. They are a creamy white with antiquing.  Actual paint colors, along with the process are explained in the links below that cover the journey through this whole process, so be sure to click on those to see the “before” photos to appreciate what miracle Smuffy performed and the “during” photos to see what we endured!

I’m sure if you look closely, you’ll see areas in the trim and such that still need a little work. I’m happy to say that most of those are completed now. I just keep telling Smuffy that I’d like to have the final touches all finished before something actually breaks.

This photo is a straight shot of the kitchen through the double archway of the dining room.  I wanted a homey look where I could display some of my farmy and shabby family heirlooms without them looking out of place.  I think I’ve achieved a look I won’t get tired of anytime soon. The sink base is my design. All the beautiful walnut backsplash is from a tree Smuffy dragged home from the woods and he did the whole thing himself. I chose to add travertine tile down the middle as an accent. I think it’s the highlight of my new kitchen. That, and the furniture-style sink base cabinet which I got to use my artistic talents on. All the cabinets and pull-outs are designed by me and built by Smuffy from scratch and the painting and antiquing is all done by me. Since this photo, the pull-outs you see through the mesh doors have received a dark wood tone so they now “disappear” into the recesses. Did I mention that Smuffy replaced the windows and added all the beautiful framing on them? Yes, he’s pooped. As you can see, Phoebe June is nodding off because this story isn’t about her.

Kitchen Wall with Sinkbase www.midweststoryteller.com

This is a look at the east wall where you can see Smuffy’s custom pantry and the roomy drawers he built.  I love this door which is actually a casement window out of an old house that we stumbled across in an antique mall.  Smuffy made all the adjustable U-shaped shelves and I wallpapered the inside of the pantry. Getting all the shelves and contents in there just right took me an entire day! The pendant light you see here is my mom’s old milk strainer from down on the farm.

Vintage Window Pantry Door www.midweststoryteller.com
Walnut Backsplash www.midweststoryteller.com

Here’s the west wall with the refrigerator, wall oven and dishwasher.  Not many people put their wall oven above their dishwasher, but necessity is the mother of invention, is it not?  I almost wore a hole in my graph paper trying to figure out the appliance placement problem.  There ended up being a compromise between my grand design and Smuffy’s “do you want me to be 105 when I finish this kitchen?” exclamation and that pitiful puppy dog look in his eyes.  At the far end of this west wall is valuable counter space with Phoebe June’s Diner below and cookbook shelving above.  This is a fabulous step up considering this area used to be an exit to the side entry of the house, making it unusable as kitchen space. I have the doors closed in the photo, but above the wall oven is a fabulous built-in Smuffy made which has square cubbyholes that can hold rolling pins, bottles, drying mats and such and above those are tall slots for all the cookie sheets and baking pans. Being a tall cook, having all that up there is perfect for me.

Smuffy's Kitchen www.midweststoryteller.com

Here’s how things look at night when I can turn off the ceiling light (and yes, that is a “fandelier” up there, but somehow it looks way oversized in the photo) and turn on Smuffy’s under-cabinet lights along with the lighted glass upper cabinets.  He has those all wired to switches just as he’s done in the pantry so that not only makes the kitchen look really nice at night, but also spotlights the work areas!  I must also brag on another of his hand-made pendant lights.  I handed him the old pulley from our barn along with my mom’s old colander and showed him a ton of Pinterest pictures.  I think they turned out great and I think Mom would approve of both her contributions to lighting. Smuffy also made the walnut shelving you see on each side of the window. On there you can see the little blue metal box which is my mom’s lunch pail from her one-room schoolhouse days. Also on display are my grandma’s butter churn and mom’s old cookie jar. That little mug goes way back also. I remember being so little I could hardly lift it to drink from it.

Under cabinet lighting www.midweststoryteller.com

My kitchen is a working kitchen. Practicing clean eating and being a certified coach with Trim Healthy Mama means daily meals prepared from scratch. The counterspace I gained has made a huge difference and oh! the joys of getting to have a gas cooktop! I also chose a dishwasher with bottle jets and a third rack and am asking myself where this marvel has been all my life. And the refrigerator! I hear a lot of folks complaining about Samsung refrigerators and felt squeamish about getting one, but when I saw this baby with French doors on both top and bottom, the design won me over. Plus, the lower right freezer section is “flex” and a push of the button transforms this from freezer to refrigerator and back again! I said a prayer when I ordered it that God would send me a peach and not a lemon. We purchased it locally so we could have hometown service on it and a good service plan and we’ve been happy with it.

Smuffy does more than just build things.  My Life With Smuffy page is loaded with stories that will make you laugh, cause your hair to stand on end and probably bump us up to the top of your prayer list!

The kitchen makeover chronicles include my embarrassing “before” photos in “Death of a Kitchen”.  After that, you can catch up with A Glimmer of Hope and Stainless Steel”, “Birth Pains of a Kitchen”“My Not-A-Kitchen Kitchen”“A Trim Healthy Pantry and Some Plywood” and “Transition of a Kitchen”.  Be sure to check those out.

Leave a comment!  I’d love to know what you think of what our efforts have wrought and hear your thoughts after seeing the “before” and “after” photos.  Are you planning a kitchen remodel?  What great ideas are cooking in your brain for design and function?

August’s Freebie Winner

August is fading away, but Midwest Storyteller’s First Friday Freebie winner is just getting started – on Chapter One, that is!

Let’s meet her now  –

Vikki from Boonville, Missouri!

Congratulations, Vikki!  I hope you enjoy your journey through your autographed copy of Diane Yates‘ latest novel, Love’s Fate! Diane tells a good story so be sure to rate and review the book on Amazon. I want to give a special thanks to Diane for donating this copy of her latest release as August’s gift to you!

Lest my readers assume that here at Midwest Storyteller we give away a super-cute babies along with the monthly First Friday Freebie, this is to be be the ignored as media-hype. Neither Diane Yates nor myself would condone such a thing. The baby came attached to the winner and why would anyone disturb such preciousness just to have one’s photo taken. Thank you Vikki for giving us an “Oooh!” peek at the freebie and an “Awww!” peek at that grandbaby.

Vikki had her name drawn after she commented on the freebie offer as directed in the post.  I require that little bit of effort on the part of my readers in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention.  

You can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month also.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer here.

Disappointed that you didn’t win a copy of Love’s Fate? This latest novel and all Diane’s books can be found at dianeyates.com and at iheartpublishing.com which promotes authors with books that hold to traditional values.

Be sure to subscribe to Diane’s newsletter so you can keep up with all her writings!

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

Coming up on September 1st, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, September 1st, 2023.

Meet July’s Freebie Winner!

Due to circumstances that shouldn’t have been beyond my control, I’ve had some sort of “can’t get the freebie into the hands of the winner syndrome” this summer.  Oh, well, better days ahead. 

Let’s meet the July’s winner  –

Freebie Winner Christine www.midweststoryteller.com

Christine from Boonville, Missouri!

Congratulations, Christine!  I hope you make good use of having a pocket-sized U. S. Constitution for yourself and a couple of extras for someone who might need to know what makes the greatest country on earth the greatest country on earth! I always think these make the most meaningful gift I can offer in July as we celebrate the founding of our nation.

Christine had her name drawn after she commented on the freebie offer as directed in the post.  I require that little bit of effort on the part of my readers in order to prevent spam and make sure you’re on your toes and paying attention.. 

You can comment as directed on my post on the first Friday of the month also.  That is all any subscriber needs to do to enter to win.  If you’d like to see other past winners and their gifts check it out here on my Freebies! page.

You can see the original First Friday Freebie offer here.

Not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller?  Hopefully, my freebies, not to mention the stories, recipes and other great content, will entice you to become one – freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  Subscribe with an email you intend to keep and check the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of notifying winners.  If it isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Computers, tablets, smartphones – they each give this blog a different appearance, but you can easily find the subscription area in the menu under “CONTACT”.  Confirm your subscription when the email arrives.  If you’ve don’t receive a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribers get an email reminder each time there’s something new – like when there’s a FREEBIE on the First Friday of every month.

Comment as directed on the post that offers the Freebie and you’ll be entered to win. 

Freebies help me reach more people.  I need you to help me share all the fun with your friends and family.  When you share on MeWe, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free. 

The next freebie winner you’ll see won a free book – not mine (mine’s not out yet) – and that is an example of how sometimes someone is gracious enough to offer a freebie here on my blog.   I love it when people do that!

Coming up on September 1st, you’ll see the new Freebie.  Enter to win that day.  A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight.  Then, check your email in the days following. 

Smartphone reminders help.

Take a moment make yourself familiar with the complete Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

Subscribers, be ready to enter to win on Friday, September 1st, 2023.

These are the days of change. This is the time of year that we all look back at the fun of summer or its grueling chores in the hot sun and ahead to crisp days that haven’t quite arrived but tease us with a day here and there of “nice”. Treasure the last days of August.