Free Jewelry

Belated Freebie Announcement:  Better Late Than Never!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 2 Comments

Stuff happens.  And if you’ve been keeping up here, you know that it’s been happening in my kitchen.  We’re nearing completion, but at the time when I should have been announcing the October First Friday Freebie winner, it was really happening!  Then, there was an email glitch and the winner didn’t get notified in a timely manner and I didn’t get it mailed out in a timely manner.  I also didn’t get the announcement made.  I’m starting to think that time has no manners.

Anyhow, give a belated cheer to October’s winner  –

Jean from Hurricane, Utah!

Congratulations, Jean!

It is news to me that they have hurricanes in Utah, but maybe Jean could give us some history behind that name in the comments.

I love interesting town names.  Once, in high school, my best friend and I got hold of an old zip code directory and found ourselves in fits of hysterical laughter as we perused the pages.  I must do that again sometime on some gloomy day when I need a lift.

Jean won the pretty necklace you see her wearing in the photo and she agrees with me that it is much prettier than it appears in photos.  Jean has won a First Friday Freebie in the past, so check out all the past winners and their gifts here on my Freebies! page.

The necklace was a Factory Connection find and you can see the original freebie offer here. 

If you’re not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller they might entice you to become one – First Friday Freebies are for email subscribers only.

NOTE:  If you enjoy entering to win, please make sure you subscribe with an email you intend to keep and will likely be checking the week after the drawings.  This is my only means of letting winners know they’ve won and so if your email isn’t up to date, you may not get your gift!

Look for the subscription area.  It’s easy to find on the “CONTACT” page and after subscribing, confirm your subscription when the confirmation email arrives in your inbox.  If you’ve done that and not received a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com – it seems that from time to time, a subscription will get “stuck”. 

Subscribing is the best way to avoid missing what’s new here on the blog because you’ll 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 with my stories, recipes and more.  When you share with all your friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  Are you catching on this is a free thing?

Coming soon:  December’s First Friday Freebie – that takes place on Friday, December 3rd.   You’ll see a photo of the Freebie and you can enter to win at any point all day that day.  Don’t forget to check the email that you used to subscribe for notification that you’ve won.

A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing. 

ONCE AGAIN (because you tend to forget):  Should your name be drawn as the winner, you will be notified via the email you used to subscribe.  That means you’ll need to check your email often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the prize from being offered to someone else.

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

These four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on Friday, December 3rd, 2021. 

Next up:  November’s winner – in a more timely manner.  

This Freebie Brings Bling!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 8 Comments

The sounds of autumn are coming through the open windows of my office as I type this and I marvel that I find it a pleasant sound when it is actually a multitude of the insect host singing whatever it is they sing to each other this time of year.  God bless the one who invented window screens.  The sound does signal the end of heat and humidity and that’s a good thing. 

It’s almost three more weeks until the season changes officially, but you’re right on time for the September First Friday Freebie!  Let’s take a look.

Once at a ladies’ function, we played a “getting to know you” game where we had to jot down on a piece of paper “two things you love and one thing you hate” and toss the paper into the bowl.  When the bowl makes a second pass around the room, someone else draws your paper and tries to guess who may have dropped this list into the bowl.  I remember that when I played this, one of the things I jotted down that I loved was jewelry.  I do love a bit of bling.  I could so keep this freebie, but it’s all yours.

This pretty necklace by Accessory Connection is a long one.  It has an adjustable chain section that extends from 32” to 35”.  The “Y” section at the bottom adds an additional 2.5”.  This makes it great to throw on over all your great fall sweaters and tops.  Double chains of both black and gold (not visible in the photo) meet up with the beaded section which has iridescent beads in black, pale amber and a color I can’t decide whether it is a smoky blue or a smoky purple.  A small stone in the “Y” section hovers above a teardrop pendant that I’d describe as a golden caramel color. 

I took several photos trying to get the colors to appear as they do in reality, but the bottom pendant seemed to look washed out in every single one.  Anyhow, it’s prettier than the photo.

Factory Connection is a great store to find cute jewelry and other accessories along with some fashion clothing.  I don’t get there often, but when I do I often find great prices on items like this freebie.  Check out their website here for locations near you.

To enter to win the beaded necklace, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying “Bring me some bling!”.  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, September 3rd, 2021.

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.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so you’ll want to subscribe over on the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so.

I hope you get excited about winning freebies and share them and my blog stories with your friends and family through all your social media. If you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

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, September 3rd by leaving a comment which says, “Bring me some bling!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here. 

Why not subscribe and confirm right now before you forget?

While you’re waiting to find out if you’re the winner, you’ll love a good Smuffy story – the most popular thing on my blog. Our Smokin’ Hot Honeymoon is a great place to start.

May your windows be open, may your hair un-frizz and may you sniff the first hints of fall!

Announcing February’s First Friday Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 1 Comment

My February Freebie got all caught up in the snow, snow and more snow, which had me confined more than usual.  Once things finally cleared up, I was able to get it to the winner –

 Christine in Boonville, Missouri!

 Congratulations, Christine!  Enjoy your gift and thank you for subscribing and entering to win.

If you’d like to find out what’s inside the cute, sparkly box Christine is holding, see the original freebie offer here.

You can see past First Friday Freebies and their winners on my Freebies! page here.  If you’re not yet a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller they might entice you to become one – First Friday Freebies are for email subscribers only.

Christine entered her email in the subscription area here on the blog and then confirmed her subscription when the confirmation email arrived in her inbox.  If you’ve done that and not received a confirmation email, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com and let me know as I am trying to work out a few bugs with that. 

Subscribing is the best way to avoid missing what’s new here on the blog because you’ll 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 with my stories, recipes and more.  When you share with all your friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, you’ll give them the opportunity to subscribe and win also.  Subscribing is free.  Freebies are free.  Get the idea?

Coming up:  March’s First Friday Freebie!  That takes place on Friday, March 5th.   You’ll be able to see a photo of the Freebie and enter to win all day that day.  Don’t forget to check the email that you used to subscribe for notification that you’ve won.

A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing. 

REMEMBER:  Should your name be drawn as the winner, you will be notified via the email you used to subscribe.  That means you’ll need to check your email often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the prize from being offered to someone else.

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

These four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on Friday, March 5th, 2021.

Are you ready to hop into spring?  March’s Freebie will put you in the mood!

Everyone Loves a Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

January is bitter and devoid of Christmas.  March is raw, teasing with its two or three nice days and threatening to never end.  But February?  Right spang in the middle of it, its redeeming quality, Valentine’s Day, comes to brighten up what would appear to be just another set of footprints plodding through the snow and slush till spring.  It doesn’t hurt that chocolate usually enters the picture, too! 

While I had no way of sending you chocolates and my little Sweetheart Valentine has kept me from getting a homemade set of Valentine cards made for you, I do have a bit of cheery bling to offer.

Take a look –

Tortoiseshell Pendant www.midweststoryteller.com

This beautiful pendant on a 28”-30” gold-tone chain followed me home.  It’s from Accessory Connection and I just loved all the movement in the tortoiseshell pieces hanging from the black faceted embellishment, not to mention the detail in the chain that adds the extra sparkle. 

To enter to win the pendant and chain as a Valentine for yourself or for someone you love, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Be My Valentine, Midwest Storyteller!”  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, February 5th, 2021!

NOTE:  There seems to be a problem here on the blog with people trying to subscribe and not receiving their confirmation email.  If this has happened to you, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com and let me know so that I can report all these instances and have the issue solved.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so hop on over to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page and subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so.

Your friends will enjoy the stories, recipes, laughter and, of course, the FREEBIES here on the blog, too, so share with all your friends and family through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest.

Subscribers win every single month!  On the “Freebies” page, you’ll be able to see who they are and what they’ve been winning.

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Be My Valentine, Midwest Storyteller!”

And now, click here are the complete rules.

Those four steps are simple and quick!

Take advantage of this “month of love” by sending some Valentines!  I know, I know, it gets all commercialized, but you must admit, we don’t spend enough time telling friends and family how much we love and appreciate them.  Let’s let all the commercialism serve as a nudge. The simplest note or a treat wrapped in red tissue is all it takes to make someone feel special

Subscribe now if you haven’t already, and confirm in your email before you forget!  (See note above concerning subscription issues.)

I type this at the end of a raw, blustery day.  Is that the distant call of spring I hear?  Never mind, I think it’s the Roomba. 

Comments or questions?  Share some of your simple ideas for making someone feel loved and appreciated on Valentine’s Day. 

September’s Freebie Winner!

~ Midwest Storyteller

The month of September and summer have slipped past in a whirlwind.  So much so that here it is October and I am just announcing September’s First Friday Freebie winner.  Have you forgotten these beautiful “paper” earrings?

Paper Earrings www.midwetstoryteller.com

No, I didn’t forget to give them away.  They found their new home soon enough –  it was the announcement that lagged.

Let’s meet the winner and wearer –

Ginger from Prairie Home, Missouri 

They look just great on you, Ginger!  At their core, these lovely earrings really are paper.  Many steps are included in the process that transforms them so that they look like metal under glass.  You can see the original post offering the earrings here.

Congratulations, Ginger, and enjoy!

All Ginger had to do was comment as directed when she received her email on the first Friday of the month.  That’s all it took to enter her name into the drawing.

Freebies are my way of reaching out to more folks who might enjoy the various stories, recipes and more here at Midwest Storyteller.  Why not share with all your friends via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest so they’ll be able to subscribe?  Subscribing is every bit as free as the freebie!

Freebies happen every month.  You might be wondering if the gifts are worth the effort. Check out my Freebies page to see the winner and the free gifts they’ve won.

 The October drawing is coming on up Friday, October 4th.

A winner is chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight on the day of the drawing by leaving a comment as instructed in the post. 

An important thing to remember is that should your name be drawn as the winner, you will be notified via the email you used to subscribe.  That means you’ll need to check your email often in the week following the drawing so that you can respond and keep the prize from being offered to someone else.

Be sure to take a moment make yourself familiar with the Freebie Rules by clicking HERE.

These four simple steps will have you ready to enter to win on October 4th, 2019.

Leave a comment!  Have you ever tried making your own jewelry? I’d love to hear your creative ideas!

September’s Freebie Dangles Just Within Your Reach!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 11 Comments

I’ve been feeling artsy again, and one of my original designs might just be yours if you’re the winner of September’s First Friday Freebie!

Perhaps you remember an earlier post here in which I discussed my handmade “paper jewelry”.  My newest creation is in a lattice design that I think you will love.  The photo does not do them justice. They are high gloss, with each little opening in the lattice shimmering in the light. These earrings measure 1 3/8” long (2 1/8” with the hook included).  Though they have the appearance of metal under glass, they are light as air with a crystal clear coating for durability that adds depth and beauty to the distressed pattern underneath.  The smoky stone in the center adds just that bit of extra sparkle to catch the eye.  The hinged clasps flip up to secure the hooks so you don’t have to worry about losing them.

Whether you wear them with now with summery clothes or with fall outfits that we’ll all be wearing in the next couple of weeks, they’ll be a great addition to your overall look.  Not a jewelry wearer?  Go ahead and enter to win!  What a unique handmade gift idea for someone on your gift list in the coming holiday season!

To enter to win the Paper Jewelry earrings, all you need to do is comment on this post, saying, “Free jewelry gives me joy!”  (I know it does for me – I’m somewhat of an addict.) You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, August 6th, 2019! 

Important:  Once you’ve entered, you MUST keep checking the email address you used to subscribe or you may not know you’ve won and have to forfeit your free gift. 

All my Freebies occur on the First Friday of each month and last for one day only, so share with all your friends and family TODAY through social media, send them the link in an email or just look them in the eye and say, “Hey!  It’s Freebie Day!”   

Make your way to the comment section now before you forget!  The road to winning is paved with good intentions.

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.  You can subscribe by going to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page and subscribe to Midwest Storyteller if you haven’t done so already.  Confirming your subscription through the confirmation email you’ll receive is absolutely necessary, so don’t forget that!

The Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest icons on this page are there to help you share with friends.

See past gifts and their winners on my “Freebies” page.

Remember, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Free jewelry gives me joy!”

I send Freebies to any winner who lives within the continental United States.  For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, CLICK HERE. 

Glitches happen.  If you subscribe and do not receive a confirmation email for some reason, please email me and let me know at barb@midweststoryteller.com

Enjoy this last few days of summer. Coming up – another glimpse into my exciting Life With Smuffy.

Fresh New Freebie for a Fresh New Year!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 15 Comments

My cogs have been turning.  My creativity seems to kick in and do double-time over the holidays and for my January First Friday Freebie, I wanted to offer you one of my recent works of art.

Not every creative idea of mine is a hit, as they say, “first crack out of the box”.  There are days when I feel like the Queen of the Do-overs.  This one, however, turned out great the first time!  So, (…drumroll…)  I now present my latest invention –

Paper Jewelry! 

I know, I know – you’re thinking, “Paper?  No Way!”  I’ve been brooding on this idea for months and I’ve searched online many times, thinking that some pioneer must have already blazed the trail, but I found absolutely nothing, even on Pinterest, that resembled the materials, techniques or results I was hoping would give me the type of thing I envisioned.

There are two reasons for my vision in the first place.  One is that I compulsively invent things in my head all the time and then can’t resist piddling with them.  The other is that I hate heavy jewelry, especially earrings, but I love big jewelry.

Finally, I had to ask myself one of those questions like, “If I were paper jewelry, how would I be made?” 

The results are these beautiful cut-out pieces, specially treated so that you’ll never believe they are made of paper.  The appearance is more like metal or wood under glass.  Their featherweight quality is only discovered when you reach out and touch!

Are they durable, you ask? I’ve been pleased with how sturdy my technique has made the end product. I wouldn’t recommend sleeping in this type of jewelry, but I think it will do as well as much of the other costume jewelry found in stores (some of which I could crush in my bare hands even though they were metal or plastic).

I couldn’t wait to give this one to you as January’s First Friday Freebie!  This pendant is around 1 ¾ inches with a 16-18 inch chain.  I know you’re going to love the patina that gives it the somewhat the look of aged copper under glass.  Though the cut-out areas may look open in the photo, they are not.  They are filled, yet crystal clear!

To enter to win the paper pendant, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I’m ready for a brand new freebie!”  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, January 4th, 2019!

First Friday Freebies are for email SUBSCRIBERS ONLY, so if you’ve not become a subscriber to Midwest Storyteller yet, give yourself a another free gift by heading over to the right sidebar or using the menu to get to the “Contact Me” page and subscribe if you haven’t done so already.

Share this blog with all your friends and family through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or by copying the link into an email so they can enter to win and begin enjoying everything else on the blog as well!

Subscribers win every single month!  Take a look at past freebies on the “Freebies” page to see what they’ve been winning.

If you’d like to take a look at some of the other creative ideas here on my blog, check out my “Create!” page!

Once again, a winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I’m ready for a brand new freebie!”

And now, here are the complete rules: 

Freebie Rules www.midweststoryteller.com

Four simple steps!

Don’t delay!  Time is running out!  Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm in your email and comment to enter before midnight tonight, December 7th! 

I pray you have a marvelous, fabulous, bright, happy and prosperous New Year!  And for one of you, may it start off with a First Friday Freebie!