Hobby Lobby Garden Decor

Celebrating Freedom and a Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 10 Comments

Since Smuffy shares a birthday with the greatest country on earth, things will be busy for me in the next couple of days.  So, let me take this First Friday Freebie post to also wish you a Happy & Free Independence Day! (And, Happy Birthday, Smuffy!)  I invite you to make this Sunday more than a great time for family and fireworks.  Spend some time with those you love celebrating the real meaning of what it means to be an American and the brilliance and freedoms established and granted to us by our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.  These are short documents, but do we know what’s in them?  We are a country of political will and ideals that are not found anywhere else on earth. 

If I may quote Ronald Reagan from a 1988 speech –

“America represents something universal in the human spirit. I received a letter not long ago from a man who said, ‘You can go to Japan to live, but you cannot become Japanese. You can go to France to live and not become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey, and you won’t become a German or a Turk.’ But then he added, ‘Anybody from any corner of the world can come to America to live and become an American.'”

I just heard some early fireworks going off outside as I finished typing that quote, as if to punctuate this truth.

Now, remembering that today is the first Friday of the month, let’s take a look at your Freebie.

The Spring Shop Red Daisy www.midweststoryteller.com

This bright red metal daisy with its sunny yellow center from The Spring Shop shouts of summer and also of the fact that I’ve been roaming around Hobby Lobby again.  It measures 8.75” across and is ½” deep.  My first thought how this would make your garden area pop if hung on a fence.  Then, I quickly realized that it would look great inside the house as well, adding a little summer to any room.  Kitchen, kids’ room, porch – anywhere that bit of red to catch the eye is needed.

To enter to win the red metal daisy, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “I love freedom and a freebie!”  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, July 2nd, 2021.

NOTE:  There seems to be an occasional problem with subscribers not receiving confirmation emails.  If this happens, please 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 love it when people enjoy my blog stories and recipes and get excited about winning freebies.  Share with all 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!

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

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, July 2nd by leaving a comment which says, “I love freedom and a freebie!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here. 

Why not subscribe and confirm right now before you forget?

Do you have special Independence Day traditions?  Leave a comment and let me know how you make the day special.

April’s Freebie – At Home in the Sunshine State!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 1 Comment

If you’ve been a regular here at Midwest Storyteller, you can’t help but be familiar with April’s winner of my First Friday Freebie.  I was so happy to send it on its way to – 

Diane Yates in Lake Alfred, Florida!

Congratulations, Diane!  I hope you enjoy this little birdie as you stroll along your garden path.

Diane has made previous appearances here on the blog.  She’s a fellow writer and great friend and I know that some of you have either won as a freebie or purchased one of her great books.  You can find them all at dianeyates.com

If you missed my interview with Diane, check it out here.

This garden pick by Spring Shop was a Hobby Lobby find.  I love a great excuse to visit that store (as you can probably tell).  If you’d like to see the original freebie offer, click 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.

Diane 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.  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:  May’s First Friday Freebie!  That takes place on Friday, May 7th.   You’ll be able to see a photo of the Freebie and 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:  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, May 7th, 2021.  And, by the way, welcome to the most beautiful month of the year!  Well, at least if you live in the Midwest.

It’s Freebie Time – No Foolin’!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 11 Comments

That was yesterday.  And I didn’t play a prank on anybody, although I did have a really good laugh at Smuffy’s expense, but that’s a story for another day.

April has arrived and I’m so excited.  March consisted of winter, false spring, scenes from Wuthering Heights, Spring Glimmer, See One Bloom and Dance Day, followed by Curly Girl Wind Alert Week and then Sunny Winter.  April, though often rainy, brings a slight reduction in meteorological mood swings.  (Except for those tornadoes and we try not to think about those.)

And, of course, it brings to those who are subscribers of Midwest Storyteller, a First Friday Freebie!  Today’s the day, so let’s look at what you can enter to win –

Hobby Lobby Garden Pick www.midweststoryteller.com

This garden pick by The Spring Shop is yet another great Hobby Lobby find.  It will not only add some whimsy and color to your flower bed or pot, but also a faint tinkle should the wind set the little bell in motion.  A cute little bird and red flower adorn this metal pick and will draw the eye to whatever plants you want to accent.

To enter to win the bird and bell garden pick, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “Let’s get outside!”  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, April 2nd, 2021!

NOTE:  There seems to be an occasional problem here on the blog with subscribers not receiving their confirmation email.  If this happens, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com and let me know so that I can report these instances 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.

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 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”.

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

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, April 2nd by leaving a comment which says, “Let’s get outside!”  After that, please, go outside!

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here. 

Those four steps are simple and quick! Why not subscribe and confirm right now before you forget?

Much more important that this being Freebie Day, it is Good Friday (or God’s Friday).  I pray all the blessings upon you that the Messiah gave His life on this day to bestow upon you.  Spend these Holy Days with your family and enjoy one another.  Sunday for us is the grandest, happiest day of the whole year as we celebrate that fact that the tomb was found empty and Jesus is ALIVE! 

Comments?  How are you celebrating this glorious weekend?  I’d love it if you’d share.