Rules are rules, and there’s no rule here at Midwest Storyteller against winning the First Friday Freebie again! It just goes to show you that it pays to keep on trying. She won back in November and she’s done it again. June’s freebie winner is –
Ginger of Prairie Home, Missouri!
(Now, you may be wondering how she managed to do that twice. I can only think of one way to lower the odds of such a thing happening and that is if you subscribe, enter to win and SHARE with everyone so your friends and family can enter, too!)
Ginger commented on the post, saying, “I’m all stirred up!” She needed to do just that in order to place her name into the drawing for this six-piece bamboo utensil set with wood burning designs done by Kathy and me. Then, as usual, I offered up the names to Smuffy so he could choose one at random. He must have been a little bored or perhaps this is something his scientific brain has been working on for a while, because he introduced a motif of name flagging, counting off remaining names according to a pre-determined number and then stopping on a new name. (Huh?) Since it seemed even more random than just picking one, I let him have his way. I need to do that once in a while, you know. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life.
The utensils will look great on Ginger’s kitchen counter. Take a look at the photo she sent me showing them displayed in an antique pitcher that belonged to her grandmother.
To see the original freebie offer, click here. To meet the amazing Kathy, who showed me that wood burning was nothing to shy away from, clickhere and see the tutorial. To see what Ginger won in November, click here.
Congratulations, Ginger! I know Grandma is looking down, pleased to see you’re keeping your memories of her alive.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, July 6th, 2018.
Share this post with all your friends so they can SUSCRIBE and enter to win. A winner will be 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.
Take a look at our “Freebies” page where you’ll see some of the other gifts subscribers have been winning. It pays to SUBSCRIBE!
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Subscribe now, before you forget, following these three simple steps, and you’ll be ready for July.
How will your friends find out about First Friday Freebies if you don’t “Share”, “like” and “pin” this post? They’ll want to enter to win, too!
Have an opinion on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
When the First Friday falls on the first, the First Friday Freebie can sneak up on you! (Say that three times fast while standing on one leg, rubbing your tummy and patting the top of your head.)
I, however, planned ahead. The fun part is that I did it right under your very nose! Take a look at June’s free gift. Recognize these?
That’s right! The last post – more than just a tutorial – provided this month’s free gift! If you missed it, check out the first installment of “Create with Kathy”. While Kathy was sharing her wood burning skills with me, I had been all the while hoping that I wouldn’t be a total failure at it so I could create something special just for you.
This set of six bamboo utensils with wood burning accents goes to Midwest Storyteller’s June winner. Each is embellished with a different pattern and I think they’ll make a great addition to your kitchen decor. All you need to do to enter to win is leave a comment on this post before midnight tonight, June 1st, telling me how excited you are to win by saying, “I’m all stirred up!” You’re name will go into a drawing and a winner will be chosen at random. (Container shown is not included.)
I picked up this set of dishwasher safe wooden utensils at Marshalls. I find they have some great deals on gadgets, necessary items and home accents. I purchased them just after I saw the utensil set my friend, Kathy, made for her mom, and Kathy agreed to bring her wood burning kit and help me get started.
Note: I do not know if the utensils are still dishwasher safe once the wood burning process has been done. I’d be hesitant to put them in the dishwasher myself, as I think it may fade the patterns.
Kathy will be returning with more great ideas. You can get to know herhereand see her utensil set along with other unique items she’s created.
I find that everyone loves a handmade gift. I suppose I should have counted the hours it took to do this project, but as usual, I became hyper-focused on the creative process and time ceased to exist.
Just a little help for the guys: Handmade gifts score points, if you get my drift, so why not subscribe and enter to win. The lady in your life will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
SHARE this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or send the link in an email to all your friends so they can enter to win!
Previous freebies can be found on the“Freebies” page. Take a look at the gifts subscribers have been winning.
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 all stirred up!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post (or all the way to the bottom, depending on your device) and click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
What are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm and comment to enter before midnight tonight, June 1st!
A huge dose of yard work, a dash of distraction and a computer apocalypse has made this announcement a little slow in coming. Among those who commented on May 4th, saying, “Send the birdie my way!”, a winner has been drawn and she is –
Tanya from St. Clair, Missouri!
Each freebie offer requires a specific comment and Tanya’s was among those who went into the drawing, which was conducted by Smuffy when I placed the entries in front of him, tapped him (he was resting his eyes) and told him to pick one. We like to keep it on the up and up around here.
This little Spring Shop birdie from Hobby Lobby did, indeed, go Tanya’s way and now it can greet her when she takes her daily “tour of the estate”, which is how I like to refer to my daily trip around the grounds to say hello to all my flowers. I’d tell you how they answer, but one of you would be bound to feel obligated to turn me in to the authorities, so we’ll just skip that.
If you’d like to see the original freebie offer, click here.
Congratulations, Tanya! I hope it makes your garden look even lovelier than it does already.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, June 1, 2018 and that, dear friends, is just days away!
Share this post with all your friends so they can SUSCRIBE and enter to win. A winner will be 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.
Take a look at our “Freebies” pagewhere you’ll see some of the other gifts subscribers have been winning. It pays to SUBSCRIBE!
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! Subscribe now, before you forget, and you’ll be ready for June.
“Share”, “like” and “pin” this post. Your friends deserve a Freebie, too!
Opinions on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
Don’t you love it? Spring has finally arrived! In my neighborhood, it showed up late and all at once, but that’s just fine as long as it’s here.
And, don’t you love it! Freebies, I mean. It’s the first Friday of the month and you know what that means. Let’s take a peek at May’s free gift –
I know you’ve been out filling those porch pots with blooming annuals and nestling happy little plants into your flower beds. This cute little metal birdie yard décor by Spring Shop offers that little extra touch that makes things inviting and well – let’s go ahead and overuse the word – cute!
The total length is 14 ¼ inches and the above-the-ground portion measures 10 ½ inches. (See inset photo.)
A word to the wise (or perhaps the clueless) – If this little birdie is not calling your name, you should enter to win anyway because Mother’s Day is 9 days away and you know she’d love a little something thoughtful. If you don’t tell her you got it for free, I won’t either. All you have to do is follow the instructions in this post carefully.
SHARE this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or send the link in an email to all your friends so they can enter to win!
REMEMBER: A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Send the birdie my way!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post (or all the way to the bottom, depending on your device) and click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm and comment to enter before midnight tonight, May 4th!
And, as much as I tried to resist saying this – May the 4th be with you!
I am thankful for each one of you! I took this photo recently and just had to share.
I thought it frame-worthy. If you think so, too, you can request the FREE printable! Read on to find out how.
The plague of moles in past years has ended, allowing my tulips to multiply and the results make me smile every time I pull in my driveway or look out my front door. My favorite season has arrived at last and tulips always brighten my world. For that, I am thankful.
Spring weather affects us in more ways than one. Fresh air invigorates us. Sunshine gives us extra doses of Vitamin D which eases those aches and pains we seem to notice more during the colder months. My mom referred to it as being “stove up from winter”. She may not have known a lot about vitamin deficiencies, but she knew how she felt.
Walking, hiking, puttering and downright vigorous yard work make us stronger and give us that “good tired” feeling – unless we over-do it. When that happens, I find there’s nothing more therapeutic than a good, brisk sit. Phoebe June agrees. After chattering at birds, studying squirrels with a wary eye, chasing bugs and swatting at passing bees, there’s nothing like retreating inside the peony bush.
You might need to keep Phoebe’s philosophy in mind this month! While you’re snatching a bit of repose in your hideaway, remember that rest is a gift from God. Close your eyes and give thanks that you’ve been able to engage in any of the activities that have made you so tired! It truly is a blessing to be able to do something as simple as take a walk or plant a few flowers.
Another blessing in disguise is the flurry of activity that May brings. I suppose it’s been going on this way for centuries, but it seems the whole world schedules its activities in May. After all, is there any better time for a picnic? Mother’s Day, graduations, Memorial Day get-togethers, showers, babies, weddings – they all demand that we prepare and partake. While you’re doing so, give thanks that you are not alone. Family and friends are asking you to carve out a little time for them and that’s a good thing.
So, here you are reading this blog when you should be out getting things done! Right? Right!
Get going! But first, “like”, “pin” and “SHARE” the this post with your friends. A few tulips and a gentle reminder may be just what someone needs today.
Leave a comment! Scroll to the bottom or top of this post (depending on your device).
Subscribers who comment requesting a printable version of the photo art will receive one by email, so SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Coming up next: May’s First Friday Freebie! Be ready to enter to win! If you’re new to Midwest Storyteller, be sure to check out the Freebies pagewhere you’ll see freebies and their past winners!
A month ago when I announced March’s First Friday Freebie winner, I was bragging on the gorgeous weather. Now we’re all back to shivering and walking around all scrunched up as though we’re afraid that loosening our muscles will allow our last molecule of heat to escape. To keep from pouting, let’s think happy thoughts! Let’s see who won April’s Freebie!
The winner is –
Jenny from Village of Windsor, Missouri!
Each freebie offer has a specific requirement and Jenny entered the drawing by leaving a comment saying, “Make the banner mine!” Smuffy then performed his duty and drew a name from the entries. He’s such a help!
With this banner, Jenny can now join the rest of us as we “fake it till we make it” by declaring that it is SPRING! If you’d like to see the original freebie offer and additional photos, click here.
Congratulations, Jenny! I hope it brings a little warmth and sunshine indoors even if you’re not experiencing it outdoors.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, May 4, 2018.
Share this post with all your friends so they can SUSCRIBE and enter to win. A winner will be 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.
Take a look at our “Freebies” pagewhere you’ll see some of the other gifts subscribers have been winning. It pays to SUBSCRIBE!
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! Subscribe now, before you forget, and you’ll be ready for May.
“Share”, “like” and “pin” this post. Your friends deserve a Freebie, too!
Opinions on the Freebies? Leave a comment! If you’re on your computer, scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking. On various devices, you may find “Leave a Comment” at the bottom of the post.
I couldn’t let April 10th pass by without giving a shout-up to my mom. You see, she’s having her 100th birthday party today in Heaven!
The great example she set for me and all my precious memories of her help me thrive!
She spent her nearly 95 years on this earth living within a rather small geographical radius. Here she is in front of the house where she was born back in 1918.
Little Emmabelle arrived in the midst of the great flu pandemic which was the first time H1N1 attempted to wipe out the human race. It infected 500 million people and killed somewhere between 50 million and 100 million, or 5-10% of the world’s population. It didn’t, however, get Emmabelle.
In the heart of the Mid-west, her parents made a living as best they could in a tiny town along the railroad tracks where her daddy, Judge (and we have already established that he wasn’t one), operated a business that served as general store, barbershop and post office. I would imagine that no one in the town held any secrets he didn’t hear about! Her mother, Nettie, stepped into the role of post-mistress in later years. Judge and Nettie raised their brood of six in a tiny house so close to the railroad tracks that I’m sure its timbers rattled with each passing train.
The third-born in her family, Mom had an older brother, Gerald. They called him Spiege – for a reason. You can get acquainted with Spiege here. Her older sister, Martha, became a great playmate when Emmabelle was home. While Martha could be termed a “ball ‘o fire”, Emmabelle was shy and reserved. Here they are on an outing together, having a little fun and sporting their 1920’s bobbed haircuts. Emmabelle is the blonde on the right.
Mom was often not at home, for her grandma Martha and step-grandpa “Uncle John”, who lived about ten miles away, had rheumatism. Even as a preschooler, little Emmabelle rode the train alone to stay with them for extended periods of time and help out. She loved them very much and though she missed being with her siblings, she enjoyed her time with them and had a real bond with her grandparents. I’m told that she did, however, pretend to have the measles once in order to go home.
Once in a while, one of the younger siblings got to take a turn helping out Grandma and Uncle John and you might want to read about a particular one of those visits here if you’re in need of a good old-fashioned giggle today.
Emmabelle’s younger siblings included another brother, Tim (whose name was neither Tim nor Timothy) and two baby sisters, Gladys Pearl (of the above-mentioned story) and Jean. They aren’t without their own stories and those are yet to come.
Mom walked to school every day, along with the rest of her siblings, to attend the little schoolhouse that had been expanded from one room to two. She graduated from 8th Grade there. Here’s her graduating class. Emmabelle is the blonde on the back row.
I remember growing up thinking that my mom must not have gotten much of an education. Take a look at this 8th Grade Final Exam from 1931. If Mom’s test was anything like this one, I tend to think I was selling her short. Think of all the fourteen-year-olds you know. I’d hate to have to take it myself, but I’d love to see the results if this test were given to high school seniors (or, come to think of it – college seniors) today. I’d also like to be in the room to observe their faces and hear their groans about three minutes after they’d been handed this test.
Mom – you were one smart cookie!
After graduating, Mom helped out at home, did some babysitting and sometimes stayed with her newly-married sister, Martha.
In September of 1940, my parents met at a meeting amongst area churches. They married that December and moved into a log cabin near his parents with no water or electricity. They started out by having a couple of girls and making a move, then settled down on a farm and had a boy and three more girls. Then, after nearly a decade, Mom received what must have been quite a surprise – me!
All I have room to say here is that life for Mom was difficult in more ways than one. Though she never denied her troubles, she did not complain. She worked harder than anybody ever ought to have to work. She made every effort to spread sunshine in order to dispel the gloom around her. She loved her children and did her best to bless them in small ways that she hoped would make up for the negativity in their lives.
Mom could make something out of absolutely nothing. In fact, she was forced to do just that. I never knew when I came home from school what she might have whipped up during the day. It might be curtains. It might be some creative storage concept. It might be something like this.
Well, you can figure out what that is by clicking here.
One year, Mom fell in love with making Christmas ornaments out of felt. This turned out not to be a passing fancy. Felt became her medium and she created felt masterpieces, large and small, for the rest of her life, including nativity scenes and wedding banners. If she got bored, she’d copy patterns off whatever she could find around the house, turning them into refrigerator magnets or anything else she could think of. Her urge to put a smile on your face led her to create things that were outside the norm. I’ll never forget coming home from school one afternoon to find the exact likeness of Orville Redenbacher pinned to the kitchen door curtain! He hung there, in good company, along with the Jolly Green Giant and the Pillsbury Doughboy.
I’m pretty much convinced that Mom is in charge of all the Heavenly Christmas decorations now and that every room in her mansion is lavender.
Emmabelle had a quiet wit. Her sense of humor never ceased to get me tickled. Though she would never put herself forward to tell a story, she would, if you asked, share the treasure she held within. Nothing made me happier than to watch and listen as she and her sisters, during their rare visits, shared their memories and giggled themselves silly. Here they are again, Emmabelle and Martha, the last two surviving siblings, reuniting in 2007 after having not seen each other in years.
In 1969, Mom decided to return to keeping a diary and I am so glad she did. It’s a family history treasure and at times, it’s simply just a hoot!
Mom never liked having her picture taken, but I just love this one from the last birthday party we had for her. Here she is, worn out from partying, with Smuffy. It was a great day.
All mom’s siblings, with the exception of Martha, passed on years before she did. When in her 90’s, Mom and Martha often talked, pondering why they were still around. They came to a mutual agreement that if the Good Lord was taking that much time to build their mansions in Heaven, they must be in for something pretty palatial.
My mom made her last trip to the hospital in December of 2012. After her heart-to-heart talks with her beloved doctor and Jesus, we both knew she was ready to go Home. As we sat dangling our legs over the side of her hospital bed, she spoke of many things she’d never told me before. I knew Mom was ready to go.
As she talked, it became evident that one thing in particular gave her satisfaction when she thought about all the years she’d lived. “I’ve got seven good kids,” she said. I reassured her that she could count on every one of us to join her someday.
Mom left us on January 10, 2013, in her own quiet way, under her own terms and in her own home, just the way she wanted it.
So, Happy 100th, Mom! You said you never understood why we all claimed to have the best mother in the world. We, your seven kids – we understand!
I’d love to hear your comments. On your desktop computer, you’ll need to scroll back up to the top of this post. On various devices, you need to scroll to the bottom of the post.
If you still have your mom, love on her today. Pry some stories out of her. Ask the questions you know you’ll be sorry if you never asked. She’ll be gone before you’re ready for her leave you.
Mother’s Day will be here before you know it, and if my mom’s story will touch someone in your life, please share!
I’ll keep saying it until it happens! It just plain messes with my mind to go for a romp in the back yard yesterday and prepare for more snowfall and lows in the teens today. It’s only nine days till what should be our regular planting time. Brrrrrr….
Snow is free, but not the kind of freebie I had in mind.
Take a look at something a little more cheerful – Midwest Storyteller’s April Freebie –
This spring banner is bound to add the right touch to your spring décor. It’s hand-crafted by me (and my trusty Cricut machine) from cardstock and patterned scrapbooking papers in pastel shades of green, blue, pink and yellow.
Each card in the banner measures 2 5/8” X 4”, making it large enough to use on the wall alone or across your mantle. Banners are quite the rage right now, no matter the season. You might enjoy doing a search for “spring banners” on Pinterest to discover fun ways to display it. I left the jute string nice and long so you can have plenty of room attach it.
I see banners used in all sorts of ways –
Draped over a mirror looks nice and I thought it went well under my Aunt Martha’s crayon picture of the girl with the bicycle. (Yes, she really did do this on fabric with whatever quality crayons were available back in the 1920’s or 30’s.) There’s a real trend lately of using banners inside empty frames, too. Never forget the fireplace option.
If you’d like a chance to win this spring banner, all you have to do is enter before midnight (CST)TONIGHT! Become a subscriber, if you are not already, and comment on this post, saying: “Make the banner mine!”
(Complete rules are included at the end of this post.)
I enjoyed making it for you and I can’t wait to find out who wins!
Why not SHARE this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or send the link in an email to all your friends who might like to enter to win?
Midwest Storyteller’s previous freebies can be found on our “Freebies” page. Take a look. You’ll get an idea of the great gifts only subscribers can win! The easiest way to subscribe is click here and fill in the into at the right sidebar.
REMEMBER: A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Make the banner mine!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm and comment to enter before midnight tonight, April 6th!
If you do not, for some reason, receive a confirmation email, please comment and let me know. I am trying to make sure that all technical difficulties are solved.
Do you ever feel as I do – that you’ve just recovered from a volcanic eruption of decorations back before Christmas, only to experience the aftershock of trying to put it all way? No? Well then, I guess it’s just me.
I’m tired of overhauling the whole house just to satisfy my seasonal whims, so as I’ve already mentioned here, I had planned to do a re-mix on some of my winter décor and share the spring results with you.
Remember my winter mantle?
I’m still just all over that terrarium! I knew it would stay. So, with a few simple changes, we’re feeling springy inside, even if there was snow – yes, I said S.N.O.W. on the ground outside as I began this post and more in the forecast for tomorrow. I’m trying to keep my chin up, reminding myself of all you folks out east who just endured their sixth nor’easter.
Here’s how I switched it up for spring while keeping my favorite things –
As you can see, I didn’t make drastic changes. Switching out a few things seemed to be all I needed to take away winter and invite spring into the room. I took the photo at dusk to highlight the candles, but things look much more airy during the day.
Other than the terrarium, the thing I’m enjoying most about my spring décor is my sheep! Aren’t they fun?
I told myself as I stood toying with those in Marshall’s that they would make an ideal First Friday Freebiefor one of my loyal subscribers, but once I got them home, I weakened. I sat them here. I sat them there. They just got cuter and cuter! I confess! I crumbled under their vapid gaze and kept them for myself.
Nobody’s perfect. And, a little whimsy never hurt anybody.
The most amazing thing about these little sheep? They sit in plain sight, just inches off the floor and Phoebe Junehasn’t eaten them. Come to think of it, I don’t think she’s even noticed them, which is odd because she pretty much pounces on anything with a “face”.
Here’s how much money I didn’t spend –
The mirror. It stayed – a family treasure described here.
A bunch of forsythia wound into a not-too-perfect wreath – a Hobby Lobbyfind – maybe $4.00.
A metal wreath stand – another Hobby Lobbyfind – half-price at $12.00. I’ll use this year-round.
A topiary bunny purchased years ago at a garage sale for next to nothing.
Set of 3 flameless candles (the really cool ones with the realistic moving flames). I found these a couple of years ago at TreesNTrends. The whole set was $29.99! I see on their website that they’ve gone up a little in price, but they’re still worth it. They have timers and a remote and the batteries seem to last a long time. They come in ivory or red and you can find them here.
Our mantle clock – it stayed just as in the winter mantle. The clock, as well as the other “keepers” are described here.
Green glass candle-holder. Strangely enough, Smuffy found them. He comes home with odd things some days and that’s all I’m sayin’.
The terrarium! Another Hobby Lobbyfind that I describe here.
The contents of the terrarium. These were all items I already had – a small fake plant, also from Hobby Lobby on half-price sale; two brown ceramic pillar candle-holders with twine and bead accents that I picked up at Cargo Largo a couple of months ago for $2 each and have been waiting to use somewhere; perched on the candle-holders – a set of white alabaster doves we received as a wedding gift; and a string of tiny battery-operated lights that I taped around the inside frame of the terrarium to light it at night.
The word-art sign stayed – another Hobby Lobbyfind described here.
Fake yellow tulips – a rummage sale find I had on hand.
Rustic bucket (my tulips needed to be “re-potted” from the ugly container they came in) – a recent Hobby Lobbyfind – around $5.
Glass candle jars with pillar candles – they stayed also. I shared how I updated them with sisal rope here. I had the candles on hand.
Wooden box with lavender silk crocus. I gave this to my mom when I finished doing some re-decorating for her. Now that she’s gone, they’re another sweet reminder of her and her favorite color.
Those boogey-woogie, not-too-intelligent-looking sheep – Under $5 at Marshall’sseveral months ago.
Vintage Black wooden suitcase. It’s something that was always around the house when I was growing up and holds special memories. Mom kept things through the generations, so I have no idea how old it is and, of course, wish I had asked. It was one of the few things I asked my mom to “put my name on”, if you know what I mean.
I’m happy with this budget makeover. All the items that I consider “new” came to around $20 and all of them can be re-purposed for various seasons and different rooms. I hope it inspires you to work with what you have.
Keeping family treasures where I can see them makes me happy no matter what the trends are. My house does not look like the latest magazines. Perhaps it did once, back in the 90’s, when designers, on a Victorian flight of fancy, took a turn at decorating with everything old. All I had to do back then was pull out Mom’s and Grandma’s stuff and artfully arrange it all.
Designers moved on, but since my décor and my inheritance were one and the same, I stuck with the look that I like to refer to as a cross between Grandma’s attic and a rummage sale. I’m thrilled that Joanna Gaines has done much to bring back the popularity of “old”. (I was digging around in dusty old flea markets and toting home “junk” way before she came along!) The farmhouse style so often featured on “Fixer Upper” is making it easy and inexpensive for me to plan my upcoming kitchen makeover. All I’ll have to do is dig a new batch of “old” out of the closet and, once again, artfully arrange.
A major remodel job is coming my way soon and the “fireplace” in these photos may or may not be staying. I’d love to hear your comments and ideas on this. (It’s not a real fireplace anyway, so we can do something else fun if Smuffy and I have any strength left after conquering the kitchen.) I’ll chronicle all that here, which might prove to be therapeutic amidst the rubble, so as they say, stay tuned…
Let me hear from you. Scroll back up to the top of this post and “Leave a Comment”.
Remember – First Friday Freebies happen the first Friday of every month, so fun stuff is just around the corner – as in tomorrow! Share this post with a friend and if you haven’t subscribe NOW, because freebies are for subscribers only. Check out the Freebies pageto see past gifts and their winners!
They call it “voluntary simplicity” – that thing where you rid yourself of all but the items you need to function on a daily basis, freeing your family to embrace experiences rather than stuff.
While I envy the wiggle room this lifestyle provides to its adherers, I don’t think I’ll ever hop on board the minimalist train. For starters, what few items of my precious stuff would I pack for the journey?
I prefer to blame it on a combination of frugality and creativity. Eventually, I get around to doing way cool projects with the things I’ve kept and a pleasing part of the outcome is that I haven’t wasted any money.
I do, however have an artist/writer friend who keeps nothing. I recall her bare-bones medicine cabinet. If no one in the family had a headache, stomach ache or cold, she’d throw all the over-the-counter meds in the trash (expired or not). I saw this as an act of faith. I preferred, however, not to take the risk of waking in the middle of the night moaning, “Where, oh where is my Pepto!”
If I must erase the excesses from my life, I’ll skip the latest movie or restaurant and surround myself with books, antiques and fodder for my next creative whim.
For years now, I’ve had a stack of stained and tattered vintage tablecloths, given to me by my mom. Cute in their day, they’d long ago become something you wouldn’t want out for everyday, much less entertaining. Add to that the fact that they didn’t fit any of my tables and they’d become nothing more than closet filler.
Recently, I decided to do something about it. I gave a couple of the really tattered ones to a creative friend, knowing that they’d undergo some transformation that I couldn’t imagine. That left me with my favorite – an aqua blue tablecloth with pink and gray ferns and a white border.
I took my idea and my tablecloth to Hobby Lobby and spent under five dollars.
After hauling out the rotary cutter and mat, I released a deep sigh, promising Mom and the tablecloth that it was all for the best. Here’s how I dissected it.
The white border was tattered beyond repair, so I trimmed it off. It is already gone in the above photo. There were no holes and stains on the corners because, having hung off the table, they’d been out of the way of spills. The center looked good, but the area surrounding it had plenty of wear and stains.
I removed the corner pieces, cutting them into 12” squares. Then, I cut the center into a perfect square around the fern pattern.
Next, I took the center square to my serger and finished the edge, not only to keep it from unraveling, but also to create the straight line of stitches that would give me an easy guide for turning over the edge for finishing.
(If you do not have a serger, use any wide stitch on your sewing machine that will give a nice, straight line for folding.)
Now for my Hobby Lobby find. I happened across this gross-grain ribbon. It’s scalloped pattern in the colors of my tablecloth made it the ideal trim and the black edge gave a nice touch. Turning the serged edge of the cloth toward the RIGHT side of the fabric, I stitched the ribbon carefully along the edge so that when I finished, the edge of the fabric would be concealed under the ribbon.
Each time I reached a corner, I lifted the presser foot and rotated the fabric, pulling the ribbon around to keep the edge of the ribbon even with the folded edge of the fabric. Once I made it around all four sides, I stopped, cutting the ribbon straight across so that I could turn the end under.
Next, I attended to the corners, carefully cutting the ribbon almost to the stitching line, allowing one of the cut ends to lay flat while folding the other under at a 45 degree angle to give the corner a mitered appearance. I top-stitched over this, tacking the corners into place.
Now, just as I stitched the other edge of the ribbon, I changed my thread color and stitched all around the inside edge.
This encases the edge of the fabric neatly inside the ribbon between the two rows of stitches and finishes this part of the project. How cute is that to place in the center of any table – round or square?
But what about those four corners I sliced off? I took those to the serger as well, adjusting it to apply a picot edging to all four pieces. You could do a rolled hem or just a narrow hem on the sewing machine if you prefer.
The result? A centerpiece cloth and four of the cutest luncheon napkins, minus all the tatters and stains!
I’m more than pleased. I especially like how the fern pattern, flowing from one corner of each napkin, gives them a different look depending on how you fold them. Above, they’re shown four different ways. Now redeemed from life in the linen closet, this lovely set is ready to be used, admired and passed on. Mom would approve. She was adept at making something out of nothing and you can get a glimpse of that here.
I won’t tell you, however, how many more treasures like this I own that hide way in the dark, waiting for my next brainstorm. I don’t really know how many. Another of my rescues, a battered, old clothes hamper, can be seen here. I’ve been known to rescue things that would otherwise be nothing but compost and you can check that out here.
You can help by sharing your ideas! Scroll back up to the beginning of this post and leave a comment. What treasures have you rescued and how did you do it?
Maybe I can help! Tell me what you’ve got and, who knows! I might get an idea. If you’d like to send a photo, go to the “Contact” page and email it to me.
Maybe together we can, as the old song says, “Rescue the Perishing”!
I’m not gloating. I know parts of the country are still having quite a time with winter weather, but I just have to say that today has been glorious in my little corner of the world! I hope it sticks. I forced myself (and Phoebe June) indoors because it’s time to announce March’s First Friday Freebie winner!
Spread the word, because it happens every month. Our winner for March is –
Judy of Boonville, Missouri!
All Judy had to do is read the post containing the freebie offer and follow the instructions to leave a comment saying, “Send me the runner!” Her name was drawn in an impartial and scientific manner by Smuffy.
Now Judy’s ready for spring with this pretty linen table runner. If you’d like to have a better look at it, click here.
Congratulations, Judy! I hope it adds a nice touch to your spring décor. Have a wonderful day!
Get outside if your weather permits. I’m tellin’ ‘ya – around here is so nice it makes you want to climb a tree!
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, April 6, 2018. SUBSCRIBE and share this post with all your friends so they can enter. A winner will be 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.
First Friday Freebies here at Midwest Storyteller offer a variety of free gifts. Take a look at our “Freebies” page where you’ll see some of the other gifts subscribers have won over the last several months. It pays to SUBSCRIBE! – which is free – just like freebies. It’s easy to see why Midwest Storyteller is a place “where each day’s journey leads to a better place.”
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! Subscribe now, before you forget, and you’ll be ready for March. Spring is on the way and with this freebie, you’ll be ready for it!Why not “share”, “like” and “pin” this post so all your friends don’t miss out?Leave a comment! Scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you’re thinking.
It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood and it’s made even more beautiful if you can get something for FREE!
Spring weather puts a smile on everyone’s face and lifts the heaviness that blankets us during winter’s gloom and cold.
As I said in my last post, March puts me in the mood to decorate as though the whole world had already bloomed out in all its glory. That’s weeks away, but I’ll help you get in the mood with March’s First Friday Freebie –
This 48”X16” table runner from Signature Collections by Sullivans will give you a start on your décor. It’s perfect to lie flat on a larger table or you can let the ends hang over on a smaller table as shown in the photo. Made of a soft green linen, each end is trimmed in burlap and embellished with embroidered patches that remind us of the herbs that will adorn our gardens and porch pots just as soon as we can get their little toes planted in the soil. The cute little button on the “herbs” patch is a nice detail. (See inset photo.)
If you’d like a chance to win the table runner, all you have to do is enter TODAY! Become a subscriber, if you are not already, and comment on this post, saying: “Send me the runner!”
(Complete rules are included at the end of this post.)
I love being able to give you something that makes life just a little sweeter and I always seem to find something that I’d really love to have myself! This runner would go well in my dining room, but I’ve reminded myself that it’s for YOU!
Why not SHARE this post through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or send the link in an email to all your friends who might like to enter to win?
Midwest Storyteller’s previous freebies can be found on the “Freebies” page. Take a look. You’ll get an idea of the great gifts subscribers can win!
REMEMBER: A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “Send me the runner!”
And now, here are the complete rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe if you haven’t already, confirm and comment to enter before midnight tonight, March 2nd!
I hardly know how to act! For the last several days it’s been warming. I love you, Sixty-five Degree Days! (Until Seventy-five Degrees starts flirting with me.) Spring-like rains have pattered the dry earth and my tulips and hyacinths have jumped up to shout about it. I’m tempted to warn them that it won’t be over till it’s over and they should retreat and wait a while.
I’m always thrilled to arrive at March’s doorstep, but to be honest, once March invites me in, it makes me mad. It loves its cruel jokes and is afflicted with violent mood swings that I’m convinced are contagious. Year after year, it claims to have thirty-one days, but if you ask me, the experts should investigate this. Here in my part of the Mid-West, March lasts forever!
Though it may blast me yet again with snow and ice and force me back into my winter coat, I shall dig my heels in and decorate as though life is just one big romp out in the green grass and sunshine. I know, I know – it’s not really spring for another three weeks, but should I be forced to look at winter again outside, at least I can pretend it’s spring inside.
I invite you to join with me in blowing winter an official good-bye kiss. Let’s take a look some simple winter décor, which, of course, I meant to share with you in January. We live in an older home, so getting too trendy can just look weird. Here’s what I did –
It’s always so difficult to decide how to decorate after Christmas. I look for ways to get rid of the reds and greens and keep some of the snowy things, yet keep it cozy. Without a lot of storage, I do a lot of re-purposing and design re-mixing. Sometimes, however, things just get “tired” and nothing looks right. Smuffy overheard me mumbling about it and suggested I go shopping. I ran out the door without even stopping to take his temperature!
Here’s how I mixed the old with the new –Here, I’ve kept the antique dynamite box filled with pine cones (#1) I used at Christmas, removing the wreath from the front and the ornaments that were scattered throughout. The antlers? Smuffy hunts a lot. The sticks? I saved those from a bush trimming session last May. You can see how I used them for fall decoratinghere.
On the floor, I used some glass jars I found at resale shops (#2)and re-purposed by gluing sisal rope around the bottom. After filling them with smooth stones, I inserted taper candles. Total cost (over time) probably came to around $11.
Above the mantle hangs one of my treasures from my Grandpa Judge’s barber shop. The mirror (#3) has made a move or two around the house since my mom passed it on to me, but it’s a forever-keeper. You’ll enjoy some stories involving Grandpa Judge and you can check those out, along with photos, hereand here.
After Christmas sales on holiday items are a great way to find winter décor. Just because the store classified it as “Holiday”, it’s likely to have significant markdowns even if it isn’t red and green and wishing you a joyous Noel. I found this “ice” covered tree (#4) at one of my favorite places, Tuesday Morning. I snatched it up for under $15, knowing that I’d use it for years in various rooms, depending on my many whims.
Below it, I used a bit of word art. This wooden “peace” sign (#5)is something I found for practically nothing at a resale shop. I keep moving it around and re-purposing it. At Christmas, it looked great on a low shelf with fake poinsettias and tiny fairy lights all around the base. I was impressed. So was Phoebe June. After a week or two I admitted defeat and took it down. A kitten can only stand so much temptation.
In front of “peace” sits a little brown birdie (#6) from a resale shop that probably cost me a whole dollar.
The mantle clock (#7)has been around for decades.
I stumbled over the long sign (#8) – an item that will work well against the brick of the fireplace no matter the season – at Hobby Lobby on the half-price sale. At $12.50, its a bargain and a great reminder that we live a blessed life.
The weird, green candle? (#9) It spoke to me a while back from a shelf in a re-sale shop. Don’t know why. At $2, I just found myself stroking it and thinking, “No one else is going to have one of these!”
On another Hobby Lobbyexcursion, (I think I may have mentioned that I love that place) I rounded a corner and saw “it”. The terrarium(#10)drew me in an instant and, reading the sign above it, I checked my delighted squeals as I discovered it really was half off! I knew it was something that would change with the seasons depending on what I filled it with. I don’t usually spend much on décor, but for $32.50, I lowered it gently into my cart, reminding myself that Smuffy had told me to go shopping. I filled it with a cute, fake plant, some remote controlled candles that I already had and another little brown birdie. The terrarium stays. I’m looking forward to filling it with spring things.
And now – can we all shout it out loud together? – “Goodbye, Winter! Hello, Spring!” I’ll share my photos with you when I get things switched over. I hope I’ve given you some ideas for future decorating.
I’ll help you get switched over to spring, too! The First Friday Freebie is coming up March 2, so get ready to enter and win. Share this post with all your friends so they can subscribe and enter as well. A touch of spring will be arriving for one of you from Midwest Storyteller!
Looking for ideas to help you rescue and recycle the poor, the tired and pretty-much-trash stuff around the house? You’ll find them here and here!
Actually, we’re celebrating the anniversary of a beating, stoning and beheading. Also, February 14th is the anniversary of the death of my favorite author, P. G. Wodehouse. Come to think of it, this whole thing could be downright depressing. Let’s try and return to the hearts and flowers side of this story.
I’ve heard various legends concerning Saint Valentine. I just don’t know how many of them are true.
What most believe is that around the year 278 A.D., the Roman emperor, Claudius, banned marriages, believing that strong family ties were at fault for making young men less inclined to enter the military ranks. Valentine, a priest, violated this order and performed marriages anyway.
Valentine was arrested, tortured and beaten to death with clubs before being beheaded on February 14th.
One story tells that he’d written a farewell note to the jailer’s daughter who had become a friend, having signed it, “Your Valentine”.
But, how did the familiar heart shape come into being? I’m not sure anyone knows for sure, because it certainly doesn’t bear much resemblance to that internal organ of ours that goes all-of-a-twitter when we’re feeling the first blush of love.
One story tells us that Valentine was taken away suddenly to prison, leaving him no time to notify his family of his whereabouts. Knowing they must be in a terrible state of fear and worry, he began to reach out and pluck at a vine which grew up the stone wall outside his small prison window. Each day, Valentine plucked leaves from the vine and began to pierce them with small holes that spelled out the words, “Your Valentine”. These leaves just happened to be that familiar shape that we often associate with philodendron and many other plants and now refer to as heart-shaped.
As he dropped these organic messages out the window, they fluttered to the ground below and eventually made their way to those who had been waiting for some word from their dear Valentine.
I love that story. I’d love to believe it’s true – and it might be – even if it does sound like someone like me made it up.
Just knowing that Valentine was a real person who stood up for what he believed is enough to make us want to remember him. Realizing what his suffering and death had to have done to his family and friends is enough to make us want to remember those we value with some token of love on his special day.
It’s not too late! It’s a great day to make someone feel good so stop reading this hop to it!
Me? I’m going to go hang out with Smuffy. I adore Smuffy! If you want the inside scoop on our Smokin’ Hot Honeymoon, check it out here!
Phoebe June would like to leave you with a smile –
Awww! That ought to make your little heart go pitter patter! Get better acquainted with Phoebe June here.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, I can’t think of a better thing to discuss than chocolate. I love chocolate! It dominates the candy aisles in stores on a regular basis, but at this time of year, people purchase more of the stuff than ever. I’d venture to say that it puts the fall pumpkin rush to shame.
The other thing lurking on the candy aisle, however – that troll hiding under the bridge waiting to ambush you – is sugar. If you haven’t figured out yet that sugar takes a toll on your body in more ways than just the addition of unwanted pounds, you’ve got your sweet head in the sand.
This spring, I’ll begin my fourth (Really? Wow!) year of feeding my body all kinds of wonderful things except for sugar and grains. If you’re not humming “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” with your fingers in your ears, you might want to learn a little more about your body and my journey here.)
Yes, I still eat my chocolate (of course) birthday cake. Yes, I still have a big slab of pie at Thanksgiving and cookies at Christmas. Once a week, if that often, I might eat something on a bun. However, my former lifestyle as the Bread & Pasta Queen is over and SURPRISE! – I don’t miss it.
One of the first things I had to figure out was how on earth I was going to get my chocolate – and plenty of it! Chemical sweeteners, such as aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda) or saccharine (Sweet ‘n Low) were not an option. I’d learned enough to realize that would be akin to exchanging strychnine for cyanide. Stevia seemed the only option and, though sweet, sometimes it just didn’t taste “right”.
Dedicated and determined because I had a health issue to conquer, I plunged in, reminding myself that Thomas Edison had far more failures than he had successes and yet, he kept going until he finally got a bright idea!
Today, I’m sharing two recipes that you can enjoy not only in the current chocolate season, but all year round. And, with the FREE printable at the end of this post, you can get started right now!
I have stated in previous blog posts that when it comes to stevia, you get what you pay for. My favorite brand has always been Sweet Leaf and, of the store brands, I still prefer it.
Last week, however, my friend, Sarah, introduced me to the Pure Stevia Extract Powderby Trim Healthy Mama. Again, you get what you pay for, but I found that instead of using a tablespoon of Sweet Leaf in a recipe, I could use ¼ teaspoon of THM stevia! It has no bitter aftertaste and I think I’m in love! It’s available in one ounce and four ounce bags.
It’s February! What are we waiting for? Let’s have some chocolate!
Not Apologizin’ Hot Chocolate
12 ounces milk
2 Tablespoons Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
¼ teaspoon Trim Healthy Mamma Pyure Stevia or 1 Tablespoon Sweet Leaf Stevia
1/8 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
In a Pyrex measuring cup, heat the milk in the microwave until hot but not boiling. While it is heating, mix the cocoa powder, stevia and salt in a small custard cup with a mini whisk.
Pour an inch or two of the hot milk into the bottom of a large mug. Add the cocoa mixture and whisk until fairly smooth. Add vanilla. I call this my “sludge” – a rather unsavory name for something so wonderful.
Continue to whisk while adding the remainder of the hot milk. Add the heavy cream, stir and enjoy! To make my experience complete, I scoop up Phoebe June and settle into my favorite chair. Since you don’t have Phoebe June, you’ll have to make do with your own kitty, borrow one or just pretend.
Traveling Version:
When I’m away from home, I don’t like to miss out on my hot chocolate, but toting milk around becomes a problem. I’ve tried using powdered milk in the dry mix so that I could “just add water”, but it failed to give me the texture and flavor I wanted. I’m being nice – it was nasty. I’ve discovered that adding 1 ½ scoops of Reliv Delight makes a wonderful dry mix.
Reliv Delight, a whey-based milk substitute and nutritional supplement, provides the benefits of milk — plus additional nutrients — in a delicious low-fat formula. It supplies your body with a good source of proteinand an essential nutritional balance of vitamins and minerals. And at only 90 calories per serving it is also a great way to help maintain a healthy weight. Mix Reliv Delight with water and use it as an alternative to milk — while cooking, in milkshakes, with cereal or simply as a refreshing, creamy beverage. It’s a healthy choice for adults and kids alike.
As promised in the disclaimer on this blog, I’m disclosing the fact that this product must be purchased through a Reliv distributor and that I am a Reliv distributor who may receive monetary compensation should you decide to purchase the product through me. You may do so by contacting me at barb@midweststoryteller.com
This is a great way for me to take a travel mug while on the road and stop for some hot water so that I can have my chocolate fix. All I have to remember is to never leave home without my pre-mixed little baggie of dry ingredients, my little bottle of vanilla and my mini whisk!
Are you ready for no-guilt Valentine treats?
Almost everyone seems to love those beautiful chocolate-covered strawberries that cost an arm and a leg. We all indulge without too much guilt because, after all, strawberries are fruit and fruit is good for you and therefore, legal – right? Those sold in stores or special ordered are most likely made with shortening. (Repeat after me: “Shortening. Is. Evil.”) Not only that, but the chocolate coating is loaded with that ever-present, ever-enticing culprit – sugar!
I came up with this recipe to remove the culprits. The results were fabulous and I’ve served them up several times to people who tell me how yummy they are. I usually make them to share, so this recipe makes quite a few! The ones in the photo were gigantic berries and I had enough coating to do twenty-five berries. If they had been “regular” sized strawberries, I think I could have done about forty! What could be easier than dipping whole berries into chocolate sauce and letting them dry? This, combined with the fact that you get to lick your fingers and that your recipients will think you’re oh, so special ought to get you going on this recipe.
Oh, you weren’t going to give any of them away? Well, just be sure and wipe the chocolate off your chin before anybody sees you.
Wash berries and pat them dry with paper towels or allow them to dry completely on a drying mat.
In a double boiler, small ceramic coated saucepan (or a Pyrex bowl over a small saucepan), melt the coconut oil and butter over low heat. Add cocoa powder, heavy cream, stevia, vanilla and salt, whisking until smooth.
Grasp each berry by its stem and dip into the chocolate mixture. Be sure not to cover all the lovely red part! Allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl before placing the berries onto waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. Place the berries far enough apart so they do not touch.
Leftover chocolate? Consider re-dipping!
If desired, sprinkle some or all of the berries with shredded, unsweetened coconut while the chocolate coating is still soft.
Do not attempt to rearrange the berries on the waxed paper until the chocolate coating is completely hardened.
Refrigerate until ready to serve or give as a gift. Remember, the chocolate coating will begin to soften at about 76 degrees, so be sure to store your beautiful berries properly. I did, with good intentions to take most of them to some cherished friends. But then, we had this icy weather and didn’t get out and, well, you know how it goes…now you know why they’re called “Eat ’em All Chocolate-covered Strawberries!”
You can share more than chocolate with a friend. How about sharing this post? You can do that through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!
Enjoy your chocolate and don’t forget your FREE printable recipes. Just click on the banner below.
I invite you to join me for true confessions! Tell me about your favorite chocolate obsession and how often do you indulge. Scroll back up to the top of this post and “Leave a Comment”.
I think the main reason that I enjoy Valentine’s Day so much is that it’s one of the few times in the year when the rest of the world gets on board with my sappiness. All the tough cookies in this world soften up and, at least for one day, we’re all hearts and flowers.
This month’s freebie will allow you to go all out with old fashioned mush! All you have to do is become a subscriber, if you are not already, and comment on this post, saying: “I Love Valentines!” (Complete rules are included at the end of this post.)
These handmade Victorian Valentines are the perfect way to make someone feel special. Each of the eight cards has a different image taken from antique postcards and Valentines, surrounded by real lace and fancy trims. They come with red envelopes and I’ve thrown in an extra in case you make a mistake trying to get all curly and swirly while addressing them.
Inside each card is a Scriptural quote from Jeremiah to let your recipients know that they’re not only cherished by you, but by God as well.
I love my faithful subscribers. I hope this freebie makes you feel so loved and so special that you’ll want to use it to make eight other people feel loved and special!
Isn’t that special? (I told you I was sappy.)
Oh, by the way, they are handmade by me – just something I’ve always enjoyed doing. Ah, yes – paper crafting. Didn’t I just say in a recent post that paper was my nemesis?
Why not SHARE this post today with the people you love? One of them might win and then send you a beautiful handmade Victorian Valentine!
Check out some of Midwest Storyteller’s previous freebies on our “Freebies” page. A couple of my favorites are here and here.
REMEMBER: A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight by leaving a comment which says, “I Love Valentines!”
And now, here are the rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe, Confirm and Enter before midnight tonight, February 2nd!
Tomorrow is the first Friday of the month and you know what that means! Don’t you just L.O.V.E. free stuff?
“There’s a catch,” you say? I’ll admit it – you have to SUBSCRIBE to the Midwest Storyteller blog – which, by the way, is also F.R.E.E.
Speaking of “loving” free stuff… Ooh! …there seems to be something hidden inside this secret “envelope”?
Oh, my goodness, if I give out any more hints, you’re going to guess what’s inside and the secret will no longer “be mine”!
“Like”, “Pin”, “Tweet” and by all means, “Share” on Facebook with all your friends so they can enter to win.
Then, check Friday’s post for the reveal and your instructions to comment.
And now, here are the rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
When the Freebie is revealed on Friday, you’ll need to scroll back up to the top of the post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! And only one more day! Loving it!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe, confirm and enter tomorrow!
January is rolling to a close. I took a vow years ago to let January be January. In this climate, if there be any hope of killing the bugs (and I have no mercy on mosquitoes for they have no mercy on me), we need at least three weeks of good, hard freeze. I think we may have done it.
February looms, promising more of the same. I don’t like it, but I try to be nice. I look at the calendar upon which I have written my “hopefuls”. This month, I was to have organized my upstairs after I’d put away Christmas stuff, sort through and re-organize my kitchen cabinets, update my addresses and contact info, sort and dispose of excess magazines and reward myself by getting some scrapbooking done.
Aside from the scrapbooking, I’ve made headway in all the other areas. Still, I’d like to feel as though I’ve finished at least some of these categories so that I can stand back, rest my hands on my hips, heave a satisfactory sigh and say, “There now!”
(I just sighed, but it was the wrong kind.)
In March, unless spring-like weather makes an early debut and performs an intervention, I tend to get just plain ticked off about winter and start muttering a lot.
Now, I have to remind myself that I’ve recently shared with you “50 Ways to Make 2018 a Better Year”. The key word here is “better” – not “perfect”. If I’d promised in that post that the list would give you a perfect year, you likely would have found something else to waste your time reading.
I’m asking myself today, “Are things better?” I hear myself reply, “Oh, yeah! I look around the house and see that much has been done and much is left to do, but it’s better!
Golly, how I wish I had a higher gear! Alas, I have only one gear and I’m already running in it.
There are times when I look around and ask myself if any of it matters and for a fleeting moment I hanker for a dumpster.
Paper is my nemesis. But…I am a writer. Ummm…
Then, I remember this. There are two dates on every gravestone and though they may be forgotten, the dash between them is what counts. People will remember you for your dash!
We do leave a legacy in many ways – in the hearts and minds of our children, in what we build in our communities and in the lives of others, and in the stories that connect us to our heritage.
This house holds a lot of heritage.
One of the things I found as I sorted my office was a slip of paper upon which I’d written a quote attributed to Joseph Garlington. I thought I’d share it today in hopes that it puts your year and your life into perspective as it does mine.
I took this photo in December as I drove through the countryside on my way to meet Phoebe June. I pulled over to take photos of a sky such as I’d never seen before.
Under a wide-open Heaven, life is given to me to live each day in this strange place called Earth and I’m determined to thrive down here. I may not be able to make it perfect, but bit by bit, I can make it better, even if it’s something as simple as encouraging a friend or cleaning out files.
The year ahead holds days and days full of surprises and mundane things. I hope the mundane things bring you stability and peace and that all your surprises are good ones. If last year was a “dud” – and sometimes they are – don’t lose heart. Move forward into new territory and happier days.
You may be starting out the new year grieving the events of the last one. Take your time and heal. You may spend a part or all of the year in a waiting mode. (I hear ‘ya as I wait for responses from literary agents.) You may go on happily as you have been or you may step into a new adventure like a dear friend of mine who, in a couple of weeks, will leave behind the job she’s had for years and focus on her art!
Leave a comment! Scroll back up. It’s just under the title of this post. Are things better – even just a little bit – in your earthly experience? I’d love to hear what you’ve done in January (I’ll even listen to your fails) and what you plan for February!
I’ve been waiting till I could post a photo to announce January’s winner of Midwest Storyteller’s First Friday Freebie. It happens every month to a faithful subscriber and January’s winner is –
Liz of Boonville, Missouri!
Liz entered the drawing by following the instructions to the letter as stated in the post. That’s important, you know.
I believe I’ll be able to claim that I’ve made her an addict. Once you’ve used these Full Adhesive Post-It Notes– well, they’re just like potato chips – it’s mighty hard to stop at one pack. I usually get mine at Amazon.com.
My pack is dwindling fast as I’ve spent these cold, January days re-organizing and re-labeling Christmas stuff and trying to deal with the chaos that’s occurred in the office while the Midwest Storyteller has been telling a very long story – three novels’ worth.
It won’t surprise me if we hear from Liz that she’s used her Friday Freebie to organize her entire world! Well, that might be stretching it a bit, but all those mystery boxes and containers that hold who-knows-what are about to be identified. Click here to find out what’s so great about this simple alternative to the usual Post-It Note. You might say that these turn regular Post-Its “upside-down”.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, February 2, 2018. SUBSCRIBE and share this post with all your friends so they can enter also. A winner will be 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.
And now, here are the Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! Subscribe now, before you forget, and you’ll be ready for February and (hint, hint) Valentine’s Day. You’re gonna “LOVE” this next Freebie!
Take a look at some past winners and their goodies here, here and here!
Why not “share”, “like” and “pin” this post so all your friends don’t miss out?
Scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you think of the freebies so far and which features of the blog you’d like to see more of in the future.
Phoebe June is a delight. We adopted her on December 7th. Later that evening, I saw via Joanna Gaines on Instagram that on that same day, Chip surprised the family with a new kitten! For a moment, I questioned whether I should change Phoebe June’s name to Magnolia, but somehow “Phoebe” had already “stuck”. We do love “Fixer Upper” and the Gaines family and wish them the best with their new additions – the kitten and the soon-to-arrive baby!
I’m sure if you’ve seen any of her innocent-looking photos, you’re assuming that Phoebe June spends her days with her powder-puff paws crossed waiting for someone to stroke her velvet fur.
The reason for that is that all the action shots I’ve tried to obtain of Phoebe have been a complete blur. When she is not striking a demure pose for the camera, Smuffy and I are taking turns at Wildcat Patrol. Well, I take more turns than Smuffy, but then I also get the most kitty cuddles, so I suppose I can live with it.
Our veterinarian wanted to know if Phoebe was alert and playful. I showed him my scratch marks.
Having a cat in the house is different from having a kitten in the house. Our last two cats, who were two years apart in age, each lived to be 16 years old, so it’s been a long time since we started afresh. Though they remained playful all their lives – Y I K E S ! – it’s not the same as bringing home a charged-up little lightning bolt of energy that is the most playful hunter on earth – a 7 ½ week old kitten.
Phoebe June had an adorable sister. Here they are on the day we met when I was trying to decide which to adopt.
Sweet Sister seemed docile and shy – such endearing qualities. Phoebe June, on the other hand, entered the room with an air that suggested that if it were not a fun-filled place, she’d be happy to remedy the problem in three seconds or less.
Having had a couple of truly neurotic cats in the past, I chose brave kitty. I got brave kitty! She’s smart and tries her best to cooperate with the rules, but some things prove irresistible, such as the taking down of the Christmas tree. I should have probably gotten a sitter for that one.
To give you a glimpse of our fun-filled days and a guide should you consider bringing home a kitten, I’m sharing this list that reflects how we’ve acclimated to Phoebe June’s world.
Cats are fascinating and each one seems to have strange traits, odd fears and unique habits that don’t have any rhyme or reason and don’t quite fit in with any of the scientific studies on cats. There are just some things the experts can’t explain about feline behavior.
Phoebe June has her share of these quirks already, but the one that is the most puzzling and causes me the greatest loss of sleep is her unexplainable desire to eat my hair! This she confines, annoyingly, to the early morning hours. She’s a clingy sort, but being nocturnal, she roams a bit a night and nods off under the bed between her excursions and a few hops back onto the bed to be sure I haven’t run away from home.
Then, in the pre-dawn, when the stealthy mountain lions of the wild stir and head out for the hunt, Phoebe June stirs also. She hunts for one thing only – Mommy! It’s as though she’s re-discovered me after a prolonged absence and the joy is too much for her.
Climbing onto my head with her purr-box rumbling like a Harley, she wraps all four paws around my head and clinging with all her might, tries to remove my hair! And the question is: Why?
Needless to say, at this point I am awake! As I disentangle her and pull her down to ruffle her fur and give her a snuggle, I can’t help but giggle at the amount of affection that seems to be lavished upon me in this strange act. Though she may be clutching at my head with all her strength, there are no claws involved, only purring, wallowing and (sigh) gnawing.
“And then you fall back asleep?” you assume. Nope. Phoebe June’s full affections take a while to dissipate and she’ll make several more attempts at snatching me bald before she gets it out of her system and settles down on my shoulder to flop around until breakfast is served.
Hopefully, this is a passing phase, because one of her favorite times to run amok through the house is around 10:45 each night. These frenzies can last a couple of hours, so if she doesn’t give up one or the other habits, I may be feeling soon, as they say, “a mere shadow of my former self.”
I thought Phoebe June’s story might bring you a smile during the wintry days of January. You can deny it, but I know you’re watching those funny cat videos online!
If you’re a “cat person”, I’m sure you have a story or two to of your own about the cats in your life. Scroll back up to the top of this post and “Leave a Comment” to share them. I’d love to hear from you!
Have some cat-loving friends? Be sure to SHARE!
Want more on how Smuffy deals with cats? Check it out here, but please, cover your eyes!
Happy New Year, Everyone! It seems impossible that we’ve already breezed through Christmas and landed in 2018. I knew this particular First Friday Freebie would sneak up on me and it did!
Don’t you love gifts that come with explanations? We were discussing at Christmas how it seems all our gifts come with some sort of novel-length explanation. So, now let me explain –
You may at first think that I’m too exhausted from the holidays to think of something better or that I’m just plain unimaginative (or cheap), but I wanted to introduce you to something life-changing.
You know what I mean – one of those small things in life that make all the difference and make you wonder how you ever lived without it – like Velcro on toddlers’ shoes, plastic wrap, duct tape and cooking spray.
While preparing the post on 50 Ways to Make 2018 a Better Year, I considered what I might offer as January’s Freebie to help out with that. Then, I remembered that innocent looking little sample package that arrived in the mail a few years ago.
I gave it a shrug and tossed it in my desk drawer. I’d seen Post-it Notes before. These seemed to be some new-fangled version and I wasn’t about to throw free stuff away. I knew 3M made the kind that pull apart from opposite ends and the ones that are super-sticky. These, apparently, had taken sticky down yet another avenue.
Later, when I’d finished up the pad I was using, I got them out and discovered that I’d been keeping something fabulous in hibernation in that desk drawer. That’s why I’m offering them as this month’s First Friday Freebie –
Full Adhesive Post-it Notes!
These are one of my favorite finds. Well, I suppose you’d say they found me! And, I’m giving away a full pack – not a sample.
(The ones in the photo are my open pack. The ones I’m giving away are due to arrive soon – yes, the January Freebie did sneak up on me.) The Freebies will be in yellow as I tried to pick something neutral for you.
What did we do before Post-it Notesanyway? Run around with fuzzy rolls of tape in our pockets?
Once I began to use these, the possibilities became endless. I stopped ruining storage boxes with marker pens – I just changed the note and because of the full adhesive, they actually stayed on and didn’t curl! I started using them to label cardboard boxes, plastic tubs, bottles, jars and plates of goodies. They adhere wonderfully, and best of all, come off cleanly when you want them to. Bookplates! They’re perfect for that! I no longer have to “ugly up” the nice boxes in my basement shelves of upstairs closets or pull them all out to see what’s inside. Use two sheets! On one, list the general heading in large print. On the other, list the individual contents.
There are lots of other removable labels out there – even nifty chalkboard ones – but they are way too pricey for marking storage boxes and other things that require temporary or alterable labels.
Consider these to be regular Post-it Notes in REVERSE! The adhesive covers the whole back of the note except for a narrow strip at the bottom (or top, if you prefer)edge, giving you a way to grasp it for removal.
Don’t scoff – you’re gonna love these things more than Velcro! BONUS: They also come in “super-sticky”, making the world practically perfect in every way. The 3M Company isn’t messing around when it comes to its sticky business. Under the Post-It section of their web site, you’ll find over 300 choices when searching for the perfect note!
You may have a little trouble finding them in your typical discount stores.Staplescarries them, but being a bargain hunter, I order mine from Amazon.com here. They’re great for filling in your order for free shipping.
The “Freebie Rules” have changed recently to make it easier for you to win, so read on, SUBSCRIBE and share this post with all your friends so they can enter also. A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter today by leaving a comment which says, “I’ll take the notes!”
And now, here are the revised rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe, Confirm and Enter before midnight tonight, January 5th!
Did you miss the last Freebie? Check it out here. Don’t forget to “Share” and “Pin” and by all means, “Leave a Comment”. Share the nifty-est “life-changing” thing you’ve discovered.
After Christmas, what I’d really like is a long winter’s nap. The rest of the world, however, keeps trying to tell me year after year after ever-lovin’ year that now is the time to lose weight, organize myself and all my surroundings as though I have Martha Stewart’s minions at my beck and call and (using colorful flow charts, of course) reassess where I’m going in life. By the way, love that Martha. She knows her stuff!
I know where I’m going. I’m going to the kitchen to make some Pomegranate Raspberry Green Tea so that I can scoop up Phoebe June if she’s in the mood and settle onto the sofa under the furry throw and let it be -8 degrees outside if it feels like it.
I shared with my family as we gathered for Christmas that I believe we’re doing this all wrong! With the current system, we merely set ourselves up for frustration and failure – at least in the climate of the Midwest.
Why not, I asked, celebrate the new year in spring? The third week in March, when the equinox turns us all toward sunnier days, we’ll all be full of fizz and ready to get out and walk off the pounds, eat foods that aren’t piping hot and covered with melted cheese, move out the junk and organize what’s left in hopes of creating a nice spot for a vase of fresh hyacinths and maybe – just maybe – give a hoot once again about heading somewhere in life other than closer to the fire.
I fall in line with the Phoebe June Philosophy –
I try, though. Really, I try. Smuffy might dispute that. He’s one of those people who asks who’s been at his desk if he finds the tape and stapler lined up in reverse order. I’m one of those people who digs for the stapler, knowing that it’s under there somewhere. It makes me cry sometimes, and sometimes I get really organized, but it never seems to last for long.
Sometimes, it helps me to experiment with a “design re-mix”. I love jewelry and I always seemed to be leaving little stashes of it on the nightstand, even though I had a roomy jewelry armoire on the other side of the room I could have easily put it in. One day, when rearranging furniture, the armoire ended up much closer to the door. Suddenly, after years and years, I found myself taking off my jewelry and putting it away as soon as I entered the room. The new arrangement just seemed to function with how I think.
I’m always finding “helpful” ideas to spur me toward getting my act together in a Smuffy sort of way, but (hear me sigh) I tend to reject them or, to be honest – lose them. If I had a dollar for everything I lost between December 1st and the 25th, I could go out and buy Christmas all over again!
I do like using a planner, but mine is homemade. I can’t seem to think like the pre-fab ones want me to. It works better for me to use a small binder that holds 8 ½ X 5 ½” ruled sheets and create my own.
In the front, I insert monthly calendar pages that I print out myself. Behind those, I use tab dividers where I create sections pertaining to my life such as Blog, Novel, Around the House, Health, Shopping, DIY, Gifts, Scrapbooking, Ancestry and Dates to Remember. I like to include an inspirational section where I can jot down quotes or Scriptures that encourage me or that I can share with someone else.
I take my planner along on appointments and shopping trips. That way, I can ask all the questions that have been popping into my mind since the last appointment (and find the answers when I get home) and I can look for elusive items and have measurements on hand when I find them.
Now, let me be clear about something. My creative space, though it may look better than it did a week ago, remains a place I’d still find myself apologizing for if you walked into it right now. Not a chance of seeing a photo of this post-finishing three novels/holiday preparation/getting a new kitten disaster! I do however, want to share something that I try to work with every year.
I’m often seeing lists that offer to help me “eat my elephant one bite at a time”. Most of the time, they just don’t fit with my life in one way or another. Others must have been written by someone living in a totally different climate. (Who wants to clean closets in April? It’s plantin’ time!) We all have to face the truth, even if we’re self-professed “messies” – we don’t thrive in chaos. A reasonable amount of order calms us, eases our frustrations and – DANG IT! – helps us find the stapler! As much as I love wasting time, there’s only so much of it and the more unorganized we are, the easier it seems to slip away.
Here’s the list I’ve adapted for my lifestyle and the climate we live in. The best thing I’ve found about this list? None of it matters! I have given myself the gift of releasing each and every item to the winds of time and tides of happenstance. There will be, sadly, deaths in the family. There will be, joyfully, vacations and surprises! This last year, with the frantic push to complete the novel series, none of it got done except in little half-hour snatches of time and I’ve told myself that it’s OK! After all, I was busy doing something great, right?
I hope this list helps you make one of your own and I hope you don’t get bogged down by it! Adapt the items to your lifestyle and write one across each week of your 2018 calendar.
Remember to read all the way to the end of the post because the First Friday Freebie is upon us!
I’d love your comments! These aren’t the huge jobs you may tackle during the year such as cleaning out the whole garage or putting new siding on the house or installing a fish pond. These are the smaller, often ignored things that really frustrate us when they’re all piled up and the stapler becomes a minor player amongst the things that have gone missing. I’d love to hear your ideas on things we could add to the list.
SUBSCRIBE and SHARE so that your friends can do likewise and you can all be in the drawing for January’s FREEBIE! It’s coming up Friday for subscribers only. Here are the rules:
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
There! Now that you’ve subscribed, you can hurry on to organize your creative space and put away all the Christmas decorations. If you need help, just consult Martha – she’s much better at it than I am and hers always turns out “perfect”!
Oh, my goodness! That reminds me – Martha’s calendar always schedules a specific date for her to trim her donkeys’ hooves! Now, how in the world did I manage to leave that off my list?
Want more encouragement so you can thrive in 2018? Check out “Life, Laughter and Lemons” here!
Hustle and Bustle is right – and we don’t even have small children in the house! I LOVE Christmas, so I suppose I create my own hustle and bustle as I think of one more special thing I can wrap up or make special. This year, though my oven went out the week before Christmas, I take heart that I do not face these challenges alone. Nope – not me! I’ve got a new “helper”! There’s nothing like bringing an eight-week-old kitten into a house full of Christmas trees, paper, ribbons and freshly baked goodies.
Meet Phoebe June – we adopted her on December 7th.
This face explains why the blog has been silent since the First Friday Freebie! Things are busy here – really busy! Phoebe is clingy, and vocal, and so overly attached to me that it’s pitiful. And, I’m having a ball! I have to admit that I couldn’t be more tickled to have her if I were four years old! There’s something about having a cat that gives me joy and helps me thrive. Smuffy scored BIG points by getting me a kitty for our anniversary. He is, however, getting a little tired of hearing all the baby-talk as I coo over my precious little ball of fur.
It’s been about a decade since we’ve had a kitty and the house has gradually become less and less kitty-proof. So…Christmas + Phoebe = Not-Accomplishing-Much-Except-for-Wildcat-Patrol.
I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I thought I would do so by sharing something that I wrote a few years ago when, as I prepared for Christmas, I was exhausted to the brink of collapse. It might make you smile and you may be able to pass it on to someone else who is feeling the stress of life – be it good stress or bad.
Enjoy your family, friends, (and of course, the furry family members) and take time to remember why we celebrate Christmas! God Bless You!
Ten days till Christmas! That explains, in part, why I’m a little slow with the announcement. One of the things that helps me thrive is blessing others, so I love giving away gifts! Midwest Storyteller offers a monthly free gift to a faithful subscriber and December’s winner is –
Sharon of Boonville, Missouri!
Remember, the First Friday Freebie rules have changed, so Sharon’s name was drawn using our new scientific and impartial method. (I put all the entries on cards, placed them face-down and had Smuffy pick one.)
These EchoTouch ladies’ gloves by Echo Design should keep Sharon’s hands warm if the forecasted “snowmageddon” hits the Midwest as the long range forecast models predict. I wouldn’t count on that prediction as things change here in the blink of an eye. Maybe I just don’t want to think about it.
The gloves come equipped with those amazing little fingertip additions that enable you to operate your smart phone and other devices without taking them off – an awesome invention, if you ask me. Similar styles are available on the EchoDesign web site, so their other styles here.
The next First Friday Freebie drawing will be on Friday, January 5, 2018. SUBSCRIBE and share this post with all your friends so they can enter also. A winner will be 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.
And now, here are the revised Freebie Rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you come to the post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on the first Friday of the month will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! Subscribe now, before you forget, and you might start the new year by winning a free gift!
Take a look at some of the other goodies and their winners here and here!
The Midwest Storyteller household has been turned upside-down and we’ll cover that story next time, so get ready to join the adventure and “share”, “like” and “pin” so all your friends don’t miss out.
I love it when you “Leave a Comment” and let me know your thoughts. Scroll back up under the title of this post and let me know what you think of the freebies so far and which features of the blog you’d like to receive more of in the future.
Have a wonderful time and enjoy the coming days as you prepare your home and your heart for Christmas. What a glorious season we celebrate!
Only 24 more days till Christmas! How exciting! In case you’re having a difficult time with all the suspense, keep in mind that there are 0 – yes, ZERO – days until the First Friday Freebie. That’s right! You get to open this package today!
It’s December and there’s a nip in the air – somewhere. Strangely, it’s not happening yet in our part of the Midwest. We seem to be getting someone else’s weather. The scary part is – someone else might be getting ours! I chose this gift for you with the hope of keeping you warm and cozy while you’re out and about finishing (or starting – breathe, just breathe) your Christmas shopping. It’s unseasonably warm here, but in this neck of the woods, that could change drastically in a matter of…say, 30 minutes?
Oh, come on! Don’t scroll at such a snail’s pace, like Great-Aunt Fannie trying to save the paper – rip it off and take a peek.
These EchoTouchladies’ gloves “keep your hands warm while you keep in touch”. It seems that most everyone (excluding Smuffy) carries a smart phone these days. Though we enjoy the amazing technology that lets us navigate its depths with a tap or swipe of a finger, there’s that annoying fact that it can’t be done with gloves on! A few years ago, I received a pair of touch gloves as a gift and I’m hooked! I always seem to have cold hands and this helps me use my phone when I’m out and about without the hassle of taking my gloves on and off all the time. I find myself avoiding the “old style” gloves now in favor of this great invention.
Another problem with gloves, in a general sense, is keeping track of them. Although I don’t want to be seen running around like a toddler with a string running through my coat sleeves, it sometimes seems like a plan. If all the gloves I’ve lost were scraped from the parking lots upon which I’ve scattered them and were then placed end-to-end… Oh, never mind – back to the FREE gloves!
This neutral heather-gray pair of gloves are a Size LARGE. While I don’t consider myself to have large hands, I do have long fingers, so this is the size that always works for me. Not your size? They’ll make a great gift. And to all you guys out there – I know what your doing and the stores will be empty by the time you get finished doing it. Win the gloves and at least she’ll have something.
Similar gloves retail on the Echo web site for $39.00. (You have no idea how tempted I am to keep these for myself!) You can check out there other styles here.
The “Freebie Rules” have just changed to make it easier for you to win, so read on, SUBSCRIBE and share this post with all your friends so they can enter also. A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter today by leaving a comment which says, “I love the gloves!”
And now, here are the revised rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
To enter the drawing, scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed in the post before midnight on Friday, December 1, 2017 will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe, Confirm and Enter before midnight tonight!
Want to see some past Freebies and their winners? Take a peek here and here.
In case you haven’t heard, Midwest Storyteller offers FREEBIES! They happen on the first Friday of every month, which means you have only two more days to wait before entering the drawing for the December Freebie! The “Freebie Rules” have just changed to make it easier for you to win, so read on, SUBSCRIBE and share this post with all your friends so they can enter also.
Ooh…and what might this be?
‘Tis the season for secrets and surprises, so I’m keeping this secret till Friday, December 1st! I thrive on keeping fun little secrets this time of year, don’t you? It keeps the wonder in our world.
Once you see Friday’s post, feel free to pounce on it! No pushing – no shoving – the nicest thing about lining up in cyber-land is that nobody gets hurt.
And now, here are the revised rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the fun and FREE STUFF! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you won’t be eligible to enter.
When the Freebie is revealed on Friday, you’ll need to scroll back up to the top of the post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. Subscribers who comment as directed before midnight on Friday will enter the drawing, provided they are already on the subscribers list and live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! And now we wait…are you starting to get a little excited? It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Take a look at a couple of other gifts I’ve given away recently here and here.
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe, Confirm and Enter on Friday!
NOTE TO READERS: These recipes are old family favorites that appeared here on my blog prior to myeating according to the Trim Healthy Mama plan or becoming a THM Certified Lifestyle Coach. The soup recipe fits the Trim Healthy Mama plan as an “S”. The biscuits? Well, they’re Frankenfood. While they taste fabulous, I cannot recommend them for healthy lifestyle or blood sugar control. I am working on adapting many of these recipes to the plan so watch for future posts!
America’s annual love affair with pumpkin begins where Labor Day ends and soothes us all with it’s warm flavor through Thanksgiving and its weekend of yummy leftovers. I thought I’d share this recipe to give you just one more pumpkiny thing to delight in before the season comes to a halt and all our fickle hearts leave it behind in search of the perfect Christmas cookie.
Let me introduce you to Zesty Pumpkin Soup – a favorite of mine that I make at least a couple of times during the fall. Why I don’t make it year-round is a mystery because it’s so yummy. To go along with it, I’m going to give you my recipe for Billy’s Biscuits, because what’s better than a great bowl of soup and a light and airy, buttery biscuit?
I’ve had the Recipe for Zesty Pumpkin Soup for years and years and I’ve tried my best to remember the source so that I can give credit where credit is due. I think I’ve finally remembered where I got it! Years ago, at a local shop, I picked up a super-cheap set of four paperback cookbooks which I believe were called, “Home Cooks’ Easy Recipes”. The pages were printed on newsprint and other than the cover, there were no photos. I tried all sorts of recipes in those books, but eventually parted with them in a garage sale – I think. I’ve looked online and can’t find any such books to reference here, or I would be happy to do so.
The interesting thing about Zesty Pumpkin Soup is that it is savory! Almost all pumpkin recipes are some variation that requires brown sugar and reminds you in some way of the eternal favorite, pumpkin pie. This is really different, but absolutely delicious. The original recipe called for the finished soup to be pureed until smooth. However, I forgot to do this once and ended up discovering that I actually preferred the “bits”, as long as they are finely chopped.
“Billy’s Biscuits?” you ask. “Who on earth is Billy?” I believe these biscuits began with a recipe known to some folks as “Southern Gal Biscuits”, but I got the recipe from my friend, Billy, after he served them up for breakfast when I was a houseguest. They were the best biscuits I’d ever had.
Here’s Billy –
I miss Billy, but know that breakfast in Heaven has been kicked up a notch ever since he arrived. I admit to tweaking the recipe for my own use, because I steer clear of shortening and refined sugars, but I’m sure if Billy were here to taste them, he’d approve! Normally, I also steer clear of wheat, but I do have an occasional cheat day. I’d sooner cheat and have these biscuits than almost any other treat. They’re worth it! Since I’ve never made these without thinking of Billy while I’m doing it, I can’t call them by any other name.
I see you shaking your head and muttering, “Soup – maybe. Homemade biscuits – no way! Where’s the can?” I’m about to take away all your fears about not having enough time or know-how to make these. They are lightning-fast and fool-proof, due to a few little tricks I’ll share with you.
And, best of all, there’s a FREE printable recipe.
Let’s get started –
Zesty Pumpkin Soup
1/4 cup real butter
1 cup chopped onion (chop this fairly small)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken broth or stock (sugar free)
2 (14 ounce) cans pumpkin puree
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Sour cream
Chopped fresh chives
Saute onion in butter until soft. Add garlic, curry powder, sald, coriander and red pepper; cook 1 minute longer.
Add broth; boil gently, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.
Stir in pumpkin, milk and heavy cream. Cook an additional five minutes.
(As you can see in the photo, I tend to use my favorite ingredients from Aldi and Costco. Finding broth without added sugar is sometimes more difficult than catching the chicken and making your own, so I really appreciate Costco carrying the Kirkland Signature Organic Chicken Stock.)
Garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives.
Makes a 3-quart saucepan of soup.
Now, before you nix the idea of making biscuits to go with this quick soup recipe, let me give you four fabulous tips that will make life so much easier!
Mix your dry ingredients ahead of time! If you know you’ll be preparing the biscuits for breakfast (when you are not exactly wide awake and ready to read a recipe and fumble around for ingredients) or if you want them hot and fresh for company, but don’t want to mess up your kitchen and be separated from your guests, this can save time and temper! Just measure all the dry ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside until biscuit time.
Grate the butter! I saw this tip somewhere gave it a try. I could kiss the hand of the genius who thought of it! Whether biscuits, pie crust or any other recipe, I’ll never “cut in” the fat again! All I do is grab a stick of frozen butter and my handy-dandy grater that catches all the bits and work fast. Peel back the paper on the butter and grate it against the grater with the small holes. Pop the lid onto the container and put it immediately back into the freezer! All those frozen little curls of butter will stir into your dry ingredients in about three seconds and you’ll be thanking me for passing on this grand idea. Seriously – always grate the butter!
Invest in a large silicone countertop rolling mat. Oh my goodness! I still dust with flour, but nothing sticks! You can roll out and cut cookies, biscuits – whatever you like – directly on the mat and best of all, when guests arrive, you can just roll it up, tuck it away and clean it later. No messy counters! I got mine at Aldi for a really reasonable price and the holiday baking season would be a good time to check there. Big name brands tend to be super expensive.
A dough scraper. I mean – really – where have these been all my life? Also, I have a marble rolling pin and I freeze it ahead of time if I know I’ll be making biscuits, cookies, etc. Nothing sticks!
Billy’s Biscuits
1 1/2 cups all purpose non-GMO wheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
4 teaspoons non-aluminum baking powder
2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
7 Tablespoons real butter, grated and re-frozen
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Quickly add the frozen, grated butter and stir to coat the butter with the flour mixture before the butter begins to melt.
Beat egg in milk; stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened.
Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead the dough 15 times by folding the entire ball of dough in half, giving it a quarter turn and folding it again. Roll out the dough to 3/4” thickness. Cut into circles with a large 3” biscuit cutter.
Transfer biscuits to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Yield: About 8-10 biscuits.
Enjoy your quick and heart-warming autumn meal. If you’ve prepared your dry ingredients and butter for the biscuits ahead of time, you can whip up the biscuits while the soup is simmering and have them ready to serve!
Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends! And…don’t forget your free printable recipes below.
Questions? Comments? If you make the soup and/or the biscuits, let me know how you liked it! Scroll back up to the title of this post and “Leave a Comment”. And why not SUBSCRIBE, so you’ll receive an email reminder each time Midwest Storyteller has something new.
They’re coming! You can hear their expectant panting from miles away as they prepare to descend on your home for Thanksgiving. You make a frantic dart through the house and decide it’s time to throw away the 4th of July balloons and take down the seashell jar that’s been welcoming everyone to your home with its shades of summery pastels.
Now what? There’s enough money to be spent on the turkey and ingredients for the traditional side dishes.
Been there – done all that. One thing I’m thankful for is the fact that my mother handed down to me the ability to make something out of nothing. Another quality we share is “squirrely-ness”. I’m not talking about that tendency to be just a tad odd – you know, the type of person that makes other people tilt their head to one side and blink – I’m talking about the ability to squirrel away cool stuff, small stuff, odd stuff and “sooner or later I’m gonna use that for something and when I do, it’s gonna be really cool” stuff.
I love to decorate and hate throwing good stuff away, so I’ve learned to stare at things and ponder how I might recycle them into something new and different without having to go out and spend more than a few dollars to put a new twist on things.
I get the urge to decorate for fall at sundown on Labor Day. I ran a week or two late this year, but in case you’re way behind and wanting to “lovelify” everything before the doorbell rings and the turkey timer goes off, I thought we’d brainstorm.
Here’s my fall fireplace. I took the photo with all the candles lit so you could see how we like to enjoy it on these long fall evenings.
Here’s a close-up of the mantle.
Now, let’s take a look at the individual elements. Aside from batteries for flameless candles and string lights, I don’t think I spent a single dime this year! Even the votive candles are leftovers from a bulk purchase I made at my local thrift shop a year or two ago.
I hope I’ve gotten your cogs turning. Somewhere, tucked into a bookshelf, stored in a tub in the basement or perhaps still in a sack in the trunk from when a friend passed it on to you, there are things you can round up and experiment with.
Admittedly, I did some degree of head-shaking and standing around with my hands on my hips as I tapped my chin. Then, I’d arrange and re-arrange, and before long I found myself content.
Is it super-trendy? No. That would have taken a trip to the store for chalkboards and things covered in burlap and chevron prints. Somehow, I just wasn’t tempted to go there.
Once I’d completed my “design remix”, I was free to get out an enjoy fall and do my usual thing, perhaps causing not a few people to tilt their heads to one side and blink, but that’s my normal and I don’t think I got it from Mom.
As you can see from the photo, all you really need is family, friends, a mixture of garage sales and flea markets, a willingness to build your stash and a nice set of working blinkers so that you can zip into the stores with the best prices. Obviously, I’ve done more than a little “squirreling” in Hobby Lobby, Tuesday Morning and Big Lots. I can’t say enough about the great quality of QVC’s Bethlehem Lights collection! Seems they always have something great on clearance.
I had a group of ladies over for an annual Pumpkin Night event and we enjoyed a buffet of recipes containing pumpkin. I didn’t spend any money on table-scape either. I just dove into my stash! Take a look – as long as you don’t mind that guests had already arrived before I got the photo taken and things look just a trifle askew. Trifle! Now, why didn’t somebody bring a pumpkin trifle? Great idea for next year!
I’d love to hear from you. Just under the title of this post, you can “Leave a Comment”, letting me know your thoughts and ideas. What kind of things have you pulled together to decorate that will inspire the rest of us?
More inspiration for quick fall décor can be found here. You might enjoy getting to know my mom here. Need inspiration from me and my mom to help you rescue and recycle the poor, the tired and the pretty-much-trash stuff around the house? Check it out here!
Coming up next: Two fabulous free recipes for a heartwarming fall meal. SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss it!
I’m excited to announce the winner of November’s “First Friday Freebie”. A fabulous free gift is offered each month, on the first Friday, to a faithful subscriber. (Hooray for the letter, “f”!)
Subscribe now and you’ll be ready to enter to win in December! Instructions on how to do that are below.
Our November winner is…
Ginger from Prairie Home, Missouri!
Ginger left a comment on the post, saying, “I’ll take the Blessings Jar!” and she won!
You can see the Blessings Jar and it’s contents a little better in this photo –
I’m also announcing a change-up in the rules. From now on, the Freebie winner will be chosen from a drawing of the subscribers who leave a comment before midnight on the day the post appears.
I’m following the suggestion of subscriber, Liz, who was feeling that perhaps people who are busy or at work may not be able to comment until later in the day. So, a drawing will be!
If you’d like to enter the monthly give-a-way, do a few things to be sure you don’t miss out.
SUBSCRIBE! On your computer, you can do that in the right side-bar. On a phone or tablet, you may need to go to the “Contact” page. Only subscribers are eligible to win. If you do not confirm your subscription by clicking on the confirmation email you receive, you are STILL not a subscriber, so don’t forget that. You’ll get an email when there’s a new post or freebie.
“Follow” Midwest Storyteller on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Even if you forget to check your email on the first Friday, the offer will show up in your feed.
Spread the love – and the FREEBIES! “Share” Midwest Storyteller with your friends on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Pin this post to Pinterest and send the pin to friends you’d like to see enter to win.
You’ll be eligible to win if you are a subscriber at the time of the offer and if you live in the continental United States. Then all you’ll need to do is read the post and leave a comment as instructed!
Simple, right?
Get ready! The next free gift will be given away on Friday, December 1st!
How are you liking the freebies so far? Please scroll back up and click on “Leave a Comment” under the title of this post and let me know.
If you’d like to see who won the First Friday Freebie for October, click here.
My, how time flies! Today is the first Friday in November and time for Midwest Storyteller’s First Friday Freebie. If you missed seeing my last freebie give-a-way, you can take a look at it here. If you’re wondering who won, check it out here.
Each month, I offer a gift to one of the loyal and loveable fans of Midwest Storyteller. It’s absolutely free and the rules are, oh, so simple.
This is truly the season to be thankful. As we all prepare our hearts and minds for the holiday season ahead, we know what makes us thrive! It’s our family, friends and the simple things in life that make us rich.
I’ve chosen this gift to help you and your family remember what matters most.
I just want you to know that I had a pretty tough time not keeping this gift for myself!
This beautiful Blessings Jar is perfect for this time of year. Included is an organza bag filled with blank “My Blessing” cards for family members and guests to fill out and drop into the jar. Also included are ten additional cards with inspirational quotes such as the one you can see in the photo by C. S. Lewis which says, “When we lose one blessing, another is often, most unexpectedly, given in its place.”
Wouldn’t it be great to have each of your Thanksgiving guests drop their card into the jar when arrive? Later, gathered at the feast, you can draw the cards out of the jar and read them aloud.
Another great idea is to place the jar in a prominent place this month and have family members jot down a blessing every day to add to the jar.
And the Number 1 thing to be thankful for? The Blessing Jar is FREE!
Another thing I loved about this gift is that it matches any décor and is not limited to seasonal display. It serves as a year-round reminder and can always be used to store a few other things you’re thankful for. Hmmm… Let me think… Cookies… Vacation money… the list goes on and on.
Ooooh! I almost forgot – it would make a lovely gift, wouldn’t it?
And now, here are the rules.
First Friday Freebies are available to SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. That means if you have come to this post through social media or someone has emailed you a link to it and you haven’t become a subscriber yet, you’ll need to hop on over to the right sidebar and do that really quick. If you are on a phone or tablet, the easiest way is to go to the “About Me” page. All it means to be a subscriber is that you’ll receive an email each time Midwest Storyteller has something new, which won’t likely be more than once or twice a week. It keeps you from missing out on all the helpful, fun and FREE stuff! And, I’m not sharing your emails with anybody.
IMPORTANT: After subscribing, you MUST check your email to confirm the subscription or it will not appear. Then, sadly, you are not eligible to enter.
You’ll need to scroll back up to the top of this post and under the title, click on “Leave a Comment”. The first subscriber to comment with, “I’ll take the Blessing Jar!” will win, provided that you’re already on the subscribers list and that you live within the continental United States.
Three simple steps! Have a wonderful and blessed First Friday of the month!
Now hurry! Go! Go! Go! Subscribe, Confirm and Enter! Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and let’s get the word out! It’s crazy not to spread free stuff around!
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