The Spring Shop

I’m Springing a Freebie on You!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

Last month, when I offered the First Friday Freebie, I spoke prematurely in saying that spring seemed to be arriving early this year.  It was, indeed, just a teaser, as we once again this week found ourselves covering up outdoor plants and ourselves against the freeze.

I’m going to push the warm weather idea and offer you a freebie for April that definitely speaks of better weather.

Metal Bird Art www.midweststoryteller.com

 This little piece of metal art is a Hobby Lobby find by The Spring Shop that you can display inside or out.  It measures 12.68” X 5” and will look great on a wall, on a porch post, hanging from a shepherd’s hook or even on the back yard fence.  The three-dimensional bird and leaves have a weathered look already so they’ll just become a little more so as they spend time outdoors. You have the option of hanging it by the curved metal piece or with the attached twine.     

To enter to win the metal bird art, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “A little birdie told me I might win this freebie!” You’ll need to leave your comment before midnight TONIGHT, April 5th, 2024.

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

If you are new to Midwest Storyteller and haven’t subscribed, you’ll need to do that before entering to win.  Head to the right sidebar or use the menu to navigate to the “Contact” page where you can fill in your email address and then watch for your confirmation email.  You’re not officially subscribed until you confirm by email.

No one will get to enjoy all the great things here on the blog unless you share it with your friends and family through all your social media, so if you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to share and if you save things on Pinterest like I do, hover over the photo and “pin it”.  Help me get the word out!

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

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, April 5tht, by leaving a comment which says, “A little birdie told me I might win this freebie!” 

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here.

SPRING TIP:  Have you heard about any of the scientific research concerning grounding?  Grounding, to put it in ultra-layman’s terms, is when you get outdoors, get your bare toes in the grass and get your body in touch with the earth, thus setting off a whole batch of good health benefits you may not have even known you needed.  Your grandma probably knew it.  She was probably the one who said, “Get out and work in the dirt – it’ll do you good!”  You may have thought she was just trying to get you to do her gardening chores, but she was imparting wisdom, health and life to you with those words.

It’s less than two weeks till planting time here.  Make plans to get out and get grounded!  Try singing while you’re at it.  It may make the neighbors stare, but it’ll multiply the health benefits for you.

If it’s still too cold for you, take some time and catch up here at Midwest Storyteller.  Check out all the tabs and explore the pages.  You’ll find plenty to smile about on my “Life with Smuffy” and “Laugh!” pages.

Happy Spring!

Of Course, You “May” Have a Freebie!

~ Midwest Storyteller ~ 7 Comments

I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.  There would come a month that I would go straight from First Friday to First Friday with nary a post in between.  All I can say about this regrettable situation is that this is what happens when your daily charge is 16 months old, walking and talking and it’s also weed pulling/planting time.  I had loads of fun this week, but most of it was spent as being Lil’ Snookie’s on-demand playmate.  I didn’t bother to count, but today it felt like we played 4,672 games of “Pi!” (his way of saying “Surprise!”).  This involves running around to opposite sides of the bed, ducking down, popping up with hands in the air to say “Pi!” and then ducking back down to crawl/toddle around the end of the bed where we meet to giggle and tussle. 

One of us is thrilled to no end with this and the other is overwhelmed by the cuteness but not getting to the computer to be much of a storyteller.  My apologies, but I’m not gonna quit my day job.

Oh, well, as my mother used to say, it’ll all come out in the wash.

I love the sayings people have that serve as a reminder to shrug off worry.  The Scriptures tell us not to worry about tomorrow because each day has enough troubles of its own.  How true!  Worrying today about tomorrow only piles more troubles onto a day that already is bound to have its own share of ups and downs.

At various times when I listen to the Trim Healthy Mama podcast, I’ve heard Serene and Pearl share that their mother often says, “Things come and things go” when asked about life’s difficulties.

Perhaps it’s weed-pulling season that brings these sayings to mind, for it does give me time to ponder and pluck up not only the weeds from the ground, but weedy worries from my mind.  The beauty of spring helps with that – everything’s starting over.

That’s why this month’s First Friday Freebie caught my eye.  I thought it might serve as a great reminder to one of my special readers who needs to pluck up some worries and toss them out.

Everything is Figure-out-able www.midweststoryteller.com

This inspirational table or shelf décor will help you do just that.  While I’m not sure that absolutely everything is figure-out-able (because there are just some things we are not meant to know), I love this saying.  It’s another phrase that will stick in your head to remind you that your sticky situation is going to go just as it came, or come out in the final wash or you’re going to be granted a solution.  The wood block from The Spring Shop is one of my Hobby Lobby finds and measures 4” X 3”, so it will tuck in perfectly amongst your other décor.  The white lettering and painted floral accent bring the message with a hint of summer.

To enter to win the “Everything is Figure-out-able” wood block, all you need to do is “Leave a Comment” on this post, saying, “This may be the best day ever!”  You’ll need to do that before midnight TONIGHT, May 7th, 2021!

NOTE:  There seems to be an occasional problem with subscribers not receiving r confirmation emails.  If this happens, please email me at barb@midweststoryteller.com and let me know so that I can report it and have the issue resolved.

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

Help me get the word out so that more people can enjoy the stories, recipes, laughter and, of course, the FREEBIES here on the blog, too, so share with all your friends and family through all your social media. If you like an idea, recipe or story you see here, be sure to hover over the photo and “pin it”.

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

A winner will be chosen at random from those subscribers who enter before midnight tonight, May 7th by leaving a comment which says, “This may be the best day ever!”  After you do that, you can go out and have fun, smell the flowers, pluck a weed or two and toss them out with your troubles. It’s spring!  Sow a little positivity.

For the complete First Friday Freebie rules, click here. 

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

How are you enjoying this most beautiful month of the year?  What new things and old favorites are you growing in you garden? I’d love it if you’d share in the comments.