Free Book Friday This Week, December 6th!

Free Book Friday | On December 6th 

Free Book Friday is a twice-a-month children's book giveaway here on Joyous Notions! We come across so many wonderful books for homeschool literature, we decided to start a book giveaway for them. Each giveaway will feature one of our favorite children's books, and you will have a chance to win! 

We are very excited to offer this giveaway to our readers, and hope it will grow to bless you! Let us know your thoughts, and leave us a comment!

You won't want to miss the giveaways! Sign up for our newsletter to stay posted on all of our upcoming Free Book Fridays, and other events!

*Update* 

There have been a few questions about how Free Book Friday, here's how it works...

1. Free Book Friday starts on the announced Friday. 

We'll announce what Fridays - on our blog and in our newsletter.

2. You need to be a newsletter subscriber in order to qualify to win the giveaway. BUT being a newsletter subscriber does NOT enter you into the giveaway. 

3. On the day of Free Book Friday, we will put up the giveaway post on our blog with the Punchtab box. 

Enter the giveaway in the Punchtab box.

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This week's book giveaway is... 

A Time to Keep, by Tasha Tudor

Remember, only newsletter subscribers will be able to participate in Free Book Friday Giveaways, so sign up! We'd love to have you join us!

And get ready for The Five Days of Christmas! Starting Monday, December 2nd!

Have a blessed weekend! ~Jessica

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday! ~ November 27th

Homemaking Blog Hop Wednesday

The Featured Hopper!

Each week, we are going to be picking our favorite link or links of the previous week's link-up and featuring them as the Featured Hopper!! Share your best blog posts with us and you might get featured!! :)

This Week's Featured Hopper

is Lisa at Me & My House! Lisa shared her adorable Thanksgiving place cards (and in time for Thanksgiving this week too!) - and Gin at At Home in Doe Hill is doing a series of posts for a DIY 6-Panel Skirt Pattern! We love do-it-yourself skirts - even more wonderful in a house full of girls! Thank you for sharing ladies!

Thanksgiving Place Cards

DIY 6-Panel Skirt Pattern

Upcoming Events...

The Five Days of Christmas starts December 1st!

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and Free Book Friday is next week, December 6th! Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on this giveaway and more!

Have fun sharing in the blog hop, and have a blessed week, Ladies 

~ Jessica ~   

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One thing we love to do in our work is encourage ladies in making their homes... we are so pleased to start this Homemaking Blog Hop each week! Please join us, and share your links!

Topics can include... crafting, homemaking, encouragement, recipes, homeschooling, sewing, quilting, organizing, anything that has to do with making our homes! 

At the bottom, use the link tool to share your link, title and pick your image, it's so simple! And yes, you can share multiple links. =) 

Grab our Blog Hop button to add to your blog to share the fun! *Required to participate*

<a href="http://www.joyousnotions.com/search/label/Blog%20Hops"target="_blank"><img src="http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x208/Starbuckschick20/homemaking-bloghop2_zpsa53885b3.png"></a>

An InLinkz Link-up

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

This is our basic muffin recipe from our April Tea Times, 2012. Makes 12 muffins.

Take this base recipe and change the add-ins any way you’d like. Substitute different berries for the cherries, or even leave out the fruit and make cinnamon streusel muffins! When you make muffin batter, your goal is to mix the batter as little as possible; this will make high, tender muffins. Use a fork to mix! Never mix the batter until it is completely smooth, you will ruin the texture of the cake and they may not rise as much.

I made this morning for a friend because she was having trouble with the recipe. Remember, this recipe uses soft white wheat flour. I mill my own. If you are using white flour - I would experiment with 2/3 cup less. I haven't made them with white, so I'm not exactly sure of the measurement for it! Sorry!

First, prepare your muffin pans and either grease
or use a paper liner each cup. In a large bowl, sift
together:

• 2 2/3 cups soft wheat flour - 2/3 less if white flour is used
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sea salt

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, into
the well, add:

• 2 large eggs, beaten well
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
• 2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Use a fork to gently start pulling the flour mixture into the liquid ingredients in the middle. Combine just until the flour mixture is wet and still lumpy. Before you finish moistening the batter, stir in 3/4 - 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit. (Berries, chopped apples, etc.)

Use a spoon to fill each muffin cup 3/4 full; never fill to the top. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar. Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes, until golden and firm. Serve with butter! Enjoy!