Ah, yes, we’re back for another edition of things I’ve found for free that I want to share with you mid-week. I’m focusing this time on free things that make me smile–hope they add a smile to the rest of everyone else’s week, too. So, here’s an animal story, an easy craft project, a way to stretch creativity, and a place to find free foreign language tools. Enjoy!

First up, this article about a golden retriever and his…well, let’s just say ‘offbeat’ friends. Click this Link to read the article, or you can just gaze happily at the picture–

Bob the dog, and his eight bird friends and hamster buddy all live in Brazil, but his Instagram followers total more than 53K, and he has 12,000 friends on Facebook.

I’ve been in the middle of finding frugal tips–not just to stretch my wallet, but to help in developing a new character I have in a brand new mystery series (no more hints now, but will post on it soon). My series characters is more likely to recycle aluminum cans for the cash, rather than to create new things, but I wanted to share this video I stumble upon anyway. I’d suggest especially noting the last (tip#3) idea shown, as it could easily be the best and least expensive “quick gift” for a friend, mom, grandma, etc. All the tips are good, but I thought the last one really created “glowing” great potential. Click here to watch three clever ways to reuse soda cans–it’s only 3 minutes long & well worth the short time. Oh, and you’ll need to scroll down a page and a half to get to the video (I hate pages like this that pad the top, but this short video is worth hitting Page Down a couple of times).

For parents trying to find cheap and creative ways to help children stretch their imaginations during the summer months, take a look at The Amazon Free Storyteller. Click Here for the free tool that lets anyone upload a script they’ve written and bring it to life–so you might find it just as much fun as your children. Use the pre-designed characters, props, and backgrounds that Amazon includes at the site to create a storyboard or video. Yes, you can easily illustrate a story, and even incorporate music and sounds from Amazon’s free library. If you want more info on how it’s done, or how to share your/your kids’ mini blockbuster with others, there’s and FAQ Page to give you more info and even more ideas.

Have you ever wanted to learn a foreign language–and for free? Sound interesting? Live Mocha is a website that gives you full access to lessons in more than 35 languages. You just have to create an account. Finish the lessons and submit your work, and you’ll receive personalized feedback from other community members, including teachers, native speakers and language experts. Even more fun, the feedback often includes cultural information and speaking tips. There’s a “paid” section of the website, too, if you find you want to learn more after the free lessons are completed, but you’re not on the hook for anything.

For a bit more foreign language fun, the website Learn a Language offers over 1,400 free interactive flashcards to help the most important vocabulary in 19 languages. Included in these flashcards are 350 verbs, slang terms, greetings, and all the necessary survival questions you need to know before you can find a bathroom or a bookstore during your global travels.

Okay, that’s enough for this week. Remember to sign up for the PaperWhite giveaway on the contest page if you haven’t yet put your name into the drawing. You’ll find all the details on this site’s Contest Page, so click this link, or click the link on the header above.

And while they aren’t free, two of my books are on sale right now for 75% off. Get Organized for Murder and/or Counterfeit Conspiracies for a limited time at just 99 cents.

Have fun and enjoy! Back soon with more freebies I’ve found and want to share.