Rachel Rossano is one of the sweetest and most talented people you could ever meet! I’m so excited to take part in the release of her newest book baby, Living … Continue reading Living Sacrifice Blog Tour
An Unexplained Exploit Cover Reveal
One of my best writing buddies is releasing a THIRD book in her Myth Coast Adventure series and I think they all sound super cool, but this newest one? I swear it grabbed me by the collar and lifted me to my toes. Thanks, Bigfoot. He is a strong one!
I live in Munising. A small, Native-rich town nestled near the shores of Lake Superior. Legends abound here. The Wendigo, Water Panter, Bigfoot are just a few you can catch whispers of if you keep your ears dialed to the low tones of the locals. As a matter-of-fact, our town was featured on the show, Finding Bigfoot. Come for a visit and YOU can find Bigfoot hanging out in not one but TWO different locations. Contact me here or on any of my social media sites telling me where you’ve spotted Bigfoot and I’ll send you one of my handmade bookmarks.
Today is Kandi’s cover reveal of her upcoming release, An Unexpected Exploit. Congrats, buddy! Curious as to what her story is about? Let’s take a peek. We can discover it together!
Protect a mythical realm or his family?
Sixteen-year-old Franklin follows a Sasquatch through a portal to the realm of Shinwano and discovers a world full of mythical creatures he never expected to actually exist. Upon returning to Myrtle Beach, Oregon, he vows to protect the land, not realizing how difficult it will be to keep his promise, especially when a poacher, a NSA agent, and his friends are interested in the portal—and all for different reasons.
When the poacher threatens his family, Franklin must reconsider his vow to protect this new world to keep his family safe. The consequences of his decision reach further than just a rift in the space-time continuum.
Can Franklin live up to the trust placed on him and save this new world from an even greater danger?
Need a bit more? Here’s a teaser sample:
An Unexpected Exploit is going on my wish list along with the other two books in the series. 99 cents to pre-order? I think I can dig up that kind of cash in my change jar! To pre-order yours, it’s as easy as clicking here.
Congrats, Kandi! Looking forward to reading the newest addition to your series!
Other books in the Myth Coast Adventure series:
Would you like to contact Kandi? Click on the following:
Website, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, goodreads, Bookbub, Amazon
Other books by Kandi J Wyatt:
Dragon Courage series
Middle Grade Fantasy:
Biblical Retellings:
God’s Plans Are Bigger Than Mine~Waterfalls Book Release!
It’s super-scary when you’re asked to leave your comfort zone, but a brave soldier goes forward even if his pack heavy with fear. How does one shuffle his/her feet forward when the load he is carrying is burdensome? When the trail ahead is fogged and the direction to go is uncertain? We do this by securing head knowledge our God has a plan that’s bigger than our fear of what lies ahead. We may not feel this truth yet, but if we lean heavily on the support of knowing His desire for us is His ultimate best for us, the peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:7) will come.
Bekah has recently had the privilege to go forward and take her own walk of faith with a heavy pack. I remember talking her through those first challenging moments when she got the news she and her family would be leaving Bolivia for the States. Those were dark times for my friend, but like a brave soldier, she obediently charged forward. How can one make their feet move in this way? Gather courage when there seems to be none to be found? Bekah came by and left a blog post to explain how:
God is a God of “coincidences”.
Hadassah “happened” to be amongst Ahasuerus’s bridal candidates. She “happened” to catch his eye and marry him. He “happened” to have mercy on her when she broke the law and went before him.
Same goes for Daniel. He “happened” to be taken to Babylon. He “happened” to be chosen as an adviser for Nebuchadnezzar. He “happened” to be given the gift of interpreting dreams.
I “happened” to return from Bolivia to find an awesome church. I “happened” to wind up in the “wrong” Sunday School class which directly led me to meeting some amazing girls. I just “happened” to connect with just the right people.
Ha!
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. {Isaiah 55:8-9}
A few short weeks ago, my car stopped – just flat-out died – right in the middle of the road {it was the alternator, if you’re wondering}. No hazard lights, nothing.
Here’s the fun thing.
I just “happened” to be stranded on a corner beside four or five different mechanic shops, with parts and tools and all that. My dad just “happened” to be in the same state – and even continent, for that matter. A family friend from church just “happened” to be passing by and stop to help {alongside two other strangers}. The boss of one of said mechanic shops not only allowed us to borrow his starter-pack {sorryyyy, guys, I don’t know if that’s the technical term}, he sent four guys to help push my car over into the turn lane and up a hill by the shop.
Not one of these people had to do any of this.
The whole situation could have gone so very differently. But hey, God’s got me!
The Writing Process of Waterfalls
If you have read Waterfalls, you know it begins with a little poem that honestly was never even titled.
I stand at the cliff’s top,
And look far below,
At the white on the surface,
The clouds – are they snow?
The wind whirls around me.
My heart thumps within –
As the icy fear hugs me,
Raises bumps on my skin.
I could jump – I could leap –
Will I fly? Will I fall?
Or was this trek to the clifftop,
Of no worth at all?
The moon rises higher
Casts light all around
Yet the peace that I sought here
Was yet to be found.
My home waits behind me,
A welcoming past,
But the future before me,
So gorgeous – so vast.
But in my heart lingers
A wish – or a cry?
If I take that last leap now,
Will I fall? Will I fly?
© August 2016 Rebekah DeVall
The whole journey of coming to the U.S. on furlough was seriously scary, people! Just thinking about it terrified me to no end. I wrote the poem back when I was first feeling led to move back to the U.S…. not just for furlough, with the rest of the family, but to stay permanently.
Like I say in Waterfalls, a lot of times doing God’s will feels like running blindly toward a cliff and jumping off. You don’t know if there’s a net at the bottom. You don’t know what lies on the other side.
But I digress. {seriously, read the book for the rest}
Even after coming back to the U.S., growing acclimated {little by little, I don’t think I’ll ever be 100% accustomed here}, the whole journey kind of stuck to the back of my brain. I met girls here, with their own stories and their paths, some even planning to go to the mission field.
That’s when it hit me.
I’m not the first to navigate the cross-cultural jump. I’m not the first to be pressed into a place soooooooo far out of my comfort zone.
Just think of it! There were three major “cross-cultural kids” in the Bible. {Kids who were raised outside of their parents’ culture.} Hadassah {a Jew raised in Persia}, Daniel {a Jew in Babylon} and Jesus {God on Planet Earth, hahah!}
Little by little, the ideas began to form.
Enter May 16.
… I literally just realized that’s not only my bestie Annie’s birthday, it’s also the day, two years ago, I published When Your Melody Fades. Wow.
ANYWAY.
The morning of May 16, I woke up with this unspeakable desire to just sit down and write this book. I popped in my earbuds – listening to “When Answers Aren’t Enough”, ironically – and started typing.
By 4 p.m., I sat at my computer with this:
Nearly 9k words.
Also, somehow in that time, I had stepped over to Canva to create this little beauty:
{don’t ask me when that happened, that whole day is kind of a blur}
Can this even be called a “writing process”? I don’t know. But it worked. And it taught me something about listening rather than forcing myself to work on a current project.
“I’ll never write Christian fiction.”
I avoided writing Christian fiction for the longest time {except for little stories like Naamah. Writing Christian NON-fiction? OH NO.
I feel by far the least qualified for that.
I don’t know why God chose Waterfalls. I don’t know what’s coming next. But hey. God gave me wings, right?
Interested in “Waterfalls”?
Find it on Amazon here or stop by our Facebook launch party here to be entered for a paperback giveaway, including Tammy Lash’s Eagle Eyes, Savannah Jezowski’s The Innkeeper’s Wife and Annie Louise Twitchell’s Jump: The Things I Tell Myself.
Thanks, Bekah, for sharing! I hope the story of Waterfalls and the creation of it is as encouraging to you as it was to me. Is your pack heavy? Do you fear what lies ahead on your own trail? God is there with you and He desires to carry your pack. Soldier forward and let Him.
His plan is bigger than your fear.
Why You Need a Tribe ~ Waterfalls Book Release!
Rebekah DeVall. The fastest writer in the west. Challenge the girl to a writing duel and watch her nimble fingers race across the keyboard. Her quick reflexes are fueled … Continue reading Why You Need a Tribe ~ Waterfalls Book Release!
The Witching Hour Blog Tour
Hey guys! I’m super stoked take part in a blog tour of one of my favorite Indie authors. I have been beyond blessed to be surrounded by the most amazing people. Indie’s are a supportive and loving bunch and the fishes that I swim with are THE BEST and are some of the most talented writers that I’ve had the pleasure of reading.
Now, honestly, I haven’t had chance to read much these days for reasons I promise I’ll try to handle with my next blog post. I have, however, got to read many works by my buddy before my new normal came to be. She has the most elegant hand. You know the feeling when you go in to get your hair cut? Ahhhhhhh….leaning back into the warm water to get your hair washed? Then combed smooth? Fingers snippin’ and stylin’ your locks into sleepy perfection? Yeah, that’s Savannah’s writing for me. Maybe it’s because I can see her spirit behind the words. Maybe it’s because we are sisters in life’s circumstances and in our writing struggles. Whatever the reason, Savannah never fails to soothe my insides. Tomorrow she is releasing another story to add to her collection and, Lord willing, I’m hoping I’ll be soon well enough to pamper my soul with a new collection of my friend’s words.
I haven’t been involved in the beta process for this piece so I don’t know what is underneath the pretty blues of her cover. Let’s take a first peek together and nibble a bit on the insides of The Witching Hour- Part Two.
LOVE this graphic Savannah zipped over for me to share. Her characters in word are as colorful as their picture counterparts and her story worlds are deliciously dark and complelling. I often wonder what’s bouncing around in that petite head of hers. Thankfully, she’s here today to give us both a glimpse. Would you like to meet her? Friend, meet Savannah…
Thank you for inviting me over to talk about my newest release, a frolicking cat-fantasy with fairy tale themes and lots of giggles.
The original inspiration for this series came when I was trying to enter a Cinderella retelling for a contest about four years ago. Instead of a glass slipper, I wanted a glass city, instead of fairy godmothers and ugly stepsisters, I wanted wizards and evil beasties. There also wasn’t a kitty in this story. Which is probably the reason the story never went anywhere, because how could any story be complete without a cat?
Unfortunately, I never did anything with the story idea or the characters. When I heard about the Paws, Claws, and Magic Tales anthology in 2018, I went through some of my old notes to find a story idea that might be appropriate. There were two that jumped out at me, but this one grabbed hold and dug deep. What if there was a Kitty instead of a fairy godmother? GASP! Light Bulb! I ended up scrapping most of the Cinderella themes, so although you’ll still find the ball, the glass city, the fairy kitty, and the wizard…you probably won’t even recognize that it’s a fairy tale retelling.
Sadly, I didn’t have room to tell the whole story in under 10k. So after my contract with Fellowship of Fantasy expired, I wrote Part Two: Hound of Darkness to tell the rest of the story, about what happened after the fairy tale ending. Because, let’s face it, things don’t ever wrap up as neatly as we might like, and the story always continues. Hound of Darkness delves deeper into the world of Lite, dealing with the dangers that lie outside the walls, and with the courage and strength of heart hidden inside our intrepid heroes. It also deals with redemption and (what I hope is) a poignant reminder that everyone stands a chance of returning to the light, even those dog-eaten hounds.
I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know Romeo and Pursy, Isabel and Ives, Cyril and Rose, Ash and all the rest of the cast as much as I did.
Thanks, Savannah! Now, let me share with you how to get your hands on The Witching Hour to experience her writing for yourself. You can win it as part of this awesome giveaway…
..and for details how, you can visit ANY of my sister bloggers pages listed below! Please give Savannah a like and follow on her social media sites and take a look at her expansive range of work at Dragonpen Press. She offers author services, too, can you believe it? Told ya! I know some amazingly, talented peeps!
Until next time, friends, HUGS and love!
Blog Tour Schedule:
March 18 – Realm Explorers http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com
March 19 –Book Spotlight http://cobonham.com
March 20 – Book Review https://thefoldedworld.wordpress.com
March 21 – Guest Post https://tammylash.wordpress.com/
March 22 – Character Interview http://jenelleschmidt.com
Character Interview www.angeleya.com
March 24 – Character Interview http://corinnejet.wordpress.com
March 25 – RELEASE DAY https://dragonpenpress.com/
March 26 – Book Spotlight http://annie-louise-twitchell.blogspot.com/
March 27 – Book Spotlight www.hlburkeauthor.com/blog
March 28 – Book Review http://megdendler.blogspot.com/
March 29 – Character Interview http://sjeckert.wordpress.com
Live Without You Blog Tour
I’m SO excited to introduce you to my friend, Sarah Grace! What a sweet and talented lady! I recently hired her to create a “watercolor” story for an accent wall in my living room. I gave her a direction of birds and birch and this is the AmAzInG trio of awesome that she came up with.
Adorbs, right?! The cutie-pie modeling my Sarah Grace originals is our youngest kitty, Finn. Yeah, I agree. She’s pretty adorbs, too.
Sarah Grace recently expanded her talent and published a BOOK. Right? I hear ya! The girl is a fabulous artist and now she’s an author to boot! Live Without You is her debut work and is available for purchase NOW on Amazon!
For paramedic Ezra Bryant, failure is not an option. He’s had enough of it, and only by God’s grace is he able to put it behind him. But when a traumatic event brings Piper’s greatest fear and Ezra’s failures to light, can they use that event to allow God to mend their broken pieces? Can love triumph over fear, and grace over guilt?
I haven’t had the chance to read this sweet, little novella yet but I hope to take care of that soon. If you’re looking for an uplifting, clean, and inspirational read like I always am, check out Sarah Grace’s new release! If money is tight, don’t fret! Sarah Grace has an AMAZING giveway goin’! Click *here* to enter!
If you get a chance to read her work, be sure to leave a kind review about your thoughts on goodreads or Amazon. Authors L.O.V.E to hear how their work has impacted their readers. Make her day and leave one when you can. You can also get in touch with Sarah Grace on Instagram, Twitter, or goodreads. You can also sign up for her newletter *here*.
Thanks for stopping by! Congrats, SG on your novella! I’m sooooo proud of you. Finn is, too and she says to tell you the chickadee pics are here favs. Emmett was a little jealous of Finn getting the spotlight earlier, so here he is to close my portion of the tour with his own brand of cuteness. Take it away, Emmie! Ta-ta, friends! Talk to ya again, soon!
Black Friday Indie Book Sale
Like… WOAH…
Check out this HUGE sale that is going on this weekend! There are over 150 titles available and they are all either $.99 or FREE! There are also a long list of paperbacks for sale at incredibly discounted prices as well! And the good news is they are all clean reads! Be sure to go check out this amazing sale here.
There is also an amazing giveaway going on! Grand Prize winner receives 20 paperbacks and the 2nd place winner gets 20 e-book titles from the sale for free!
Awesome, right?!
You can sign up for the giveaway here.
Giveaway runs from November 22nd till November 26th @12AM ET Grand prize open to US winners only. 2nd place prize is open Internationally.
2nd Place Winner Receives 20 E-books
Gather Round the Fables by Erika Matthews
The Case of the Tabloid Tattler by Perry Kirkpatrick AudioBook
The Twelve Cats of Christmas by Perry Kirkpatrick Audiobook
Coffee Shop Christmas Ebook by Ryana Lynn Miller
The Land of Cotton ebook by Ryana Lynn Miller
Entertaining Angels, Entertaining Angels Book 1 by Emerald Barnes
Secret’s Kept by Jennette Mbewe
The Firethorn Crown by Lea Doue
Beyond Broken Pencils by Julie C. Gilbert
Ashlynn’s Dreams by Julie C. Gilbert
Soldier On by Vanessa Rasanen
Burning Rose by Hope Ann
Iced and Nailed by Avery Daniels
Imani Earns Her Cape by Bokerah Brumley
October by J. Grace Pennington
Disowned by Sarah Addison Fox
My Compass Home by Michaela Bush
Summer Shadows and Necessary Evil by Killarney Traynor
Grand Prize Winner Receives 20 Paperbacks
Mythical Doorways by Jenelle Schmidt
Faith is the Victory by Faith Blum
Kiera by Kate Willis
Because Anonymous Diana L. Sharples
After: Book One in The Neverway Chronicles by Savannah Jezowski
Specter: Book Two in The Neverway Chronicles by Savannah Jezowski
Leandra’s Enchanted Flute by Katy Huth Jones
Eagle Eyes by Tammy Lash
London in the Dark by Victoria Lynn
When Beauty Blooms by Victoria Lynn
Aerisia: Land Beyond the Sunset by Sarah Ashwood
Iced and Nailed by Avery Daniels
There Was Always Laughter in Our House by Sarah Holman
Bridgers: A Parable (paperback) by Angie Thompson
Love Blind (paperback) by Angie Thompson
Code by Angie Thompson
Christmas Eve at the Backdoor by Rebekah Morris
The Seven Drawers by Kendra E. Ardnek
He’s Making Diamonds: A Teen’s Thoughts on Faith Through Chronic Illness by Sara Willoughby
Happy Thanksgiving, all! You filled up on turkey, now it’s time to gobble up some books! Enjoy your Black Friday weekend!
Ink Blotted Beka Artist Blog Tour
Who is Rebeka Borshevsky?
A love letter to my friend
Who is Rebeka Borshevsky?
She is a tireless supporter who uses her talents to edify her friends.
Who is Rebeka Borshevsky?
Rebeka is a sympathetic cheerleader gifted with a soft heart.
Who is Rebeka Borshevsky?
Rebeka is a loving friend who backs her words with action.
Who is Rebeka Borshevsky?
Rebeka sacrifically gives of her gifts to serve her friends.
Who is Rebeka Borshevsky?
Who is Rebekah Borshevsky? She’s my friend. Thank you, dear one, for supporting me, my work, all my endeavors. Thank you for blessing me with your talents. Thank you for living out God’s Word for all to see. Love and hugs, dear one. ♥️
These are the AMAZING pics that Rebeka did for me. I love them sooooo soooo much! Did you know that now, YOU TOO can have pictures of your own? Rebeka is now taking commissions! If you would like to see YOUR characters come to life, let her know by visiting her on….
and
Rebeka also has a neat giveaway planned. Check it out HERE.
There are two more blogs where you can get to know Rebeka today. Please visit my bestie Savannah at Dragon Pen Press and my girl, Annie Twitchell.
Here are the list of stops. Be sure to give them all visit and tell them I said hi, will ya?
Oct. 1
Anne Louise Twitchell – Spotlight
Oct. 2
Oct. 3
Oct. 4
Oct. 5
Oct 6.
Oct. 7
Oct. 8
Until next time…see you soon! And please love, edify, and support one another. Love and hugs!
When Beauty Bloom’s Blog tour
Yikes-Mikes! This place is duuuuusty! Pardon me as I scramble around and tidy this place up just a wee bit. Cobwebs = spiders and although I’m getting used to the Daddy Long Legs that are EVERYWHERE up here in the Upper Peninsula, I don’t like all the other cubby, chunky, meaty ones that could be hanging about with them. Yeah…bleck!! *Shudders* *manically wipes self off.* 😂
I’m so happy that you’re here regardless of what this place looks like and I’m thrilled that you chose to stop by! You’re welcome here ANYTIME! We have someone super special coming by today, too, and she should be here aaaaaany minute.
Man, what was I thinking?! I totally should have spruced this place up with a whitty post before everyone arrived, but moving with my family of five to Michigan’s U.P. has been a HUGE life change and adjustment. We bought a fixer upper to live in–a former headstart building, actually (yep, Chip and Joanna, we’re doin’ what you do on a tiiiiight budget 😂) and nooooo, we did not get our remodel done in an hour’s time.
But, hey, look–I’m still smiling about it. 😂
People have been telling me it’s all about the journey and not so much about the destination. It’s been four months and I can kinda see that ringing true. Watching our adventures on YouTube is pretty neat. It’s awesome growing and learning with my family. I can’t imagine going through this sea of change without them. You can see our progress as well as some pretty awesome views of the North Country without traveling a step by visiting my daughter’s YouTube channel, With Sisu.
Victoria is making her way over!! Wahoo! While we wait for her to walk in, let me tell you a little bit about her.
Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she’s not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings.
Yeah. Tell me about it. She’s *star-eyes* stunning…and LOOK…she released something just as pretty.
I CAN’T wait to read this novelette!! This story sounds like it’s written just for me. It’s the story of a young woman with social anxiety and how she learned to bloom. Yeah. That’s totally me! 😂 The story also takes during the Revolutionary War. In ENGLAND. Ooooo! *Claps* England AND historical! ♥️ Hang on a sec…let me read you a little somethin’ somethin’ to give you a clue as to what this pretty story is about…
Marjorie Kirk is a woman with no fortune, no prospects, no family, and no skills. Or so she thinks. She is awkward, shy, and the farthest thing from any semblance of a society lady.
The new minister keeps turning up in the most awkward of places and she can’t help but feel that her life is doomed to one of embarrassment. But will her flaws actually be the thing that others find the most attractive?
Sounds pretty dog-gone awesome. Then again, what else did I expect? My friend is pretty dog-gone awesome. This lady is as sweet as the honey from Pooh Bear’s honey pot and I can’t imagine my life without her. She’s become a very, dear friend–and can you believe we are a generation apart?! Friendships come in all shapes and sizes–ages–so, take it from me, DON’T limit yourself to one type of friend. Who goes to a buffet to eat only ONE thing?!
Pardon my squeals. Victoria is at the door! Let me go give her a hug and bring her in. Get comfy. Help yourself to the cookies on the counter. I asked her to share with you her own opinion on friendships. I think you’ll really enjoy what she has to say. I know I always do.
When asked to write on this topic for my guest post for this lovely lady’s blog, my mind swam with possible ideas, but most importantly, my heart swelled. I have been so blessed with incredible friendships. I also found that it worked in perfectly with the theme of this book, because interwoven with the story are some pretty powerful moments of friendship between Marjorie and her companions.
I have learned so much about being a friend in the last 10 years, but more so in the last 5. One of the most important things I have learned about friendship is how beautiful it can be if you just give it a chance.
Growing up, it’s a normal thing to want to have a friend your own age with which you do everything. You have the same hopes, desires, ages, and you find pleasure in the same things. And while that’s natural, I didn’t find friends like that until later in life. When I was a child, I always wanted a best friend. I pushed and prodded things into happening, hoping against hope that the next homeschool girl my age would be my best friend forever.
But friends came and went. We would meet a family, hang out for a bit, but then we would drift apart for some reason or other. I honestly believe that God let those things happen for a reason, and I am a better person and friend because of it. Not to mention, as a result I have amazing relationships with my sisters that I wouldn’t have had if I was busy with a bestie. I have had to seek friendships in places that I wouldn’t have thought would be a place to find a perfect friendship.
One of my best friends when I was little was ten years older than me. I look back now and am so grateful that she was willing to spend so much time with lil’ ol me. I looked up to her as a big sister and found great joy and wisdom in her company. To be honest, most of the friends in my arsenal of “got your back” besties until very recently were either older or younger than me.
God really blessed me with opportunities and people to sow into. There is one time in particular where a young girl of my younger sisters acquaintance was spending a lot of time at our house. Her older sisters were a bit AWOL when it came to their sisterly duties, and I really felt like instead of doing my own thing while she was visiting and letting my sister host, God wanted me to be an older sister to her in the absence of a relationship with her blood sisters. So much joy came from that experience. We had tea parties together, watched sappy hallmark movies together and just sat in a circle and talked and laughed until we felt like our guts were about to burst. So much joy from a relationship that most people wouldn’t even consider.
Even now, I find such joy in the multitude of diverse relationships that I am blessed with. Tammy is a dear friend of mine, and while we have a lot in common, we are also in very different stages of life. Tammy is a mama to three near adult children, she just moved to the UP, and she has so many crazy things going on in her life that I don’t. I am unmarried, with no kids and a full time job. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t relate to her, and I have found so much fulfillment in being a friend to Tammy, more so than I would have is she were a twenty-something.
This post has been so rambly, and while the perfectionist in me wants to fix it, part of me thinks it’s perfect just the way it is. You see, my point with this post is that you can find friendships in some of the most unusual places. And when you do, they can be so much more fulfilling and full of more joy and amazingness than you could have ever imagined.
So be that friend. Willing to be a friend to anyone. Even if they are younger than you, older than you, or don’t like the same TV shows you do. 😀 It’s worth it. ❤
I love you Tammy and can’t wait to see what God continues to do with our friendship.
~Victoria
Love you, too, girl! HUGS!!
Surprises! Surprises! Surprises!
To celebrate friendship and the release of her new book, Miss Victoria has some sweet and generous prizes to give away! Click “here” to visit Rafflecopter to enter!
As we wrap up this little gathering, please don’t let this be a forever goodbye. Please come back to visit. I’ll try to have the place looking better for you next time. Please, give Victoria a parting hug and promise to visit her again– perhaps on her website, Ruffles and Grace.
You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, goodreads, and Amazon.
Hugs! Thanks for visiting! I see I have a few cookies left. I’m going to go lay on the couch and read a bit of my buddy’s work. *Mumbles and crunches* To get your hands on a copy of When Beauty Blooms, by the stunning Miss Victoria Lynn, please zip on over to the Amazon and pick up a shiny new Paperback or Kindle version of your very own.
The blog tour continues! If you missed yesterday’s blog stop, please visit Madison at A Little Southern Grace. Tomorrow, swing over and visit Laura at Beautiful Things by Laura.
Ta-ta, my dears! Hope to see you again, soon. ♥️
Magic Tea
Renovating has become a full-time job for me and the kids. The U.P. is a majorly distracting place to live, so… to keep us on track, at the beginning of each day, I make a list of tasks for us to accomplish. Yesterday’s list:
• Laundry
(Dog gone dryer…but thanks fence!)
• Pay bills
• Balance checkbook
•Get coffee
(I loved marking this one off.🤗)
•Pick up building materials
(Thanks, lumber dude for loading us up. Man, this coffee is delish.)
•Paint ceiling
Dun. Dun. Dun. Dog gone it–NO MARK.
We got everything done yesterday but the ceiling– the biggest, hardest, and most dreaded item on the list.
*Sigh*
Yes, those are weird streaks and brush marks in the picture. Please, don’t get me started on our ceiling…I don’t want to talk about our ceiling. I intensely dislike our ceiling. I wish I could go back and warn the past me and stop “me” from ever beginning this month-long nightmare in the first place…but I can’t, so I’ll warn you instead: KEEP YOUR CEILING TEXTURE. You’ll end up just adding texture BACK on that took you DAYS to get off.)
We had to skip the task that begins with the letter ‘c’ because the huge pail of flat latex that we needed was a whopping $130 at our small town lumber store vs. the less painful $48 at good ol’ Menards in town (45 min. away). Umm, yeah. We slid this over to today’s list.
*Ugh* I don’t like leaving an item uncrossed or unchecked. So, to help ease my itchy fingers, I added an unwritten task to yesterday’s list and I got a little head start on my “Magic Tea” staining project.
What? What’s “Magic Tea”, you ask? Hang tight, and I’ll walk you through what I did. And, yes…it is extremely magical! It was so magically awesome, I didn’t feel bad about leaving the ceiling undone…well, not as bad.
Step 1: Assemble your ingredients/tools. Black tea, vinegar, steel wool, two brushes, a ball jar with lid and seal, a mug for your tea, and sealer.
The night before your project, pour vinegar in your ball jar and stuff in some pieces of steel wool.
This part reallllly freaked me out and disturbed me. There is no measuring here. You literally pour in your vinegar and you literally rip pieces of steel wool and stuff them in (the jar pictured is after I used it). I did four, walnut-sized pieces and filled the vinegar up to the neck of the jar. I was also super alarmed that the color didn’t change. I mean, I think the vinegar may have rusted a tad… but that’s it.
Cover, shake, or stir your vinegar soup and set it outside or in the garage for at least 24 hrs. Outside… because I read it could explode (?😲?)…and 24 hrs for scientific reasons that are truly over my head.
Black tea: Brew it and set it out with your vinegar soup. Why? Because I’m an impatient person and just wanted everything ready to go. Note: I had my stuff waiting a week. My tea molded and since I wasn’t drinking it and my wood was, I just sifted the gunk out.
Step Two: Select your wood. I’m using pine tongue and groove for a wall project. I hear that different wood types will give you different colors. Pine should turn a weathered grayish/dark brown. We shall see!
(Hi, Finn!! *Meow*)
Step Three: Paint on your tea and let it dry…about an hour. Not much change here yet….
(Hi, Emmie! *Meow*)
Step Four: Paint on your vinegar soup. (You can use the same brush as the tea.) You will see a teeny change in places, but walk away for an hour and don’t hoover. It makes the wood uncomfortable.
It’s starting….😀
Repeat the process as many times as you want to until you get the color you want. This is after 3 times of painting on the vinegar soup and “Magic Tea”.
It turned out the PERFECT color! Don’t worry about mixing up the steps. I think I did…well, I know I did…I always mess up…and, hey, look…it still worked.
Kris got the ceiling paint after work yesterday, so unfortunately, today is ceiling day…but…if I get done at a reasonable time, I’m going to get to Step 5: putting on the waterproof sealer. This step will not only protect the finish of the wood, it will also bring out the delicious tones in the grain. I don’t need that second brush that I listed for you in the needed supplies. The sealer that I chose is water clean-up. Wahooo! Easy-peasy.
Yesterday was a good day. I learned a great lesson to let things go how they must. I gave my shoulders another day’s rest and I saved some cash letting Kris pick up the ceiling paint after work.
I think today we’ll use what we saved on the paint (and this super, cheap “Magic Tea” stain) and go support one of our local businesses and get some hand-dipped ice cream. YUM!
Keep on the lookout today, folks. Blessings can be found in the every day if you look. Look past your disappointments. Great things are out there. Intentionally look and find yours.
Hugs, friends!
Reflections of an Author 