The Gunpowder Plot Blog Tag

Litaflame.blog has been hosting a blog party for nearly two weeks (#TheReaderGames2020) to celebrate the launch of her bookish shop (@brandrshop) tomorrow. The first week was themed around Nadine Brandes’ Out Of Time series, and this week is themed around Fawkes and Romanov. Julia, the wonderful person that she is, created a Fawkes blog tag to go along with it.

And so...

Welcome to the rebellion!

RULES

Link to @BrandrShop and use the hashtag #TheReaderGames2020

Include the links to Nadine Brandes’ Instagram, and to her book “Fawkes”, in your post.

Answer the Questions and Form Your Own Rebellion!

At the end, Tag Three Fellow Readers to do the tag

(1) What is your favorite Fawkes quote?

“There has always been fear. There will always be fear. It’s up to us to stand tall, even when the fear demands we bow to it.”

(2) Choose a Tyrant/Ruler/Government from any book to overthrow

ANY book? In that case, I’ll go with the villain from my superhero WIP. None of the characters know his identity, so most of them call him the Wolf to avoid confusion (because there is always a larger fish).

(3) Name your rebellion!

Quite possibly something along the lines of Freedom Wielders or Children of Magic. I’m still working out the details.

(4) What is your plan to overthrow your chosen enemy?

Throw my poor, helpless, broken MC Prism at him. They both need it.

ASSEMBLE THE TEAM

(Choose people around the blogosphere to be a part of your rebellion team! Base who you choose for each category according to the color power you think they would wield)

Note: I know it says blogosphere, but I follow, like, five blogs, and there are eight categories, so I am going to link to Instagrammers instead. Most of these are based off their profile pictures, and if they have a blog it will probably be linked in their bios.

(5) Grey 

Jenna @jenna.terese

Her feed is colorful, but her profile picture is black and white, and so that is the color I associate her with.

(6) Black 

C. G. Drews @paperfury

Her feed is colorful in a dark sort of way.

(7) Brown 

 Micaiah @micaiahsaldana

Her profile picture has a type of earthy feel about it that I love.

(8) Red 

Nicole  @nicoledustwriter

Her feed has had quite a bit of red in it lately, as does her profile picture.

(9) Green

Bri @rejoicing_in_hope

Go check out her instagram and find her posts from July 3rd and October 8th. The rest is self-explanatory.

(10)  Blue 

Julia @moon.wolf.books

The picture I remember most from her feed is one of a wolf framed in blue. I have always associated her with blue, so this answer came very easily.

(11) Yellow

Abbie @makeyourstorymatter. Judging by the cover of her first book, this color is *perfect* for Abbie Emmons. Check out her YouTube channel for help in all stages of writing.

(12) White (can control all the colors. The person you choose for this one must be a Writer). 

(@nadinebrandes is an obvious choice for this one, but I’m going to give this place to someone else who deserves it just as much.)

Julia @litaflameblog. As the one who made this tag to bring multiple communities together, Julia deserves this spot. Go give this wonderful human a follow. You won’t be disappointed.

(Julia’s bookish shop goes live Tuesday. Make sure to follow her Instagram to keep you udpated!)

TAG THREE BLOGGERS:

Anyone who reads this. There will probably only be three of you anyway.

And there you have my freshly plotted rebellion against the character I designed! (The life of a writer is amazing😉).

The Girl of Ice and Music

I wrote this story for a writing contest called Symphony of Words.

Elements- Lindsey Stirling (this is the song one of the collaborators sent me as inspiration for my entry).

This is how I imagine my Lindsey looks (from Pintrest).

Every  night  the  Ice  Clan  would  come  out  and  dance  by  the  light  of  the  moon.  They  didn't  need  sleep.  The  music  did  more  for  them  than  sleep  ever  could.  Their  dancing  filled  the  land  with  ice  and  snow  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see.  A  16th  birthday  was  a  special  occasion.  On  that  day  a  child  would  receive  their  powers. 

Then  the  Fire  Clan  came  from  across  the  sea  and  they  tried  to  take  over  the  Ice  Clan's  land.  A  war  began. 

After  the  war  a  leader  was  chosen  from  each  of  the  clans.  They  both  polished  a  sphere  of  crystal  and  placed  fire  in  one  and  ice  in  the  other.  The  seasons  were  then  controlled  by  the  government  who  access  to  the  spheres  and  the  people  were  instructed  to  keep  their  powers  a  secret  from  the  younger  generations.
____________________________________________________________________
Lindsey  loved  to  dance,  and  she  was  good  at  it.  She  was  often  invited  to  dance  at  large  parties  and  other  gatherings.

On  the  night  of  Lindsey's  16th  birthday,  many  years  after  the  war,  she  lay  in  bed  wondering  what  the  next  year  had  in  store  for  her.  Unable  to  sleep,  Lindsey  crept  outside. 

The  moon  smiled  down  at  her.  The  stars  seemed  to  be  singing  a  sweet  tune  as  they  twinkled  down  through  the  dark  of  the  cool  summer  night. 

Lifting  her  face  upward  she  closed  her  eyes  and  began  to  dance.  A  feeling  of  joy  grew  in  her  heart.  A  wave  of  deliciously  cold  air  hit  her  as  she  continued  to  dance.

When  she  opened  her  eyes  she  was  no  longer  standing  in  the  middle  of  a  green  lawn.  The  green  was  gone  and  in  its  place  was  a  winter  wonderland.  Ice  and  snow  covered  everything  she  could  see.  She  gave  a  muffled  scream  and  ran  to  wake  her  mother. 

Neva  followed  her  daughter  through  the  house  and  out  the  door.  She  stopped  short  when  she  saw  the  snow.  Tears  came  to  her  eyes  and  a  smile  to  her  lips  as  memories  came  back  to  her.  Then  she  too  began  to  dance. 

A  white  light  glowed  around  her.  She  appeared  more  queenly  than  Lindsey  had  ever  seen  her  before.  Snow  fell  from  the  sky  in  a  beautiful  flurry.  Icicles  hung  from  the  rooftop. 

Lindsey  watched  in  wide-eyed  wonder.

Neva  stopped  dancing  and  smiled  at  her  daughter.

"Come.  You  have  much  to  learn  about  our  past."

___________________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed my little story. Thank you for reading. 

Late June Wrap-up

The Book Nook: Twin Arrows, by Kate Willis (The Night Archers is published now. Go check it out on Amazon),
Two Towers, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Writer's cove: I wrote a few pieces of flash fiction and worked on camp nanowrimo prep.

Blogger Railroad: May
More Flash Fiction

Craft Island: I sadly have nothing to put here.

Goals for June: write more in my journal
Write 2 blog posts
Write some more flash fiction
Work on lettering
Prepare for camp nano

Goals for July: Work on lettering
write 10k for camp nanowrimo
Read more
Work on sewing

May

Sadly, I forgot to post this last month. So here is the late version.

Book nook: The Hobbit -J. R. R. Tolkien
Just David -Eleanor H. Porter
George Müller -Janet and Geoff Benge
Dawn -Eleanor H. Porter
The Fellowship of the Ring -J. R. R. Tolkien (current read)

Writer's cove: I wrote some flash fiction (link below).

Blogger railroad: Moonlit Dances

Craft island: a fairy peg doll for Emmi's birthday
And the flash fiction I told you about.

Goals for May:
Write more in my journal then this time last year
Write 2 blog posts -this one was a fail. I totally forgot all about it.
Read more
Work on my sewing

Goals for June: write for in my journal
Write 2 blog posts
Write some more flash fiction
Work on lettering
Prepare for camp nano

Moonlit Dances

This year I am participating in a flash fiction Dash hosted by Rosalie Valentine over on her blog. Make sure to go check out the wrap-up post on June 11th. There are going to be a lot of great stories there.
I had a lot of fun writing this story. It took me about an hour from the time I got the idea to the time I posted this. I had played around with a few different ideas before and none of them had worked. Then I started writing with no sense of direction and this is what came of it. I hope you like it.
___________________________________

The prompt Rosalie sent.

MOONLIT DANCES, by M. A. Starr.

I close my eyes and listen as the sweet sound of music fills the air. Never have I felt so lost to reality, or so close to nature.

When I open my eyes I am still standing by the laughing brook in the sun filled clearing. The music has stilled for a little while, but I know it will come again. I just have to wait long enough.
 The sky starts to turn gold and then crimson. It casts a rosy light in the clearing. It bounces off the winding brook. It makes my heart sing for joy.
As the last rays of sunlight leave the clearing I look towards the woods and wait. After some time I see them heading this way. I wait a little longer. They have come.
Hundreds of light blue butterflies swarm into the clearing, bringing with them the music I had heard before. They danced around the clearing, bidding welcome to the light of the moon and the stars. It fills my soul with joy and laughter.
I close my eyes again to listen. Slowly, I begin to drift back into the world of tomorrow. I smile as the soft light of the moon fills the clearing with happiness. Then I begin to dance. 

A Month Gone By

The Book Nook: The Hobbit-J. R. R. Tolkien
The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles-R. M. Archer ( she is releasing it tomorrow.)
The Night Archers-Kate Willis (I beta read it. She will be publishing it sometime this year.)

Writer's Cove:
I worked on outlining a novel again. It went a lot better than last month.

Blogger railroad:
The Mirror-Hunter Chronicles-Book Review

Craft Island:
Peter's gift (a Buzz peg doll)
Lettering

Goals for April:
Write 10k words in my story
Make a peg doll
Write in my journal more then this time last year
Work on lettering
Write 2 blog posts

Goals for May:
Write more in my journal then this time last year
Write 2 blog posts
Read more
Work on my sewing

And that was my April.

March in Review

The Book Nook: 
The Least of These
Kiera- both by Kate Willis

Writer's Cove:
I tried to outline a novel, but it didn't work. Other then that, not much.

Blogger railroad:
February

Craft Island:
Japenese Lanterns
A gift for Josiah


Goals for March:
Outline novel
Write one short story
Journal more then this time last year
Work on sewing skills
Write 2 blog posts
Make a peg doll of one of my characters.

Goals for April:
Write 10k words in my story
Make a peg doll
Write in my journal more then this time last year
Work on lettering
Write 2 blog posts

February

This is a small snippet of the things I did during February.

The Book Nook:
The Princess Adelina~ Julie Sutter
Northanger Abbey~ Jane Austen
Emma~Jane Austen
For Felicity~Audrey Caylin

Writer's Cove:
I didn't do much in this category this month. I did work on The Locket a bit, but now I have to start the plotting all over because the plot changed.

Blogger railroad:
Goodbye January/Hello February
Giveaway Round 2

Craft Island:
Lettering
Started a peg doll

Goals for February:
Work on sewing and/or lettering skills
Make supper twice
Write three short stories-major fail. I didn't write one.
Journal more then this time last year
Outline a novel I plan on writing- also a major fail. The plot changed.
Write two blog posts

Goals for March:
Outline novel
Write one short story
Journal more then this time last year
Work on sewing skills
Write 2 blog posts
Make a peg doll of one of my characters.

Goodbye January🌸Hello February

Here is my late summary of the first month of January.

The Book Nook:
To Have And To Hold~Mary Johnston
Pride And Prejudice~Jane Austin
Sense And Sensibility~Jane Austin

Writer's Cove:
I worked on three stories this month. "Basil", "How Far A Smile Can Go", and "The Locket". "Basil" is a school project, "The Locket" is a novel that will probably take me years to accomplish, and you can read "How Far A Smile Can Go" here.

Blogger railroad:

The Book Dragon Interrogation Tag

A Giveaway
How Far A Smile Can Go-A Short Story
And I created a new blog here for my wee folk.

Craft Island:
3 peg dolls,
And I started lettering.

Goals for February:
Work on sewing and/or lettering skills
Make supper twice
Write three short stories
Journal more then this time last year
Outline a novel I plan on writing
Write two blog posts

What are your goals for February?

Goodbye December/Hello 2019

December is done and 2019 is upon us. This has been a really good year and I can't wait to see what the new year brings. This is my first ever month wrap-up post and I hope the first of many more to come.  One of my goals for the new year is to post at least twice a month.

Events that happened:
We celebrated St. Nicholas day with stockings, cinnamon rolls, pizza, and going to Swan Lake to see some Christmas lights.
Our church had a meal and concert to celebrate its one year anniversary in the new building.
Making Christmas candy,

Daddy's family came down,
We went to see lights again twice

Christmas eve family night.
CHRISTMAS HAPPENED!

The above are some gifts that I made.

And my collection.

New Years Eve marshmallow roast.

And I got a phone, hence the pictures. They aren't the best quality, but their the best my camera can do.

Reading: To Have And To Hold, by Mary Johnston.
I'm also reading through the bible with a ladies fellowship reading challenge by some Christ Church women.

Word of the year: Patience. I have been struggling with patience a lot, so I am going to make it my goal to practice it a lot more often in 2019.

Goals for 2019:

1. Read 1 new book a month,
2. Write a few more short stories,
3. Perfect my sewing skills,
4. Write two blog posts a month,
5. Work harder at school then usual,
6. Bake more often,
7. Babysit my younger siblings at least once,
8. Not go over my $15 budget like I usually do,
9. Get at least semi-good at lettering (in time to make Christmas cards that look good for once),
10. Do a little more crafting than I have been doing,
11. Practice patience,
12. Journal more.

What did you do for Christmas? What are three things that you want to do in 2019?

A Winter Tag

I made my own tag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I decided since no one has tagged me this year, I will make up my own tag

The rules: Link back to the starter of the tag (that's me!),
Thank the person who tagged you,
Answer all 12 questions,
Name 12 facts about yourself,
Tag at least 5 people,
Have fun!

1. What is your favorite Christmas activity?
Making Christmas presents.

2. What is your earliest Christmas time memory?
Opening our Andy Griffith show box set.

3. Do you celebrate St. Nicolas Day?
Yes.

4. Which would you rather, lights at the zoo or looking at your neighborhood through car windows?
I would rather looking through the car windows. You can bring your own Hot Chocolate, it isn't so busy, and you can go on an adventure.

5. How do you spend Christmas Eve?
Finishing Christmas baking, wrapping gifts, finishing advent, and watching a Muppet's Christmas Carol.

6. Hot Chocolate or Ice Cream?
Hot Chocolate, but Ice Cream is good any season.

7. Are you an early Christmas shopper or a late Christmas shopper?
I start early and finish late. I'm still not done with extended family gifts.

8. What Christmas book do you look forward to each year?
A quiet little woman by L. M. Alcott.

9. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
A Muppet's Christmas Carol.

10. How many family gatherings do you have a year?
At least two.

11. What holidays do you celebrate other then Christmas?
St. Nicholas Day and Epiphany.

12. What is your favorite winter activity?
Watching winter movies with popcorn and Hot Chocolate.

Facts about me:

1. I love doing math but I don't like figuring it out.
2. My favorite chocolate is Rollo's.
3. My hobbies include working in the garden, making peg dolls, and working with felt.
4. I'm excited about driving because it is harder then it looks.
5. I like to journal, but I don't do it much.
6. I burn the eggs every time I make them.
7. I like to read.
8. I have written one short story and I hope to write more someday.
9. I can't even get much weeding done without someone beside me. They don't have to talk or help or anything. They just have to stand there.
10. When I grow up, I want to work at a nursing home.
11.  I am extremely extroverted, but I don't talk to people outside of my family that much.

12. I am not very good at keeping a blog, but I hope to change that in the coming year.

I tag: Bri, Hannah, Sarah, Micaiah, and Bee.

And so ends the first tag I ever created. Goodbye until next time.

Winter/Christmas Tag

Hi guys! I decided to update this tag that I did last year and see how many of the answers have changed. And I will be able to tag people that might actually enjoy getting tagged. Also this is my first time posting as me. I have been using my moms account, but I now have my own.

The rules: Thank the person who nominated you,
Answer all the questions,
Tag least three bloggers.

1. Do you celebrate Christmas?
Yes! It's the most wonderful time of the year, which, by the way, only has 2 WEEKS LEFT! WHERE IS MY LIFE RUNNING AWAY TO!

2. Do you celebrate any other festive holidays other then Christmas or in addition to it?
Yes. We do St. Nicholas Day. This year we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast, did stockings (we do them on St. Nicholas Day instead of Christmas), and we went to Swan Lake to see some really pretty lights.

3. When it comes to weather, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, or 10 degrees?
I think 50 degrees is about the perfect temperature.

4. Rain or Snow?
Snow all the way. Also, it wasn't until this year that I realized let it snow is a love song. I had never actually heard the lyrics, just the music.

5. On the perfect winter day, would you go shopping or stay at home?
That one is a little if-y, so I guess it would depend on where all we were going and what all I need to get done that day.

6. Trip to the mall or walk in the park?
I am an equal opportunity person on that one as well.

7. Favorite Christmas movie(s)?
I think for now it's The Muppet's Christmas Carol. That's the one we watch on Christmas Eve when everyone is asleep as soon as they are done with there candy and it's 2:00 in the morning so all the inside jokes that you have collected are a lot funnier then they should be.

8. Favorite Christmas tradition?
Candy making and The Muppet's Christmas Carol.

9. Would you rather say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas".
Fellow "Christmas with a Capital C" watchers will already know the answer to this one, "merry Christmas".

10. What does your Christmas morning look like?
I'm just going to go with the poem I used last year...

 "Twas the day of Christmas

               and all through the house, 
 not a creature was stirring,

          not even a Mouse."

We are more like afternoon people.

11.Favorite Christmas song/carol?

I really like carol of the bells.

12. Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Tea, Peppermint Mocha, OR Peppermint Milkshake?

My answer is Hot Chocolate all the way.

I tag: Bri,
Tori,
Hannah,
Maddy,
and Julia.
That is the first time I have ever had more than enough people to tag. Thanks for reading and goodbye.

Reformation Day

Reformation day is the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses to the church in Witenberg, so,  we do that instead of Halloween. We had Dirt Cups for lunch, made some chocolate Bibles, did some coloring pages of the 5 Solas, had Chili for supper, and later we are going to watch Samantha with popcorn, M'n'Ms, and hot choclate as the first Christmas movie of the season. 

And now this challenge has drawn to a close so I am here to say, "Goodbye until next time."

When Peace Like A River

It is 11:00 at night so I am just going to do another hymn today.

When Peace Like A River 

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

"It is well, it is well with my soul."

Refrain (may be sung after final stanza only):

It is well with my soul;

It is well, it is well with my soul.

 Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control:

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And has shed his own blood for my soul. Refrain

 My sin oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part, but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more;

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Refrain

 O Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend;

Even so, it is well with my soul. Refrain 

Bye!

11:30

It being 11:30 at night, I do not have time for a real post. So, Goodnight, and good luck on finishing this challenge. It is only 2 more posts away from finished.

A Few Of My Favorite Things Tag

Due to being tagged by Bri, I am going to do a different favorite post today.

Tag rules:

1.  Thank and link back to the persons blog who tagged you! (Thanks Bri)
2.  Thank and link back to the persons blog who started the tag! Thanks Beth in Boots! 
3.  Write about seven of your favorite things in your post!  Add at least one picture of everything! 
4.  Tag seven  people at least! (If you don't know seven blogs to tag just tag as many as you can.)
5.  Put the seven rules in your blog post!
6.  Include the picture above for the beginning of your post! 
7.  Have fun!!! 

Friends and Family:

Dreams:

Crafts:


Color:


Books:


Nature:


Chocolate and Brownies:

All picures (except the first one) are from Pinterest

And there you have it folks. These are a few of my favorite things.

I nominate: No one. I don't read that many blogs.

Bye!

Before The Throne Of God Above

Before the throne of God above

Before the throne of God above

I have a strong, a perfect plea,

A great High Priest, whose name is Love

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,

My name is written on His heart;

I know that while in heav'n He stands

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

 When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look, and see Him there

Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died,

My sinful soul is counted free,

For God the just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me.

 Behold Him there! the risen Lamb!

My perfect, spotless righteousness,

The great unchangeable I AM"

The King of glory and of grace!

One with Himself, I cannot die;

My soul is purchased by His blood;

My life is hid with Christ on high,

With Christ my Savior and my God.

Praise to the Lord

Praise to the Lord

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!

Come, all who hear; now to his temple draw near,

Join me in glad adoration.

 Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;

Sheltering you under his wings, and so gently sustaining!

Have you not seen all that is needful has been

Sent by his gracious ordaining?

 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;

Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.

Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,

If with his love he befriends you.

 Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!

All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him.

Let the Amen sound from his people again;

Gladly forever adore him.

I will sing of my Redeemer

I will sing of my Redeemer 

I will sing of my Redeemer 

and his wondrous love to me; 

on the cruel cross he suffered, 

from the curse to set me free. 

Sing, O sing of my Redeemer! 

With his blood he purchased me; 

on the cross he sealed my pardon, 

paid the debt, and made me free. 

 I will tell the wondrous story, 

how my lost estate to save, 

in his boundless love and mercy, 

he the ransom freely gave. 

I will praise my dear Redeemer, 

his triumphant power I'll tell: 

how the victory he gives me 

over sin and death and hell. 

 I will sing of my Redeemer 

and his heavenly love for me; 

he from death to life has brought me, 

Son of God, with him to be. 

Sing, O sing of my Redeemer! 

With his blood he purchased me; 

on the cross he sealed my pardon, 

paid the debt, and made me free. 

Have a great weekend!

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O for a thousand tongues to sing

My great Redeemer's praise,

The glories of my God and King,

The triumphs of his grace!

 My gracious Master and my God,

Assist me to proclaim,

To spread thro' all the earth abroad

The honors of your name.

 Jesus! the name that charms our fears,

That bids our sorrows cease,

'tis music in the sinner's ears,

'tis life and health and peace.

 He breaks the power of cancelled sin,

He sets the prisoner free;

His blood can make the foulest clean;

His blood availed for me.

 To God all glory, praise, and love

Be now and ever given

By saints below and saints above,

The Church in earth and heaven.

Have a great night:)!