L.T. Marshall's Blog, page 11
June 30, 2020
Our Monthly Craft Challenge – July
Hey all. it feels like an age since I have been here. I have been so poorly on and off and trying to recover.
After writing the awakening book my health once again deteriorated and my breathing issues relapsed. Sadly it was confirmed that this began with my catching the dreaded C virus and recovery may take me months yet. It seems to leave some with a long period of breathing issues but I am hopeful the damage is not permanent.
In the meantime let’s try and get back to a regular normal and kick-start our new months art and craft challenge.
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This months challenge has grown and we are happy to welcome our collaborators
The Crafty Cafe – Creative Group
Please join the group to keep taking part in the challenge so you can see members entries. – https://www.facebook.com/groups/2598221400412744/
Also our new collaborator
JacBnimble ATC Group
You can access her ATC rules here https://www.facebook.com/112867167122253/posts/116730983402538/
You can post entries on any of those two, in here, or post all craft entries on our page (click the OCF profile for the pinned post) Resin entries below this if you want to keep it in group.
Alternately join our group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OCFCraftGroup/
or post on our page
https://www.facebook.com/OCFCrafts
It’s a set palette of colours and a word prompt as usual, only now we have 2 hashtags.
This months prompt is ICECREAM
The colour Palette is CREAMS, BROWNS, PINKS
You can use the word alone or the palette as inspiration, or combined and we encourage any craft or medium.
That means you can draw, paint, sew, knit, sculpt or anything else your heart desires in either the palette, or related to the word (or both)
If you want to join in then please join the group so you see the updates and can join and post in there too. You can also still post under this or on your own pages.
Using the hashtags
#OCFcreativechallenge and #TCCCreativeChallenge and #jacbnimbleatcgroup
That way we can find the pictures and admire one another’s work. If you are shy you can obviously stick to just in the group. If you want to see previous work type in the hashtags into the Facebook search and they will appear.
I post the challenge to YouTube every month so we get more involvement and many post on other platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram and blogs. I also post images of your work at the end of videos if you agree to being shared. ( we usually pick a few from the abundance)
It’s a fun challenge, designed to keeping you crafty and being part of a supportive group. Really great for some stress relief and many have joined in who previously did not create at all.
Happy crafting and cannot wait to see what you come up with.
May 27, 2020
My Alter Ego has a Website
This is just a quickie post to intro you to my new FB page and website to cover a part of me that I have always kept under wraps and private.
I have been making ‘witchy’ things since early teens and after finally showing them off for social media was encouraged to never hide it again. So here are my new links if you love witchy decor, recipes and such in the pagan life.
Website – https://thywitchskitchen.wordpress.com
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May 24, 2020
Knitting book series going live
By popular demand I have been turning my knitting patterns I sell over on Etsy into printed books. The Unicorn and Rainbow Makes has been live for a few months and recently began to spike in sales, so it pushed me to get two more of the books organised. So today I added the Halloween book in time for this years celebration and a charity knits book. The charity knits are my most downloaded and bought patterns for the past few weeks.
Pastimes like knitting are incredibly popular during this pandemic and I have found so many who just want to pull out a book and get through the days by knitting something fun. I love to be the designer of that something fun and will continue to bring out more books in this series in the near future. If it brings you joy, then it brings me joy.
If you have any suggestions for patterns then do not hesitate to comment below. I work on designs between writing books and making videos so love to get ideas from you all.
My books for sale so far are below
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Unicorn rainbow makes can be found here
Loulou Belle Dolly can be found here
The other two books will be updated in a day or two with live links.
More create books from me are….
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Colour and Create can be found here
Unicorn colouring book can be found here
And of course if you are a romance reader you can find all my published romance books right here
Enjoy your day and stay safe x
May 23, 2020
June’s Free Knitting Pattern – Large Sunflower (Early I know)
A lovely lady on Facebook was kind enough to send me a picture for a group on Facebook called The Big Neighborhood Sunflower Project and suggested I do something to go with last months rainbow pattern.
Now sunflowers happen to be one of my all time favourite flowers and I was so inspired by the group and it’s injection of bold colourful happiness every day that I designed an easy knit to adorn your windowsills.
This can be made as a full flower with stem or simply as a head that can be hung up or sewn to something.
I found the best way to display mine is a can filled with gravel where it can nestle in, covered in some felt (or you could knit another center piece and cover the can top. I up-cycled a baked bean can with some spray paint and fabric for a custom pot, but I think a real terracotta pot would look gorgeous too.
Well enjoy the pattern and feel free to share this page with whatever groups or such you like. You can find all the other free patterns here.
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Get the Pattern here!!
Sunflower Knitting PatternDownload
To coincide with the freebie, we have made our monthly Craft Challenge match!!
For the month of June …
To join in you can find all the info here – CLICK ME
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May 18, 2020
One piece Rainbow Hanger- Free Knitting Pattern
It’s been an eventful few weeks with my not being able to breathe properly and getting worse by the day. So I apologise for the late freebie which I have not had the strength to make in the last couple of weeks before now.
Today, after the worst 3 days, I was sent for a Covid test and assessment at my local hospital as my breathing has been getting worse for about 3 weeks and yesterday hit it’s worst date yet. Thankfully it looks like a combination of allergies, acid reflux and anxiety and already this afternoon I am feeling slightly better with some medication and the ease of the worry lifted about my lungs. My oxygen levels are good so that put my mind at ease.
The nurses and doctors at the center were amazing though and despite my bursting into tears and having a mass panic attack, were so kind and caring and helpful. I felt like such a fool for getting so upset but we are living in such trying times and my anxiety has been sky high. I am so glad to be home and not kept in and decided to post this little one piece rainbow pattern for you all to knit. It’s my little thankful colourful bright because I got to come home.
Knitting has been keeping me sane today and I love that this can be made in one sitting. It took me only an hour in total to do the whole thing, while still stopping to catch my breath.
I have a range of wooden hangers and patterns on my Etsy, along with rainbow keyrings and such if you want to go visit my shop. I have been keeping my mood up and the funds I make have gone towards starting a vegetable garden and greenhouse for me and my son.
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Get the pattern here !!!
one-piece-rainbow-hanging-decorDownload
For more items in a rainbow theme from me, like the following… click here
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May 5, 2020
Choc Orange Shortbread Cookies
I have been baking today as a reward for spending an entire afternoon building a greenhouse. One of my favourite cookie recipes is a shortbread one which I think I may have blogged about before. Well this is a tweeked version so sharing with you now.
You will need ;
125 baking butter
55g white sugar
180g self raising flour
1 tsp orange extract
80g choc chips
3 tbsp hot chocolate powder (not cocoa)
Method ;
Mix well until a dough is formed, tip out and roll into a long log the width of your desired cookies. Wrap in baking paper and put in the fridge for a good 45 mins to an hour until quite firm.
Slice off into cookie sized slices, I like to shape mine a little to make them prettier.
Place on a baking tray with a gap between each of a couple of cm as they do spread a little.
Cook at gas mark 6 near the top of your oven, until the cookies are browning on top.
Usually 15 – 20 minutes.
They stay soft while very hot so leave them to cool and harden. Eat warm and enjoy.
April 30, 2020
Awakening book 1 is complete
It’s finally done and complete for anyone who was reading along. The fans have given this such a great response I have decided to carry on with it into a second book.
It is now categorised as NEW ADULT as there are two scenes of a mature nature and some gore in moderation.
Blurb –
(Part 1 of a 2 book series) Visit – https://ltmarshall.blog/awakening for music and fantasy cast images.
Alora Dennison is an orphaned child from a shamed bloodline surviving in her families old pack. On the dawn of her transition pushing her into adulthood she imprints on the mate she will be bonded to for an eternity, in an unexpected turn of fate. Only he isn’t the man of her dreams. He is the only one in the entire state she would never have wanted to bond to.
Colton Santo is the arrogant, dominant son of the Alpha from a rival pack which is set to unite the packs and reign in one kingdom. In years gone by his disdain for her and any from her bloodline has been prominent. Her treatment by his pack has pushed her to live in near isolation, fearful for her existence and now before all assembled, on the dawn of her awakening, they all just saw her imprint on their future leader.
Fate has decreed it, but everyone around her is about to try and stop it. Fate isn’t about to make it easy on her either, as a long forgotten war erupts in their lands, bringing an age old enemy with a thirst for blood back into the forefront of lycanthrope life.
Will she survive long enough to ever find out why she has borne a black mark on her lineage her entire life? And why exactly, Colton’s father is just so eager to see her dead. Will Colton step up and honour the bond, or will he be the one to deliver the final blow?
Find it FREE on wattpad – https://www.wattpad.com/854284839-awakening-alora
Find it FREE on Penana – https://www.penana.com/story/61325/awakening-book-1
Find it FREE on Sweek – https://sweek.com/s/AgAEDA0DZgAEBwoPBAQFAQFsCAA=/Leanne_Marshall/Awakening-Book-1
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Book 2 will begin as a new read along as of next week, so pick your source to follow me and you will get chapter updates.
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April 25, 2020
Good Morning
I thought I would check in with a blog post and see how everyone is doing. I hope you are all well and feel free to comment below and update me on things.
We have had a busy week so far and so many highs and lows.
Firstly I would like to thank all my readers and fans who have been along for the ride with the Awakening book. We are two chapters away form completion of book 1 with the read along on Wattpad and it’s been great to have the book chat almost daily. I never thought I would enjoy a supernatural romance as much as I have done and once the book is done we will be taking it and polishing it for Amazon publishing release. Book 2 is planned so we shall see where that takes us.
[image error] Click here for the book.
I have not forgotten about Carrero but I am enjoying the side track for a bit.
We have been working on our gardens this week and yesterday we completely ripped up my entire front flower beds to start installing raised planters. Our garden is going to be a few weeks worth of work but I think the end result will be completely worth it and will share pictures when it is done. Sadly though my hay fever isn’t too happy about it and yesterday I completely lost my voice and am today now in the throes of a terrible head cold and sore throat. I know it will only last a couple of days as I did the same to myself the week before LOL. My allergy medication can only shield me so much.
I have been baking and cooking some days as what else besides chores and crafts is there to do? I don’t watch TV much but I did enjoy the new Lion King movie with my kids and we have been littering home school among our other activities. I am finding homeschooling to be a hard task and with two autistic children who find the change in routine hard, we are going very slowly.
I took a lot of down time to design a new pattern for my Etsy shop too so here is my bunny.
I called her HOPE. I thought with the rainbow colours, her sweet face and the fact she is a comforting cuddle companion that it was a very fitting name for our current situation. A lot of you are buying my rainbow hanger pattern and I wanted something equally cute that may be an option for those who prefer knitting toys to gift, than hangers.
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If you would like the pattern for Hope then click here
I will be taking some down time this weekend to clean the house back to hygienic, possibly sort out a few things in the garden and craft room in readiness for next week and order some supplies for some projects.
Let me know what you are doing, reading, writing or creating and I will see you soon xx
April 21, 2020
Penpal mail, stationary haul and a journal page
I hope I am finding you all well today. These past weeks I am starting to get myself back together and finally return to YouTube too.
This blog accompanies the following video and is a place to bring all the links together in one place in case you want to purchase anything you see.
Journaling stationary gift set
Assorted trees and leaves washi tape box
Assorted flowers and leaves washi tape box
April 12, 2020
Hey All.
I hope I find you in good health and better spirits and faring much better than some in these days of lock down. I just thought I would pop on and say hello in between posting about books and knitting patterns.
It’s been a pretty hard slog for my family so far and my partner is still not recovered from issues with his lungs, even though he is now on week 6. He has antibiotics for a chest infection now, and has finished steroids for previous fluid in his lungs. We believe he had the virus some weeks back just before I got sick as did my children, and luckily our symptoms were not as severe as his. My children were very mild although I am still also finding my lungs are taking a long time to recover and have occasional set backs. He has had a really rough few weeks with breathing, fevers etc and continues to struggle through. The hospital have seen him three times now but luckily feel he is best at home with us.
Sadly that meant we went into medical lock down some weeks before the UK did and were only just beginning to be able to come back out when everyone was locked in. So for us it’s already been weeks and I am starting to feel rather frustrated. Cabin fever taking grip and each day is up and down.
I hope all of you are keeping well and able to get supplies and things you need. In the beginning we struggled so badly and could neither get deliveries or anything locally but now we are faring so much better. The panic phase seems to have calmed down and shops are once again stocked with supplies. It makes a massive difference when you no longer have to worry about feeding your family or having to go search for foods.
I have found that unlike a lot of fellow authors who cannot bear to write at this time, writing has kept me sane and if you saw my previous blog about a read along book – Awakening, then I am still going strong and have been surprised with the popularity of said book. What was something of a challenge and a ‘nothing’ to pass the time, has now become something that will be polished and published properly with a view to a continuing series.
It’s a YA werewolf action romance and I have begun to get emails from new readers who are obsessed with it. You can find it on Wattpad if you are interested.
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My Knitting pattern for our Dolly in scrubs has been an overwhelming success that has had over 1500 downloads so far here and I have no idea how many on Ravelry, and is being posted in the Let’s get crafty Knit and crochet magazine in the near future. I never expected it to get quite so popular and hope it’s a sign of how generous people are being to our care and key workers. I will be open to suggestions on what I can design for the next freebie, so don’t hesitate to comment.
If you are a joiner in of our crafty challenge every month then April is the following…..
You can read all about it here – Craft Challenge and how to get involved and join in
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My you-tube is currently silent but I have so many things to film lined up, I just needed to get myself past the worst of my breathing issues and mentally put myself back on track. A lot are struggling through this time and it’s okay to not be productive and do much in a day. We all have different responses to how we react to this and if you are getting through the day by watching TV in PJ’s, eating all the food and feeling like your failing – Don’t. You are doing just fine.
I have ADHD traits among other things so my response to any kind of trigger, anxiety etc is to do things… to be productive, to not sit still or mentally be at peace and even I am sometimes not doing anything at all.
Stay safe, do what you feel like doing. You are in a state of trauma and it may not seem like it now, but the most important thing to you and your family is just staying in, taking one day at a time no matter how that looks.
We will get through this.. It won’t be forever and if anyone ever needs someone to write to and just reach out then here – enquiries@ltmarshall.blog.
Let me know if you knit my items, read my books or just follow my blog because you like it. I am always happy to hear from you all.
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