Monthly Archives: May 2021

Memorial Day: Remembrance

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“And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.” – Lee Greenwood

Today we are honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. arm forces. It is important to recognize and respect their dedication and sacrifices for our freedoms that we hold dear as a Nation and to not lose sight of those freedoms fought for us.

Let us take a moment of pause and reflect on the true meaning of this day. God bless America and God bless our soldiers who have fought bravely and died to preserve our freedoms and protect the lives of Americans and others around the world. We thank you for your service and sacrifice. -Stephanie Hopkins 

New Book Release: The Nine by Gwen Strauss

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Congrats to Gwen Strauss’s book publication of, “The Nine”

(The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany!”)

About the book:

St. Martin’s Press

History

Pub Date 04 May 2021

“This haunting account provides yet more evidence not only of the power of female friendship but that the often-unrecorded courage and resilience of ordinary women must be honoured and celebrated. It’s a most inspiring read…Utterly gripping.” —Anne Sebba, author of Les Parisiennes

The Nine follows the true story of the author’s great aunt Helene Podliasky, who led a band of nine female resistance fighters as they escaped a German forced labor camp and made a ten-day journey across the front lines of WWII from Germany back to Paris.

The nine women were all under thirty when they joined the resistance. They smuggled arms through Europe, harbored parachuting agents, coordinated communications between regional sectors, trekked escape routes to Spain and hid Jewish children in scattered apartments. They were arrested by French police, interrogated and tortured by the Gestapo. They were subjected to a series of French prisons and deported to Germany. The group formed along the way, meeting at different points, in prison, in transit, and at Ravensbrück. By the time they were enslaved at the labor camp in Leipzig, they were a close-knit group of friends. During the final days of the war, forced onto a death march, the nine chose their moment and made a daring escape.

Drawing on incredible research, this powerful, heart-stopping narrative is a moving tribute to the power of humanity and friendship in the darkest of times.

May: Book Round-Up

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May has been a busy month and I have listened to stories more than actually reading physical copies. Still, I’m going to call this month’s reading, a success. I do have physical copy of, Behind Closed Doors but after several attempts, I wasn’t able to get into it so I decided to listen to the story. The audio was a much better experience!

This month’s total is eight books! How did your reading go for May? -Stephanie Hopkins

Audio Books:

The Neighbors by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Cleaning the Gold (Jack Reacher #23.6) by Karin Slaughter and Lee Child

Dead Lake by Darcy Coates

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz

Physical Copies:

Mini Junk Journal: Part II

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How to make pretty journals made out of trash and leftover materials around your home.

Welcome to Layered Page and thank you to those who follow my blog. Today is part two of my mini junk journal series where you will discover ways to use recycled materials to make pretty journals without breaking the bank. It is possible to make pretty journals with junk!

My objective when creating junk journals is to use old ephemera AKA recycled materials, packaging, scraps of paper that I would otherwise throw out.

This junk journals cover is covered with old dictionary pages, scraps of scrapbook paper and a baby wipe I used during painting. The scrapbook paper I used has been cut down so many times for other projects, I decided it was time to either use the leftovers or to throw it away.

I hope you enjoyed this second part of my new series and if you have any questions about my process, please do not hesitate to ask below in the comment area.

Part III in this series, I will be using a cracker jack box and scraps of fabric. Stay tuned!

Be sure to take a look at my Mini Junk Journal: Part I. This post will give you more details in my process of constructing a journal. One thing I did change this time was to start on the outside of the spine to bind the signatures.

Check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged.

-Stephanie Hopkins

A Week of Regrouping

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“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook

I am taking the week off of blogging and to work on bringing you more creative content for future posts. Please be sure to check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages! I will continue to post new pictures on those media platforms. My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged. Have a beautiful week!

Stephanie Hopkins

Cover Crush: How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

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Resisting the Attention Economy

“What if we spent less time shouting into the void and being washed over with shouting in return-and more time talking in rooms to those for whom our words are intended? If we have only so much attention to give, and only so much time on this earth, we might want to think about reinfusing our attention and our communication with the intention that both deserve.” -Jenny Odell quote

About the Cover: I’m a sucker for florals’ and the colors of the petals are among my favorite. Nothing really extraordinary about the cover, just simply the beauty of a flower arrangement.  

About the Book: Food for thought comes to mind when thinking about the title of this book. That is how much the title alone warrants consideration in what is said between the pages. While the description is short, one can imagine a broader narrative into the subject of productivity and techno-determinism. This theme is usually out of my scope of genres I read regularly, but I am curious about the premise and what arguments the author presents. How to Do Nothing should be a highly educational read. -Stephanie Hopkins

Book Description:

Hardcover, 225 pages

Published April 9th 2019 by Melville House

When the technologies we use every day collapse our experiences into 24/7 availability, platforms for personal branding, and products to be monetized, nothing can be quite so radical as… doing nothing. Here, Jenny Odell sends up a flare from the heart of Silicon Valley, delivering an action plan to resist capitalist narratives of productivity and techno-determinism, and to become more meaningfully connected in the process.

Be sure to check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art gallery here at Layered Pages! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged.

Art in Motion: This and That

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As you all know, this past weekend was Mother’s Day and it was lovely to see so many pictures on Instagram of people celebrating their mother’s. Over the weekend, I was able to read a whole book, create lots of arts, crafts and relax with the family.

Art by Stephanie Hopkins

I’ve started a bookmark swap in the United States and I’m gaining good response out of the announcement. For more information about the swap: Steph’s LP Bookmark Swap Announcement! I hope you join! It is going to be a lot of fun and it’s always exciting to receive happy mail in the post.

Stephanie Hopkins

Check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged.

(Images are subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie Hopkins.)

Book Review: The Child Finder (Naomi Cottle #1) by Rene Denfeld

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The Child Finder was a quick read and I found myself fully absorbed in the story. I must admit, I chose the book because of the cover and title. I’ve had it on my bookshelf for quite sometime and decided to pick it up this weekend. This story is fascinating and sad at the same time. Yet, beautifully written and there’s descriptive scenery throughout.

Madison captured my heart. As a little girl, she was taken and missing for three years, she quickly creates a world of her own based on a fairytale story she loves, for survival.

Naomi, is a woman who was abducted herself when she was younger and is called to find Madison. At all odds, her discovery of the girl’s whereabouts reveals memories of her own past.

The Child Finder is a uniquely told story, that takes you into the world of a highly imaginative and clever mind of a child, whose self-preservation is astounding.

Stephanie Hopkins

About the book:

Hardcover, 274 pages

Published September 5th 2017 by Harper

“Where are you, Madison Culver? Flying with the angels, a silver speck on a wing? Are you dreaming, buried under snow? Or—is it possible—you are still alive?”

Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight-years-old now—if she has survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, certain someone took her, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to the police and a select group of parents as “the Child Finder,” Naomi is their last hope.

Naomi’s methodical search takes her deep into the icy, mysterious forest in the Pacific Northwest, and into her own fragmented past. She understands children like Madison because once upon a time, she was a lost girl, too.

As Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison’s disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce the defenses that have protected her, reminding her of a terrible loss she feels but cannot remember. If she finds Madison, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?

Steph’s LP Bookmark Swap Announcement!

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I’m creating a unique bookmark swap this summer! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to receive bookmarks from crafters and artists? These swaps will be held three times a year and the first one is on June 15th. As you know, bookmarks are used for holding the place of your page in books, but did you know that they are great for your journals and notebooks as well? The design ideas are endless and what fun it is to create them. I’ve been making them for years and have collected many and I treasure each and every one of them. Recently, I’ve been making these bookmarks in the shape of tag, sizes of 2”x 5” and they have held up great! Another fun idea for them is to write your favorite book quotes on the back of them.

This swap group is for USA Residents only. If you are interested in participating, DM me on Instagram for more information. The Instagram hashtag for this swap: #StephsLPBookmarkswa Instagram handle: @stephsartjourney

I would love to have you join!

Stephanie Hopkins

Check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged.

(Images are subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie Hopkins.)

Cover Crush: Upstream (Selected Essays) by Mary Oliver

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“To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature

About the Cover:

This cover reminds me of the walks I used to take in the mountains of North Georgia in the fall time. The scenery was breathtaking and very much like the one you see on the cover. The misty sky evokes tone and mood, while the water invites creek walking and pebble exploring. Or one can sit along the grassy edge of the creek, while soaking up the gentle sounds of water continuously flowing, the rustling sounds in the trees and listen to the song of birds.

About the Book:

How is it that I have not yet had the pleasure of reading this author’s work? Or maybe I have? Oh, my, this will not do. I must find a copy of Upstream as soon as possible.  

The cover and book description speak to my soul. Mary Oliver has captured my attention with her admiration for nature and love of poetry writing. -Stephanie Hopkins

Book Description:

Comprising a selection of essays, Upstream finds beloved poet Mary Oliver reflecting on her astonishment and admiration for the natural world and the craft of writing. 

As she contemplates the pleasure of artistic labor, finding solace and safety within the woods, and the joyful and rhythmic beating of wings, Oliver intimately shares with her readers her quiet discoveries, boundless curiosity, and exuberance for the grandeur of our world.

This radiant collection of her work, with some pieces published here for the first time, reaffirms Oliver as a passionate and prolific observer whose thoughtful meditations on spiders, writing a poem, blue fin tuna, and Ralph Waldo Emerson inspire us all to discover wonder and awe in life’s smallest corners.

About the Author:

“In a region that has produced most of the nation’s poet laureates, it is risky to single out one fragile 71-year-old bard of Provincetown. But Mary Oliver, who won the Pulitzer Prize in poetry in 1983, is my choice for her joyous, accessible, intimate observations of the natural world. Her Wild Geese has become so popular it now graces posters in dorm rooms across the land. But don’t hold that against her. Read almost anything in New and Selected Poems. She teaches us the profound act of paying attention—a living wonder that makes it possible to appreciate all the others.”

Website

Mary Oliver’s profile picture and book cover are from goodreads. Be sure to check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art gallery here at Layered Pages! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged.