Jewelry In The Making With Sarah

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SarahToday my friend Sarah Volkert is a guest on Layered Pages to share her creative journey with us. When I met Sarah a few months ago at a Posh n Sip and I was thrilled to discover her creative side and it is always exciting to discover fellow artists. Let’s get our art on! 

Sarah, it is a pleasure to be featuring your jewelry line on Layered Pages today! When I first met you and discovered that you have a creative side to you, I was overjoyed! Tell me how you got into jewelry making?

Thank you so much for featuring me on your page, Stephanie! I got into jewelry making about 5 years ago, but it was not my first crafting love. I cross-stitch, crochet, and knit as well. So, I was at a craft store one day and noticed a beading magazine that featured bead stitching (I didn’t know that was a “thing”) and it looked interesting, so I bought the magazine and supplies to make a bracelet. I picked it up very quickly, and I spent about 3 years learning and practicing before I started selling my items.

Is there a specific style you stick with or do you mix it up?

I think I mix it up a little too much, to be honest! I personally have an eclectic style, and there is just so much that I think is beautiful and interests me that it’s hard to pick one. If I had to narrow it down, I’d say my style is modern and/or boho.

What are the platforms you sell on?

I have a shop on Etsy and I sell on Poshmark. About 90% of the jewelry items I have for sale on Poshmark are made by me.

What are some ways you upcycle pieces you might use to make your creations?

I save beer bottle caps and pop tops to make jewelry with, although I have yet to list any pieces. I’m hoping to get to that within the next couple of months. I’ve also had jewelry I’ve bought break and I will save the beads and chain from those and make a new piece out of them.

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How much time a week do you spend on your jewelry making?

I’m lucky if I get a few hours!

I’m a stay-at-home mom and my kids are young (5 and 2), but I try to squeeze in an hour here and there when I can. There are also the other aspects of running a business that need my attention and take time away from creating. Christmas is always crazy, but after everything settles down my goal is to spend at least 8 hours a week on creating.

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into making jewelry?

There are so many possibilities with what you can do, it’s pretty overwhelming. I would tell someone to pick one technique or stitch they would like to learn to do, but don’t invest a lot of money into it until you’re sure it’s something you’re going to enjoy. Also, I think it’s pretty easy to get discouraged, especially when you’re starting out, so if something isn’t working or you’re getting confused or frustrated, just take a break from it for an hour or a day and come back. I still have to do that from time to time!

The Anatomy of Melancholy

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The Anatomy of Melancholy

The age of discovery continued in the 17th Century and I have been privately studying-further in-depth- men of science of late and while I’ve known who Oxford Scholar Robert Burton was, I must confess I have not read his book, The Anatomy of Melancholy.

I’m really interested in reading this book on two scores:

  1. It discusses human feelings.
  2. English 17th Century prose is outstanding!

Description of the book:

“One of the major documents of modern European civilization, Robert Burton’s astounding compendium, a survey of melancholy in all its myriad forms, has invited nothing but superlatives since its publication in the seventeenth century. Lewellyn Powys called it “the greatest work of prose of the greatest period of English prose-writing,” while the celebrated surgeon William Osler declared it the greatest of medical treatises. And Dr. Johnson, Boswell reports, said it was the only book that he rose early in the morning to read with pleasure. In this surprisingly compact and elegant new edition, Burton’s spectacular verbal labyrinth is sure to delight, instruct, and divert today’s readers as much as it has those of the past four centuries.”

Saturday Sunday: Book Collage & Lost Love

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Book Art Nancys book

Author Nancy Bilyeau sent me a galley copy of her novella, The Ghost of Madison Avenue and the cover inspired me to create a mix media digital collage for the cover. I started reading the story Thursday night and I was so engrossed in the story, I read late into the night. What a perfect time to read this hauntingly good story.

My background choice for the collage comes from my own picture of a denim rag rug I sewed this week. The textures are digital stars and I felt they added a mysterious feel to the cover. Be sure to get your copy of this fabulous story on Amazon! My review coming soon! -Stephanie Hopkins

A Christmas Novella in Old New York

In this compelling and poignant story, bestselling author Nancy Bilyeau takes readers to New York City’s Morgan Library in December 1912, when two very different people haunted by lost love come together in an unexpected way.

Helen O’Neill, part of a tight-knit Irish-American family in the Bronx, is only too happy to report to work at the spectacular private library built on Madison Avenue by millionaire financier J. P. Morgan. The head librarian, the brilliant and beautiful Belle da Costa Greene, had hired Helen away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art after she witnessed Helen’s unusual talent with handling artifacts.

About Nancy Bilyeau

Nancy Bilyeau is the author of the historical thrillers “The Blue” and “Dreamland” and the Tudor mystery series “The Crown,” “The Chalice,” and “The Tapestry.” She is a magazine editor who has lived in the United States and Canada.

In “The Blue,” Nancy drew on her own heritage as a Huguenot. She is a direct descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Nancy’s ancestor, Isaac, was born on the boat crossing the Atlantic, the St. Jean de Baptiste. Pierre’s stone house still stands and is the third oldest house in New York State.

Nancy, who studied History at the University of Michigan, has worked on the staffs of “InStyle,” “Good Housekeeping,” and “Rolling Stone.” She is currently the deputy editor of the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at the Research Foundation of CUNY and a regular contributor to “Town & Country” and “Mystery Scene Magazine.”

Nancy’s mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in New York City.

Cover Crush: Hostage to Fortune by Sarah Hawkswood

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While this cover isn’t outstanding-in my opinion-it’s extraordinary and jumped out at me. I feel like that is a bit of a contradiction statement I made. Ha! There is a bit of abstract imagery to this cover that shows a bigger picture to the story. The latter is why I chose this book as this week’s cover crush. -Stephanie.

Hostage to FortuneHostage to Fortune by Sarah Hawkswood

Allison & Busby

Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 12 Mar 2020

Description

January, 1144. Undersheriff Hugh Bradecote does not want his betrothed travelling on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Edgyth. The Archbishop of Canterbury’s envoy and his entourage of monks seem perfect as escorts, until they are captured by a renegade who kills for pleasure.

Against a backdrop of a hard winter and frozen River Severn, Bradecote and Serjeant Catchpoll are struggling to rescue the captive before a psychopath does his worst, the lord Sheriff loses patience, and Bradecote cracks under the pressure.

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated by Erin at Historical Fiction Reader 

Other book bloggers who participated in the great cover crushes series. 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Creative Journey With Heather Hall

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Today my friend Heather Hall is a guest on Layered Pages to share her creative journey with us. When I met Heather a few years ago I was thrilled to discover her creative side and it is always exciting to discover another paper crafter. Let’s get our craft on! 

Heather HallThank you for visiting with me today, Heather! Tell me how you got into card making?

I started making cards in the mid 90’s when a group of women where I lived started sharing different crafts that we did…. teaching each other. We got together once a month to work on new project and talk.  We talked a lot.  I learned to stencil, cross-stitch and card making.  Card making has stuck with me as it is so much fun.

 Is there a specific style you stick with or do you mix it up?

I like to try new techniques all the time, but find I revert back to simple but fun to make, as my favourite. I have been to card making classes and learned many new styles, but I also check out Pinterest, as there are so many creative ideas on there. Most of the time I try to take an idea and make it my own, using what supplies I have on hand. Online videos also give me many options.

 Are your cards available for sale and where can people reach out to you?

At the moment my cards are not for sale, I make them for family and friends, but my goal is to eventually sell them but I am not there yet.  I hope is to get this going in the New Year. So, stay tuned.

What are some ways you upcycle pieces you might use to make your creations?

I like to use other cards I receive to add to my new cards. I also try to save all my little scrap paper, using them in other project to not waste anything.  I like to reuse ribbon and lace from clothes, gifts and from supplies given to me.  Unique items like buttons add dimension to cards. I would like to add things like fabric to my cards, but haven’t done any yet. I love fabric and texture, so that is my next thing to try. I want my cards to be able to go in the mail without too much cost, so I can’t add too much bulk to it. I look forward to experimenting though.

How much time a week do you spend on your card making ?

I try to be creative a few hours a week at the moment, but in order to start selling them, I would like to expand my time to a couple of 7-hour days per week

Card making III

What advice would you give someone who wants to get into card making?

I would suggest that if you want to get into card making, that you find a group in your community, where you can meet and share stamps and supplies. To start out you will need to have a few basic items like a paper trimmer, adhesives, a few ink pads, card stock and a couple of stamps you really like. With these in hand you are ready to go. Card making supplies are available at many stores and online.  The sky is the limit, but working with others and sharing will help you to get started, without much expense.

Most important to me is to have fun, start out with a simple design and move on from there.

Wilmington North Carolina

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I’ve been meaning to blog about a few highlight pictures of my families Thanksgiving Vacation on the North Carolina Coast. Better late than never! Today I’m sharing a few images from our visit to Wilmington. This City pre-dates the Colonial era. I highly recommend studying Wilmington’s history. We walked around the Cape Fear River Front and also visited a few shops. I did manage to take a few pictures of houses. The historic district homes are stunning! -Stephanie

 

No One’s Home by D.M. Pulley

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In light of Friday the 13th last week, I selected this story (audible book) and I haven’t read from D.M. Pulley before. Hmm…my thoughts vary of the tale I’m absorbing. – Stephanie

No One's HomeFor fans of The Haunting of Hill House comes a dark tale of a mansion haunted by a legacy of tragedy and a family trapped by lies.

Margot and Myron Spielman move to a new town, looking for a fresh start and an escape from the long shadow of their past. But soon after they buy Rawlingswood, a foreclosed mansion rumored to be haunted, they realize they’re in for more of the same…or worse.

After a renovation fraught with injuries and setbacks, the Spielmans move in to the century-old house, and their problems quickly escalate. The home’s beautiful facade begins to crumble around them when their teenage son uncovers disturbing details of Rawlingswood’s history—a history of murder, betrayal, and financial ruin. The Spielmans’ own shameful secrets and lies become harder to hide as someone or something inside the house watches their every move.

As tensions build between the family members, the home’s dark history threatens to repeat itself. Margot and Myron must confront their own ghosts and Rawlingswood’s buried past before the house becomes their undoing.

A Weekend Of R&R

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MeGood morning and happy Monday! I hope you all had two days of rest and renewal to start off the new week right.

The last few days I’ve had a bad cold and I rested in my recliner all weekend while working on my projects, exploring new ideas, stitch doodling, prepping upcoming projects, reflecting and being in the present. I thought a lot about blending the old with the new and the re-purpose ones clothes, and what it means for the environment. For a deep appreciation of keeping the old ways of mending and sewing alive. I also reflected on my creations and how I express them. For me, there is no wrong way in doing so.

January CollageSaturday I was working on my secret project pretty much all day then decided to take a break from it and prep scraps for a Sashiko/Boro influence/ mix media art collage project I’m starting in January. I haven’t sewed any of the fabrics down yet. I’m still in the process of placing the fabrics. Anyhow, it’s going to be about a 12×12 collage. I’ll probably frame it once its completed or if I change my mind, use the collage in another project. There is no pressure in making a final decision. I did go ahead and slow stitched on denim square.

I would really like to stress that your stitches don’t have to be perfectly straight. Make your creations your own. That is unless you’re working on a art piece for someone who is paying for straight stitches, if its something you prefer or working with patterns. Please keep in mind that slow stitching is forgiving and if you are not satisfied with what you stitched, you can go back and change it. Enjoy the process. Slow down and breath.

Sunday was another day of resting and a bit of planning for the pattern of my Denim Rag Quilt. I arranged my Grandmother’s scraps the way I want them-for the most part. I need to put a lighter denim square in the upper right corner. I did play around with some visible stitching on one of the quilt squares. The process was so relaxing! I won’t be doing stitching patterns on all of them. However, I’m slow stitching on the scrap patches. I’m sewing this quilt by hand as much as possible.

I’ve been jumping around on projects this weekend. That’s how I roll!

Follow my closet @artsycouture42 and use my code: ARTSYCOUTURE42 to get a free $10 credit when signing up for Poshmark! www.poshmark.

See you next time! Bye for now.

Stephanie

 

 

Cover Crush: Death of an American Beauty by Mariah Fredricks

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Y’all I just had to bring back the Cover Crush Series because I am a sucker for cover art! I am not a book cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover. This latest one just really popped out to me due to the colors and the Lady’s dress and hat I believe.  

Death of an American BeautySt. Martin’s Press/Pub Date 14 Apr 2020

 

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated by Erin at Historical Fiction Reader .

Other book bloggers who participated in the great cover crushes series. 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Q&A With Posher Kaitlyn

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KaitlynI’m thrilled to be featuring Posher Kaitlyn at Layered Pages today. She is a fashion seller on the Poshmark App and I love her closet! Poshmark is a wonderful community of sellers and buyers. I’m proud to be a part of a community that strives on saving clothes from the landfills and selling fashion at an affordable price. I have met-locally and from afar-so many wonderful people through Poshmark since I started selling and buying on the App. If you want to learn more about Poshmark’s community, stay tuned to my site as I will be posting more about the App and the importance of sites like them.
Kaitlyn , what is your Posh Closet name?
How did you discover Poshmark?
I heard there was app where you could buy higher end brands for a fraction of the price! Had to get on that train.
How long have you been on the App?
Since April of 2017
What is your favorite brand to sell on Poshmark?
Lululemon!
What advice would you give a newbie Posher?
Stick with it! If you are wanting to create a business, this is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes time, hard work and consistency to get where you want to go.
How has Poshmark impacted your view on the clothing industry?
Short question with a long answer!
I have never been a thrifty shopper. In my decade of working in the beauty industry, we were pretty much conditioned to think that if we didn’t buy something at full price, we needed financial help. I somehow felt less-than if I bought second-hand. Boy, has that changed. My eyes have been opened to fast fashion and how it’s affecting our planet and resources. Now, not only do I give pre-loved fashion a second or third chance by selling to others, but my wardrobe is 95% thrifted and I couldn’t be happier. This whole reason is how I came up with my closet name. Re-use, Recycle, Re-LOVE!