The act of slow stitching quiets the noise and brings stillness to the mind
Stephanie Hopkins
In the Presence of Slow Stitching
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Tag Archives: #artist
Exploring the Outdoors
This past Sunday the weather was cool, sunny and windy! Despite the wind, it was a beautiful day for a walk in the neighborhood. I went a little father this time around and enjoyed the leisurely stroll. Everyone’s yards were beautiful and the sun was reflecting off the pond. Even the chipmunks were busy exploring and enjoying the fresh air. It has been a rainy season this winter and spring. It hasn’t been easy to get out and enjoy the outdoors. You have to catch the sun when you can.
I was able to collect quite a few wood things for my mixed media projects and I’m thrilled with what I found. I’m drying them out on the back porch a but before drying them out in the oven. I recommend doing that before crafting with them.
Instructions on How I Dry Them Out:
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Supplies:
Baking sheet(s)
Parchment Paper
Old Paint Brush
Brush your wood findings off really good with an old dry paint brush or tooth brush. I like the bristles to be a bit tough. Not too tough mind you. Put them on a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread them out.
Bake for 20 minutes and then allow them to cool down completely being using them or storing them. Be sure to keep an eye on them while they are in the oven.
Once dried, they are ready to craft with!
This particular process is not for children. Adult super vision is needed.
I hope you enjoyed this post and if you haven’t subscribed to my blog yet, please do so!
Stephanie Hopkins
The Ugly Stitch Club
Hand stitching and slow stitching is a big part of my art and crafting journey. Yesterday, I took half day of reading and hand sewing fabric scraps whilst chilling on my bed! I was tired and needed the rest but at the same time, I still wanted to craft. I began to take scraps of fabrics and sew then together. While making those imperfect, fun and silly stitches, it was then when it came to me. To start a stitch club, or group if you will on Instagram. You don’t have to be an experience stitchery. I just adore those imperfect stitching in my projects. Those stitches are everything! If you are interested in stitching of various kinds, I would very much love to have you join me in this journey. This is a positive and encouraging group to be a member. I’m looking forward to this journey and I have lots planned.
Hand stitching and slow stitching is a big part of my art and crafting journey. Yesterday, I took half day of reading and hand sewing fabric scraps whilst chilling on my bed!
While making those imperfect fun and silly stitches, it was then when it came to me. To start a stitch club, or group if you will on Instagram. You don’t have to be an experience stitchery. I just adore those imperfect stitching in my projects. Those stitches are everything! If you are interested in stitching of various kinds, I would very much love to have you join me in this journey. This is a positive and encouraging group to be a member. I’m looking forward to this journey and I have lots planned.
Please join me on Instagram here or you can search me on IG by typing @theuglystitchclub
Winter Musings and Spring Projects
It is hard to believe that December 6, 2022 was the last postdate! I had decided to take a much-needed break but wow! Time flies! I have missed blogging exceedingly and I am delighted to be back at it. What have I been doing meanwhile? Well, there is so much. I have been story writing a bit, crafting a lot, creating art, reading some and writing in my journals quite a bit. Needless to say, I have been hunkered down this winter. Not that the south sees extreme cold winters mind you. I just use that as an excuse. Ha!
Lately, I’ve been making miniature wood houses, dioramas and dollhouse accessories. I’m having a blast! Back in the mid to late 1990’s I collected miniature tea sets and whatnot. I must confess, I miss those days of collecting miniatures. The combination of that past love and seeing people’s new works of dioramas sparked a fire in me to start creating miniatures. Was it a couple years ago or maybe it was last year, I had worked on a few miniature wood houses but nothing really came of it until now? Yes, indeed.
I’ve got so many ideas and I’m just getting my feet wet. Recently, I’ve made quite a few and I do have many of them available in my Instagram shop for sale. Plus, I have five Book Nook’s I’m creating for family this year. Excited! You should see my list of everything I want to create and the list keeps getting longer. There is simply not enough time on the day! I look forward to sharing more with you all and if you haven’t already, please follow my blog and stop by on Instagram to say hello or you may do so in the comment area below! Blessings to you and yours!
Stephanie Hopkins
Personal Instagram link
Shop Instagram link
The Ugly Stitch Club on Instagram Link
I will be restocking my Ebay shop this coming Monday!
This Weeks Inspirational Journey
“The starting point of discovering who you are, your gifts, your talents, your dreams, is being comfortable with yourself. Spend time alone. Write in a journal.”
— Robin Sharma
This week I have been busy making YouTube craft videos, writing, painting and reading! I’ve enjoyed every step of the way in these pursuits. My videos are geared towards paper crafting and the art of journaling.
The images shown are just a few of what I’ve been creating this week. I’ve recently had a thought about how interesting it is when I’m crafting, the journey inspires new pieces. That in itself is rewarding to find inspiration within your own endeavors. What are a few of the ways you find inspiration in your own creations? If this something you’ve thought about before?
Please like, subscribe and hit the notification bell to my channel to get the latest videos when they are posted. Thank you!
YouTube Recent Craft Links:
Tag Tuesday | How to a Make Mini Pocket Bellyband
Vintage Haul Unboxing | For Crafting and Journal Making
Visit my shops by clicking on each shop.
Etsy Shop – Shop is currently on vacation mode.
At this time, I ship in the US only.
I offer discount shipping and a free gift with all purchases.
(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.)
The 100 Day Project and Journals for Sale
This year, I decided to participate in the #100dayproject on Instagram. What fun!
I craft everyday but there are some projects I want completed and feel this challenge will help in my endeavors. These are my spring journals for the coming season that I got a jump start on and would like to see them finished by the end of the season. Also, I need to replenish my ephemera stash so I’ve be mass making tags, pockets, clusters, stickers, altered paperclips and whatnot. You can follow my hashtag on Instagram #stephs100projects2022 to keep up with my progress! I’m also making short tutorials and will be posting video on YouTube soon!
I have three newly listed Spring journals for sale in my Etsy shop and will be listing two more this week! These are great journals for you to personalize. Visit my shops by clicking on each shop.
(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.)
Happy Valentine’s Day!
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Sonnets from the Portuguese 43, Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The lady in the photos is my grandmother. The picture was taken in the 1940’s in Miami, Florida.
Creative Journaling and Journals for Sale
Yesterday, I created this collage page in my current personal journal. I love the layered look and the process of creating it is enjoyable and relaxing. You can use your tags for tucks and pockets in your journals. It doesn’t matter the size of the tags. I’ve used my mini tags as tucks all the time.
Adding pockets to journals is a great to use as hidden spots for your writing. I would have to say it is my favorite form for my journal writing. I like those secret spots because sometimes you might forget about them and it’s is fun to discover them again.
The image of the girl is my grandmother from the 1920s. The picture was taken when she was 16 years old. Her image among others are in many of the journals I’m selling at my Etsy shop! -Stephanie Hopkins
Visit my shops by clicking on each shop.
I have newly listed journals for sale in my Etsy shop!
(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.)
Tag Tuesday
Hello, Friends! Every Tuesday on Instagram at 5:00 pm to 10 pm US Eastern Standard Time, I will be posting mini art journal tags for sale! The sale will end at 10:00 pm. I offer discount shipping and a free gift with these tags.
These mini tags are sturdy and great for arts and crafts projects, gifts, gift tags, pen pal mail, collage work and journal projects. There is room to write on the back of them.
At this time, I ship only in the US.
Follow my hashtag on Instagram for my product images at #stephsshopatlayeredfinds
You can find me on Instagram @stephsartjourney
I accept PayPal payments and ship in a timely manner.
Stephanie Hopkins
Visit my shops by clicking on each shop.
(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.)
Collage Journaling for Beginners
Collage art in my journals has been my favorite method of creating journal pages for a long time. There are times where I create a simple layout to a more elaborate one. It really depends on my mood, time, and what I’m wanting to convey in my spread. There are moments when less is more and you can obtain a lot of inspiration from simplicity.
Start with the basics. Oftentimes, I see crafters talk online about being intimated by a blank page or collage work in general. It’s understandable and can easily be solved. Quite often you ask yourself, what if I mess up my papers, where do I start, and will the design look right? How can I make it look elaborate? Or, does it have to look elaborate? How do I find my own style? These are a lot of questions to go over and I will cover every one of these questions for the next year.
First things first. Don’t compare your work to others. That is the quickest way to get frustrated and give up. Which defeats the purpose of the craft in the first place. Start with the minimum amount of supplies. Grab your journal, glue, scissors and paper. Not a lot of paper, mind you. While placing your paper to the page, think about what you like most about them. How do they speak to you? Do they bring you joy? Think about what your focal point and placement. It doesn’t have to always be in the middle of the page. Do you want your background to be neutral? A good way to get started is to use neutrals to break the blank page and build from there. You don’t like how something you did looks? You can easily cover it up. Start simple with the layers and breathe.
You’ve got this!
Stephanie Hopkins
Visit my shops by clicking on each shop.
(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.)
Layered Pages 