It feels like this year is flying by and sometimes I feel like I’m not going to get all the reading in that I planned. According to my goodreads reading challenge, I am 16 books ahead of schedule, but still…
I listened to this one and took my time with it.
I’m not reading this series in order. Maybe I should.
My daughter’s book.
Anyhow, I wanted to mention that I’ve been thinking after this year, not participating in the reading challenges anymore. That said, I do like to keep track of my yearly reads but not on demand. I have not enjoyed reading this way for a while now. I have something else in mind to keep track of the number of books I read in a year that I might discuss at a later time.
This book was strange and not my favorite of the authors.
I took my time with this one. Not really sure how I feel about the story.
I’ve read this book before.
My daughter’s book
In myHome Library Bookspost, I talked about reading books from my own bookshelf at home and reading stories my daughter has read. I was able to get in two of her books and I quite enjoyed them. This month, I read seven books total and you will notice that I’ve veered away from historical fiction somewhat. I’m frustrated with the direction the genre is going in and the censoring going on in the publishing industry. That is for another time to discuss, if at all.
A few of these books I have read at a leisurely pace and the one by Dean Koontz, I’ve read before a couple times.
I’m excited to be sharing with you all this week’s ICAD’s. The abbreviation ICAD means, “Index Card A Day.” This challenge was created a few years ago by artist Tammy and her challenge has really grown over the years. Below, is her IG account where you can find out more about her and her art.
I have to admit that after the first week, I stopped following the prompts. Which is entirely optional for the artists to decide which way they go with this challenge. I tend to go my own path when it comes to my craft. This week I really mixed it up. I received some new craft items in the mail in the last three days, so I wanted to play with them! I will share which items are new in the descriptions below.
Day 20: On this day was Father’s Day and my birthday. I was born on Father’s Day many years ago and it is rare when that day is celebrated on the same day. When it happens, my father and I celebrate both together with the family. It’s not too often when I make orange my dominant color. I think it turned out lovely! Plus, it gave me a reason to use this scrap of my painted paper for this project. I’ve been hoarding the paper, you see.
Day 21: Monday’s card represents a start of a new week. The possibilities were endless to make it a positive one and what a lovely week it has been. On this card I used scrap book pages, ink and ephemera from my older stash.
Day 21
Day 22: The Leftovers: The reason for the title is that I took paper towel that I’ve used to clean up paint and over time, it turned to this color. Isn’t it beautiful?! This card was an absolute blast to make! I also used Maple Samara from outdoors, needle and thread.
Day 22
Day 23: I wanted to create something a bit grungy on this day and this card is made from that feeling. I quite like how it turned out. I used my order supplies with this piece and the others above.
Day 23
Day 24: This card is vintage theme and I used my below products for the top layer. The bottom layer is is pages I used to paint black circles. Next week, I will be sharing a product review on everything I ordered. I loved how this turned out!
Day 24
Day 25: Abstract Tree: Okay, this one was a blast to make! I love trees and I’ve been drawing them since I was a kid. These days, I tend to create them in an abstraction medium. Some would say this could be a flower, but remember that in the spring time, many trees bloom flowers. For example: Cherry, Dogwood, Pink Mimosa, American Fringe and other sorts of trees.
Day 26: For this card, I used up the last of my homemade red, yellow theme painted paper. I thought it a great background for these pressed flowers and leaves. They’re from my new craft haul. I absolutely love how this turned out!
I look forward to sharing the rest of this week’s challenge and the following week with you next Saturday! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged. Have a blessed weekend! -Stephanie Hopkins
Check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages!
Today I’m am sharing a new craft organization I’m implementing in my crafting endeavors.
I’ve always made my own ephemera packs with various supplies I have on hand and I put them in gallon size Ziplock bags or large make-up bags. That system is not working for me any longer. I want to simplify to make it easier to manage and carry in a smaller to- go tote. I can honestly say that reducing my craft kits in size to little leaves of goodness, makes all the difference and inspires creativity.
I like to work with a good deal of colors and different styles, so I sort every pile with a little of everything. For instance, some crafters like to-do strictly vintage style whereas I like to blend contemporary, grunge and abstract with vintage. Juxtaposition, if you will. Then I secure them with baker’s twin or ribbon. This method reminds me of how the Victorians secured paper and letters. I’ve decided to store them in a photo box and when I want to close the lid, I layer them flat in the box. This box sits nicely on my craft table or desk. Later on, in another blog post, I will show how I store and tote them when I’m crafting on the go or in another area of the house.
Do you make ephemera packs? What ephemera do you find adding to them the most? Scraps of collage paper, tags, flowers, butterflies and my homemade painted papers are my go-to.
One can create all sorts of things with these mini packs. For example: Embellishments, journal cards, collage, tucks, belly bands, tags and pockets. The ideas are endless!
One other thing before I leave you until next time. I’m also gearing up for the first giveaway in my bookmark swap group at Instagram on starting July 1st! There will be four giveaways between July and September! The first giveaway theme colors are pink and purple.
This giveaway is for the members of the #StephslpBookmarkswap group. DM about the details on how to join. Next bookmark swap is September 15th. We would love to have you!
There are two spots left available for people who live outside the US to join.
I made this journal cover by using my collage papers made from scraps of paper that have been piling up. Paper really is the gift that keeps on giving. This is a one signature journal and will fill up fast. These styles of journals make great travel companions and fit nicely into your on-the-go tote. If you’re a reader like me, they are also great for taking notes of the books you read. While many annotate their books, others prefer to not mark up the pages. These journals are the perfect solution. Spiral notebooks work just as well but these journals make it fun!
Today, I want to talk more about journal writing. Oftentimes I still come across people mentioning that they are finding it hard to write in their journal, whether it be, lack of habit, or what to write about. People feel intimidated by the act of writing your inner most thoughts and feelings. Perhaps, it’s because when one does so, it exposes you in a way and I don’t mean to the outside world, but to you. I believe that is what we need more of. The examination of self and to look back on what we were experiencing, even if it is ugly or uncomfortable. That said, journaling isn’t strictly just writing those uncomfortable moments you are revealing about yourself to yourself. Journaling is rewarding and is a positive medium in one’s life. Journaling can be about anything, really. It can be as small as writing watch you watch on TV that day. Just write it down. Start somewhere simple and watch your words develop. You’ll be glad you did. It is a treasure to look back on the things you were experiencing from years gone by. There is much to be said about this pastime.
But how does one get started? I can’t write whole paragraphs, one might say. You don’t have too and as I said above, journaling can be about anything. Even with one word. Below the prompts you see, I have written example sentence to give you a sense of what I’m talking about.
These journal prompts are great to put on small journal cards if you want to make it brief. They are also great for hiding them in pockets and tucks in your journals. That is if you are creating journals with places to store your cards. I like to use old scrap paper and decorate them on the front after I have written on the back.
Journal Prompts
Currently:
Summary of daily prayer.
List of daily goals and tasks.
What you are tired of doing.
What are you overthinking?
What you want to do but haven’t done.
Favorite craft supply.
Listening.
Enjoying.
Disliking.
Something that makes you smile.
A book you finished.
An artist you discovered. Can me any type of artist.
Book on your night stand.
Recent books you added to your -to-read or wish-list list.
Something you are excited for.
Paining
Recent happy mail.
Weather.
Changing a habit.
An outing.
Seeing anything interesting on a nature walk.
Passage from the Bible.
Quote.
Title of poem you love or currently reading.
A dream you remembered.
A memory from long ago you remembered.
What doesn’t taste good to me any longer.
Color.
How many crafty/art projects I’m working on.
How my art made me feel today.
How my writing made me feel today.
How many items I checked off my to-do-list today.
Favorite animal. -Yes, this is important too.
Recent purchase.
God’s purpose.
How I felt about social media today.
Who did I talk to and what about?
Favorite historical period.
A book that has been on your mind a lot lately.
Feelings.
What you ate today.
Favorite beach destination.
Favorite vacation.
Favorite State.
Favorite country.
Bird watching. (I have an amusing story about this one. It involved a recent visit with my sister.)
The list goes on…
Example sentences of one or two liners:
I woke up feeling refreshed today and had a good outlook on today’s activities.
I drank three cups of coffee today and I just know it will keep me up tonight.
Today, we went to our local park and the outside air was cool and breezy.
I recently purchased note cards from the Dollar Tree and they are beautiful! I can’t wait to use them for sending mail to my friends and family.
Mood.
Today was busy and it took me much longer to get done wanted I wanted to accomplish.
Okay, so these many sounds boring to write down but when you go back and look at them in the future, they might spark your memory on something you want to write about, or you will be amused by what you wrote. It is also fun to look back on these and compare your writing from then to now. -Stephanie Hopkins
Other Similar Topics:
30-Day Journal Prompts -There will be a few repeats of prompts on this post. I still recommend checking out this post.
On days 6,7,8, I wasn’t feeling the prompts and it was showing. So, I decided to go off prompt. I feel more myself when creating this way. No rules, and no pressure. Just letting go and being in the moment and allowing to go where the movement of the paint brush takes me. Creating art intuitively is my jam.
Day 6 – Canoe: This one really frustrated me. I was having a day…That said, I do like the placement.
Day 7 – Garden Shed/One Staple Collage: I do love the challenge of the one staple collage, so I was quite please with the shed I created using that technique. My only beef was the twist marks I used in the landscape and the landscape itself wasn’t my best. As a whole, I felt lazy with this one and wasn’t putting my heart into it.
Day 8- Umbrella: Despite not feeling this prompt on the day I creating the Umbrella. It’s not a total wash. I do like the abstractness of it and the placement of the Umbrella.
Day 9 – Off Prompt/Mountain Air: So happy with this piece. Definitely more my style.
Day 10 – Off Prompt/Sea Bathing:It’s hot and humid in Georgia. One could use a little sea bathing.This was a fun piece to create. I love the different hues of blues and how they work together.
Umbrella
Mountain Air
Sea Bathing
Day 11 – Off Prompt/Butterflies: I have a thing for butterflies and I knew I wanted to create an abstract background as well. Yep, feeling good vibes with this piece.
Day 12 – Off Prompt/Abstract: I had a lot of thoughts going through my mind with this piece. Such as, being authentic, you matter and you have a voice. Cancel culture needs to go. Loving the colors and textures with this abstract.
I look forward to sharing the rest of this week’s challenge and the following week with you next Saturday! My wish is for you to be inspired and encouraged. -Stephanie Hopkins
Check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages!
On May 8th, I announced a new crafty swap group I have started over at Instagram. This group swaps bookmarks in the shape of tags and the standard shape. Each bookmark is handmade by crafters and artist from the United States. The first swap is on June 15th and we’ve started the group off with a bang! Twenty members have joined thus far and their enthusiasm is encouraging.
We are quickly approaching the first swap date! If you’re participating, be sure to have the bookmarks with three forever stamps turned in by the 15th. For those who would love to join, and you can’t get your bookmarks turned in on time, do not be dismayed. Our next swap is in September and we would love to have you join.
Sneak Peek
Sneak Peek
Sneak Peek
We are swapping 4 bookmarks a piece. You can not only use them for books, but for your journals and notebooks! If you are interested in participating, DM me for more information. The hashtag for our swap group: #StephslpBookmarkswap or you can email me at: layeredpages@yahoo.com
P.S. I’m opening limited spots for this swap to Canadians and others who have shown interest from other countries. More info about that coming soon.
Check out my art journey on Instagram and at my Mixed Media Art Gallery here at Layered Pages!
We had quite the storm this past Saturday evening of heavy rain, strong wind and lightning. On the back screened porch Sunday morning, everything was damp and the southern humidity didn’t help matters. At least the birds were in song and the coffee was strong. I was sitting on the back porch, not sure how long that was going to last, to write letters, organize to-do lists and to jot down thoughts about, The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah. In the picture, you see John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, you say. “Where’s, The Four Winds?” I bought this copy of The Grapes of Wrath back in 92′ and yes, it’s still in great condition. Gosh, saying that makes me feel old.
To answer your question, assuming you’re asking it, I’m re-visiting The Grapes of Wrath because The Four Winds is a good companion and the stories are still relevant today. They both give you a fountain of information to think about and I have so much to say about both of them. The Four Winds is resting on one of my bookshelves. I will be un-shelving the book soon to gather some marked passages and discuss both books with its contrasts and similarities.
This will be a rather ongoing project and perhaps will share in bits and pieces at Layered Pages. Each post will be linked, so you many keep up with this project, if you wish.
Stephanie Hopkins
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Published April 10th 2014 by Viking (first published April 14th 1939)
The Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression, a book that galvanized—and sometimes outraged—millions of readers.
First published in 1939, Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads—driven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. Out of their trials and their repeated collisions against the hard realities of an America divided into Haves and Have-Nots evolves a drama that is intensely human yet majestic in its scale and moral vision, elemental yet plainspoken, tragic but ultimately stirring in its human dignity. A portrait of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless, of one man’s fierce reaction to injustice, and of one woman’s stoical strength, the novel captures the horrors of the Great Depression and probes into the very nature of equality and justice in America. At once a naturalistic epic, captivity narrative, road novel, and transcendental gospel, Steinbeck’s powerful landmark novel is perhaps the most American of American Classics
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Published February 2nd 2021 by St. Martin’s Press
Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.
In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.
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
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.
“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!
Layered Pages 