Journal with Me

Write what you know, see and hear.

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:

  1. Summary of daily prayer.
  2. List of daily goals and tasks.
  3. What you are tired of doing.
  4. What are you overthinking?
  5. What you want to do but haven’t done.
  6. Favorite craft supply.
  7. Listening.
  8. Enjoying.
  9. Disliking.
  10. Something that makes you smile.
  11. A book you finished.
  12. An artist you discovered. Can me any type of artist.
  13. Book on your night stand.
  14. Recent books you added to your -to-read or wish-list list.
  15. Something you are excited for.
  16. Paining
  17. Recent happy mail.
  18. Weather.
  19. Changing a habit.
  20. An outing.
  21. Seeing anything interesting on a nature walk.
  22. Passage from the Bible.
  23. Quote.
  24.  Title of poem you love or currently reading.
  25. A dream you remembered.
  26.  A memory from long ago you remembered.
  27. What doesn’t taste good to me any longer.
  28. Color.
  29. How many crafty/art projects I’m working on.
  30. How my art made me feel today.
  31. How my writing made me feel today.
  32. How many items I checked off my to-do-list today.
  33.  Favorite animal. -Yes, this is important too.
  34. Recent purchase.
  35. God’s purpose.
  36. How I felt about social media today.
  37. Who did I talk to and what about?
  38. Favorite historical period.
  39. A book that has been on your mind a lot lately.
  40. Feelings.
  41. What you ate today.
  42. Favorite beach destination.
  43. Favorite vacation.
  44. Favorite State.
  45. Favorite country.
  46. 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:

  1. I woke up feeling refreshed today and had a good outlook on today’s activities.
  2. I drank three cups of coffee today and I just know it will keep me up tonight.
  3. Today, we went to our local park and the outside air was cool and breezy.
  4. 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.
  5. Mood.
  6. 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.

Hello Monday, Let’s Do This

Layered Pages: Art of Journaling

Saturday Sunday: The Mighty Smash Book

Crafting on a Budget

Simply in the Moment

ICAD 2021 Challenge Part II

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.

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.

Stephanie Hopkins

ICAD 2021 Challenge Part I

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!

The LP Bookmark Swap Update

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.

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!

Stephanie Hopkins

The Dust Needs to Settle

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: Book Round-Up

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

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

“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

Art in Motion: This and That

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.

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.)

Art in Motion: What is an ATC?

ATC (Artist Trading Cards)

I’m pretty sure I’ve blogged about the meaning of ATC (Artist Trading Cards) already but one can use a refresher and I have so many new followers on Layered Pages.

ATC’s are mini art cards 2 1⁄2 by 3 1⁄2 inches (64 mm × 89 mm) in size, that crafters and artists trade. They are usually created by using themes and series. They are handmade and working with such tiny measurements’ spark inspiration and creativity. Not only that, but they are fun to collect. Definity google the history of ATCs. The subject is highly captivating.

I recently joined an international ATC swap and I wanted to share the pictures of the cards. I was absolutely thrilled to receive them in the mail. There are five hundred artists that participate in this swap! I do believe the group is growing and the lady who host the group is amazing! She created and organizes it all on her own. The next swap is in June and is held every other month. Each artist gives and receives five cards. Which makes thirty trading cards total for the year. We send them to the hostess and she then mails them out to everyone with a special message included. She makes sure that we get a card from a different person each time.

ATC & Ephemera

I’ve meant so many wonderful people through this group and one of the artists reached out to me in private message to do a trade on our own. The picture to the left is the cards she sent me from Canada. She also made me a mini journal and included the cutest ephemera! We will swap again in July. Can’t wait!

Are you a crafter or artists? Do you participate in swaps? Do share! -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.)

Art in Motion: Flower Vase Paintings

Original Panting by Stephanie Hopkins

Impressionism flowers are up there with my favorite art subjects to paint. Its emphasis on movement with small brush strokes fascinate me on several levels.  Claude Monet’s art work comes to mind when I think of Impressionism. In short, his use of color, movement and perception of nature is extraordinary.

Since abstraction painting is my main study, I like to infuse abstract with impressionism when creating flowers. I’m always amazed where the journey takes me and the discoveries I make along the way. Each piece I create gives me inspiration beyond anything I thought possible for me. Not only that, but the results give one confidence and assurance that creating art does matter for one’s growth and well-being in life.

These cards represent abstraction, impressionism and realism. – Stephanie Hopkins

Original Panting by Stephanie Hopkins

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.

Original Artwork by Stephanie Hopkins

(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.)