Tag Archives: #blog

Two in One Talk About Books

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Today I’m doing a two in one post about titles that stand out to me and a cover crush. I know. Usual for Layered Pages but fun! When browsing books to choose to read, one can’t help but be drawn in by unique books titles. There are times I feel that the title alone is what draws my interest and want to discover its meaning. Strong titles are important to the story as are the cover designs.

Several of these books could easily be my cover crush choice but I need to pick just one for today. Hmm… I’m going to go with, “The Venice Sketchbook” by Rhys Bowen. I love the blend of colors and the romantic feel to the landscape. The title immediately caught my attention because of the mention of a sketchbook. That word alone draws in intrigue, stories, imagery, a window to the owner’s mind and secrets captured on paper. I obtained a copy from the publishers through NetGalley and I can’t wait to dive into the story!

About the book:

The Venice Sketchbook

Lake Union Publishing

Pub Date 13 Apr 2021

Love and secrets collide in Venice during WWII in an enthralling novel of brief encounters and lasting romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child and Above the Bay of Angels.

Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper…Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie” Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years.

It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever.

Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.

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Other titles that stand-out and in the coming weeks I will be talking a bit about why I’m interested in them. Each title is linked to Amazon.

The Lost History of Dreams by Kris Waldherr

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay

A Betting Woman (A Novel of Madame Moustache)

by Jenni L. Walsh

The Straits of Treachery by Richard Hopton

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

before the second sleep cover crush

Stephanie Hopkins

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

Index Card Challenge: Part 14

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  • Day 92
    Day 92

The Index Card Art Challenge 2020 is going by so fast! Today, I’m sharing part 14 of this challenge which entails days 88-95. This challenge is just about completed!

Most of the materials I am using for these cards are my painted collage papers I make on a regular basis. I’m also using magazine clippings and images from old books for collage. As well as Tim Holtz and other artists ephemera you can purchase online or at craft stores.  Many of these cards will be used for my 2021 Journals. Others I want to either frame for make another art piece out of them using the collage method.

The images with three cards (Day 92) was a special series I painted inspired on a morning stroll from the previous day. I had taken lots of photos of landscapes, beautiful shrubbery and wanted to use colors I saw depicting our walk. The colors are so vibrant! Really pleased how they turned out and they have given me inspiration for other art pieces. They would look fantastic in frames!

There are several challenge days you can choose for this challenge and I chose 100 days. Check out Part 13 post in this challenge HERE, where I include more details of this art adventure.

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Stephanie Hopkins

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

Abstract Impressionism

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My latest pieces will feature some of the influences of Abstract Impressionism. My fascination for layers, texture and the depth come from this form of art from many artists I have studied over the years. No only that, but from patterns and colors I observe in nature and how they coincide with each other. Later on, I will be discussing further about my interest in the medium, the artists that inspire me and when I first discovered my passion for Abstract Impressionism.

This past Thursday, Georgia had a wicked storm come through and over a million people were out of power. Of course, that was the day I had planned on starting new art pieces. The lighting was poor in my art area so I eventually moved my panels to the kitchen island. I am working with Birch and MDF Boards and I have begun the first layers of three and prepping the others with Gesso. The third piece is not shown in these pictures. Have a blessed weekend! -Stephanie Hopkins

The definition of Abstract Impressionism according to Wikipedia: “Is an art movement that originated in New York City, in the 1940’s.  It involves the painting of a subject such as real-life scenes, objects, or people (portraits) in an Impressionist-style, but with an emphasis on varying measures of abstraction. The paintings are often painted en plein air, an artistic style involving painting outside with the landscape directly in front of the artist. The movement works delicately between the lines of pure abstraction (the extent of which varies greatly) and the allowance of an impression of reality in the painting.”

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

What Are Warm and Cool Colors?

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I’ve had several people ask me about how I blend my colors without the colors coming out muddy. That is an excellent question. Three things to remember: Know which colors are warm colors and cool colors. Know which colors not to blend together at the same time. Allow drying time between the layers of warm and cool colors. I recommend downloading or purchasing a color wheel as a guide.

Often times I get asked what is my favorite color. Asking a painter or crafter what their favorite color is, is like asking a book worm what their favorite book is. There usually isn’t just one favorite color or book. If we broke it down to cool and warm colors, I would have to say that currently Magenta and Lake Blue are the colors of choice for a few of my current projects. Having said. Lately I have been working a lot with Blues, and Greens. They represent Earth, Ocean and Sky.

If you’re unsure about what colors you want to start painting with, a good idea is to go for a walk and observe the colors around you. What colors are your eyes drawn to? If you are not able to go out-doors, pick up a magazine or look at your surroundings and observe the colors. Soon you will begin to notice depth and patterns for inspiration.

What are cool colors?

Greens, Blues, and Purples are considered cool colors with variations. Blue is the only primary color in the cool category.

What are warm colors?

Reds, Oranges and Yellows are considered warm colors. Red and Yellow are primary colors.

Once you learn how they react to each other, you will be able to create wonderful depth with the colors.

When working with colors-especially acrylic paint-it is always best to have White paint on hand. If the color you are working with is too vibrant-like an Orange color-you can add a little white to it to soften the hue.

In the near future, I will talk about neutral colors.

Be sure to follow and check out more content at my Instagram!

Have a beautiful, creative weekend!

Stephanie Hopkins

Index Card Challenge: Part 13

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The Index Card Art Challenge 2020 is going by so fast! Today, I’m sharing part 13 of this challenge which entails days 81-87.

Most of the materials I am using for these cards are my painted collage papers I make on a regular basis. I’m also using magazine clippings and images from old books for collage. As well as Tim Holtz and other artists ephemera you can purchase online or at craft stores.  Many of these cards will be used for my 2021 Journals. Others I want to either frame for make another art piece out of them using the collage method.

There are several challenge days you can choose for this challenge and I chose 100 days. Check out Part 12 post in this challenge HERE, where I include more details of this art adventure.

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Stephanie Hopkins

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

Awareness Within Ourselves

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Good morning, afternoon and evening depending where you are in the world! This year has brought so many changes in the world, including social media. With the lockdowns, people are utilizing the net in increasing rates, I believe. I know that is a no-brainer but lately is has me thinking about how one uses time and mindfulness. What is important, what content one puts out there and the influences it creates. Whether they are positive or negative influences.

I guess the point I’m getting at is that it is important to create a habit of mindfulness in all aspects of our lives. In everything we do and say. That extends to social media as well. Awareness and self-control are a powerful state of being. Is there a feeling, emotion, or thought process you would like to change? Everyone has them. Most time we get so caught up in them, we don’t realize how it is affecting us and those around us.

More thoughts to share on this topic next week.

Stephanie Hopkins

The Index Card Art Challenge 2020: Part 12

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The Index Card Art Challenge 2020 is going by so fast! Today, I’m sharing part 12 of this challenge which entails days 76-80.

Most of the materials I am using for these cards are my painted collage papers I make on a regular basis. I’m also using magazine clippings and images from old books for collage. As well as Tim Holtz and other artists ephemera you can purchase online or at craft stores.  Many of these cards will be used for my 2021 Journals. Others I want to either frame for make another art piece out of them using the collage method.

There are several challenge days you can choose for this challenge and I chose 100 days. Check out Part 11 post in this challenge HERE, where I include more details of this art adventure.

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Stephanie Hopkins

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

Refuge Among the Clouds

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Acrylic Painting on Paper 

This painting spoke to me as I created the depth of the background and the collage house. There is a story within those walls. I find myself drawn to explore houses further in my work. Houses have always been a deep fascination of mine. Especially old dwellings. -Stephanie Hopkins

For commission work and other art inquiries, please contact Stephanie at:

Email: layeredpages@yahoo.com

Other Social Media:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

The Index Card Art Challenge 2020: Part 10

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The Index Card Art Challenge 2020 is still going strong! Today I’m sharing part 10 of this challenge which entails day 61-67. Most of the materials I am using for these cards are my painted collage papers I make on a regular basis. I’m also using magazine clippings and images from old books for collage. As well as Tim Holtz and other artists ephemera you can purchase online or at craft stores.  Many of these cards will be used for my 2021 Journals. Others I want to either frame for make another art piece out of them using the collage method.

There are several challenge days you can choose for this challenge and I chose 100 days. Check out Part 9 post in this challenge HERE, where I include more details of this art adventure.

Be sure to follow and check out more of my art at my Instagram!

Stephanie Hopkins

Images may be subjected to copyright. In order to use art images or any content on Layered Pages platform, please ask permission from Stephanie Hopkins

Book Spotlight: Ruby Falls by Deborah Goodrich Royce

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This book looks interesting! I love the cover! According to the description, the story pays homage to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. -Stephanie Hopkins

Ruby Falls

by Deborah Goodrich Royce

Post Hill Press

Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 04 May 2021

Description

“Imaginative, unique, spine-tingling, and just the right amount of eerie, Ruby Falls is what a reader wants a psychological thriller to be.” —Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author 

“Ruby Falls will sweep you headfirst into the life of Eleanor Russell, an actress setting up house in the glamorous Hollywood Hills with her handsome new husband, Orlando. Secrets abound in this bang of a book, a haunting tale sure to give readers chills. A stunner with some serious Gothic vibes.” —Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Dear Wife and Stranger in the Lake

Like the chilling psychological thriller, The Silent Patient, Deborah Goodrich Royce’s Ruby Falls is a nail-biting tale of a fragile young actress, the new husband she barely knows, and her growing suspicion that the secrets he harbors may eclipse her own.

On a brilliantly sunny July day, six-year-old Ruby is abandoned by her father in the suffocating dark of a Tennessee cave. Twenty years later, transformed into soap opera star Eleanor Russell, she is fired under dubious circumstances. Fleeing to Europe, she marries a glamorous stranger named Orlando Montague and keeps her past closely hidden.

Together, Eleanor and Orlando start afresh in LA. Setting up house in a storybook cottage in the Hollywood Hills, Eleanor is cast in a dream role—the lead in a remake of Rebecca. As she immerses herself in that eerie gothic tale, Orlando’s personality changes, ghosts of her past re-emerge, and Eleanor fears she is not the only person in her marriage with a secret.

In this thrilling and twisty homage to Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, the story ricochets through the streets of Los Angeles, a dangerous marriage to an exotic stranger, and the mind of a young woman whose past may not release her.