I have sorely neglected updating Layered Pages but there are reasons The break has certainly given me precious time to reflect and regroup. I have so many new ideas for blog posts and hoping to get started on them in the near future. Meanwhile, I have been working a little on stocking up my etsy shop. I do hope you all visit my shop and I thank you for your support.
My wish is for you to be encouraged and to try something new.
Stephanie Hopkins
Visit my shops by clicking on each shop.
Landscape Art Journal Page
Off Day in The Garden Oasis-Life Lesson
I started working this journal page on August 10th-I believe- and I really didn’t have a set plan on where I wanted it to take me. I knew I wanted to paint abstract flowers in a field. It was a rocky start so I put the pages aside for a bit to get back to center. We all have days like that.
Not every art project starts out the way it was envisioned or they lead us in other directions. This gave me more determination to keep pushing on and learn from this experience. I was not giving up! When I came back to the pages and started painting, I knew there was a story here. 
I envisioned a family living on this land at times battling nature’s unpredictability and what their daily lives must be like living on a farm. The struggles, sadness, working the land, traditions they pass down through the generations and joys they face.
I decided not to put windows on the lower part of the house nor the back fields or detail to the gazebo. I wanted some quirky feel to it. To open the mind to a story of one’s own imagination. The sky and back fields represent a dust storm settling and draws your attention to the front fields of abstract flowers. This piece has inspired a much larger abstract I want to paint on canvas.
This is the most paint I’ve ever put on book pages before. The paper held up great! I wish you could see these pages in person. I couldn’t quote seem to capture the vibrant colors with my phone camera. All in all, I’m pleased with the pages and this project turned out to be an eye-opening experience in painting abstract flowers. I’m used to just drawing life-like ones then painting or coloring them. A new art journey begins…
Stephanie Hopkins
This past Saturday I shared my first post in the Index Card Art Challenge 2020. I have to say that this effort is a pleasure to be exploring. The challenge is really giving me the opportunity to be more creative and to expand on my techniques and ideas.
The whole weekend was a time of creating, reflecting and just being in the present moment of my art and self. Sunday evening as I looked backed at what I had been working on, I noticed a color theme happening.
I made three new journal pages in one of my art journals, created and doodled with my painted collage papers, made a jute art and worked on the index card challenge. My desk remained a big mess the entire time!
I was asked what I listen to when I’m crafting. Sometimes I’m listening to a movie or book. Mostly I listen to sounds like rain or the sound of ocean. I discovered this ambiance yesterday and it is my new favorite! Try it out. Here is the link.
All in all, it was a great weekend! -Stephanie Hopkins
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I spent a couple Summers with my Grandparents when I was in my teens. I have fond memories of that time I had with them. They had a vegetable garden out back. My Grandmother and I would pick all sorts of veggies, sit on the back porch snapping green beans, and enjoying the outdoors. Often, we would spend time in her quilting room and I loved exploring all the wonderful textiles and vintage thread spools she had collected over the years. My mom told me that blue was my Grandmother’s favorite color. That would explain all the blue fabrics I have from her. This page has a piece of her fabric from her stash I inherited. The memories came flooding back as I adhered the fabric on the background. Cherish the time you have with your family and hold tight to the good memories. -Stephanie Hopkins
“Just because you take breaks doesn’t mean you’re broken.”
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This weekend was a time of reflection and chilling out with a good book, TV and creating art tags and journal pages. Saturday morning, I cleaned out stuff, Goodwill run to unload of stuff, did some paper-crafting while watching The Mummy for the thousandth time and watched a couple episodes of Instinct. I have a tote bag with journal and art supplies that I can take with me wherever I want to journal. I don’t like to confined myself to just one space. On occasional, I do switch things out of the bag for variety. As you can see in the slideshow, this tote is a bit full at the moment. I look forward to the day when I can take my tote bag again to a coffee shop or a friends house and create. If you want me to do a slideshow on what’s in the bag, please let me know! By the way…What is your favorite scene or line in The Mummy? I have lots.
On Sunday after Church Service in the morning, I created two new tags using my collage paper and a painted paper I made a while back. In the picture of the brownish tag you can see the glue still drying. I have a lot of fun making these tags. They are perfect to do when you don’t want to work on bigger projects.
I read quite a few pages in, “I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes” and wow, this story is intense! I am taking my time with this one. If you like spy thrillers then I highly recommend you pick this one up. The book has 612 pages to be exact.
This week I will be sharing two other recent art projects, a cover crush and possible a book review. Have a great weekend everyone, be at peace and stay safe. -Stephanie Hopkins
About the Book:
A breakneck race against time…and an implacable enemy. An anonymous young woman murdered in a run-down hotel, all identifying characteristics dissolved by acid. A father publicly beheaded in the blistering heat of a Saudi Arabian public square. A notorious Syrian biotech expert found eyeless in a Damascus junkyard. Smoldering human remains on a remote mountainside in Afghanistan. A flawless plot to commit an appalling crime against humanity. One path links them all, and only one man can make the journey. Pilgrim.’
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(Images may be subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work, photos and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie.)
Today I’m sharing a few recent journal pages I created and journal prompt ideas. I had lots of fun making these and I will be journal writing on the opposite page. This particular journal is an altered mixed media book. Art Collages are a great way to express mood and can represent many different meanings of your life and creativity. You don’t have to create art for your pages. You can just write. Your journal is your own to do what you wish. There is no wrong way or right way to it.
Do you want to start a journal? I know how it feels to get started on a journal for the first time. If you are new to journaling or want to get started, it can look daunting. I promise you; it isn’t. Journaling is an amazing way to learn more about yourself and to look back on where you’ve started and how far you’ve come. How can one get started? Will this be something you can do on a regular basis?
Some don’t write in their journal everyday and some people do. The best way to get started is to journal for 30 days straight. You will be amazed how much it will open your heart and mind to this profound past-time. This will become your therapy-if you will. This will become a habit, your way of expression and an extension of yourself. Journals are treasures and a look into your soul.
Here are 30 journal prompt ideas to get you started. You can write just one sentences or as many as you choose. Open your heart and see where it takes you. I hope this inspires you and will give even more prompt ideas. -Stephanie Hopkins
(Images may be subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work, photos and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie.)
“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So, do it.” — Kurt Vonnegut
I hope you all have a wonderful, creative and relaxing weekend. Today I’m sharing a few pages from my journal that I recently created. I am still doing my Art 30-Day Challenge and can’t wait to share the final pages when the time comes. Please be sure to check out yesterday’s post here and I want to inspire those who have not read a story in a while, to find a book you might enjoy and read. I’m hoping to start The King’s General on Saturday. I’ll be listening to this particular story on audible.
As we know, there are so many wonderful benefits of reading and one of those is finding creativity. Often times. I’ve been inspired to create fun journal pages from stories I’ve read/listened and love. -Stephanie Hopkins
(Images may be subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work, photos and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie.)
“Who you are tomorrow begins with what you to today.” -Tim Fargo
“Keeping a journal of what’s going on in your life is a good way to help you distill what’s important and what’s not.” Martina Navratilova
Art Journal Pages by Stephanie Hopkins
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(Images may be subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work, photos and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie.)
Last night I sat down and created two new pages in my Mixed Media Altered Book. I love how they turned out and how much it helped me to end my day on a positive note. -Stephanie Hopkins
“Imagination is tapping into the subconscious in a form of open play. That is why art or music therapy, which encourages a person to take up brushes and paint or an instrument, and just express themselves, is so powerful.”
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(Images may be subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work, photos and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie.)
“Form itself, even if completely abstract … has its own inner sound.”
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Today I’m sharing a few of my new ATCs I’ve made recently. I was running short on art embellishments for my journal projects and decided to make ATCs. These cards are at the top of my list of favorite DIY Art projects. I’m really pleased with how they turned out and I love the abstract look of the backgrounds.
I took a few playing cards and added Gesso on the front and journal paper on the back. Having done that, doesn’t that make them now jouranling cards? Anyhow, for the front of the cards I made the backgrounds using a few of my scraps from my collage master boards and painting master boards that I created for my mixed media projects.
After I applied the paper I used oil pastels to highlight the edges and used a few embellishments and then applied some stencil patterns and wording to complete the cards. If you want to create art using DIY Master Boards and not sure how to get started, feel free to ask me and I would be delighted to give you pointers. It is a lot easier than it sounds and you can be really creative with them. Actually, I think they are a great way to discover your creative vibes-if you will. -Stephanie Hopkins
(Images may be subjected to copyright. All book reviews, interviews, guest posts, art work, photos and promotions are originals. In order to use any text or pictures from Layered Pages, please ask for permission from Stephanie.)
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