Reflection of the soul is like looking at a pond. You can only see what is when there is calm. – Andy Fox
This picture was taken in the beginning of April when a few of the trees were still waiting for its leaves to bloom-if you will. I’ve taken pictures of this particular scene during all four seasons throughout the years, and it never gets old. I’m always discovering something new, such as reflection, color, shades of nature or volume of water. Whenever I stroll down the path that takes me to the landscape, I am filled with peace and gratitude. -Stephanie Hopkins
This month’s reading was an adventure to say the least. I wasn’t sure how much time I would have for ready considering the amount of time I have been putting in to creating art and other pursuits. I found myself reading at odd times. I’m quite pleased that I read a book a week. After reading The Four Winds, I was going to start on Heart of the Frontier by Brittany Larsen, Jen Geigle Johnson, Jennie Hansen and Carolyn Twede Frankmm but I felt like reading a modern-day story and read Home by Harlan Coben instead. I enjoyed every single book I read this month and excited about May’s reading forecast. -Stephanie Hopkins
Number of pages read in April: 1,570
Here are the titles I’ve read for March and the review post dates:
Home (Myron Bolitar #11) by Harlan Coben
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Emily’s House by Amy Belding Brown
Love Story (The Baxter Family #1) by Karen Kingsbury
“If people did not love one another, I really don’t see what use there would be in having any spring.” – Victor Hugo
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.
This morning I woke up feeling the coolness of the morning air and sounds of rain and wind. My first thought was to stay snuggled under the covers for a bit longer. As my thoughts wondered to holding a hot cup of coffee while looking out the window, and my morning painting, I got out of bed with anticipation of starting my day.
Lately, I haven’t thought much about the weekend during the week. The days seem to blur together while time continues to pass. I have to admit, I don’t mind it so much. But today is different. Last night, I looked forward to Saturday. Why, I asked myself. I couldn’t explain it really. It was just a feeling. Then this morning it came to me. I haven’t spent a lot of time reading as I had been and I wanted to finish my current book and read at least one more book before the month is up. The weekend allows for such opportunities.
Saturday Morning Abstract Painting by Stephanie Hopkins
I’m currently reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah and want to start Heart of the Frontier by Brittany Larsen, Jen Geigle Johnson, Jennie Hansen and Carolyn Twede Frank. The Four Winds is absolutely wonderful. I highly recommend it. I will share more of my thoughts about the story in the near future.
I hope you have a beautiful weekend and God bless. -Stephanie
(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.)
About the cover: I love when a layout shows the persons face! The rain and colors of grey and to lighter colors on the bottom of the layout, really makes it stand out. That said, it is a simple cover but nonetheless, the cover made me want to find out more about the story.
About the book: I discovered this book from Margaret with Just One More Chapter. She had posted about it on social media and discussed a little about how it went with a theme for her latest Kindle read. You Will Remember Me is mystery thriller and with the cover and premise combined, it looks like a great book to curl up with on a stormy night! -Stephanie Hopkins
Book Description:
Forget the truth.
Remember the lies.
He wakes up on a deserted beach in Maryland with a gash on his head and wearing only swim trunks. He can’t remember who he is. Everything–his identity, his life, his loved ones–has been replaced by a dizzying fog of uncertainty. But returning to his Maine hometown in search of the truth uncovers more questions than answers.
Lily Reid thinks she knows her boyfriend, Jack. Until he goes missing one night, and her frantic search reveals that he’s been lying to her since they met, desperate to escape a dark past he’d purposely left behind.
Maya Scott has been trying to find her estranged stepbrother, Asher, since he disappeared without a trace. Having him back, missing memory and all, feels like a miracle. But with a mutual history full of devastating secrets, how far will Maya go to ensure she alone takes them to the grave?
Shared fates intertwine in a twisty, explosive novel of suspense, where unearthing the past might just mean being buried beneath it.
May Your Garden Grow
Abstract Painting by Stephanie Hopkins
“Flowers… are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities in the world.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have a panting I’m currently working on that I can’t wait to share with you all! So far, it has become one of my favorites! Spring and Summer really inspires my creativity and I find that my best work comes from these seasons. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this little abstract on a 4”x 6” index card. They are so much fun to doodle and craft with and a great way to explore new ideas for other art projects. Happy Wednesday and God bless! – Stephanie Hopkins
Today, I’m exploring abstraction and this post will be my last in the exploration series. I enjoyed this adventure and I’m looking forward to exploring new upcoming series coming soon to Layered Pages.
Abstract art is seen as peculiar by many but I can assure you, it makes more sense than you realize. Abstract art is not meant to represent-if you will-an accurate image of the subject. But instead, exploring shapes, colors, form, and marks to create depth, to achieve the implied. I have observed through this medium, that abstraction helps one’s critical thinking and will heighten your sense of appreciation for simplicity and wonders in the world around you.
Sketch: Water’s Edge
The sketch to the left is not finished. I’m constancy referring to my sketches and looking for new details-like movement, lines and shapes. They help give me a new start for my actual art pieces. They are my doodles for inspiration-if you will. This particular sketch is from different landscape paintings that I collage into one piece. My mixed media art gallery shows more of my work inspired from these sketches.
When creating abstract, I am among those who do not do it for the sake of creating art, but to explore the many avenues of expression and where it leads me. Art should tell a story and moreover, the artist’s emotions often show through their creations. What we see, hear, think, feel and touch is channeled through our craft.
Acrylic Painting on Paper: Reflection in the Water
More times than not, I tend to use influences of Impressionism in my art. There are those who look at abstract in a Geometrical form, like in the tradition of Cubists artists such as Picasso and Braque. They depend more on order and calculations. They are creating rhythmic shapes- like music. While I find all that rather intriguing, I’ve noticed my art doesn’t often sway that way. Though ti might one day. Never say never.
Lately, I have been exploring the movement of water, and how objects and nature glide or reflect on the surface. The pictures in my sketch book above and the photos below, show my interest in abstract and gives me inspiration to expand on those ideas.
Geese Water’s Edge/ReflectionReflection
There is an extraordinary amount of meaning to abstraction, to explore and discuss. If you are not familiar with this style of art or do not have in mind the purpose of the medium, I highly recommend studying for yourself. You will be surprised how this form of expression will open new doors for you. I hope you enjoyed this series and I want to encourage you to explore mixed media art and the value it will bring to your life. -Stephanie
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.)
Yesterday, I didn’t spend whole lot of time on my art because I had some writing projects to complete. However, I did create this little collage in my sketch book and I’m quite pleased with how it turned out. I wanted my emphasis to be on the Juxtaposition that contrast, yet have a theme.
When I started looking through images, I hadn’t really decided on the actual images and I was looking through several different magazines. I had chosen other images previously but decided to swap out a couple of them to create this piece. This one really speaks to me and has given me inspiration to further explore the contrast and position of collage. Perhaps the next one will have more detail and depth. This style of collage is a great exercise and teaches you technique by using a variety of images in its simplest form.
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. -Maya Angelou
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.
How to make pretty journals made out of trash and leftovers.
Welcome to Layered Page and thank you to those who follow my blog. Today is part one 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!
I love taking things you would normally throw out and use them for my crafting projects. It is a fun, creative, rewarding and a cheap way to craft. Junk Journals are books made through found objects, and recycled materials. In this five part series, I will be showing various ways I use those materials in my mini journals.
This past Easter we did a lot of baking and I had the opportunity to grab a Pure Vanilla Extract box to up-cycle. Hooray! In the slideshow below, you will see my process of making the journal. I used to newspaper from a packaged I received in the mail. I love when painting companies wrap the paints you order in newspaper or shipping package. Never throw those out. You can use them for all sorts of crafts and art making.
I cut the taps off and used cheap glue to add the newspaper to the outside and inside cover. Often times I use Dollar Tree glue for these projects. No need to use expensive art craft. Then I covered it with a thin layer of paint. You can use paint, white gesso, coffee to stain your cover, markers, crayons and etc…Or just use scrap paper collage. A create source for that is from your junk mail. Recycled fabric is another great material to use for covers. Do what feels right to you. Next, I grabbed some of my leftovers paints AKA painted papers and used that to start making my signatures.The paper with words on it, is from an outdated Webster Dictionary that was headed to the dumpster. Be sure to know the size of the journal to determine the size of your pages. I usually go a little smaller on the pages. Again, do what feels right to you. Some crafters like their pages to stick out. Mix it up and have fun with it. Once I have them organized in the order I want them in my journal, I’m ready to attach them to the spin. I used leftover black cotton thread this time. If you do not have a paper piercing kit, you can use a sharp sewing needle to poke the whole in the spin and to attach the pages.
When attaching the pages, I like to start in the inside middle (see pictures). Don’t feel stressed if you don’t get it perfect. It is a junk journal after all. I like mine to look a bit sloppy. Gives it the homemade look it is suppose to have. The more you practice the better you will get at this step. One the signatures secured, I cover the outside spin with recycled paper or fabric. Then I finish decorating my cover. For ephemera AKA embellishments, I use my leftover scraps/chipboard from this project. The chipboard are the tabs I cut off from the Pure Vanilla Extract box.
This project took me just under an hour to complete. If you are looking for more crafting ideas for your kids, this is it. Please supervise the project due to using scissors and a needle. Another great idea for signatures is to use your children’s school pages or drawings. As a parent, I know those things pile up fast and often times we feel we have no choice to let go of some of them.Why not use bits of them for your journals?
I hope you enjoyed this first 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.
Layered Pages 