Wish-List Goodness

I’ve added a few bookish and art items to my wish-list and today I thought I’d share them with you! I hope everyone had a wonderful filled weekend and let’s get into this! As you all know, I’m into history big time. Always have been and I read a lot of material from different sources. I also read a lot of historical fiction for a variety of reasons I’ve blogged before about. Down below are three books I have recently added and hope to get to them in the near future.

The Essential Lewis & ClarkThe Essential Lewis and Clark by Meriwether Lewis, William Clark

Published March 8th 2018 by National Geographic

With nuanced observations from the star author and historian, here are the celebrated journals documenting Lewis and Clark’s legendary expedition into the uncharted American West, abridged into a single volume and translated into modern English.

At the start of the 19th century, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked on an unprecedented voyage of discovery. Their assignment was to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and record the geography, flora, fauna, and people they encountered along the way. This updated edition of the captains’ journals combines historical insight from editor Anthony Brandt with the rich detail of Lewis and Clark’s original writing, as well as archival maps and artwork. An enthralling portrait of the unspoiled West, this true-life adventure story is a window to the dawning of America–from encounters with grizzly bears to councils with tribal leaders and perilous mountain crossings.

The GeneralsThe Generals: Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II

by Winston Groom

Celebrated historian Winston Groom tells the intertwined and uniquely American tales of George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and George Marshall – from the World War I battle that shaped them to their greatest victory: leading the allies to victory in World War II. These three remarkable men-of-arms who rose from the gruesome hell of the First World War to become the finest generals of their generation during World War II redefined America’s ideas of military leadership and brought forth a new generation of American soldier. Their efforts revealed to the world the grit and determination that would become synonymous with America in the post-war years.

Filled with novel-worthy twists and turns, and set against the backdrop of the most dramatic moments of the twentieth century, The Generals is a powerful, action-packed book filled with marvelous surprises and insights into the lives of America’s most celebrated warriors

Where the Lost WanderWhere the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

In this epic and haunting love story set on the Oregon Trail, a family and their unlikely protector find their way through peril, uncertainty, and loss.

The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at twenty. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both.

But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart. John’s heritage gains them safe passage through hostile territory only to come between them as they seek to build a life together.

When a horrific tragedy strikes, decimating Naomi’s family and separating her from John, the promises they made are all they have left. Ripped apart, they can’t turn back, they can’t go on, and they can’t let go. Both will have to make terrible sacrifices to find each other, save each other, and eventually… make peace with who they are.

 Here are three crafty supplies I have on my never-ending wish-list and it’s hard to believe I don’t have every single mixed media supply by Tim Holtz! Ha! I use his supplies a lot in my journals.

I have added Dina Wakley Media supplies to my list because have never used her mediums before and I am very interested in her Scribble Sticks. If you have used them before. Let me know what you think of them!

This weekend I made faux postage stamps and had so much fun creating them I decided I need to invest on MaGuo US Postage and Stamps Clear Stamps. I have one rubber post stamp and a clear stamp but they are both Holiday Themed. Having said that, they did do the trick for my project this weekend. I will be sharing more about the stamps I made soon! They are part of another project I worked on and want to wait to blog about them when its’ completed.

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.

 

Art Supply Haul and New Art Pieces

A WelcomeI hope everyone had a lovely weekend! Welcome to Layered Pages and thank you for visiting. Layered Pages is were I talk about books, art, history and everything I love.

A few weeks ago, was my birthday and I wasn’t expecting any gifts. Just a lovely dinner with my family. To my surprise they came bearing presents and gift cards! I was able to get a few things on my art supply wish-list, and I saw some cute stickers at the Dollar Tree. I also spotted some great stencils at Tuesday Morning. I ordered the Tim Holtz products on-line. The Stencils from Tuesday Morning were 20% off the yellow sticker price. I believe it came to eleven dollars and some change. My beautiful daughter gifted me the paint set which I absolutely love.

A couple weeks later and the moment I had everything on my desk, I started crafting immediately! Today I’m sharing a few of the art pieces I made. Which one is your favorite?

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A big hug and thank you to my family! I cherish them dearly.

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.)

Discovery and Expression

A Mixed MEdia Circus Image PageOver the weekend I created several pages in my Mixed Media Journal and I discovered a couple things about myself in the journey. For this page I used a magazine clipping that my dear friend Lisl sent me and I’m pleased with how it turned out.

This week I will be sharing three of the pages I made and a couple bookish things.

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I highly recommend expressing your feelings through art journaling or just writing your thoughts down. Sometimes I have a lot to write about and other times I just create a page to just be in the moment and not think too much about things going on in life. The medium is truly therapeutic and so calming. You don’t need a lot of materials and toy can use what you have on hand.  -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.)

Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Art Edition

Today I’m sharing a little about stepping outside of my comfort zone in regards to my Mixed Media Art. My usual styles of creating are using darker hues, vintage grudge, steampunk, doodling, fluid art and abstracts. A few months ago, I made the decision to step out of my zone and explore different ways of creating mixed media art and my journals. The piece below is a prime example of what I’m talking about.

A Sweet Mixed Media Art Page I

I had created these two pages on one example of a background for a friend to see. I had put it aside for a while knowing I would come back to it eventually.

Last week I opened the book to complete these pages without any thought as to where they would take me. As I got to what I thought the final layer would be, I was discontented with it. There wasn’t balance. I was completely unsettled.

I shared photos of the pages to my friend and she told me to keep what I had-in so many words… Normally I would but I just couldn’t let these pages stay as they were. I decided to step away from my work desk and went in the kitchen to fix a glass sparkling water. I stood in the kitchen for a bit and started having a conversation with myself. Yep. I talk to myself.

My thoughts included: Why are you not happy with these pages? What is your problem today? -laughing. What do you want to express? What do you want? Then it hit me. I wanted to go all out and get girly with it. Yes, girly.

A Sweet Mixed Media Art Page

I marched back to my desk, sat down with determination and grabbed a box with embellishments and chose the “Sweet” embellishment to cover up the word, “Love” and proceeded to add a few other mediums-including more doodles. These pages are completely out of my comfort zone but I’m glad I created it and the story it tells is a good lesson learned.

What are ways you step out of your comfort zone when creating art? Or do you ever step out of that zone? How have you grown as an artist?

Stephanie