Hop-A-Long Studio

The Art of Self-Care

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  • SHOP
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  • CLASSES
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Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    In Art Journal, Techniques
  • How to Make Collage Papers for FreeMake Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free
    In Techniques
  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • How to get the most textured collage in your art journal
    Projects,  Techniques

    Create the Ultimate Textured Collage with this Technique

    August 23, 2025 /

    Do you feel like your collage pages are missing something, but you’re not sure what? I’ve been there too. I’ve always loved collage but sometimes my pages feel a bit flat, like they need that extra something. Then I stumbled into these texture tricks and everything changed! Paper wasn’t just paper anymore; it became so much more. Today I’m sharing my favorite ways to add depth and energy with textured collage techniques. Let’s dive into the collage process and unlock a whole new side to your creativity! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Paint Your Season's Greetings: Simple Watercolor Christmas Card Designs

    Paint Your Season’s Greetings with Simple Watercolor Christmas Cards

    December 1, 2023
    Saying Goodbye to Ego Art Journaling Page

    Why I Killed my Ego

    November 28, 2019
    Welcome to Hop-A-Long Studio

    Welcome to Hop-A-Long Studio

    April 22, 2019
  • How to tint acrylic pastes and gels
    Techniques

    From White to WOW: How to Tint Acrylic Pastes

    August 1, 2025 /

    Not sure how to get the most out of your modeling paste or acrylic mediums? You’re not alone—and today, I’m going to show you exactly how to tint acrylic pastes and transform them to fit your creative projects. Whether you’re looking to save money, customize your textures, or simply get more from the supplies you already have, these easy, practical tips will open up a whole new range of possibilities in your art practice. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Why Tint Acrylic Pastes? So why should you want to learn how…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Realistic Goal Setting and New Year’s Resolutions

    December 30, 2019
    Beginner Friendly Acrylic Painting Techniques

    5 Beginner Friendly Acrylic Painting Techniques

    May 13, 2022
    7 Techniques using Zebra Mildliner Mix Pens

    7 Unique Ways to Use Zebra Mildliner Mix Pens

    August 3, 2024
  • Choosing the best collage glue for your art practice
    Techniques

    Looking for the Best Collage Glue? START HERE!

    July 25, 2025 /

    Are you looking for the best collage glue for your art but aren’t sure where to start? There’s a lot of different glues and they all have different uses. Join me as I demystify the variety of glues and learn how to get the best results with each of them in your collage and creative projects! Make sure to stay to the end of the article where I share my favorite glue recipe and show you how to make it! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. The Glue Stick Most of us…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Holiday Collage Reflecting on the Season

    Texture Tips for Your Holiday Collage| Reflecting on the Season

    December 18, 2023
    How to Gelli Print on Canvas

    How to Gelli Print on Canvas

    July 8, 2022
    15 Gift Ideas for Artists

    15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives

    November 3, 2023
  • Gel print art journal page featuring hummingbirds and flowers
    Projects,  Techniques

    Gel Print Collage Techniques You’ll Love

    July 18, 2025 /

    Gel printing is fun… until you realize you’ve made more gel prints than you know what to do with! Don’t worry—we’ve all been there. The good news? There’s no wrong way to start using these gel prints in your next collage. Today we’ll walk through simple and creative ways to use your gel prints in a collage project. I’ll be sharing my favorite tips and techniques to design and create an effective collage page. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. The Overwhelm of Gel Prints It happens to all of us. We…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
    How to tint acrylic pastes and gels

    From White to WOW: How to Tint Acrylic Pastes

    August 1, 2025
    Beautiful Mixed Media Holiday Tag Designs for Last Minute Gifts

    In A Rush? 3 Beautiful Holiday Tag Designs for Last Minute Gifts

    December 22, 2022
  • Layered gel plates created by Nadine Milton
    Techniques

    How to Master Gel Print Layers in Monoprinting

    June 13, 2025 /

    Are you struggling with creating beautiful layers with your gel prints? If so, you’re not alone. You may have seen so many articles and videos that may look simple but you’re still struggling to get great results. Join me as I show you two different ways I create layered prints with my gel plate to get the best results every time! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Embrace Imperfection The hard thing about gel plate printing with layers is that you might have a great idea. But you try it and it…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Welcome to Hop-A-Long Studio

    Welcome to Hop-A-Long Studio

    April 22, 2019
    How to Use Watercolors with Stencils

    How to use Watercolors with Stencils

    August 26, 2022
    Painting in the Art Journal: Drawing Inspiration from Another Artist’s Style

    Painting in the Art Journal: Trying a New Style

    June 25, 2023
  • gel plate printing for beginners
    Techniques

    How to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience

    May 3, 2025 /

    Do you have a brand-new gel plate with no idea how to use it? Gel plate printing fun and beautiful art form is so relaxing and creative, but there’s tricks for getting the best results with your plate. Let’s pull out our gel plates as I share with you everything you need to know to get started with gel printing. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Learning to Gel Print for the First Time When I started gel printing many years ago, I started by watching videos. But I found learning how…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Techniques for Creating Beautiful Layers with Alcohol Ink

    Techniques for Creating Beautiful Layers with Alcohol Inks

    December 16, 2022
    GAMENOTE Paint Brush Cleaner and Accessories

    How to Choose the Best Paint Brush Cleaner

    March 17, 2023
    How to get the best results with napkin decoupage

    New to Napkin Decoupage? Start HERE!

    June 28, 2024
  • How to use watercolor powders with stencils
    Techniques

    The Best Way to Use Watercolor Powders with Stencils

    April 26, 2025 /

    Have you tried using your watercolor powders with stencils and ended up with soft images or blobs of color? It can be easy to lose your images and feel frustrated. Today I’m sharing 3 of my favorite techniques with tips for getting the best results with watercolor powders and stencils.   In my last video I shared the basics of how to use watercolor powders and the difference between brands. I also showed you how to use these fantastic watercolor powders on both black and white paper. If you haven’t seen this article yet, click here. But today, let’s explore how we can get perfect results every time using stencils…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    June 19, 2020
    How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intention

    Show Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2026
    How to Make Gelli Prints

    How to Make Gelli Prints

    May 15, 2020
  • Watercolor Pigment Powders Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy's Gang Magicals and Nuvo Shimmer Powders how to use on watercolor paper
    Techniques

    Watercolor Powders Demystified! You need to Try these!

    April 18, 2025 /

    Are you looking for beautiful and instant color for your next project? Don’t look any further than watercolor powders. Perhaps you’ve seen these before or have a collection of them somewhere in your creative space. Today is the day to pull them out and use them as I teach you everything you need to know to get started with watercolor powders! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Which Watercolor Powders to Choose? There’s so many different brands of watercolour pigment powders out there. Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy’s Gang Magicals, Pink and Main…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Neurographic Art Blended with Pan Pastels

    Neurographic Art with Pan Pastels

    March 25, 2022
    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    June 25, 2021
    4 Lessons I Learned From Almost Anxious

    4 Lessons I Learned from Almost Anxious

    June 5, 2020
  • Mixed Media Collage Using Paper, Acetate and Fabric Tape
    Projects,  Techniques

    Mixed Media Collage Techniques You Need to Try!

    March 21, 2025 /

    Mixed media collage is hard….or is it? Sometimes when we’re using more than one material, we tend to complicate things. Let’s dive into a beautiful and easy project using fabric, acetate and paper! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Choosing your Favorite Paper Every time I work on a mixed media collage project, I either start with an idea, a favorite paper, or a medium that I want to use. This project is no exception. I have this beautiful Golden Botanicals paper from Simply Stated Design that is perfect for a collage…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Mixed Media Textures Using Brushos

    Mixed Media Textures Using Brushos

    May 6, 2022
    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors an Easy Art Journal Project

    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors

    February 10, 2023
    How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils

    How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils

    August 14, 2020
  • My first mixed media page in the Dina Wakley Ledger Journal
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    My First Impressions of the Dina Wakley Ledger Journal

    March 14, 2025 /

    I recently discovered my new favorite journal, the Dina Wakley Ledger journal!  Join me as I share my first impressions and test this unique art journal using my favorite techniques. In the fall of last year, I had the opportunity to take a few classes in person with the lovely Dina Wakley. She was excited about her new art journal that would be coming out but couldn’t tell us anything about it. I’ve been waiting for months for this journal to come out. I was not disappointed! Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    December 11, 2020
    4 lessons from start with why

    4 Lessons from Start With Why

    March 6, 2020
    Fold Up Book Instax Mini Album Using Wild Whisper Designs paper and Local King Rubber Stamps

    One Page Fold Up Book: Instax Mini Album

    July 2, 2021
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Nadine Milton

Visual Storyteller & Mixed Media Artist

Welcome to Hop-A-Long Studio! I would love for you to join me in the journey of self-care through artistic expression.

Categories

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  • Art Journal
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  • Techniques

Tags

Acceptance (10) acrylic paint (16) Acrylic Painting (17) Applying Art Mediums (14) Applying Brusho Powders (10) Art Ideas (22) art journal (20) Art Journaling (62) Art Tutorials (156) Art Videos (163) Awareness (19) Blending Color (22) Card Making (16) Card Tutorials (11) Christmas (9) collage (20) Creative Foundations (24) Creativity (29) Drawing (12) Embossing (11) Gelli Plate (10) Gelli Printing (21) Goal Setting (9) Ink Blending (13) Inking (42) Inks (11) Making Good Choices (12) Mental Health (32) Mindfulness (24) Mixed Media (15) Mixed Media Art (16) napkins (9) Pan Pastels (9) Self-Care (47) Self-Care Activities (16) Self-Care Videos (33) Self-Discovery (14) Stamping (62) Stencilling (48) Tim Holtz Distress (23) Values (9) Watercolor (14) Watercolor Basics (13) Watercolor Painting (19) Wild Whisper Designs (21)

Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    In Art Journal, Techniques
  • How to Make Collage Papers for FreeMake Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free
    In Techniques
  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
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