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The Art of Self-Care

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  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT

Recent Posts

  • Why art journal?Demystifying Art Journaling: How to Start & Why It Matters
    In Projects
  • How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intentionShow Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels
    In Art Journal, Projects, Techniques
  • Holiday Collage Cards Designed by Nadine MiltonMake Amazing Holiday Collage Cards in Minutes!
    In Projects, Techniques
  • In Time It's Going to be Okay
    Art Journal

    In Time It’s Going to be Okay

    May 9, 2020 /

    This week I have been reflecting on the changes in life that we all have been experiencing lately. There is so much uncertainty. How do we effectively handle our emotions when things are so unsure? The thought struck me that “In time it’s going to be okay.” Right Now it Does not Feel Okay Right now it does not feel okay. I found that for the first month of social isolation and distancing I was able to stay quite hopeful and focused. The longer this is dragging out, the more I need to force myself to be focused and to practice self-care. It requires more diligence and more focus than…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journaling Project "How did I end up here?"

    Art Journaling Project “How did I end up here?”

    May 6, 2019
    Snowflake Christmas Card

    Snowflake Christmas Card

    November 20, 2020
    Do You have Ruined Paint Brushes? How to Fix Acrylic Paint Brushes

    Do You Have Ruined Paint Brushes? How to Fix Acrylic Paint Brushes in 3 Easy Steps!

    February 17, 2023
  • 3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
    Artist's Journey

    3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

    May 1, 2020 /

    Today I wanted to share 3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, a counter intuitive approach to living a good life. This book was recommended to me several years ago when I started working on my personal self-care and mental health. When I read it, it changed my perspective on many things in my life.   When I chose books for my goal of reading 12 books in 2020, I added The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck since I it made such an impression on me when I first read it. I want to re-read this book every few years as to not forget…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to Paint a Tree in 3 Easy Steps!

    June 12, 2024
    Finding A New Normal

    Finding a New Normal

    May 29, 2020
    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    March 4, 2022
  • Goal Setting During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    Goal Setting During COVID-19

    April 24, 2020 /

    Goal setting during COVID-19 may seem like an odd thing to discuss, but I believe it is now more important than ever. If you have been following my site for a while, you will know that I have already shared some of my personal experience with goal setting. I believe that goal setting is an exercise that we should do at least once a year. It needs to be more than a New Year’s Resolution. Goal setting is a tool to help us find purpose and define the goals that are most important to us. In my original article about goal setting, I provided a free goal setting template. This…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    The Ultimate Guide to Coloring Acetate

    The Ultimate Guide for Coloring Acetate

    July 7, 2023
    Art Journaling with Acrylic Paint and Stencils

    Art Journaling with Acrylic Paint and Stencils

    May 21, 2021
    Hoppy Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio

    Hoppy Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio

    December 24, 2021
  • 3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly
    Artist's Journey

    3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly

    April 10, 2020 /

    My book review this month is 3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. This is a fabulous book about having the courage to be vulnerable and how it can transform our lives. For anyone who wants to greatly improve their self-care and mental health, this book is a must read. I wanted to share with you the 3 lessons that I learned personally from Daring Greatly. I am Uncomfortable with Vulnerability My first lesson from this book was realizing that I am uncomfortable with vulnerability. Brene Brown writes about what she has learned as a shame and vulnerability researcher. She speaks about her interviews with her research…

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    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
    tissue paper collage with chipboard and gems

    The Secret to Stunning Collages…use Tissue Paper!

    March 7, 2025
    Detail of Leaf Rubbings Art Journal Page using Caran d'Ache Neocolor 1 Wax Pastels and Tombow Fudenosuke Pen

    Using Leaf Rubbings and Ink for Drawing Practice

    October 15, 2021
  • Building Meaningful Connection During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    Building Meaningful Connection During COVID-19

    April 3, 2020 /

    Building meaningful connection during COVID-19 has been the question coming to my mind lately. We could say that now that we are in close quarters with our family and loved ones, it would be easy to build connection. In reality, that’s not always the case. As I have been talking with friends about COVID-19 I’m noticing that the pressure of our new normal is starting to affect people, including myself. In the midst of the pressure of working from home, keeping kids entertained and completing school online, finding a new normal has been challenging for many of us. For those of us that cannot work from home or aren’t working…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Gel print art journal page featuring hummingbirds and flowers

    Gel Print Collage Techniques You’ll Love

    July 18, 2025
    3 Christmas Card Ideas Using One Die Cut Design with Brusho Crystal Colours and Nuvo Shimmer Powders

    3 Christmas Card Ideas Using One Die Cut Design

    November 11, 2022
    Lessons in the creative process Adventures in Book binding and learning new creative skills

    Lessons in the Creative Process: My Adventure with Book Binding

    November 26, 2021
  • How to Use Distress Embossing Glazes
    Projects,  Techniques

    How to Use Distress Embossing Glazes

    April 1, 2020 /

    Today I wanted to share with you how to use Distress Embossing Glazes. The Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Glazes are a new product from Ranger for 2020. When I saw the original demo for this product, I had so many ideas on how I could use this in my own journaling and in my own projects. I have spent the last 2 weeks since I received the Distress Embossing Glazes in the mail testing them to understand how I could apply them. There is something very freeing in taking the time to test something new. It forces me not to put on any constraints on how I think these products…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Finding Joy in the Little Things

    Finding Joy in the Little Things

    June 14, 2019
    How to Stamp on Acetate Sheets with Paint and Inks

    How to Stamp on Acetate Sheets with Inks and Paints

    July 1, 2023
    How to get the most textured collage in your art journal

    Create the Ultimate Textured Collage with this Technique

    August 23, 2025
  • How to Find Rest During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    How to Find Rest During COVID-19

    March 27, 2020 /

    As I have been connecting with friends online this week, it has made me think about how to find rest during COVID-19. It is easy to say that since many of us are not working now that we are having a period of rest. I do not believe that is necessarily the case. Being a driven person, I have found that finding actual restorative time and learning how to rest is easier said than done. Busy for the Sake of Busyness It is easy to fall into being busy for the sake of busyness. The habit of always doing something and going somewhere is not an easy one to break.…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19

    How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19

    March 20, 2020
    Guitar Card Using Watercolor Pencils and Wild Whisper Designs Feel the Beat Stamp Set

    How to use Watercolor Pencils

    January 15, 2021
    5 Acrylic Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    Intimidated by the Blank Page? 5 Acrylic Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    June 10, 2022
  • How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19

    March 20, 2020 /

    As many of us are dealing with the recent pandemic it has made me consider how to live fearlessly during COVID-19. I believe that we do need be concerned about the coronavirus. We definitely need to take precautions, but how do we live fearlessly instead of letting fear and worry steal our joy? Fear Based Living It’s easy to fall into fear based living. There was a period in my life where it felt like fear was an all-consuming reality. I was fearful of so many things, including interacting with others. When we are living in fear it is easy to fall into victimhood. Instead of seeing the world as…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Goal Setting During the Summer

    Goal Setting During the Summer

    July 10, 2020
    How to Design a Scrapbook Page Camera Detail

    How to Design a Scrapbook Page

    May 1, 2021
    How to use Resist Techniques with Alcohol Inks

    How to use Resist Techniques with Alcohol Inks

    May 20, 2022
  • Inspiration over Manipulation Art Journal Project
    Art Journal

    Inspiration Over Manipulation Art Journal Project

    March 13, 2020 /

    The idea of inspiration over manipulation has been on my mind this week and I wanted to share this art journal project with you. The concept of inspiration over manipulation is something I learned from the book Start with Why by Simon Sinek which I did a book review on last week. I really like the concept of inspiration over manipulation. It’s about how we can make the choice to live our lives in a way that allows us to inspire others over manipulating others. I think it’s a great reminder to live authentically and in a way that shows respect for others and for their values and beliefs. The…

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    Nadine Milton

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    What is Art Journaling and Why Should I Try It?

    What is Art Journaling and Why Should I Try It?

    June 3, 2022
    4 lessons from start with why

    4 Lessons from Start With Why

    March 6, 2020
    Struggling with Contrast when Gelli Printing? Here’s How to Fix It

    Struggling with Contrast when Gelli Printing? Here’s How to Fix It

    December 8, 2023
  • 4 lessons from start with why
    Artist's Journey

    4 Lessons from Start With Why

    March 6, 2020 /

    This week I wanted to share with you 4 lessons from “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. This book is part of my 2020 reading challenge, where I have chosen 12 books to read in 2020. I believe an important aspect to self-care is learning and seeing things from a new perspective. This book in particular has been very helpful for understanding my why, not just for this website but in my personal life. Why I Chose “Start with Why” Start with Why was a book recommended to me several years ago by a friend. It was also part of the recommended reading from my husband’s company. I had also…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Design a Scrapbook Page Camera Detail

    How to Design a Scrapbook Page

    May 1, 2021
    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    December 11, 2020
    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
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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.

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Recent Posts

  • Why art journal?Demystifying Art Journaling: How to Start & Why It Matters
    In Projects
  • How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intentionShow Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels
    In Art Journal, Projects, Techniques
  • Holiday Collage Cards Designed by Nadine MiltonMake Amazing Holiday Collage Cards in Minutes!
    In Projects, Techniques
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