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Looking for a Creative Start to The New Year?
Are you looking for the best way to start your new year? There are so many different thoughts and processes on how to start out the new year the “right way”. But what process will help you meet your goals and get a great creative start to the year? This is a question I’ve been asking myself over the last few months. 2024 was a challenging year for me filled with loss and difficulties. I’m so glad that we’re in 2025 and I can’t wait to see what amazing things come of this year! After trying so many systems and ideas over the past 20 years, I have found…
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15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives
Are you looking for gift ideas for artists this holiday season? It can be challenging to shop for the artist in your life. There are so many products and options it can feel overwhelming. Today I’m going to simplify this process for you. I’ve included 15 of my favorite supplies that I use constantly in my creative process. Whether working in an art journal or on a canvas, these quality products will make fantastic gifts for both professional and novice artists alike! 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. 1. Helix Circle…
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Looking for Inspiration? A New Art Journal Flip Through!
Do you want to mix up your art journal practice or need some new inspiration? Today I’m sharing an art journal flip through showing you some new ideas I learned at an online art retreat over the weekend. My hope is that this will inspire you! Last weekend I participated in an online art retreat hosted by Alisa Burke. She’s a very talented mixed media artist I’ve been following for the last 5 years. I find her classes and her approach interesting and very inspiring. Even though I have taken many of her online classes, an online art retreat with her teaching live was a new experience for me. Hop-A-Long…
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The Best Gifts for Artists that Love Watercolor and Acrylic Paint
It can be hard to know how to choose a gift for the artist in your life. Choosing the best gifts for artists can be challenging, especially if you don’t know much about art supplies. In this guide I’ll share with you some fantastic gifts for artists and how to decide which gift is the best for the artist in your life. 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 the Best Gifts for Artists Part of choosing the best gifts for the artist in your life is to answer the following questions.…
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Why You Should Try an Art Retreat
If you’ve never experienced an art retreat, this can be a fantastic way to boost your creativity and reset your creative practice. I recently returned from an art retreat and many people had questions about my experience. Today I’ll share with you what I learned and why an art retreat might be the perfect experience for you. What is an Art Retreat? Most simply, an art retreat is a chance to get out of your regular environment and take time to create art. These can be structured, instructive classes, or just a quiet place for you to get away and work on your art. A lot of professional artists do…
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What is Art Journaling and Why Should I Try It?
If you’re new to art journaling you may be asking yourself this question: “What is art journaling and why should I try it?” Today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the importance of art journaling and the three reasons why I think everyone should art journal. What is Art Journaling? Art journaling, also known as creative journaling or visual journaling, is a way for us to express our thoughts and feelings in a creative manner. Think of it as a journal not only using words but also imagery, color, and texture. Art journal pages can be very complex or simple depending on what you want to get…
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My Journey in Learning How to Draw
Learning how to draw can feel challenging and intimidating. Many of us learn to draw as children but don’t practice drawing as we get older. As an adult, how do we regain our drawing skills and improve on them? Today I will be sharing a few simple ideas to start you drawing again and my personal journey in this process through a drawing course. I Can’t Draw Have you ever told anyone that you can’t draw? I have said these words too many times over the last few years. Learning how to draw has always been an area where I struggled. Often I compared my work to others and felt…
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(SM)ART Goals: Starting and Developing Your Creative Goals
As today is the last day of 2021, many of us are thinking about our goals for the coming year. When choosing goals, many of us don’t include our creative goals. We may see it as something fun and frivolous to be slotted in between the practical demands of our lives. Today I wanted to share with you how I set my creative goals for the year and how we can use SMART goals for starting and developing our creative practice. What are SMART Goals? If you haven’t heard about SMART goals, it is an acronym to help you set goals in a way that makes them achievable to reach.…
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Hoppy Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio
It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone. I wanted to take a moment to wish you a Hoppy Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio! All puns aside, I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Whether you are alone or with family over the holidays, I hope that this time brings with it peace, happiness, and many beautiful memories. Thank you for those who have been following me on my website and on YouTube. Your support means so much to me and thank you for following along! I am currently working on my plan for 2022. I’m very excited to share projects…
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Lessons in the Creative Process: My Adventure with Book Binding
Do you ever want to learn a new art skill or technique but don’t know where to start? I had that experience this last weekend. I wanted to learn how to rebind a used book and add new paper and I wasn’t sure how to go about it. Today I will be sharing with you lessons in the creative process and some of the things I learned through my adventures in book binding. I’ve been dabbling with book binding on and off over the last couple years. Once or twice a year I’ll play around with book binding but with very mixed success. The books I have made up to…
The Art of Self-Care
