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The Art of Self-Care

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

Recent Posts

  • 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
  • Abstract Holiday Cards Made with Paper Scraps from Simply Stated Design Golden Evergreen PapersUse Your Scraps to Make Stunning Holiday Cards
    In Projects, Techniques
  • How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intention
    Art Journal,  Projects,  Techniques

    Show Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2026 /

    Are you looking to start a creative habit this year? I love January as it’s a time to explore some of the materials in my art room that I haven’t used in a while and play with some new ideas. Today I’m pulling out my Pan Pastels to show you some fun and easy techniques that anyone can do! 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. What are Pan Pastels? I’ve shared about Pan Pastels before, but if you’re not familiar with these cute little pans, they are pastel pigment in a round…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Must have mixed media supplies for the art journal including art journal, acrylic paint, gesso, matte and gel mediums, watercolor paint, acrylic and watercolor brushes, paint pens, pigment pens, stamps and stencils

    Must Have Mixed Media Supplies for the Art Journal

    November 12, 2021
    How to create unique color combinations in the art journal using a color wheel

    How to use a Color Wheel to Create Unique Art Journal Color Combinations

    May 5, 2023
    How to Start a Self-Care Habit

    How to Start a Self-Care Habit

    January 28, 2020
  • Holiday Collage Cards Designed by Nadine Milton
    Projects,  Techniques

    Make Amazing Holiday Collage Cards in Minutes!

    December 19, 2025 /

    Are you looking for simple ways to create amazing holiday collage cards? Today let’s talk about a few fun and easy techniques to create unique collage card designs. Not only are these collage techniques perfect for cards, but you can also easily make them work in your next art journal 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. We’ll be using up leftover paper pieces from other projects. If you have dictionary pages, magazine papers, leftover gel prints or scrapbook papers they are perfect for holiday collages. Today I’m going to stick to…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Art Tag using Scribble Stick Watercolor Technique and Brene Brown Quote on Vellum

    Scribble Sticks Watercolor Technique

    September 17, 2021
    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    March 4, 2022
    Art Journal with Napkins Technique Tutorial

    Art Journaling with Napkins

    January 14, 2022
  • Abstract Holiday Cards Made with Paper Scraps from Simply Stated Design Golden Evergreen Papers
    Projects,  Techniques

    Use Your Scraps to Make Stunning Holiday Cards

    December 8, 2025 /

    After completing a project do you find that you have a lot of scraps and leftover pieces that you just can’t part with? You’re not alone. So what do we do with these pieces? Do we throw them out? Or file them away never to be seen again? There is a third option. We can take these pieces and create stunning holiday cards with them. Even if you only have small scraps, these leftover pieces can make unique collage holiday cards that your loved ones will treasure. 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

    7 Techniques using Zebra Mildliner Mix Pens

    7 Unique Ways to Use Zebra Mildliner Mix Pens

    August 3, 2024
    How to Cut and Color Intricate Die Cuts

    How to Cut and Color Intricate Die Cuts

    March 5, 2021
    Circle Drawings Tools including Compass Helix Circle and Angle Maker and Helix Circle Ruler

    Choosing the Best Circle Tools for Drawing

    April 29, 2022
  • Festive and Fabulous Gel Print Holiday Cards
    Art Classes,  Techniques

    The Best DIY Gel Print Holiday Cards

    December 5, 2025 /

    Are you looking for inspiring ideas for using your gel plate to make fabulous gel print holiday cards? The gel plate is so versatile. You can use any color combination and imagery to create one-of-a-kind papers and cards. If you’ve never used a gel plate, it’s so fun and completely addicting! If you’re anything like me, you’ll sit down to do a few gel prints and will end up with dozens of them! The Gel Plate Problem When I am teaching, I usually get these two questions about gel plate printing. How Do I Get Consistent Prints? Gel plate printing can feel impossible at the beginning if you’re creating on…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper

    Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper

    February 3, 2023
    4 lessons from start with why

    4 Lessons from Start With Why

    March 6, 2020
    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    March 18, 2022
  • gel plate printing with leaves and grasses
    Techniques

    Unique & Easy Gel Printing with Leaves and Grasses

    September 19, 2025 /

    Did you know some of the best tools for gel printing are growing right outside? Grab some leaves, your gel plate, and let’s jump in! Today I’ll show you how to use real plants to create beautiful, organic textures. You might just be surprised by the stunning details that show up. Gel plate printing with leaves and grasses is easy, beginner-friendly, and a little bit magical! 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. Where do You Find Leaves? In my garden I am surrounded by a LOT of textures and leaves to choose…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Abstract Holiday Cards Made with Paper Scraps from Simply Stated Design Golden Evergreen Papers

    Use Your Scraps to Make Stunning Holiday Cards

    December 8, 2025
    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
    Mixed Media Collage Using Paper, Acetate and Fabric Tape

    Mixed Media Collage Techniques You Need to Try!

    March 21, 2025
  • 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

    You May Also Like

    Alcohol Ink Christmas Ornaments

    Fun and Easy Alcohol Ink Christmas Ornaments

    December 10, 2021
    gel plate printing with leaves and grasses

    Unique & Easy Gel Printing with Leaves and Grasses

    September 19, 2025
    3 Unique Ways to Use Stencils and Stencil Masks

    3 Unique Ways to Use Stencils and Masks

    September 1, 2023
  • 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

    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
    gel plate printing with leaves and grasses

    Unique & Easy Gel Printing with Leaves and Grasses

    September 19, 2025
    Which Pen To Choose? The Search for the Best Permanent Pen

    The Search for the Best Permanent Pen

    October 29, 2021
  • 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

    You May Also Like

    Mixed Media Textures Using Brushos

    Mixed Media Textures Using Brushos

    May 6, 2022
    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
    How to Use Pan Pastels

    How to use Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2021
  • 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

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    December 11, 2020
    “How did I end up here?” Finding Awareness in our Everyday Lives

    “How did I end up here?” Finding Awareness in our Everyday Lives

    April 29, 2019
    Coloring with Inks and Watercolor Crayons

    Coloring with Inks and Watercolor Crayons

    March 26, 2021
  • 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…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    gel plate printing for beginners

    How to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience

    May 3, 2025
    How to Design a Scrapbook Page Camera Detail

    How to Design a Scrapbook Page

    May 1, 2021
    How to Gelli Print on Tissue Paper

    How to Gelli Print on Tissue Paper

    July 1, 2022
123

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

  • Art Classes
  • Art Journal
  • Artist's Journey
  • Projects
  • Techniques

Tags

Acceptance (10) acrylic paint (16) Acrylic Painting (17) Applying Art Mediums (14) Applying Brusho Powders (10) Art Ideas (22) art journal (19) Art Journaling (61) Art Tutorials (156) Art Videos (163) Awareness (19) Blending Color (22) Card Making (16) Card Tutorials (11) Christmas (9) collage (19) Creative Foundations (24) Creativity (28) 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 (13) 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

  • 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
  • Abstract Holiday Cards Made with Paper Scraps from Simply Stated Design Golden Evergreen PapersUse Your Scraps to Make Stunning Holiday Cards
    In Projects, Techniques
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