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  • SHOP
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  • CONTACT
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  • CLASSES
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  • SHOP
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  • CONTACT

Recent Posts

  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • 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
  • 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

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    Best Acrylic Paint Pens Paint Marker Comparison Hop-A-Long Studio

    The Best Acrylic Paint Pens: A Paint Marker Comparison

    July 9, 2021
    How to Use Watercolors with Stencils

    How to use Watercolors with Stencils

    August 26, 2022
    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors an Easy Art Journal Project

    How to Get Comfortable with Your Watercolors

    February 10, 2023
  • 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

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    How to fussy cut napkin images for any project

    How to Cut the PERFECT Napkin Image

    July 20, 2024
    Neurographic Art Blended with Pan Pastels

    Neurographic Art with Pan Pastels

    March 25, 2022
    How to Use Layering Stencils to Create Dimensional Images

    How to Use Layering Stencils to Create Dimensional Images

    September 23, 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

    Travel Greeting Card Using Photos and Wild Whisper Designs Road Trip Paper Collection

    How to Make a Travel Greeting Card

    June 18, 2021
    Art Journal Textured Background Techniques with Acrylic Mediums

    Textured Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    March 11, 2022
    3 Ways to Use Brusho Crystal Colours

    3 Ways to Use Brusho Crystal Colours

    December 18, 2020
  • 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…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Doodling with Stencils with Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Posca Paint Pens

    Doodling with Stencils: Using Stencils to Improve your Drawing Skills

    October 22, 2021
    Finding Joy in the Little Things

    Finding Joy in the Little Things

    June 14, 2019
    Mixed Media Fall Greeting Card Using Distress Crayons, Archival Ink and Wild Whisper Designs Paper and Stamps

    Mixed Media Fall Greeting Card

    October 8, 2021
  • 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

    Completed Art Journal Project What You Focus on Grows

    Altering Paper on a Journal Page

    January 29, 2021
    Beginner Friendly Acrylic Painting Techniques

    5 Beginner Friendly Acrylic Painting Techniques

    May 13, 2022
    3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

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

    May 1, 2020
  • 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

    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate in the art journal

    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate

    June 16, 2023
    Mixed Media Art Journal Page Summer Days

    Mixed Media Art Journal Page – Hot Summer Days

    August 13, 2021
    Nadine Milton Value Drawing of Moraine Lake

    My Journey in Learning How to Draw

    April 1, 2022
  • 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

    In Time It's Going to be Okay

    In Time It’s Going to be Okay

    May 9, 2020
    Blue Monday: Reasons to Hope

    Blue Monday: Reasons to Hope

    January 19, 2020
    Easy Art Journal Project Using Wild Whisper Designs Until We Eat Again Collection

    Easy Art Journal Project: Jumping into Art Journaling

    July 16, 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

    wet-on-wet watercolor techniques mixing colors

    Easy Wet-on-Wet Watercolor Techniques for Beginners

    October 28, 2022
    4 Things I Learned From Failing Forward

    4 Things I Learned from Failing Forward

    February 7, 2020
    Choosing the Best Inexpensive Acrylic Paint Markers

    The Best Inexpensive Acrylic Paint Markers

    September 9, 2022
  • 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 Paint Flowers with a Toilet Paper Roll

    How to Paint Flowers with a Toilet Paper Roll

    August 4, 2023
    Napkin Decoupage on Any Surface: Decorating a plastic pumpkin with napkins and pouring medium

    The Art of Napkin Decoupage: How to Easily Transform Any Surface

    October 20, 2023
  • 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

    Create Unique Art Journal Backgrounds with Plastic Wrap

    How to Create Unique Art Journal Backgrounds with Plastic Wrap

    August 19, 2023
    Mixed Media Found Object Art Panel

    Mixed Media Found Object Art Panel

    May 28, 2021
    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    March 18, 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 (20) Art Journaling (62) 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 Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • 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
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