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The Art of Self-Care

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

Recent Posts

  • gel plate printing for beginnersHow to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience
    In Techniques
  • How to use watercolor powders with stencilsThe Best Way to Use Watercolor Powders with Stencils
    In Techniques
  • Watercolor Pigment Powders Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy's Gang Magicals and Nuvo Shimmer Powders how to use on watercolor paperWatercolor Powders Demystified! You need to Try these!
    In Techniques
  • 5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    June 25, 2021 /

    The art journal is a wonderful place to create, but it can be challenging to know where to start. Today I am sharing 5 art journal background ideas using ink to help inspire your creativity. These are some of the ways that I start my journal pages, especially when I’m not sure where to go next. The blank page can be intimidating. There are so many directions a page can go. These easy techniques can be a springboard for your creative ideas, to help you move past the blank page.   5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink Ink Blending Ink blending is one of the simplest ways to quickly…

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    Nadine Milton

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    GAMENOTE Paint Brush Cleaner and Accessories

    How to Choose the Best Paint Brush Cleaner

    March 17, 2023
    How to Use Watercolors with Stencils

    How to use Watercolors with Stencils

    August 26, 2022
    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
  • Detail of Heart Focal Image from Valentine's Day Slimline Card
    Projects

    Valentine’s Day Slimline Card

    February 12, 2021 /

    As Valentine’s Day is just days away, I wanted to share with you how to make a Valentine’s Day slimline card. Valentine’s Day cards are fun to make, but what if you want to move away from more conventional colors for these cards? In this tutorial we will be creating a card that does not use red or pink, but the more muted greys and greens. Slimline Cards Slimline cards seem to be everywhere. The style and dimension of these cards lead to some great creative possibilities. The panoramic style of them allows you to approach creativity and cardmaking in a different way. When used in an upright format, the…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Printing with Gelli Plate Minis Gelli Printing Plates

    Printing with Gelli Plate Minis

    September 3, 2021
    Fall Leaf Card Project

    Fall Leaf Card Project

    November 6, 2020
    Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper

    Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper

    February 3, 2023
  • How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils
    Projects,  Techniques

    How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils

    August 14, 2020 /

    In this week’s project I will show you how to use alcohol inks and stencils to create this beautiful card. I originally created this card for my husband’s birthday in July. The idea came from watching videos by Tim Holtz on some interesting ways to use alcohol inks. This inspired me to add them to my own creative practice. Card Making as a Self-Care Practice I use card making as a self-care practice in my life. Making handmade cards brings joy to the people around me. I enjoy coming up with new card designs, and it is also a great way of trying out a technique on a small surface.…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Everything is Figure-outable Art Journaling Page with Fluid Acrylics

    Using Fluid Acrylics in the Art Journal

    July 22, 2022
    How to fussy cut napkin images for any project

    How to Cut the PERFECT Napkin Image

    July 20, 2024
    Basic art journal techniques using acrylic paint and napkins

    New to Art Journaling? Basic Techniques using Paints and Napkins

    January 27, 2023
  • Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique
    Projects,  Techniques

    Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique

    July 31, 2020 /

    This week’s project is an easy watercolor card using a wet on wet watercolor technique. I have been watercolor painting more lately as part of my personal self-care routine. Setting up your space for watercolor painting is so easy. All you need is watercolor paints, water and a watercolor sketchbook or a pad of watercolor paper. The easy set up gives you more time to paint when you don’t have unlimited time. Lately, I’ve only had about a half hour a day for painting, but I can do a lot in that time when I am painting with watercolors.   Part of building a healthy self-care habit is making a…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Art Journal Textured Background Techniques with Acrylic Mediums

    Textured Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    March 11, 2022
    How to Create a Wine Bottle Vase Overall Project

    How to Create a Wine Bottle Flower Vase

    May 7, 2021
    tissue paper collage with chipboard and gems

    The Secret to Stunning Collages…use Tissue Paper!

    March 7, 2025
  • Art Journal Page Tutorial with Tim Holtz Distress Glazes
    Art Journal

    Art Journal Page Tutorial with Tim Holtz Distress Glazes

    June 26, 2020 /

    This week I have an art journal page tutorial with Tim Holtz Distress Glazes to share with you. I was thinking about worthiness and how we can often struggle with feeling good enough. It is easy for us to look to others for assurance that we are worthy and that we have value. Instead, realizing that we are valuable, not by what we do but by who we already are. Inspired by Daring Greatly This page was inspired by Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. This book was part of my reading list for 2020 and I shared my lessons from Daring Greatly earlier this year. Daring Greatly is a very…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Reviewing and testing the Best Zebra Pens

    Why You Need Zebra Pens in Your Art Collection

    May 17, 2024
    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
    How to Blend With Pan Pastels Art Journaling Project

    How to Blend Pan Pastels: A Journey in Blending and Layering Pastels

    July 23, 2021
  • Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains
    Art Journal

    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    June 19, 2020 /

    This week I wanted to share with you an art journal project using watercolor paint and Distress stains. The inspiration for this page was in a moment where I did not feel very creative. Many of us struggle with creative ideas from time to time. I hope this simple page will encourage you to create even when you are not feeling inspired. You are Not Special You might be wondering why I chose this quote for this project, “You are not special, but what you have to offer to this world is valuable.” This thought came to mind when I was running errands a few weeks ago. I had been…

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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
    Creating Mixed Media Tissue Paper

    Creating Mixed Media Tissue Paper

    January 28, 2022
    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    December 11, 2020
  • Art Journal Page Using Distress Embossing Glazes and Pastes
    Art Journal

    Art Journal Page Using Distress Embossing Glazes

    June 12, 2020 /

    Today I want to share with an art journal page using Distress Embossing Glazes and pastes called “In the Darkness.” Over the last few weeks, I have been processing the events in the United States with the death of George Floyd. It has brought up some strong emotions for me. Social justice is important to me, and to see what is happening in the US is breaking my heart. I Believe I do not want to talk about politics, but I do feel that I should say something about what has happened. I believe that every life is precious and valuable. I believe that we need to love mercy and…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Acrylic Paint Pouring Ornaments

    Easy and Beautiful Acrylic Paint Pouring Holiday Ornaments

    December 22, 2023
    How to Create a Traveler's Notebook

    How to Create a Traveler’s Notebook

    April 23, 2021
    Adding Modeling Paste Through a Detailed Stencil

    How to get the Best Results with Acrylic Pastes and Stencils

    January 20, 2023
  • Rabbit acrylic painting on top of gelli printing collage
    Art Journal,  Projects

    4 Ideas for Using Gelli Printing in Your Projects

    May 22, 2020 /

    Today I want to share with you 4 ideas for using Gelli printing in your projects. Last week I wrote an article and provided tutorials about how to make Gelli prints. As a follow up to those tutorials, I want to give you some practical ideas for using Gelli printing in your projects. Creative Ways to use Gelli Prints It is not always easy finding creative ways to use Gelli prints in your projects. When I first started Gelli printing, I would end up with a stack of great prints that I had no idea how to use in other projects. I generally just pasted them onto journal pages and…

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    Nadine Milton

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    3 Ways to Use Brusho Crystal Colours

    3 Ways to Use Brusho Crystal Colours

    December 18, 2020
    Learning to Trust Ourselves

    Learning to Trust Ourselves

    February 21, 2020
    Coping with Anxiety during the Holidays

    Coping with Anxiety during the Holidays

    December 17, 2019
  • How to Make Gelli Prints
    Techniques

    How to Make Gelli Prints

    May 15, 2020 /

    Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite art techniques, how to make gelli prints. Gelli printing was a technique I used to struggle with until I took a class from a professional artist. She showed me that Gelli printing can not only be easy but also fun and relaxing. Gelli printing is my go to art activity when I want some creative self-care, especially in the moments where I’m not feeling very creative. What is Gelli Printing? What is Gelli printing? It is a type of monoprinting which is a form of printmaking that has lines or images that can only be made once. It differs…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    How Grid Drawing Can Improve Composition

    How Grid Drawing Can Improve Composition

    October 30, 2020
    How to Gelli Print on Tissue Paper

    How to Gelli Print on Tissue Paper

    July 1, 2022
    Layering Details using Caran d'Ache Technalo Water Soluble Graphite Pencils

    How to use Water Soluble Graphite

    June 17, 2022
  • 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

    You May Also Like

    Completed Art Journal Project What You Focus on Grows

    Altering Paper on a Journal Page

    January 29, 2021
    Amazing Ink Techniques for Your Art Journal Using Archival and Dye Inks

    Amazing Ink Techniques for Your Art Journal

    January 13, 2023
    Watercolor Pigment Powders Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy's Gang Magicals and Nuvo Shimmer Powders how to use on watercolor paper

    Watercolor Powders Demystified! You need to Try these!

    April 18, 2025
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

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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 (17) Art Journaling (61) Art Tutorials (156) Art Videos (162) Awareness (19) Blending Color (22) Card Making (16) Card Tutorials (11) Christmas (9) collage (14) Creative Foundations (24) Creativity (28) Drawing (12) Embossing (11) Gelli Plate (9) Gelli Printing (17) Goal Setting (9) Ink Blending (13) Inking (42) Inks (11) Making Good Choices (12) Mental Health (32) Mindfulness (24) Mixed Media (12) Mixed Media Art (16) napkins (9) Self-Care (47) Self-Care Activities (16) Self-Care Videos (33) Self-Discovery (14) Stamping (62) Stencilling (48) stencils (9) Tim Holtz Distress (23) Values (9) Watercolor (14) Watercolor Basics (13) Watercolor Painting (19) Wild Whisper Designs (21)

Recent Posts

  • gel plate printing for beginnersHow to Start Gel Printing with Zero Experience
    In Techniques
  • How to use watercolor powders with stencilsThe Best Way to Use Watercolor Powders with Stencils
    In Techniques
  • Watercolor Pigment Powders Brusho Crystal Colours, Lindy's Gang Magicals and Nuvo Shimmer Powders how to use on watercolor paperWatercolor Powders Demystified! You need to Try these!
    In Techniques
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