Hop-A-Long Studio

The Art of Self-Care

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  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • 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
  • Neurographic Art Blended with Pan Pastels
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Neurographic Art with Pan Pastels

    March 25, 2022 /

    If you haven’t tried neurographic art, this is a great self-care exercise for your creative practice. I was recently introduced to neurographic art by a subscriber on my YouTube channel and wanted to show you how to do this easy technique using blendable Pan Pastels. 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. If you are new to art journaling or a creative practice, knowing where to start can be half the challenge. The beauty of neurographic art is that you don’t have to have art experience to enjoy this technique. It is…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Looking to Improve your Painting Skills? How to Paint a Tree with Ink using Yasutomo Traditional Chinese Ink Silver Black and Chinese & Watercolor Brushes

    Looking for an Easy Painting Exercise? How to Paint a Tree with Ink

    February 24, 2023
    Art Journal Project: The Courage to Be Seen

    Having the Courage to be Seen

    September 12, 2020
    Misconceptions Surrounding Mental Illness

    Misconceptions Surrounding Mental Illness

    October 7, 2020
  • Merry Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio
    Artist's Journey

    Merry Christmas from Hop-A-Long Studio

    December 25, 2020 /

    I wanted to take a moment to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I know for many of us 2020 has been a challenging year with many ups and downs, but I hope that it ends on a high note for all of you. Many of us are not able to visit with our families this Christmas. In my city, we are not allowed to meet in groups outside of our family unit for another few weeks. This can make for a challenging time for some of us. If you are having challenges this time of year and need to talk to someone, I have…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    5 Napkin Hacks to Make Your Napkin Art Pop!

    5 Easy Hacks to Make Your Napkin Images POP!

    August 23, 2024
    Art Journal Project: The Courage to Be Seen

    Having the Courage to be Seen

    September 12, 2020
    Goal Setting During the Summer

    Goal Setting During the Summer

    July 10, 2020
  • Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas
    Artist's Journey

    Preparing for a Pandemic Christmas

    December 11, 2020 /

    I have been reflecting on how preparing for a pandemic Christmas does not have to be sad.  Christmas is going to feel different this year due to the pandemic. Many of us have felt the effects of this pandemic on our holidays and traditions. So how do we find ways of enjoying the time and perhaps finding joy and happiness despite the disruption? Preparing for Christmas I really enjoy the Christmas holiday season and my preparations usually start around mid- November. Preparing for a pandemic Christmas has been very different. With no work holiday parties, Christmas plays or concerts to attend, it leaves a strange feeling to the season. As…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Paint Your Season's Greetings: Simple Watercolor Christmas Card Designs

    Paint Your Season’s Greetings with Simple Watercolor Christmas Cards

    December 1, 2023
    Adding Modeling Paste Through a Detailed Stencil

    How to get the Best Results with Acrylic Pastes and Stencils

    January 20, 2023
    Unique Pan Pastel Techniques with Watermark Ink Peony Project on Black Art Journal

    Unique Techniques using Pan Pastels with Watermark Ink

    April 2, 2023
  • How to Use a Dip Pen
    Techniques

    How to Use a Dip Pen

    October 23, 2020 /

    As this month is Inktober, I wanted to share with you about how to use a dip pen. Using a dip pen is one of the skills that I have learned this year and it has had a huge impact on how I draw and how I approach drawing. Using a Dip Pen With all the different pens out on the market, many of us think of dip pens as a tool only used in calligraphy. Since I started working with a dip pen, I have started to use it in many art mediums, especially in my art journal. In the video below, I demonstrate how I get good strokes,…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    How to Use Watercolor Paint

    How to Use Watercolor Paint

    July 17, 2020
    How to Use Pan Pastels

    How to use Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2021
    12 books to read in 2020

    12 Books to Read in 2020

    January 7, 2020
  • Misconceptions Surrounding Mental Illness
    Artist's Journey

    Misconceptions Surrounding Mental Illness

    October 7, 2020 /

    With Mental Illness Awareness Week occurring this week and with World Mental Health Day on October 10, I wanted to talk about misconceptions surrounding mental illness. Mental illness is an uncomfortable topic for many people. I find there are usually 3 reactions. The first is avoidance from those who are uncomfortable talking about it. The second is that of understanding about mental illness and these individuals are generally supportive. The last reaction is quietly admitting that they have been struggling with mental health and they want to talk about it more. Why Talk About Mental Illness Why talk about mental illness? My experience over the last few years has come…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Realistic Goal Setting and New Year’s Resolutions

    December 30, 2019
    How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils

    How to Use Alcohol Inks and Stencils

    August 14, 2020
    Completed Art Journal Project What You Focus on Grows

    Altering Paper on a Journal Page

    January 29, 2021
  • Mental Illness Awareness Week
    Artist's Journey

    Mental Illness Awareness Week

    October 2, 2020 /

    With Mental Illness Awareness Week coming up next week I wanted to talk a bit about how we can make the most of this time. Perhaps mental illness is something that you don’t struggle with, but many people do. In my city, since the pandemic there have been a lot mental health issues. There have been more suicides, domestic violence and other mental health issues.   Mental illness is not an easy thing to talk about. I believe that it is a topic that is avoided in our society, something that should not be discussed. There is a lot of stigma regarding mental health and mental illness. But that does…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    altered photo techniques for your art journal

    Mixed Media Magic: Altered Photo Techniques for Your Art Journal

    October 27, 2023
    How to Use Gel Prints in Your Art Journal

    Feeling Stuck? How to Use Gel Prints in Your Art Journal Projects

    July 29, 2022
    4 Lessons I Learned From Almost Anxious

    4 Lessons I Learned from Almost Anxious

    June 5, 2020
  • Urban Sketching for Self-Care
    Artist's Journey,  Techniques

    Urban Sketching for Self-Care

    September 18, 2020 /

    We all need activities to help with our self-care practice. I recently took up urban sketching for self-care and I’m finding it’s a great tool for exercising mindfulness. What is Urban Sketching? What is Urban Sketching? If you are not familiar with the practice, it is about drawing on location and sharing the stories of the places you live and travel. I started exploring Urban Sketching just over a year ago when I met the  Calgary Urban Sketcher group at a demo at Kensington Art Supply & Instruction in Calgary. At the demo I was able to meet the members of the group, browse their sketchbooks and talk to them…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    3 Ways to use Tombow Markers

    3 Ways To Use Tombow Markers

    February 28, 2020
    Fall Scrapbooking Page using Gelli Prints and Wild Whisper Designs Strength of the Season Ephemera

    Too Many Gelli Prints? A Fall Project for Using Your Prints

    September 10, 2021
    Easy Foil Alternatives for Cards and Art Journal Pages

    Easy Foil Alternatives for Cards and Art Journal Pages

    November 18, 2022
  • Objects that Encourage Your Self-Care Practice
    Techniques

    Objects that Encourage Your Self-Care Practice

    September 4, 2020 /

    Do you have objects that encourage your self-care practice? One of my favorite objects is the fountain pen. I love to write and journal so the pen is an important part of my self-care practice. I use the fountain pen not just in my journal, but also in creating art, so it is an important and versatile tool for my self-care. Why the Pen? I have a large assortment of pens. The fountain pen is one of my favorites, but there are many other pen styles that I enjoy. I love making pen and ink drawings and having a variety of pens adds variation to my mark making.  I love…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Saying Goodbye to Ego Art Journaling Page

    Why I Killed my Ego

    November 28, 2019
    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    February 11, 2022
    moving past creative blocks by sketching in the garden Nadine Milton

    Feeling Stuck? 5 Ways for Moving Past Creative Blocks

    August 20, 2021
  • Restoration During A Holiday
    Artist's Journey

    Restoration During A Holiday

    July 3, 2020 /

    Happy Canada Day and Independence Day to my readers! Since this week is Canada Day and Independence Day, I wanted to share with you what I do to find restoration during a holiday. Even as things are opening up in Alberta, there is still a need for social distancing that is affecting holiday celebrations. With that in mind, I was thinking about how to celebrate Canada Day in a way that would be fun and restorative. Get Out of the House With my husband and I both working from home, we really wanted to get out of the house for Canada Day. We have been staying pretty close to home…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Detail of Card Live Life in Full Bloom Stamped Card Colored with Distress Crayons

    Quick Coloring Technique Using Distress Crayons

    September 24, 2021
    Art of Self-Discovery Art Journaling Page

    The Art of Self-Discovery: An Art Journaling Project

    May 27, 2019
    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    June 19, 2020
  • 4 Lessons I Learned From Almost Anxious
    Artist's Journey

    4 Lessons I Learned from Almost Anxious

    June 5, 2020 /

    Today I wanted to share with you the 4 lessons I learned from Almost Anxious. If you have been following my reading list for 2020, this is one of the books that I committed to reading to help my personal mental wellness. Why Almost Anxious? Almost Anxious is a book that was recommended to me by a friend. The premise of this book is how to deal with the “almost anxious” moments in our lives. One of the problems with anxiety is that we are often put into one of two boxes: anxious or not anxious. This criterion is not always helpful. Many of us have anxiety that is above…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    Choosing the Best Watercolor Marker

    March 18, 2022
    Finding A New Normal

    Finding a New Normal

    May 29, 2020
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.

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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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