Hop-A-Long Studio

The Art of Self-Care

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

Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    In Art Journal, Techniques
  • How to Make Collage Papers for FreeMake Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free
    In Techniques
  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!

    May 1, 2026 /

    Do you ever feel like some of your mixed media pages look a bit blah? Or maybe you’re part of the way through your art journal page and you don’t know how to finish it off. This is a common problem when working with art journaling and mixed media.   Today I’m taking 3 of my own unfinished and underwhelming pages and we’ll transform them together. Along the way, I’ll show you exactly what’s going wrong and how to fix 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 Unfinished Mixed Media Page…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    The Season of Self-Discovery

    The Season of Self-Discovery

    May 13, 2019
    How to get the most textured collage in your art journal

    Create the Ultimate Textured Collage with this Technique

    August 23, 2025
    Coping with Anxiety during the Holidays

    Coping with Anxiety during the Holidays

    December 17, 2019
  • How to Make Collage Papers for Free
    Techniques

    Make Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free

    April 24, 2026 /

    Do you ever see beautiful collage papers and feel like you just have to have them? Collections from companies like 49 and Market are beautiful but these papers can get pretty expensive, especially if you do a lot of projects. Today I’m going to walk you through how you can make your own dynamic and beautiful collage papers that can be curated to work with any project or theme. Whether this is vintage and distressed or bright and bold, this technique can work on a variety of papers. 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…

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    Nadine Milton

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

    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate

    June 16, 2023
    Living in the Moment Art Journal Page Paint Tutorial

    Living in the Moment: An Art Journal Painting Tutorial on Denim

    August 27, 2021
    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
  • How to get past a creative block- try this amazing mixed media art journal page!
    Art Journal,  Artist's Journey

    Struggling with Creative Block? Try this Easy Art Journal Page!

    October 18, 2025 /

    Do you ever have moments where you’re struggling with a creative block? If it’s been a while since you’ve had time or energy for creativity, you are not alone. It’s easy to fall into these blocks and can be incredibly difficult to get past them. 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. Recently, I’ve had several family members diagnosed with critical illness, and it’s been a challenging time emotionally. It’s hard to feel excited and passionate about art when loved ones are dealing with illness and really challenging times. What do we do…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journal Project: The Courage to Be Seen

    Having the Courage to be Seen

    September 12, 2020
    How to Gelli Print on Canvas

    How to Gelli Print on Canvas

    July 8, 2022
    Living in the Moment Art Journal Page Paint Tutorial

    Living in the Moment: An Art Journal Painting Tutorial on Denim

    August 27, 2021
  • Mixed Media Collage Using Paper, Acetate and Fabric Tape
    Projects,  Techniques

    Mixed Media Collage Techniques You Need to Try!

    March 21, 2025 /

    Mixed media collage is hard….or is it? Sometimes when we’re using more than one material, we tend to complicate things. Let’s dive into a beautiful and easy project using fabric, acetate and paper! 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 your Favorite Paper Every time I work on a mixed media collage project, I either start with an idea, a favorite paper, or a medium that I want to use. This project is no exception. I have this beautiful Golden Botanicals paper from Simply Stated Design that is perfect for a collage…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    15 Gift Ideas for Artists

    15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives

    November 3, 2023
    5 Napkin Hacks to Make Your Napkin Art Pop!

    5 Easy Hacks to Make Your Napkin Images POP!

    August 23, 2024
    How to Make a Simple Christmas Card

    How to Make a Simple Christmas Card

    November 27, 2020
  • Intuitive Collage Mixed Media Project featuring image from Simply Stated Design
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    New to Intuitive Collage? Start Here!

    December 2, 2024 /

    Are you looking for new ways to mix up your art journal practice? Intuitive collage is one of my favorite ways to create with paper in my projects. Let’s explore some easy and fun techniques to use paper in unique ways.   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 Can We Use for Intuitive Collage? We sometimes get stuck by creating too many rules of what we can and cannot use in our collage projects. Here’s a few of my favorite things that I reach for when I start working on my…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    3 Christmas Card Ideas Using One Die Cut Design with Brusho Crystal Colours and Nuvo Shimmer Powders

    3 Christmas Card Ideas Using One Die Cut Design

    November 11, 2022
    Art Journal Page Tutorial with Tim Holtz Distress Glazes

    Art Journal Page Tutorial with Tim Holtz Distress Glazes

    June 26, 2020
    Mixed Media Found Object Art Panel

    Mixed Media Found Object Art Panel

    May 28, 2021
  • Acrylic Paint Pouring Ornaments
    Projects

    Easy and Beautiful Acrylic Paint Pouring Holiday Ornaments

    December 22, 2023 /

    Have you ever tried making holiday ornaments using acrylic paint pouring techniques? This medium may seem messy, but today I’ll show you how to get beautiful results with a controlled pour. This makes these stunning ornaments easy to make and requires a lot less clean up. Why Pouring Medium? I love pouring medium because of the glossy effect of the paint and the beautiful depth of color that you can get in your designs. It isn’t an easily controllable medium, so it lends itself better to abstract pieces and designs. This makes it perfect for holiday ornaments. I’ve recently been teaching a lot of paint pouring and had a lot…

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    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Use a Dip Pen

    How to Use a Dip Pen

    October 23, 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
    Goal Setting During COVID-19

    Goal Setting During COVID-19

    April 24, 2020
  • 15 Gift Ideas for Artists
    Artist's Journey,  Techniques

    15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives

    November 3, 2023 /

    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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    Nadine Milton

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    12 books to read in 2020

    12 Books to Read in 2020

    January 7, 2020
    5 Acrylic Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    Intimidated by the Blank Page? 5 Acrylic Background Techniques for the Art Journal

    June 10, 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
  • Mixed Media Magic: Transforming Pumpkins with Decoupage
    Projects,  Techniques

    Mixed Media Magic: Transforming Pumpkins with Decoupage

    September 16, 2023 /

    Looking for a way to practice your mixed media skills outside the art journal? Try making a fun and original home décor pumpkins with decoupage techniques! I found a plastic pumpkin at my local craft store and thought it would be perfect for adding a variety of mixed media elements to make it unique. Generally, I’m not much of a home décor creative, but occasionally it’s fun to change up the creative process. It can be a way of picking up new skills or learning how to use skills that you have in a different way.  I find there’s always fun surprises along the path of creative self-discovery. Hop-A-Long Studio…

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    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
    Mixed Media Art Journal Collage

    Mixed Media Art Journal Collage: Finding Intention at Christmas

    December 17, 2021
    How to fussy cut napkin images for any project

    How to Cut the PERFECT Napkin Image

    July 20, 2024
  • Art Journaling Project with Tissue Paper Collage
    Techniques

    Art Journaling with Tissue Paper Collage

    January 21, 2022 /

    Tissue paper collage is a fun way to add layers and textures to your art journal pages. You can get a variety of printed tissue papers or purchase plain tissue paper to alter with inks, stamps and paints. The possibilities for tissue paper collage are endless and it’s a great way of personalizing your journal. For today’s project and tutorial I am using Dina Wakley collage tissue paper. The papers are printed in both black and white which provides versatility on how you can apply them in your projects. Hop-A-Long Studio is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Live acrylic painting demonstration for creativity service

    The Importance of Creativity

    November 12, 2019
    How to Make Collage Papers for Free

    Make Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free

    April 24, 2026
    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along with Gouache

    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along

    June 11, 2021
  • Deco Foil Christmas Cards Merry and Bright
    Projects

    Deco Foil Christmas Card “Merry and Bright”

    December 3, 2021 /

    One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is making beautiful Christmas cards. The technique that I am sharing today is how to make a Deco Foil Christmas card that uses patterned paper, Deco Foil transfer sheets and the Deco Foil adhesive pen. Mastering Deco Foil I love Deco Foil. This is a fun medium that you can get beautiful results with. But I find so many of the videos and projects I see only show the perfect results. Deco Foil is fairly easy to use, but there are times when I don’t always get a perfect foil transfer. Mastering Deco Foil takes practice and a bit of patience.…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Art Journal with Napkins Technique Tutorial

    Art Journaling with Napkins

    January 14, 2022
    Gelli Print Feather Focal Image Technique

    Creating Beautiful Textures by Gelli Printing with Stencils

    April 15, 2022
    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    How to Become Unoffendable and Live a Happier Life

    July 24, 2020
12

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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  • Techniques

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Recent Posts

  • 3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!
    In Art Journal, Techniques
  • How to Make Collage Papers for FreeMake Gorgeous Collage Papers for Free
    In Techniques
  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
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