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The Art of Self-Care

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  • SHOP
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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
  • 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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    Adding Your Own Art to Stencil Images

    Adding Your Own Art to Stencil Images

    August 28, 2020
    (SM)ART Goals for Artists

    (SM)ART Goals: Starting and Developing Your Creative Goals

    December 31, 2021
    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
  • The Intuitive Collage Process | How to Get Past a Creative Block
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    The Intuitive Collage Process | How to Get Past a Creative Block

    June 12, 2023 /

    Do you ever use the intuitive collage process to get past creative blocks? If you’ve never heard of intuitive collage or don’t know how it can help you, today I’ll be sharing with you everything you need to know about this process!   Intuitive collage is a great technique for getting the creative juices flowing. It’s a great way to prevent us from overthinking the creative process. So often we get stuck because we are judging our work or feel uncertain about where to go next with our art. The intuitive collage process can help us to let go, be fully immersed in our projects, and let the creative part…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Finding Joy in the Little Things

    Finding Joy in the Little Things

    June 14, 2019

    How to Organize 684 Pens, Pencils, and Markers

    April 12, 2024
    Guitar Card Using Watercolor Pencils and Wild Whisper Designs Feel the Beat Stamp Set

    How to use Watercolor Pencils

    January 15, 2021
  • Unique Pan Pastel Techniques with Watermark Ink Peony Project on Black Art Journal
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    Unique Techniques using Pan Pastels with Watermark Ink

    April 2, 2023 /

    Looking for ways to create beautiful details with Pan Pastels? Using Pan Pastels with watermark ink is a very simple way to add in interesting textures and details to your Pan Pastel creations. You can use this technique with both black and white paper to create a variety of unique effects. 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 is Watermark Ink? Watermark ink is a translucent ink used to make watermarks on papers or creative projects. When the ink is stamped onto the surface, it creates a mark slightly darker than the…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Rabbit acrylic painting on top of gelli printing collage

    4 Ideas for Using Gelli Printing in Your Projects

    May 22, 2020
    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along with Gouache

    Watercolor Landscape Paint Along

    June 11, 2021
    Simply Stated Design Advent Calendar 2024

    The Unique Advent Calendar You’ll Love Unboxing!

    October 22, 2024
  • Beautiful Smudge Free Pan Pastel Christmas Cards
    Projects,  Techniques

    Beautiful Smudge Free Pan Pastel Christmas Cards

    December 2, 2022 /

    Looking for smudge free results with your Pan Pastel Christmas cards? These easy Christmas cards take advantage of the beautiful blends you get with Pan Pastels without the smudging that sometimes occurs with this medium. 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. Blending with Pan Pastels I love the beautiful blends that we can get with Pan Pastels. This is what makes Pan Pastels so forgiving and fun to use. If you are new to Pan Pastels, check out my How to Use Pan Pastels video where I walk you through the basics…

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    Nadine Milton

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    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
    Easy Brusho Christmas Card

    Easy Brusho Christmas Card

    December 22, 2020
    Beginner Friendly Acrylic Painting Techniques

    5 Beginner Friendly Acrylic Painting Techniques

    May 13, 2022
  • 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…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Completed Art Journal Project What You Focus on Grows

    Altering Paper on a Journal Page

    January 29, 2021
    “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
    Gel print art journal page featuring hummingbirds and flowers

    Gel Print Collage Techniques You’ll Love

    July 18, 2025
  • Stamped Background Used for Greeting Card and Softcover Book using Stampers Anonymous Stamps and Pan Pastels
    Techniques

    Stamped Background for Moving Past a Creative Block

    August 6, 2021 /

    Do you ever sit down to create a project and end up staring at a blank page? We all have moments where we struggle with how to move past the creative block. Today’s project is a stamped background technique that I use when I am struggling with inspiration. Why a Stamped Background? A stamped background is not only fun to make and a great start to a mixed media piece, but is also quick to execute. When the creative block comes, it is important not to stay in it indefinitely. By choosing art tools and materials that cover a blank page quickly, this can help get the creative juices flowing.…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    June 19, 2020
    Traveler's Notebook Examples

    How to Use a Traveler’s Notebook

    March 19, 2021
    Easy Art Journal Project Using Wild Whisper Designs Until We Eat Again Collection

    Easy Art Journal Project: Jumping into Art Journaling

    July 16, 2021
  • How to Blend With Pan Pastels Art Journaling Project
    Art Journal

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

    July 23, 2021 /

    Do you ever struggle with how to layer and use Pan Pastels? Today we will be exploring how to blend Pan Pastels using Sofft tools in this art journal project. Learning to Use Art Mediums New art mediums are exciting to learn, but they can sometimes feel difficult to master. It can look so easy when you see a demonstration, but your own experience may be different. Ever new art medium takes time and patience to master. By changing our expectations towards new mediums, and accepting that there will be trial and error, the process of learning can be so much more enjoyable. Blending Pan Pastels Pan Pastels are a…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How Grid Drawing Can Improve Composition

    How Grid Drawing Can Improve Composition

    October 30, 2020
    Amazing Art Journal Page Using a Vaseline Resist Technique

    How to Create Vaseline Resist Techniques in Your Art Journal

    September 8, 2023
    How to get past a creative block- try this amazing mixed media art journal page!

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

    October 18, 2025
  • Gelli Printing with Die Cuts
    Projects

    Gelli Printing with Die Cuts

    February 26, 2021 /

    Have you ever wondered how to make those lovely Gelli print backgrounds and how to incorporate them into your projects? This week I was playing with combining Gelli printing with die cuts and Pan Pastels and had some fantastic results! Gelli Printing with Die Cuts Gelli printing with die cuts is a great way to combine and duplicate images in your art pieces, cards, and journal pages. I love using die cuts in my prints and then cutting these same images for use as focal images on my page. I find that using a repetitive pattern in my pieces bring cohesion to my art. What to do with Gelli Prints?…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Gelli Plate Printing Textures with Leaves

    Gelli Plate Printing with Leaves

    June 24, 2022
    Choosing the Best Inexpensive Acrylic Paint Markers

    The Best Inexpensive Acrylic Paint Markers

    September 9, 2022
    Choosing the best collage glue for your art practice

    Looking for the Best Collage Glue? START HERE!

    July 25, 2025
  • How to Use Pan Pastels
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    How to use Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2021 /

    Today I wanted to show you how to use Pan Pastels. Pan Pastels are a new addition to my mixed media work, and I have enjoyed using them to enhance my art. If you have never heard of Pan Pastels, these are a fun and versatile medium. So what are Pan Pastels? Pan Pastels are a soft, highly pigmented pastel that is in a pan form. These are not oil based but instead have a chalk-like feel. One of the benefits of using pan pastels is that you can apply color quickly and easily. They blend well, are highly pigmented and are created to produce very little dust. I enjoy…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    Art Journaling with Acrylic Paint and Stencils

    Art Journaling with Acrylic Paint and Stencils

    May 21, 2021
    Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique

    Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique

    July 31, 2020
    Layering Details using Caran d'Ache Technalo Water Soluble Graphite Pencils

    How to use Water Soluble Graphite

    June 17, 2022

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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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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