Hop-A-Long Studio

The Art of Self-Care

  • HOME
  • CLASSES
  • COMMUNITY
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • HOME
  • 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
  • Adding diamonds to diamond painting
    Projects

    Everything You Need to Know About Diamond Painting

    August 31, 2024 /

    Are you feeling stuck in your art practice? Or maybe you’re looking for a new art or craft to try? Diamond painting may be the answer for you! Join me as we dive into diamond painting, learn what it’s about and how this can inspire to the rest of your art practice! Having moments of feeling uninspired in your creative practice is normal. Every artist and creative goes through this. I have creative blocks more often than I’d like to admit. What do we do to mix it up? Changing art mediums or subject matter can be enough for me. This might mean moving from painting to collage or working…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    5 Creative Techniques with Watercolor Markers

    5 Creative Techniques with Watercolor Markers

    February 25, 2022
    Nadine Milton Value Drawing of Moraine Lake

    My Journey in Learning How to Draw

    April 1, 2022
    Is Craft Paint Really Cheaper? Choosing the Best Paint for your Art Journal

    Is Craft Paint Really Cheaper? What’s the Best Paint?

    October 7, 2022
  • Nadine Milton Sketching in Kelowna Japanese Garden
    Artist's Journey

    Why You Should Try an Art Retreat

    August 13, 2022 /

    If you’ve never experienced an art retreat, this can be a fantastic way to boost your creativity and reset your creative practice. I recently returned from an art retreat and many people had questions about my experience. Today I’ll share with you what I learned and why an art retreat might be the perfect experience for you. What is an Art Retreat? Most simply, an art retreat is a chance to get out of your regular environment and take time to create art. These can be structured, instructive classes, or just a quiet place for you to get away and work on your art. A lot of professional artists do…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    Canvas Preparation for the Art Curious

    March 4, 2022
    How to Use Watercolors with Stencils

    How to use Watercolors with Stencils

    August 26, 2022
    Glass Painting Techniques with Pebeo Vitrea 160 Glass Paint

    Easy Glass Painting Techniques with Pebeo Vitrea 160

    March 24, 2023
  • (SM)ART Goals for Artists
    Artist's Journey

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

    December 31, 2021 /

    As today is the last day of 2021, many of us are thinking about our goals for the coming year. When choosing goals, many of us don’t include our creative goals. We may see it as something fun and frivolous to be slotted in between the practical demands of our lives. Today I wanted to share with you how I set my creative goals for the year and how we can use SMART goals for starting and developing our creative practice. What are SMART Goals? If you haven’t heard about SMART goals, it is an acronym to help you set goals in a way that makes them achievable to reach.…

    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
    How to Use Distress Embossing Glazes

    How to Use Distress Embossing Glazes

    April 1, 2020

    Mystified by Acrylic Pastes? How to Color Pastes in 1 Easy Step!

    March 3, 2023
  • Easy Alcohol Ink Christmas Card
    Projects

    Easy Alcohol Ink Christmas Card

    December 4, 2020 /

    This week I want to share with you one of my favorite easy alcohol ink Christmas card designs. I love using alcohol inks and Yupo as these mediums work so well together. I find the process of using alcohol inks to be very relaxing. It is an opportunity to create is a less structured manner and allows me to find mindfulness in the moment. Alcohol Ink Christmas Card What I love about this easy alcohol ink Christmas card is that every card is unique and different. The nature of ink is to flow and when used with Yupo, which is a slippery surface, you can get unexpected results. This means…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Building Meaningful Connection During COVID-19

    Building Meaningful Connection During COVID-19

    April 3, 2020
    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate in the art journal

    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate

    June 16, 2023
    Fall Leaf Card Project

    Fall Leaf Card Project

    November 6, 2020
  • How to Make a Simple Christmas Card
    Projects

    How to Make a Simple Christmas Card

    November 27, 2020 /

    As Christmas is drawing near, I wanted to share with you how to make a simple Christmas Card using stamps. It is easy to get wrapped up in completing elaborate projects around Christmastime, but sometimes our intentions and our available time do not align. Today I want to share a simple Christmas Card that can be completed under 10 minutes. Card Making for Self Care Card making is an essential part of my seasonal self care. It presents an opportunity to sit down for a few minutes and make something simple and creative. We often get so busy that we do not take time to pause, to rest and regroup.…

    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 Project: The Courage to Be Seen

    Having the Courage to be Seen

    September 12, 2020
    Holiday Collage Reflecting on the Season

    Texture Tips for Your Holiday Collage| Reflecting on the Season

    December 18, 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

    You May Also Like

    Reviewing and testing the Best Zebra Pens

    Why You Need Zebra Pens in Your Art Collection

    May 17, 2024
    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
    Restoration During A Holiday

    Restoration During A Holiday

    July 3, 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

    You May Also Like

    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 Choose Your Priorities

    How to Choose Your Priorities

    August 21, 2020
    Scrapbook Page Design Tips

    Scrapbook Page Design Tips

    March 12, 2021
  • Living in Transition: How to thrive in change
    Artist's Journey

    Living in Transition: How to Thrive in Change

    August 7, 2020 /

    I feel like 2020 is a year of living in transition. There has been so much change, so much uncertainty and so much transition. So how do we find ways where we can thrive in change? Change is Not Easy Change is not easy. Times of transition can be so challenging, not just to us but also those closest to us. These changes can be good ones, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are stress free. I’ve been thinking about how many of us are moving towards transition in the next month. At least in Alberta they are planning on reopening schools and universities. Many workplaces are moving back…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Which Pen To Choose? The Search for the Best Permanent Pen

    The Search for the Best Permanent Pen

    October 29, 2021
    How to Create a Colorful Mandala Using the Color Wheel

    How to Create a Colorful Mandala Using the Color Wheel

    May 12, 2023
    tissue paper collage with chipboard and gems

    The Secret to Stunning Collages…use Tissue Paper!

    March 7, 2025
  • 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…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Working in a Series with Gelli Prints Calendar Project

    Working in a Series with Gelli Prints

    December 30, 2022
    3 Ways to use Tombow Markers

    3 Ways To Use Tombow Markers

    February 28, 2020
    3 Unique Ways to Use Stencils and Stencil Masks

    3 Unique Ways to Use Stencils and Masks

    September 1, 2023
  • Finding A New Normal
    Artist's Journey

    Finding a New Normal

    May 29, 2020 /

    Have you been thinking about how to find a new normal in the wake of the pandemic? It has been on my mind over the last few weeks. I had an opportunity this past weekend to visit the Calgary Zoo for the first time since the pandemic. It made me think about how we can find our way back to a healthy routine and finding a new normal in our lives.   Being Emotionally Disoriented I have mentioned in other articles the feeling of being emotionally disorientated during the pandemic. There have been many good days, but there are other days where I feel like it is a real struggle.…

    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
    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
    moving past creative blocks by sketching in the garden Nadine Milton

    Feeling Stuck? 5 Ways for Moving Past Creative Blocks

    August 20, 2021
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.

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 (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
[mailerlite_form form_id=0]
© 2019- 2025. Hop-A-Long Studio Limited. All Rights Reserved.
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.