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The Art of Self-Care

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

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    Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper

    Create this Easy Snake Book with 1 Sheet of Paper

    February 3, 2023
    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    Creative Stamping with Watercolor Markers

    February 11, 2022
    12 books to read in 2020

    12 Books to Read in 2020

    January 7, 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…

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    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
    Creative Foundations How to Blend Ink

    Creative Foundations: How to Blend Ink

    January 31, 2020
    Easy Alcohol Ink Christmas Card

    Easy Alcohol Ink Christmas Card

    December 4, 2020
  • 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

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    Japanese Art Journal Papers

    Wild and Wonderful Art Journal Papers: An Exploration into Japanese Paper

    February 4, 2022
    Blue Monday: Reasons to Hope

    Blue Monday: Reasons to Hope

    January 19, 2020
    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
  • 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…

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    Nadine Milton

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    Festive and Fabulous Gel Print Holiday Cards

    The Best DIY Gel Print Holiday Cards

    December 5, 2025
    Gift Ideas for Artists

    The Best Gifts for Artists that Love Watercolor and Acrylic Paint

    November 5, 2022
    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
  • Goal Setting During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    Goal Setting During COVID-19

    April 24, 2020 /

    Goal setting during COVID-19 may seem like an odd thing to discuss, but I believe it is now more important than ever. If you have been following my site for a while, you will know that I have already shared some of my personal experience with goal setting. I believe that goal setting is an exercise that we should do at least once a year. It needs to be more than a New Year’s Resolution. Goal setting is a tool to help us find purpose and define the goals that are most important to us. In my original article about goal setting, I provided a free goal setting template. This…

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    Nadine Milton

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    When Things Don't Go According to Plan

    When Things Don’t Go According to Plan

    September 25, 2020
    Choosing an Art Journal for Your Creative Practice Hop-A-Long Studio

    Choosing an Art Journal for Your Creative Practice

    May 27, 2022
    3 Ways to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!

    3 Techniques to Make Your Mixed Media Pages POP!

    May 1, 2026
  • 3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly
    Artist's Journey

    3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly

    April 10, 2020 /

    My book review this month is 3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. This is a fabulous book about having the courage to be vulnerable and how it can transform our lives. For anyone who wants to greatly improve their self-care and mental health, this book is a must read. I wanted to share with you the 3 lessons that I learned personally from Daring Greatly. I am Uncomfortable with Vulnerability My first lesson from this book was realizing that I am uncomfortable with vulnerability. Brene Brown writes about what she has learned as a shame and vulnerability researcher. She speaks about her interviews with her research…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to Paint Watercolor Backgrounds

    How to Paint Watercolor Backgrounds

    February 14, 2020
    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains

    June 19, 2020
    Reviewing and testing the Best Zebra Pens

    Why You Need Zebra Pens in Your Art Collection

    May 17, 2024
  • How to Find Rest During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    How to Find Rest During COVID-19

    March 27, 2020 /

    As I have been connecting with friends online this week, it has made me think about how to find rest during COVID-19. It is easy to say that since many of us are not working now that we are having a period of rest. I do not believe that is necessarily the case. Being a driven person, I have found that finding actual restorative time and learning how to rest is easier said than done. Busy for the Sake of Busyness It is easy to fall into being busy for the sake of busyness. The habit of always doing something and going somewhere is not an easy one to break.…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love

    February 27, 2026
    4 Things I Learned From Failing Forward

    4 Things I Learned from Failing Forward

    February 7, 2020
    Paint Your Season's Greetings: Simple Watercolor Christmas Card Designs

    Paint Your Season’s Greetings with Simple Watercolor Christmas Cards

    December 1, 2023
  • How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19
    Artist's Journey

    How to Live Fearlessly During COVID-19

    March 20, 2020 /

    As many of us are dealing with the recent pandemic it has made me consider how to live fearlessly during COVID-19. I believe that we do need be concerned about the coronavirus. We definitely need to take precautions, but how do we live fearlessly instead of letting fear and worry steal our joy? Fear Based Living It’s easy to fall into fear based living. There was a period in my life where it felt like fear was an all-consuming reality. I was fearful of so many things, including interacting with others. When we are living in fear it is easy to fall into victimhood. Instead of seeing the world as…

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    Nadine Milton

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    How to Use Pan Pastels

    How to use Pan Pastels

    January 1, 2021
    Do You have Ruined Paint Brushes? How to Fix Acrylic Paint Brushes

    Do You Have Ruined Paint Brushes? How to Fix Acrylic Paint Brushes in 3 Easy Steps!

    February 17, 2023
    Contour Drawing with Watercolor and Wax Resist

    Loosen Up with Contour Drawing and Painterly Effects

    January 7, 2022
  • 4 lessons from start with why
    Artist's Journey

    4 Lessons from Start With Why

    March 6, 2020 /

    This week I wanted to share with you 4 lessons from “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. This book is part of my 2020 reading challenge, where I have chosen 12 books to read in 2020. I believe an important aspect to self-care is learning and seeing things from a new perspective. This book in particular has been very helpful for understanding my why, not just for this website but in my personal life. Why I Chose “Start with Why” Start with Why was a book recommended to me several years ago by a friend. It was also part of the recommended reading from my husband’s company. I had also…

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    Nadine Milton

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    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
    Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique

    Wet on Wet Watercolor Technique

    July 31, 2020
    Best Acrylic Paint Pens Paint Marker Comparison Hop-A-Long Studio

    The Best Acrylic Paint Pens: A Paint Marker Comparison

    July 9, 2021
  • 3 Ways to use Tombow Markers
    Projects,  Techniques

    3 Ways To Use Tombow Markers

    February 28, 2020 /

    As I was thinking about which art technique I would like to share with you this week as part of my Creative Foundation Series, 3 ways to Tombow markers in an unconventional way came to mind.   What are Tombow Dual Brush Pens? If you are unfamiliar with Tombow Dual Brush pens, they are a great tool to use in art and papercrafts. They come in 108 colors and are useful for coloring, illustration, sketching and brush lettering. I often use them for these purposes, but also use them in some more unconventional ways. This week I will be sharing 3 ways that I use these markers in a more…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

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    How to create unique color combinations in the art journal using a color wheel

    How to use a Color Wheel to Create Unique Art Journal Color Combinations

    May 5, 2023
    Nadine Milton Sketching in Kelowna Japanese Garden

    Why You Should Try an Art Retreat

    August 13, 2022
    An Easy Watercolor Tutorial on Watercolor Mixing

    Intimidated by Watercolor Mixing? An Easy Watercolor Tutorial

    February 18, 2022
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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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