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

  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • Why art journal?Demystifying Art Journaling: How to Start & Why It Matters
    In Projects
  • How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intentionShow Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels
    In Art Journal, Projects, Techniques
  • Mixed Media Fall Greeting Card Using Distress Crayons, Archival Ink and Wild Whisper Designs Paper and Stamps
    Projects

    Mixed Media Fall Greeting Card

    October 8, 2021 /

    As fall is upon us, I am having so much fun playing with mixed media fall greeting cards. The fall colors are incredible! Beautiful leaves, textures and colors as the trees turn and the weather gets colder. It was the perfect inspiration for this mixed media fall greeting card! Card Inspiration The inspiration for this greeting card is not only the beautiful trees and gorgeous fall weather. This weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada and I love making fall greeting cards during this season. Thanksgiving is a great time to remember the things I am grateful for. I try to have a habit of gratitude throughout the year, but Thanksgiving is…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Gelli Plate Printing Textures with Leaves

    Gelli Plate Printing with Leaves

    June 24, 2022
    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 Paint Flowers with a Toilet Paper Roll

    How to Paint Flowers with a Toilet Paper Roll

    August 4, 2023
  • Detail of Card Live Life in Full Bloom Stamped Card Colored with Distress Crayons
    Projects,  Techniques

    Quick Coloring Technique Using Distress Crayons

    September 24, 2021 /

    Do you ever struggle with adding color to your images? Coloring images is enjoyable but can take a lot of time and patience. Today I will be demonstrating a quick coloring technique using Distress Crayons for those moments when you want to spend less time coloring and want a very forgiving result. Fighting Against Perfectionism Using a quick coloring technique is a great way of fighting against perfectionism in our creative practice. We can be very critical about how we color and shade images. This technique is a great way of breaking out of perfectionism. I originally showed this technique at the Creative Scrapbooking Carnival last weekend when I was…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Finding A New Normal

    Finding a New Normal

    May 29, 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
    15 Gift Ideas for Artists

    15 Amazing Gift Ideas for Artists and Creatives

    November 3, 2023
  • Art Tag using Scribble Stick Watercolor Technique and Brene Brown Quote on Vellum
    Projects,  Techniques

    Scribble Sticks Watercolor Technique

    September 17, 2021 /

    Have you ever tried Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks in your creative practice? Today I will show you an easy Scribble Sticks watercolor technique that can be used for a card, in a journal or on a tag. What are Scribble Sticks? Scribble Sticks are a pigment-based stick that writes similarly to a crayon. They are also water soluble, so you can use them for watercolor techniques. As these have a different binder than watercolor paints, the blending effects you can get with these sticks is unique. The benefit of the Scribble Sticks is that they can be added on surfaces that traditional watercolor paints would not work well on. You…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Adding Modeling Paste Through a Detailed Stencil

    How to get the Best Results with Acrylic Pastes and Stencils

    January 20, 2023
    Paint Your Season's Greetings: Simple Watercolor Christmas Card Designs

    Paint Your Season’s Greetings with Simple Watercolor Christmas Cards

    December 1, 2023
    Mixed Media Art Journal Collage

    Mixed Media Art Journal Collage: Finding Intention at Christmas

    December 17, 2021
  • Printing with Gelli Plate Minis Gelli Printing Plates
    Techniques

    Printing with Gelli Plate Minis

    September 3, 2021 /

    Are you looking for a new technique for your mixed media practice? Today I will be demonstrating printing with the Gelli plate minis and how these differ from larger Gelli plates. It is always nice to try new things and discovering these little plates has opened many creative doors in my art practice. What are Gelli Plate Minis? Gelli Arts Mini gel printing plates are smaller versions of the Gelli printing plates and come in a variety of shapes. The collection of Gelli plate minis I have are oval, rectangle, and hexagon but they also come in shapes including triangle, circle, octagon, and diamond. The oval, rectangle, and hexagon Gelli…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Art Journal Page Using Distress Embossing Glazes and Pastes

    Art Journal Page Using Distress Embossing Glazes

    June 12, 2020
    How to Make Gelli Prints

    How to Make Gelli Prints

    May 15, 2020
    Napkin Decoupage on Any Surface: Decorating a plastic pumpkin with napkins and pouring medium

    The Art of Napkin Decoupage: How to Easily Transform Any Surface

    October 20, 2023
  • Living in the Moment Art Journal Page Paint Tutorial
    Art Journal

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

    August 27, 2021 /

    Do you ever find yourself surrounded by distraction? Living in the moment is not always easy, but is an important habit to cultivate. By being present in the moment we can find enjoyment and peace in the small and precious moments in our lives. Art journaling can be a useful tool to help us practice living in the moment by writing about what we experience in these moments. Why Living in the Moment? I recently had the opportunity to visit Banff National Park. It was a day to enjoy the outdoors and practice photography. Visiting the park with my husband we both commented on interesting behavior that we saw as…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Acrylic Paint Pouring Ornaments

    Easy and Beautiful Acrylic Paint Pouring Holiday Ornaments

    December 22, 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
    Practicing Self-Care during the Holiday Season

    Practicing Self-Care during the Holiday Season

    December 12, 2019
  • Mixed Media Art Journal Page Summer Days
    Art Journal

    Mixed Media Art Journal Page – Hot Summer Days

    August 13, 2021 /

    Do you ever struggle with adding layers to your mixed media art journal page? Adding layers and still ending up with a cohesive page can be challenging. In today’s project, we will be exploring how to create a mixed media art journal page using inks, acrylic paint, stencils, and mediums in many layers that work well together. Art Journal Page Inspiration This mixed media art journal page was inspired by the paper collection Pour Decisions by Jenn Aguilar. When I saw this paper collection it made me smile. Between the puns, colorful imagery, and the feeling of summer it evokes, I just had to add it to a journal page.…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    June 25, 2021
    Dealing with Loss During the Holiday Season

    Dealing with Loss During the Holiday Season

    December 5, 2019
    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
  • 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.…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    How to Use Watercolor Backgrounds in an Art Journal Page

    How to Use Watercolor Backgrounds in an Art Journal

    September 2, 2022
    How to Use Gel Prints in Your Art Journal

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

    July 29, 2022
    Art of Self-Discovery Art Journaling Page

    The Art of Self-Discovery: An Art Journaling Project

    May 27, 2019
  • Fold Up Book Instax Mini Album Using Wild Whisper Designs paper and Local King Rubber Stamps
    Projects

    One Page Fold Up Book: Instax Mini Album

    July 2, 2021 /

    Today I will be sharing my version of the one page fold up book. If you have never seen these books, they are easy to make and fun to create. By taking a single sheet of paper, in just a few minutes you will have a book that you can create in. It can be challenging to start creating in a new journal or book. So by making your own little book, this can be a fun way create in a way that is simple and not overwhelming. One Page Fold Up Book To create a fold up book, start with a piece of paper of your choice. These books…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    My first mixed media page in the Dina Wakley Ledger Journal

    My First Impressions of the Dina Wakley Ledger Journal

    March 14, 2025
    Traveler's Notebook Examples

    How to Use a Traveler’s Notebook

    March 19, 2021
    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate in the art journal

    How to Collage with Tissue Paper and Acetate

    June 16, 2023
  • 5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink
    Art Journal,  Techniques

    5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink

    June 25, 2021 /

    The art journal is a wonderful place to create, but it can be challenging to know where to start. Today I am sharing 5 art journal background ideas using ink to help inspire your creativity. These are some of the ways that I start my journal pages, especially when I’m not sure where to go next. The blank page can be intimidating. There are so many directions a page can go. These easy techniques can be a springboard for your creative ideas, to help you move past the blank page.   5 Art Journal Background Ideas Using Ink Ink Blending Ink blending is one of the simplest ways to quickly…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    Misconceptions Surrounding Mental Illness

    Misconceptions Surrounding Mental Illness

    October 7, 2020
    Amazing Art Journal Page Using a Vaseline Resist Technique

    How to Create Vaseline Resist Techniques in Your Art Journal

    September 8, 2023
    Holiday Collage Reflecting on the Season

    Texture Tips for Your Holiday Collage| Reflecting on the Season

    December 18, 2023
  • Travel Greeting Card Using Photos and Wild Whisper Designs Road Trip Paper Collection
    Projects

    How to Make a Travel Greeting Card

    June 18, 2021 /

    Today we will talk about how to make a travel greeting card using beautiful paper and your personal photos. When I create cards, it is usually an art card or a photo card. This week, I thought I would show you how you can these two creative styles together. Creating a Travel Greeting Card Creating a travel greeting card with photos and other elements can be challenging. The key is figuring out the right balance for these images so that the card feels cohesive. For this card, I used a landscape photo with die cut imagery. By using a simpler photo, this allowed the die cuts to add to the…

    Read More
    Nadine Milton

    You May Also Like

    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
    An Easy Watercolor Tutorial on Watercolor Mixing

    Intimidated by Watercolor Mixing? An Easy Watercolor Tutorial

    February 18, 2022
    How to fix disappearing napkin art with these simple steps

    My Napkin Art is Disappearing! 3 Easy Ways to Recover Images

    April 28, 2023
12345

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 (20) Art Journaling (62) Art Tutorials (156) Art Videos (163) Awareness (19) Blending Color (22) Card Making (16) Card Tutorials (11) Christmas (9) collage (19) Creative Foundations (24) Creativity (28) Drawing (12) Embossing (11) Gelli Plate (10) Gelli Printing (21) Goal Setting (9) Ink Blending (13) Inking (42) Inks (11) Making Good Choices (12) Mental Health (32) Mindfulness (24) Mixed Media (13) Mixed Media Art (16) napkins (9) Pan Pastels (9) Self-Care (47) Self-Care Activities (16) Self-Care Videos (33) Self-Discovery (14) Stamping (62) Stencilling (48) Tim Holtz Distress (23) Values (9) Watercolor (14) Watercolor Basics (13) Watercolor Painting (19) Wild Whisper Designs (21)

Recent Posts

  • How to Choose an Art Journal You’ll Love
    In Art Journal
  • Why art journal?Demystifying Art Journaling: How to Start & Why It Matters
    In Projects
  • How to use Pan Pastels in an Art Journal Page to display your yearly intentionShow Your New Years Intention with Pan Pastels
    In Art Journal, Projects, Techniques
[mailerlite_form form_id=0]
© 2019- 2026. 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.