Join me for a Spring 2026 Hobby Lobby Shop With Me as I explore what’s new in spring decor, florals, wall art, and creative supplies — all through the lens of an artist. I stopped by Hobby Lobby to pick up a few studio essentials, but while wandering the aisles filled with spring flowers, pastel color palettes, botanical prints, and seasonal home decor, I found myself asking a bigger question: Can an artist find real inspiration in mass-produced art and decor? In this video, we walk through the spring collections together — from floral arrangements and canvas prints to textures, color combinations, and design trends — and talk about how inspiration works when you’re a working artist. At the end of the video, I share a small studio haul and what I plan to use it for: • A new paint storage idea for preserving my water-soluble oil paints • A brush shaper product to restore worn-out detail brushes If you’re an artist, creative, or simply love spring decor and shop-with-me videos, I hope this inspires you to look at everyday spaces a little differently. Let me know in the comments: ✨ Did you see anything inspiring? ✨ Can mass-produced decor still spark creativity? ✨ What are your favorite spring color palettes this year?
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Where I’ve Been Lately — A Creative Reset
There’s something strange about posting your life online each week — when you step away, it can feel like you owe an explanation. In this video, I’m sharing where I’ve been lately and why I’ve needed to slow down. While working on Vibrant Flight, an oil painting from my Needle and Brush — Birds and Botanicals: Paintings of Wool and Pigment collection, I talk honestly about energy, health, creative pressure, and what it means to put your body first. Living with adrenal fatigue and a sensitive nervous system means I have to be careful about how much I stretch myself. The colder months, busy seasons, and long days can take more than they give. And sometimes something has to give. For now, that has meant stepping back from weekly uploads and allowing space to rest and rebuild. If you’ve ever felt behind, exhausted, or guilty for slowing down — this is for you. My hope is to continue cultivating serenity through creativity — even if the pace looks different than before. Thank you for being here. I truly appreciate every single one of you who watches, listens, and shows up.
Cozy Snow Day In The Studio | Calming and Inspiring
We had a snow and ice storm here on the East Coast of the USA and I am sharing with you what I got up to in the studio. I made this a silent video with some calming music so you can join me and enjoy the peace or have me in the background as you create. I mixed in some backyard beauty of the snow and ice and the birdies. The birds are so fun to watch. I also start working on a painting that I started a few years ago and is part of a series called Needle and Brush Collection and the collection is of Birds and Botanicals, paintings of wool and pigment. I take the same composition and create it in paint and wool. Today I am working on Vibrant Flight and I am painting it in oils. I hope you tune in and stay a while and leave me a comment. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Antiquing at the Largest Antique Mall in America
If you watched last week’s video, you know I spent the holidays away with my family at a ski resort — creating art, eating way too much, and laughing nonstop (while I avoided skiing because I’m extremely fond of walking 😂).
One of my favorite traditions during that week is taking myself on a cozy antique adventure, and this year I visited one of my favorite places — The Factory Antique Mall, said to be the largest antique mall in America. In this video, I take you along on my slow wander through the mall, including a visit to Amanda Mercantile Booth, which I discovered years ago and instantly fell in love with. If you’re an antiquing lover, you’ll definitely want to check out her YouTube channel — I’ve linked it below.
✨ Let me know in the comments: Have you ever been to The Factory Antique Mall? Or what’s your favorite antique spot? Thanks for being here. — Jan
Amanda's Mercantile : https://www.youtube.com/@amandasmercantile
My First Year on YouTube as an Artist — Was It Worth It?
Is YouTube worth it for artists?
After one full year of showing up, creating, and sharing my work, I wanted to sit down and reflect honestly on what this journey has been like.
In this video, I’m sharing my thoughts after my first year on YouTube as an artist — the highs, the disappointments, and the quiet lessons that don’t always show up in numbers. I talk about what it’s like to create art without guaranteed sales, to launch collections that don’t sell, to post weekly videos without monetization, and to keep going anyway.
This reflection is woven together with footage from a winter getaway and moments of felting — working slowly, intuitively, and with intention. As I work, I share what I’ve learned about creativity, comparison, consistency, and why the act of making still matters deeply, even when the outcome isn’t what we hoped for.
If you’re an artist, creative, or anyone wondering whether YouTube is worth the effort — especially in the early years — I hope this video makes you feel a little less alone.