Studio Tunes | Why I love sharing playlists & one to listen to for February

love is a ver quote framed hanging on living room wall

"Love is a Verb" art print inspired by an all time favorite of mine, John Mayer

If you’re a part of my email community, you’re well aware that I love putting together a good playlist to share. Ever since my days in jr. high burning the latest hits on a CD (ssshhh!, don’t tell) so I could listen to them endlessly, I have loved putting them together in a way that told a story or made the sounds of each one feel comforting and fun to listen to from start to finish. Although most of them back in that day were full of songs from NSYNC and No doubt… but still!

It became such a fun hobby for me that friends started asking me to put playlists together for them too. Soon I became the “playlist queen” as I made them for events in high school, road trips, weddings, or choosing the perfect tune to put behind the videos I’d create in college.

I didn’t realize it until a friend of mine pointed it out to me recently how something like this has stuck with me my whole life. (she was one of those jr. high friends that can vouch for my hobby and how I spent more time on these than I did listening to teachers in school, woops!).

lyrics hand written and framed on a shelf by coley kuyper art

hand lettered prints from songs I was inspired by || "One Plus One" art print (left) and "People Let me Tell You" art print (right)

It got me wondering why I love doing this so much. Music has always been an inspiration and intertwines with everything I paint and create for the home, whether it’s the lyrics or the feeling that comes when listening to it. So many feelings and memories can be attached to music, it can bring us back to a moment in time that speaks life into us again, reminds us of our best memories dancing in the car or in the living room with our kids. It brings me back to making music videos with friends in college (wait, am I the only one that did this?!). And it can connect with us in our heartache and pain, making us feel like we’re not alone, giving us hope to keep going and to seek the beauty that’s waiting for us.

And that’s why it fills me up to create these for others. To give people something that could bring beauty and comfort into their day. To help them connect with the songs the way I did or give them a reason to find hope in whatever they’re going through.

mama holding baby in kids room

So this post is a bit like sharing those burned CDs back in grade school with you. I’m going to start sharing them here seasonally on the blog to give you something that I hope will bring beauty and comfort to your every day moments. It’ll also be like a peek into my studio as you listen along to the tunes I'm playing in the background as I paint.

If you’re like me and just want more good music in your life make sure you get on my email list here to get them monthly– along with a lot of other behind the scenes content I share only with my email community.

Since it’s February, I’ll start off by sharing the newest one I created sweetly titled “Adore” (and yes it’s a a great one to listen to as you browse the Valentines mini collection I have in the shop right now).

Play it in the morning sipping your first hot cuppa, or in the car for a long drive, or low in the background as you make dinner for your loved ones. It’s a feel good mix with sweet songs and lyrics to make you feel all kinds of love this season and to remind you again, you are worthy of love and you are worthy of beautiful things!