Music Lover’s Gift Basket

I love making a gift basket for the silent auction at the Arts and Crafts Mission Market at my church every November, which this year will benefit the Downtown Daycare Center here in Wichita, KS. This time I decided on a music theme.

• First, I made an embroidered pillow and a music-note-fabric half apron with fabric flower a-la-mode. (Click here for the apron tutorial from Jona of Stop Staring & Start Sewing).
• Next, I added a framed music saying (which you can get here for FREE from the lovelyn Darilyn of TheHighNotedotNet) and a package of vintage music Christmas tree confetti from Darilyn’s Etsy shop.
• I finished if off with a blank journal and coffee cup cozy for idea-gathering and a small vintage hymnal.

Click here for gift baskets from the past few years. It’s my secret ambition to go into the gift basket business someday! (Dave, you didn’t see that, right???)  ♥

Music Pillow

One of my recent road trip embroidery projects is now paired with a fun music print to make a pillow! The credit for this idea goes to Darilyn at TheHighNoteDotNet who graciously shared this lovely quote by author Bertold Auerbach. And, if embroidery isn’t your medium of choice, she will email you an iron-on transfer to use on a pillow, T-shirt, or other fabric craft . . . how sweet is that!!!  P.S. The red one is from my flower pillow collection, and here’s a link to another music pillow from my very first month of blogging! ♥

Casting My Cares

For the past two Januaries I’ve gone to a women’s retreat at my church. Both times I pondered whether I wanted to “give up” a Saturday, and both times I was SO glad that I did. So, when I was asked to help with this year’s retreat, I enthusiastically agreed. My main function is to do “supporting-role” type things like leading the get-acquainted activity, introducing the journaling prompts, and playing the guitar for the singing. Playing the guitar??? I used to play and sing every day with my first graders, but these are grown-ups . . . and the retreat is tomorrow . . .

Needless to say, I’ve been practicing. ALOT. I no longer have my teen-age angst guitar (“I am a ROCK! I am an I-I-I-I-I-LAND!”), so it’s comforting to have my sweet father-in-law’s instrument to use. Another blessing is that I have beautiful words and melodies floating around in my head, unlike some really annoying songs that sometimes get stuck there. Here’s my favorite, which sums up the whole theme of the retreat, with all the chords penciled in. ♥

Musical Pillows

When I was in kindergarten, I got a toy xylophone for Christmas. I LOVED that thing and played it nonstop.  Soon, my parents enrolled me in piano lessons  . . . probably so they could take the xylophone away! 🙂

Long story short, piano grew to be a huge part of my life. I was even able to make a living accompanying, teaching piano lessons, and playing for weddings when I went to college to get a teaching degree, so THANK YOU, Dad and Mom! ♥

I made this pillow with embroidery a-la-mode in honor of the little music book that came with my xylophone, which has colored notes matched to the colors of the bars.  The finished size is 12 x 12.