This WONDERfilled Life...

I’ve thought about this topic for almost 6 months…more probably.  So many things we deal with as musicians (and a freelancer on top of that) are just really good life lessons and lately I keep coming back to the concept of "planning".   You have a goal, you have an end game, an end vision.   Maybe it’s a new patio for the backyard, or getting in shape before a certain event,  or the giving a recital with a certain theme.  No matter what the end "product"is you have to take certain steps to get there.  Decide on what style of patio you want, set a budget, hire a contractor or spend some serious time on the Googles learning a new skill set. Dreaming the dream, seeing that end goal is the EASY part.  I can create vision board of any and every success I can imagine but that doesn’t put that ball in motion toward that goal.   Looking back on what I would consider some of my greatest accomplishments I realized that the most successful mom...

This week is short and sweet...simply because the two patterns I whipped up were short and sweet! So easy in fact that I finished them by Wednesday.  I of course had planned to spend the rest of my crafting week on a few other projects but life happened and so I suppose they will get shifted to next week.  I have a recital this week, Dynamic Duo , and besides the excitement of playing some really fun music with some awesome musical colleagues it also gives me the excuse to make myself something nice and NOT black! Well at least half of my make this week wasn't black.  I started with this amazing floral (I think, ITY) from Knitpop .  I had ear marked it for a flirty dress but because the stage I will be playing on is up from the audience I didn't feel comfortable wearing a dress.   I settled on a pattern I've had since it came out and just hadn't found the time to try it out! It is the Pattern for Pirates (P4P) Cocoon Cardigan (they also have the youth ...

This week...this was a week.  So many highs and lows. On one hand I am super excited for my horn and organ concert later today.  I have wanted to do this collaboration for years, since I was first introduced to the Hermann Baumann Horn and Organ CD by my teacher Rick Menaul while in undergrad.  I had Bubba 10.5 months ago and I am just so proud of myself for setting this goal (if I do say so)! On the other hand it was a heart wrenching week as a friend lost his 36 year old sister to cancer in 27 days.  TWENTY SEVEN days.  Think about it. She leaves behind a husband, 7 yo and an 8 mo boys as well as her parents and siblings.  Life just seems so unfair.  19 years ago my sister was ripped from our lived in a freak car accident.  All the emotions from my family's loss came barreling back to me.  Needless to say it was a hard week to keep my focus and I was happy to have a project to meditate on and help to quiet my mind.  Ironi...

Remember last Sunday when I talked about out of a failure can, in fact, come success? Well I wasn't just talking "crafting".  One of the reasons I started the #52wonderfilledweeks challenge was to force myself into action.  We're all guilty of talking big talk, I have X, Y and Z plans...blah blah blah but how often do we actually take action? Not as often as we should I think.  I love thinking up ideas, and when it isn't music related for some reason I am really good at putting those ideas into action.  In fact the farther the idea is from me personally (i.e., I won't personally gain - or lose- from it) I am THE girl to put things into action.  For example I joined the local Park Advisory Council (PAC) last fall...let's keep in mind I have two small children and a full time job as a free lance hornist...and yet at the first, FIRST, meeting I ever attended I suggested and then volunteered to organize a giant holiday craft fair.  What was I thinking? Well ...

Did you hear? I am giving a recital! I think it's been over 10 years since I gave a recital. This program is really exciting to me because I am collaborating with Chicago Organist, Joe Burgio, to give an all horn and organ recital. I have wanted to do this recital since I first heard Baumann's Horn and organ CD back in my undergrad days. The CD is now out of print but can be yours for the low price of about $200! Joe and I have been researching pieces and have found so many we hope this will be the first of many horn and organ offerings! Preparing this week got me thinking about technology and how much things have changed since I gave my last recital. Technology has changed the face of not just everyday life but how musicians prepare and perform all over the world. I wrote the below blog post as part of a larger blog offering by the Über Horn Quartet in early 2016. I thought I'd share it with you now since I am utilizing all of these apps and devices as I prepare ...