Yesterday as I was getting ready for church I was reflecting on all of the years I have accompanied services as the organist. I started taking organ lessons when I was 15 by riding my bike to church for lessons. The organ in our church needed repairing and a young man in our community – Michael Quimby – asked the board if they would fund the materials, he would provide labor freely. He was in high school at this time, but he was known for his musical skills and training so the church board agreed. Fast foward about a year and after the organ refurbishing, he was featured as the recital organist and I attended with my parents. I would have been in elementary school at that time and thought “will this ever be over?”
Fast forward several years and by now Michael is out of college teaching music, and once a week he met me at church for lessons. Keep in mind, I started piano lessons when I was 6 so I’m not learning HOW to read music. I’m learning finger and pedal exercises so my movements were fluid and connected while playing, because whereas a piano has a pedal to sustain the pitch, an organ does not. It’s the finger exercises with all of the finger substitutions that connects the melody. If you didn’t enjoy playing scales, you would HATE the finger and pedal exercises. It was due to Micheal that I declared the organ as my instrument emphasis during college. I studied under his professor – Frederick Homan – and when Pool Boy and I were married, Dr. Homan played almost a recital at our wedding.
Over the years I’ve played for weddings, queen coronations, beauty pagents, church services, and of course funerals. Which leads today’s card. I just had to take you on a long, musical journey before arriving there!
Without a doubt the most cards I need are sympathy cards. Is it the same for you?? When people come to classes they comment that they need “more sympathy” cards. So today’s card is one I created for our in person class tomorrow using the Textured Notes dies that are coming to the Online Exclusives in March. The Twisted In Time stamp set/dies are also found in the Online Exclusives as well. I love the beautiful texture and depth built into the stamps of the tree – our photopolymer stamps give such incredible shading it’s hard to believe it’s simply one stamp!
Here’s a hint for using this bundle!!! I stamped the trunk first with Pecan Pie, THEN die cut the whole tree shape WITHOUT the green foliage. Since the foliage goes over branches there is no easy way to stamp the green and then die cut without being off center. STAMP tree trunk, DIE CUT tree, THEN STAMP the foliage because you now have a defined area for stamping and it’s a breeze to line up.
So it’s time to send my retired supplies out to a new home, and I want your home to be one of them!! These boxes are the medium flat rate boxes (measuring 14 x 12 x3.5 inches) STUFFED with materials that I need to relocate AND I will pay the shipping!!!!
Here’s how you can claim one of the Mystery Boxes – place a $75 order at the link below to my online store, and I will ship you LOADED with a variety of items listed below:
- Retired Stamp Sets
- Retired Stamp BUNDLES!
- Retired Stamp Punch BUNDLES!
- Retired DSP – these will be cut into 6×6 pieces to help with packaging!
- Retired Ribbons and Gems – some unused, some gently used
- Past Paper Pumpkin kits or refills
- AND some extra goodies I’ve been gathering for just this!
- AND I pay the shipping!!!
Simply place your order at the link below, claim a FREE Sale-A-Bration item, AND one Mystery Box.
https://www.stampinup.com/?hostcode=HBWXWJBW
Final Thoughts…..
So fast forward 50 years and I’m stilling playing for church. I no longer play for weddings, and I only play for services in our church, no other facility. I still continue to play for funerals in our church, because I believe it’s the last respectful thing I can do for that person and their family. I play fast, I play loud, and you’d best follow me because I’m not letting you lead.
Go online and check out my organ teacher, Micheal Quimby. After working to build up his business, he finally left the field of teaching and worked full time with his staff building the business Quimby Pipe Organs. His staff works all over the United States refurbishing and restoring pipe organs to their glory.
Organists are a dying breed – it’s a rarity to find someone taking lessons, much less choosing the organ as their instrumental emphasis during college which I did. Being the only organ major it’s why I got stuck playing for all the weddings, the queen coronations, etc.
I’ve already told Pool Boy I will play for his service if I’m still living, and I also plan to play for my funeral. When your organ has the capability to record, you can do that! LOL!
Until next time, have a great day doing whatever makes you happy, and God Bless!
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