This is what my violin case looked like … resting on a cupboard shelf for so many years when I finally moved it to my desk ..my fingers started the removal of the dust …

And a microfiber cloth removed the rest .. now it is looking a bit more respectable.  I had purchased this violin from a friend, about 1996.  Started taking lessons from a variety of people .. always seeking instruction in French.  Finally found one teacher and we would speak French during the session while learning how to play some classical pieces.

Finally .. I realized that I wasn’t understand the language of the violin so I gave up and put it on a shelf where I lived at the time.   When I moved I took it with me.    At various times I considered selling it ..  it had a few faults but was still playable.  Anyway, again, it rested on a shelf until DH suggested that I take up the fiddle again.   He knows how much time I was spending on my beads (let’s just say that I am a little obsessive about my beads!) and making garden jewellery and knew that if I spent as much time on the fiddle, I would be playing well!

He was right, of course.  And so I found the perfect teacher, who is a true teacher … one who knows how to translate the language of music  and make it understandable to all levels of students .. and my journey began last July.   It’s a rocky path but I’m not quitting.

Actually, my teacher is quite similar to my DH, who is uber-patient in explaining the theory of flight to make it more understandable.

Here’s a saying I found, many, many years ago – in my dad’s accounting book … the book was tucked away in a cupboard.  I needed to learn a poem for school, so was happy to find this jewel .. which I am applying to my learning how to play the fiddle:

“A diamond is only a piece of coal that stuck to its job, you see.  If it wasn’t for that piece of coal, where would the diamond be?”

So right now I’m a piece of coal, working my way to shine, in my best fashion, to be a diamond!  I’ll be the best piece of coal that there ever could be!

Anyway .. here is my fiddle case now!!  I used duck tape and look how beautiful it is!  Hey, my fiddle case is a diamond !!

And here is the fabric that I wrap around my fiddle when I put it back into the case.  Notice the Paris theme?  sigh.

And on the left, voila, my music dictation book from 1996!  I occasionally wrote lesson notes to myself on what I’d learned.  Then I saw this book in Michael’s .. it had a beige cover, however, I quickly changed that, with the help of coloured Sharpies, it is now transformed to a livelier status.  I even made a treble bookmark to keep with the musical theme.  Now I keep a daily diary of when and what I practice.   And the highs and lows so I will remember, later on, when I’ve improved little by little!

And .. I can’t believe my luck sometimes, really!  I was shopping at Sears last week and found silver bugle bead sharp notes!!  Well, they are # signs from the Debbie Travis Christmas ornament collection, but to someone who is learning how to read music, they are sharps!   I bought a few, then raced back the next day, hoping the rest of them would still be there.  They were and so I bought them all up.  (not obsessive behaviour, right? )

G on the left (one sharp) and D on the right!  

A sharp!!!E Sharp!

And .. Yes … I have that many sharps .. plus a few more than that.   I’ll hang them outside in the sun, to sparkle and add brilliance to my garden.   Music and beads, they go together!  I also bought some “&” which I view as treble notes!

Sun is shining, perfect day to work outside in the garden and plant some peas continue tidying up!

Oh, wait, first I will practice my fiddle and make another addition to my daily musical diary!

on y va!

🙂