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Free Christian Sheet Music – “ABIDE WITH ME” – A powerful, nature-inspired arrangement for piano and soprano voice

Music Composition

Cover to the "Abide with Me" sheet music; a lantern in the darkness

In an effort to exercise my composing muscles, I’ve asked my friends to name some of their favorite hymns so I can arrange them. This one goes out to my gluten-free bestie, Rindi. She is one of the strongest people I know, and not just because she can’t eat regular pizza. Her dedication to Christ in the face of life’s challenges inspires me.

This song (in my mind) starts in autumn by a cozy fire (set to the tune of Abide with Me), plummets into a spare and icy winter (Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King), then roars back to life as spring arrives in a joyful procession (God of Our Fathers).

Should be easy for a singer to pick up, but the piano part’s got some fanfare rhythms that might be tricky to pick up by sight alone. The downloadable mp3, imperfect midi though it is, can help my fellow pianists learn the rhythms by ear. Whew!

Small Business Saturday: We have da merch!

Art, Music

It’s Small Business Saturday and I’m hoping you’ll consider grabbing some holiday gifts from me!

First, you can buy books I’ve written using the links at https://www.PixelvaniaPublishing.com

Next, I’ve got sheet music I’ve written at my Gumroad store:

https://gumroad.com/pixelvaniastudios

And now I’m selling fun shirts and other merch based off my book cover art and also silly cats (and ferocious wolves, and screaming skulls) I’ve drawn!
teespring.com/stores/pixelvani
teespring.com/stores/momcats
redbubble.com/people/Pixelvani
amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A7141123011

More to come! Shares are appreciated!

Giving Thanks, Day 7/7

everyday

Final day! I’m grateful there’s a grocery store close to us. We had to pop out this morning to grab sundry things (foil! of all the times to run out of foil!!); it was nice that it didn’t have to be a big excursion. Plus, the folks at our store are pleasant–it’s a nice store to be in.

There’s a million other things I’m deeply grateful for (my husband and cat are just two!) but, you know, sometimes I like to remember the less glamorous things in life and appreciate that they’re there.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~Per a recent invitation given by the president of my church, I’ll be posting once a day for the next seven days regarding something I’m feeling grateful for. Feel free to join in and feel more peace in your life! #GiveThanks

Giving Thanks, Day 6

everyday

Day 6: It’s always a great day to be thankful for indoor plumbing and running water. In some places, all somebody does all day is haul water back and forth from the well to their house–can’t get an education or anything else–all for want of plumbing. So I try not to take it for granted.

~Per a recent invitation given by the president of my church, I’ll be posting once a day for the next seven days regarding something I’m feeling grateful for. Feel free to join in and feel more peace in your life! #GiveThanks

Giving Thanks, Day 1/7

everyday

Today I’m grateful for the phlebotomist who stuck me today. I’m Rather Smoll and finding veins can be very tricky on me, but the folks at the lab where I regularly go always get ‘er done with minimal fuss and discomfort to me (who is all too often anxious about the whole procedure).

~Per a recent invitation given by the president of my church, I’ll be posting once a day for the next seven days regarding something I’m feeling grateful for. Feel free to join in and feel more peace in your life! #GiveThanks

Free Christmas Sheet Music – “I Wonder As I Wander” – A melancholy Philip Glass-inspired arrangement for Piano and Soprano Voice

Music Composition

Cover for I WONDER AS I WANDER, a girl in the snowy woods

I needed a song for a Christmas performance in 2019. I’ve always liked “I Wonder As I Wander” (so haunting!) but 1) didn’t find an arrangement I liked online and 2) I found the song’s original second and third verses to be…lackluster (to be polite).

So after finding some public domain replacement lyrics (and a singer), I came up with this. If you like dramatic, minor-key music, you’ll love this song. This arrangement takes otherwise cheerful songs  Away in a Manger and My Jesus, I Love Thee and and gives them a VERY DRAMATIC TURN.

If I had to describe the arrangement musically, it starts off like Beauty and the Beast, adds a squeeze of Hollow Knight in the middle, then goes full-on Philip Glass for the ending.

I wrote it to be manageable for the pianist–intermediate level at the most. Even if it looks intimidating, give the third verse a try.

Pattern Animals – Spring Rabbit and Hummingbird

Art

Rabbit drawn in marker, filled with crazy patterns and colors Wish I Hummingbird drawn in marker, filled with crazy patterns and colorsWish I hadn’t patterned over  in so much of the hummy’s belly…but it’s still fun.

How I make these: swatch markers and pick 2 or 3 light and 1 dark. Draw silhouette lightly in pencil. Fill in silhouette with random colors. Outline silhouette in darkest color, then fill with random patterns. Done while watching COUNTING CARS, which I love.