I have enjoyed your Friday Finds for a long time now, Amy, and my husband (he’s a foodie) has now downloaded the Paprika app and is enjoying it! Thanks for having this drawing. If I win, they are going to Larry, my husband. He would love receiving them.

Congratulations, Janelle, and I hope Larry enjoys the magazines! 🙂

Friday Finds #200: Top Items and a Giveaway

December 11, 2020

by Amy

3 Comments

Wow – we’re here.

The big 2-0-0!

We’re celebrating as usual with a giveaway. If you caught the announcement the Friday after Thanksgiving, you got a preview of what’s up for grabs.

You can enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post.

First, here’s my list of the best finds from the past 25 posts:
Friday Finds #176 (April 24, 2020) – Friday Finds #199 (Dec 4, 2020).

They’re grouped into categories and arranged alphabetically.

Fun things
Kitchen
Music
Online Teaching/Learning
Resources for Piano Teachers
Recipes
Thought-Provoking Articles
Tools
Wellness

Enjoy!

Friday Finds

Friday Finds #199: The Start of the Season

December 4, 2020

by Amy

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1

To get you in the holiday spirit! Steinway Artists The 5 Browns performing Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” arranged by Greg Anderson.

2

Speaking of fun Christmas videos…

Thrill your students with the free Christmas music video series here on Piano Pantry. Take it a step further and use the listening guide available in the PP shop. Your students will be absolutely delighted.

3

If you’re like us and bought your Christmas tree but have yet to decorate it…

How to Decorate a Christmas Tree Like a Pro (Williams Sonoma)

4

Do you have a friend or extended family member who you would like to get a gift for but are completely stumped?

Don’t laugh, but consider a takeout pizza carrier!

I know it sounds kind of silly and quirky and it’s certainly not fancy, but we’ve found it to actually be a hit!

It’s a good price point and completely practical – assuming, of course, they do takeout pizza on any kind of a regular basis, of course!

We get takeout pizza maybe once a month. Believe it or not, my husband and I finally bought a second one to put in his car. It’s one of those things, if you don’t keep it in your car, you won’t remember to grab – or, in his case, if he’s picking it up on the way home from work, he couldn’t get it out of my car…

It makes such a difference in keeping the pizza hot and fresh!

5

Holiday (Re) Considerations (Beyond Measure Podcast)

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Simple Christmas Decorating Ideas (The Wood Grain Cottage)

7

Kale, Sweet Potato and Chorizo Soup (Kitchenista diaries)

Instant Pot Weeknight Chicken Enchilada Bowls (The Kitchn)

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The Art of Tidying Up Your Space for Online Lessons (TopMusic.co)

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The Best Online Group Lesson Ideas for Music Studios (The Unfinished Lesson)

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My (public) Christmas playlists on Spotify you can follow or use to begin creating your own personal lists:

Christmas Classics

Christmas Worship

Christmas Album Favorites

One Registration Question Not to be Missed!

November 30, 2020

by Amy

4 Comments

A month or two leading up to the turn of a calendar year, school term, or school year is always the height of new student inquiries.

Before that time comes, we as teachers should always take a moment to make sure our registration process is updated, refreshed, and ready to go. I’m always making tiny tweaks and improvements!

Today I want to share one question you don’t want to miss asking on your registration form.

This question is my absolute FAVORITE to read and I know will become yours as well.

Friday Finds Giveaway Teaser and Announcement

November 27, 2020

by Amy

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Happy Thanksgiving weekend, everyone!

Since it’s a holiday weekend, I’m taking a week off from our regular Friday Finds, but wanted to let you know what’s going to be up for grabs in our Friday Finds #200 celebration giveaway.

A few weeks ago, in #195, I gave you a hint:

-It’s a foodie thing.

-It’s worth about $75

Well, here it is:

20 Milk Street Magazines!

In full disclosure, they are not brand new. When Milk Street first launched, I signed up immediately and have been getting every issue since.

I’ve exhausted my use of these particular magazines and have gotten lots of great recipes from them.

All my favorite recipes from these issues are now saved in my favorite digital recipe manager: Paprika (which is on sale through the end of November!)

Since I’m not one to hold onto things, I was about to recycle the magazines when my husband spoke up and said: “Hey, why don’t just use them for a giveaway item?”

Brilliant!

While you may find a few handwritten notes here and there, they’re still in really good condition – why not let someone else benefit from them as well?

So, mark your calendar for:

Friday Finds #200 on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11.

Enter to win 20 volumes of Milk Street Magazine (Fall 2016 Charter Issue to July/August 2020).

Also, since we will be hitting #200 in December, Friday Finds (a.k.a. Amy) will be taking a holiday break from the weekly series, resuming with #201 in January 2021.

See you in a couple of weeks!

Featured on Key Ideas Podcast

November 23, 2020

by Amy

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Hey, friend!

I’m so excited to share with you my first podcast appearance. Yea! 🙂

The super-awesome Leila Viss started a fresh new podcast called Key Ideas a couple of months ago and I was honored to be one of her spotlights!

For a little change of pace from a typical piano pedagogy-type podcast, we talk about other good things like organization strategies and cooking!

Happy listening! 🙂

Organizing Tips for Piano Teachers with Amy Chaplin

P.S. One of the resources I share in the podcast is my favorite digital recipe manager: Paprika. I just saw they are having a big Thanksgiving/Black Friday Sale that will get you 40-50% off both the apps and desktop versions. I LOVE having the desktop version as well as the app – totally worth it!

Friday Finds

Friday Finds #198: Favorite coffee and a good laugh

November 20, 2020

by Amy

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1

We recently started a subscription with Black Rifle Coffee Company (owned by veterans) and LOVE their coffee. Our favorite so far is the “Just Black” medium roast. Delish!

2

Do you want a good laugh to boost your spirit? Listen to Episode #7 of the Beyond Measure Podcast. I guarantee you a good chuckle.

3

Now is about the right time to decide if you will be giving students Christmas presents and if so, what?! Here are some ideas to get you started:

DIY Music Scroll Tree Ornaments (Rebekah Maxner)

Christmas Gift Ideas for Music Students: Who Couldn’t Use Another Idea? (Piano Pantry)

Christmas Gift Round-Up (Piano Pantry)

4

Life is Full of First Days (Joshua Becker | Becoming Minimalist)

5

I’m super intrigued by the recipe: Citrus-Cranberry Tart

6

Are Christmas Studio Activities Worth It? (Rosemarie Penner | The Unfinished Lesson)

7

Do you ever use the app Flashnote Derby? Guess what – you can send specific drills to your online students via email. Here’s a quick tutorial. It’s super easy!

8

A good and simple recipe: Easy Tuna Patties

9

For your listening pleasure: A Thanksgiving playlist

Holiday / Seasonal

Experiencing the Seasons in our Studios and Life

November 19, 2020

by Amy

1 Comment

The term “seasons” to me is an encouraging word. Why?

Because whether you’re talking about it in regards to the actual weather or life in general, it means a new start, a turn of events, a change.

Today we’re going to talk about five fun ways we can boost our experience of the seasons and embrace all that they are in multi-sensory ways.

In hard times – like when you’re quarantined for days, weeks, or months on end – finding ways to relish and participate in the current season can help bring a feeling of freshness and renewal.

#1 Music in our Studios

Christmas, of course, is the main season that immediately comes to mind when it comes to music because, as piano teachers, we get to experience Christmas music for two months multiple hours a day!

(Every year I try out a new Christmas book series. Last year it was Piano Safari’s “The Joy of Christmas” and this year Piano Pronto-pictured above.)

What about beyond Christmas though? Have you ever given your students a special piece just because it had a theme for Winter, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Summer, or Fall?

Not that every student has to have a special piece of music for every holiday or season, but it’s certainly a fun way to interject something different and a change of pace on occasion.

Individual sheet music solos would be the easiest and most convenient way to do this!

#2 Our Personal Music Playlist

As far as our personal listening goes, it can be easy to get stuck only listening to our favorite type of music (or group) such as classical, contemporary worship, or folk/bluegrass (like me! :-).

What if we could open our horizons a little more by changing it up with the seasons? A couple of years ago I started using Spotify. One of the things I love about it as opposed to Pandora is that you can create your own personal playlists and not just customized radio stations.

At first, it started with an Easter playlist because at the time I was filling in as a temporary Worship Team Coordinator for my church while we were on the search for a full-time Worship Leader.

I got addicted to creating these lists though and realized that even though they were playlists of the same tunes (not a radio station), it helped me explore even more music because I would listen to one list for a month, then change with the next month and/or season.

Don’t get me wrong, these lists aren’t all I listen to, but they’re often my first choice when popping on the tunes.

All of these playlists are public on my Spotify profile so you can enjoy them as well and maybe even create your own from my list!

Friday Finds

Friday Finds #197: Thanksgiving Prep

November 13, 2020

by Amy

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As of today, we have just under two weeks to prepare for the often overlooked and yet beautiful holiday called Thanksgiving.

This holiday is placed at the perfect time of year, forcing us to count our blessings as the year comes to an end and before we begin indulging in all of the spoils of life.

Here are some items to help prepare and set the mood in multiple areas of your life this Thanksgiving.

1

Two songs I love to sing around Thanksgiving:

Come Thou Fount (I Will Sing) by Chris Tomlin. It beautifully combines the best of the timeless hymn with a contemporary bridge (I Will Sing).

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness by Keith and Kristyn Getty.

2

Spiced Pumpkin-Raisin Cookies (Giada de Laurentiis)

These cookies are a staple in my fall food repertoire. They pack a slight crunch as they use sugar in the raw instead of white or brown sugar. As a bonus – if it matters to you – they’re vegan!

Pumpkin Bread (Smitten Kitchen)

3

It’s time to switch over from our Autumn playlist to Thanksgiving.

My Thanksgiving playlist is public on Spotify which means you can enjoy it as well! Favorite songs include:

All Meat and No Potatoes (Louis Armstrong)
Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie (Jay & The Techniques)
Everybody Eats When They Come to My House (Cab Calloway)
Let’s Turkey Trot (Little Eva)
Mashed Potato Trot (Dee Dee Sharp)
Simple Living (Keith & Kristyn Getty)

Not only are the titles awesome, but the tunes themselves will make your day and get you in the mood for the upcoming holiday!

4

Amy’s Holiday Favorites (Recipes, Gadgets, and Music)

5

10 Easy Ideas for Thanksgiving Fun (Williams Sonoma)

#3 is an awesome free PDF of Thanksgiving puzzles, word search, Thankfulness cards, and more. I’m SO EXCITED to use some of these when hosting my family’s Thanksgiving meal!

6

Thanksgiving sheet music for piano:

Now Thank We All Our God arranged by Leila Viss.

A Thanksgiving Prayer (elementary solo) by Wendy Stevens

7

Overcoming Envy (Joshua Becker | Becoming Minimalist)

8

Two games from Susan Paradis: Chasing the Turkey and Save the Turkey

From Wendy Stevens: Melodic dictation of Thanksgiving tunes and Pumpkin pie listening thermometers

9

The Perfect Teaching Table (Piano Pantry)

10

Congratulations to Wendy Stevens on her 20th anniversary celebration!

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