Welcome Autumn with The Artful Year + a Giveaway

Fall is my very favorite season. And this new e-book by Jean Van't Hul of The Artful Parent honors everything I love about Autumn - acorns and leaves, pumpkins and apples, Halloween and Thanksgiving - they're all in there! It's 76 pages of seasonal crafts, recipes, celebrations and inspiration, united by gorgeous images that reflect the beauty of the season.

 

A few things struck me about this book... first, it's super easy to read. I was able to glance through it fairly quickly and garner several ideas that intrigued me. One was a jack-o-lantern playdough activity using "pumpkin pie playdough" and dried black beans. (On the flip side, one could linger over these ideas and projects for quite some time if they so chose!)

Another thing that stood out to me was the sheer quantity of crafts, recipes and ideas packed into this book. There are enough to be spread out over many fall seasons, which is ideal for young families. It's a book that will stick with us for years to come.

Finally, the ideas are simple, yet unique. They don't require lots of materials or preparation. They are just fun, practical recipes and projects that I can actually imagine doing with my girls (or some, alone).

In fact, we're going to try a couple out today with our 2nd annual "welcome fall" party. Last year, on the Autumn Equinox, I surprised the kids after school with apple cider, pumpkin bread, fall decorations and a craft. They remembered in great detail (I was surprised!) and are looking forward to a repeat performance. So, we'll be enjoying Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and making pumpkin play dough jack-o-lanterns, courtesy of The Artful Year, Autumn this afternoon.

I'm sure I'll be back here later in the season, sharing our take on many of the fun ideas in this e-book... thankful stones, coffee filter spider webs, leaf mandalas, a fall color scavenger hunt, a cardboard haunted house, apple cheddar hand pies and pumpkin rolls are all calling to me. And of course, I'm already looking forward to the "Winter" e-book release!

****GIVEAWAY****

CONTEST ENTRIES CLOSED.... THE WINNER: Danita, who said "I love the cooler weather that Fall brings :) I also love all things pumpkin!"  So do I, Danita... and I know you will love this Autumn e-book too! Congratulations!

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I bet you want a copy of The Artful Year, Autumn, for yourself, right? One lucky reader has a chance to win! Here's how:

• Leave a comment on this post for one chance to win - tell me what you LOVE about Autumn.
• Stop by and "like" A Natural Nester on Facebook for another chance (be sure to leave another comment here and let me know).
• While you're at it, "like" The Artful Parent too (again, leave a separate comment here to let me know) for yet another chance at winning.

 * Each comment counts as an entry! A winner will be announced next Friday, September 28th.

 

 Can't wait? Order your copy now for $9.99. (It's worth it, folks!)