A Place Like This......

A Look Back @ 2012

Where did this year go ? I can't believe I'm reviewing 2012 but what a great year it's been. I think as time moves forward and I look back on 2012, it will be one of those years that will stand out as a turning point, thresholds crossed, and dreams fulfilled.

This past year had a lot of travel involved. We started the year in Montreal where we spent the holidays with family and friends.

In March we went to Paris and met up with my good friend Emily to celebrate the final conclusion of a little book known to insiders as  "Charlie".

Celebrating with our eldest daughter Zaina as she graduated university.

My annual pilgrimage to New York City to participate in Book Expo America and meeting several of my favorite authors.

Spending some lovely weeks in Sweden on the island of Gotland.

Spending August with visiting family.

It was good we rested while we were in Sweden because when we got back I can sum up the rest of the year in one word "Charlie." 

Our newest release The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory consumed the late summer and autumn months as it released to great acclaim. 

It won the QED award for innovation and design. It's the e-book version of The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

Charlie made a huge blog tour meeting friends old and new.

It was chosen as part of Apple's cyber-week promotion.

But the biggest and most epic news was that Charlie went all the way to #1 on iTunes on the iBookstore and stayed there for awhile. It's been on the charts eversince. Needless to say there was more hooping and hollering than a rodeo over here ......for weeks now. I just can't stop screaming. I'm sure you can understand that it's quite something.

Though this year has seen many, many, happy ocassions, it sadly has seen less of me in this space. I've missed it greatly and look forward to coming back and resuming my beloved blogging habit and reconnecting with friends. I'm so glad many of you are on Facebook as it allows me to see you daily. 

Here's wishing you a wonderful close to the year. 

Best Wishes,

Valarie

 

Wishing you a Wonderful Welcome

I'd like to wish everyone coming over to visit from The Homeschool Scholar. We are part of the Homeschool Scholar Virtual Christmas party and I expect many of you are coming over to visit.

This blog site is a place for me to keep my family memories. I wanted a place to hold the special creative moments my family and I share.

For those of you who love books, ME too !!!! I have a website with tons of book extending activites. In a couple of words:"I make kids books come alive."

www.jumpintoabook.com

When I'm not jumping into books, I'm writing them and/or publishing them.

Our book  The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was #1 on iTunes children's non-fiction books last week as well as being on the top 100 books. For the month of December it's 3.99.

If you don't have an ipad, iphone, or ipod touch you can get the pdf version for 9.95 using the code word "homeschool".

Love animals? I have a fox family living in my front yard. After sharing the story on my blog, many readers asked if it was going to become a book. That question was the beginning of my publishing house Audrey Press. I'm often asked if I took all of the photos. Yes I did. On the e-book versions I'm reading the story aloud.

Currently we have several books in production by several authors. We are committed to creating inspiring, enchanting, and magical books for families to share, create, and discover their world together. 

The Fox Diaries is in print on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

as well as the e-book version on the iBookstore and on Barnes & Noble

Thanks for dropping by for a visit. Please feel free to leave a comment and say hello. Please have a very wonderful and happy holiday season !!!

Win BIG via our Huge Live-stream Giveaway Tonight (Plus a special deal from Apple iBookstore)

 

Hello everyone. It's been awhile since we've met but I had to share with you a special something that Donna Ashton and I are doing this evening. 

Are you ready for this? Jump into a Book and the Waldorf Connection are hosting a Live-stream celebration and giveaway like no other on November 27^th (today!)

 

During our LiveStream event, we will be jumping into the world of Willy Wonka via The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and sharing tips and ideas on how to create a book and story centered family time.

 

And Here’s the Really Great News

 

Not only will we be having some great discussions and topics, we will be offering up A Very Large Giveaway. It’s like Christmas shopping the FUN way ;)

 

Here are the Prizes:

 

• Jump into a Book and Audrey Press will be giving away 2 copies each of The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Fox Diaries.

 

• The Waldorf Connection will be giving away their Storytelling series.

 

• A one year subscription to Sparkle Stories

 

• A set of 6 Silkies for inspired play and storytelling.

 

• And the really BIG Prize……..

 

A Complete Set of Elsa Beskow Books!

 

The Elsa Beskow Collection contains 19 delightful books your whole family will love. We are thrilled at the prospect of putting these books into the hands of a deserving family for the holiday season. We’ll be giving these prizes away throughout the LiveStream Celebration, which will run about an hour, so you must be present to WIN.

 

JOIN US!

When: November 27th 2012

Time: 7:30 - 8:15 pm Eastern Standard Time (4:30PT/5:30MT/6:30CT)

Where: http://thewaldorfconnection.com/tv/

 

BUT WAIT…we have a “cherry” for this Fun Giveaway Sundae!

 

***Apple’s iBookstore  and our friends at KiteReaders haves chosen our Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to be a part of the Cyber Week “$2.99-and-under” book promotion! This is a HUGE honor and a great opportunity for families to get their enhanced digital book version of one of the most beloved children’s tales of all time.  BUT, don’t delay. This promotion only goes until 12/4/12. Go HERE to grab your copy and cross one more thing off your Christmas list! 

 

 

We’ll see you tonight at our LiveStream Event for an hour of fun, celebration, and giveaways. **To be eligible to win these prizes you must be live with us on the Livestream celebration.  

 

Autumn Fun With A Little Acorn Michaelmas Guide

YAY!!! This weekend brought with it some very cool weather, completely sunny mind you but wonderfully crisp. Out, as in immediately out, came my sweaters. I've had myself swathed in wool for three days now. 

Photo by Eileen Straiton or Sara Wilson

Also coming out were the quilts and afghans. My husband, Fiber Boy, commented that it takes me literally 15 minutes to usher in warmth. I love cool weather. Today I've promised myself that I'll start knitting something spiffy.

Do you know what else happens with Autumn? Michaelmas or better known here as Dragon and Lantern day, which happens on Friday September 29th. 

"Michaelmas is a celebration of many important ideas. It is a harvest celebration, when we honor the blessings of agriculture and the work of human hands that toil to put good, life-sustaining food on our tables and in our bellies. The bounty of earth is all around us in the autumn, and yet the shorter days and cooler temperatures remind us that soon many of our food plants must die or go dormant. The earth must rest, so that new growth can occur next year.

Michaelmas is also a community celebration, in which we are reminded that we succeed when we work together to overcome hunger, want, and disease, and the less visible dangers of loneliness and fear. It is our chance to come together on the good, green earth and declare to one another: We are alive. We are together. Together we are strong. Together and with pure hearts, we can overcome. In this time, maybe more than ever before, we all need reminders of strength, selflessness, courage, hope, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil." From The Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas Feast E-book

I have a very special treat for you. Friends Eileen Straiton from Little Acorn Learning, and Sara Merkel Wilson from Love in the Suburbs have written a fantastic Michaelmas guide. They gave me a sneak peak and like all of the Little Acorn Guides, this one is loaded !!!!

The e-book is 133 pages full of verses, fingerplays, poems, songs, crafts, meditations, book recommendations, circle times, recipes and much more.  Filled with amazing and inspiring articles and tutorials, some of the projects included in this e-book are as follows:

Needle Felt a Beautiful Apple Mother Doll

Go on an Apple Picking Field Trip and Learn About Different Varieties of Apples

Photo by Eileen Straiton and Sara Wilson

Design a Breathtaking Early Autumn Nature Table
Read Books with the Children Celebrating Autumn and Michaelmas

Make Your Own Apple Stamps

Enjoy Homemade Applesauce Together

Crochet an Apple for Your Nature Table or Play Kitchen

Create a Beautiful Autumn Candle Holder Centerpiece

Make an Archangel Michael Mobile

Photo by Eileen Straiton and Sara Wilson

Harvest Natural Dye Materials from Outdoors and Make Capes of Light Playsilks

Hold a Michaelmas Family Feast

Photo by Eileen Straiton and Sara Wilson

Create Dragons out of Nature Items

Bake Dragon Bread with the Children

Make a Dragon Tree Block Checker Set

Sculpt Dragons out of Modeling Material

Cut Out Paper Flying Dragons to Display on Your Wall

Make a Michaelmas Felt Play Set

Paint an Autumn Leaf Stencil Painting with Watercolors

Crochet Beautiful Autumn Leaves for Your Nature Table
Paint Your Own Interpretation of Michael and the Dragon

Look Inward and Face Your Own Dragons with our Caregiver Meditation

Share Verses and Songs About Autumn and Michaelmas

Meditate on Quotes from Steiner and Other Inspirational Individuals

Enjoy Pinecone Weaving

Share Circle Time Together

Photo by Eileen Straiton and Sara Wilson

Make Michael Sword Napkin Holders

Sculpt Michaelmas Worry Beads

Craft and Autumn Equinox Wreath

And Much, Much, More!

Whenever I enter into a Little Acorn Learning Guide I always feel so warm and nurtured. It's such a happy place for me and I know it will be for you too.  To get your guide to prepare the most wonderful Michaelmas Feast Day go here.

 

 

Junk Bonanza

Oh my goodness, last week saw me traveling to Minnesota to be with a few friends I met at last year's Creative Connection. This year the Creative Connection didn't happen but our own version did.  We found ourselves delving into the world of junk and what a splendor it was too.

I found so many toys from my childhood and a million things that were either in my home growing up or at my grandparents. 

Along with selling vintage there was also a lot of repurposed. People are so creative and clever.  Usually I love very soft things with lots of color but I found myself on this trip really loving old industrial items. They just sort of called to me. 

Our evenings were spent crafting and talking to all hours of the morning. Today I'll just share some of the wonderful junk that was found, and tomorrow I'll share a little crafting love. :)

 

 

 

 

Today's the Day! It's Time for the Golden Ticket Giveaway!

Today's the DAY!

Today is the official beginning of the Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Golden Ticket Giveaway!

1. Head over to the Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory's blog

2. READ the instructions carefully

3.Find out who the 5 Very Special Bloggers ARE

4. Go read, explore, hunt, discover and Enter to WIN 

 CLICK HERE TO BEGIN!

(http://ultimateguidetocharlie.com/category/blog/)

 

 

 “Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are hidden in the most unlikely places.” – Roald Dahl

 

 

A Time to Share: The Ultimate Guide to Charlie News and Announcements

Oh my, what hectic-crazy-beautiful-exciting past few weeks I have had! Life has been a whirlwind, but a happy whirlwind.

As many of you may know the enhanced digital ebook that I co-created with super talented graphic designer Roscoe Welply has been launched and is doing very well. The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been popping up in TV Interviews, and even in the latest Rhythm of the Home on-line magazine edition. We are thrilled, and just trying to keep up!

We are especially proud of this review and video at The DailyAppShow, mainly because it shows reader’s first-hand how The Ultimate Guide to Charlie works. Charlie has also made Melissa Taylor of Imagination Soup’s list of The Top 14 iPad Books for Kids.  Thank you Melissa!

 The cherry on the Ice Cream Sunday was when Charlie was awarded the coveted QED award. The QED Seal, which stands for Quality, Excellence, and Design, is the “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for e-books. It signals to an e-book reader that the title will render well in whatever their preferred reading format and that they can buy with confidence. This is a BIG DEAL for us!  Read more about this awesome award on the Charlie blog HERE

BUT..here’s what we are super excited about Right.Now. Mark your calendars for September 13. This will be a very special day because it is the beginning of our…(drum roll)…

The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory’s Golden Ticket Giveaway!!!

We have hidden an image of a Golden Ticket on five Very Special Blogs. Find the images, copy the urls, and head over the Ultimate Charlie website to enter to WIN!

One lucky winner will win a brand spank-in new Apple iPad with The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and several other KiteReaders books already loaded on it! There will be several secondary prizes as well (gift cards for iTunes and Amazon). I HIGHLY recommend you stay on top of the action by subscribing to our Charlie newsletter HERE. That way you will get the inside scoop as soon as the giveaway goes live AND be in the first wave of people to discover WHO the 5 Very Special Bloggers are!

So mark your calendars for September 13th, and head over to The Ultimate Guide to Charlie's blog to read the rest the of the details and get entered to WIN.

Our adventure with Charlie continues and I just can’t wait to see where the path unfolds next. But with the Golden Ticket Giveaway, I can take YOU along on the adventure.

 

QED award: http://ultimateguidetocharlie.com/2012/08/21/we-won-charlie-wins-qed-seal-in-conjunction-with-the-publishing-innovation-awards/

Fox 6 News: http://www.myfoxal.com/category/240204/video-landing-page?clipId=7680651&autostart=true

DailyAppShow: http://ow.ly/dbClL

Charlie Sign-up: http://ultimateguidetocharlie.com/campaign/

 

 

Upclose

Ah I'm sitting here this morning, the first time in a long time quietly. The sky is cloudy. It rained last night and I'm beginning to get glimmerings of Autumn, one of my favorite seasons. 

In a moment I'll go and make myself a cup of coffee, one of my favorite beverages. There is something almost sacred in the corners of my day that I assign a latte to. It's never slugging down a cup of coffee for the sake of it, just sitting outside, or at my table by the window, taking a pause in my day to just savor the little beans. 

This week in my iphonegraphy course we were to look up close. The first thing I found was to go with my cup of coffee. Is there nothing better than chocolate cake? This one was a beauty and shared with my dear friend Susie whilst we were traveling to Birmingham Alabaman on a short promotional tour. 

 

I loved this little bee and was amazed at how close I could got.

I decided to put this little fellow into a collage and tell share the love of my dahlias with you. This dahlia was bred by my father and I think of him every time this goes into bloom throughout the summer. My husband gave me the stepping stone several years ago for my birthday. It's a lovely little corner in my paradise garden and reminds me of two of the men in my life who love me dearly.

A summer afternoon found me casting glass stones playing a Japanese children's game with a little visiting friend. I loved the way my iphone caught the light.

 

And finally I caught a wave not on a board but on my camera. This is a very special place to me and my family. We've been walking this beach on the Baltic Sea for hundreds of years. I always wonder which previous family members walked here before me and what were they thinking? What was their lives like and has much changed throughout all of this time? 

We have a Winner

Hello Everyone !!! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I found myself visiting Birmingham Alabama for a couple of days. It's such a pretty city and a really lovely state. I enjoyed my time there immensely. 

Finally the day has arrived to discover who has won a copy of Fed Up With Frenzy by Susan Lipman. Before I divulge the answer I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who entered. If you haven't checked out this lovely treasure trove of a book please do so. You won't be sorry.

 

And now for the BIG announcement. The winner of Fed Up with Frenzy is:

 

Sara said...

Fun book! Looking forward to checking it out. We love evening walks, reading aloud together with the whole family, cooking together, and letting the kids roam and ramble about the neighborhood.

 

Have a great day everyone. See you tomorrow.