Seasons of Joy Autumn Wool Painting Giveaway, Plus Signed Book, Plus Waldorf Seasons Prints

This contest has ended and the winners have been announced. You are still welcome to sign up for my newsletter and please read the reviews of 'Seasons of Joy: Every Day is for Outdoor Play' in this blog post. 

To celebrate the upcoming changing of the seasons, I am holding a very special giveaway centered on my picture book "Seasons of Joy: Every Day is for Outdoor Play," published by Loving Healing Press earlier this year. 

There will be three random winners and the prizes are:

1. Autumn Leaves Wool Painting, plus a signed paperback copy of Seasons of Joy. The painting is a mini 8 by 10 inch version based on one of the illustrations from the book (the originals are 13 by 17 inches) It comes unframed, but would be lovely in an 8 by 10 shadow box.

Autumn Leaves Wool Painting Giveaway

2. A set of four 5 by 7 prints of the needle felted wool paintings in Seasons of Joy valued at $19, plus a signed paperback copy of Seasons of Joy.

Seasons of Joy Prints

3. A signed paperback copy of Seasons of Joy. 

Seasons of Joy: Every Day is for Outdoor Play

To enter this Giveaway, please sign up for my email newsletter. (Newsletter signup is required for entering this contest.) 

Enter to Win Wool Painting

You may also get additional entries by sharing this post on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.  Just let me know in the comments below that you shared. 

"Seasons of Joy: Every Day is for Outdoor Play" is a merging of my experiences, loves and talents. It started with a commission from an early childhood teacher at my son's Waldorf school. She wanted a wool painting that depicted children playing throughout the seasons. Later, I offered to re-create the painting in my Etsy shop and I've sold many prints as well. The painting connected with people around the world and I thought it needed to be a book. 

Waldorf Seasons Wool Painting

As a book, that one wool painting turned into 12 illustrations, three for each season. When creating the scenes, I drew on my son's early childhood in a Waldorf school -- climbing trees, using silks for imaginative play, gardening, sledding . . . And of course, since I love all animals, I added dogs, birds, bunnies and squirrels to every scene. 
It was important to me that the children were diverse. While there are many wonderful vintage children's seasons books, most don't reflect the multicultural experience.
I wanted the verse to capture the joy children feel when playing outside. The verse has alliteration and rhymes, but I believe it flows naturally. I've been very pleased with the reviews for both the verse and the illustrations. Here are some:

Seasons of Joy is a beautifully illustrated narrative poem celebrating children's joy in the changing seasons. Seasons of Joy is a literary and artistic treasure for today's children and future generations. -- Midwest Book Review

Claudia Marie Lenart’s Seasons of Joy is magical.  Her rhyming prose conjures such beautiful visual images of each season and encourages young children to go outside.

Accompanying her lyrical language is Lenart’s signature wool artwork, which will captivate children as they study all of the beautiful detail in each dreamy scene.—Patricia Tilton, Children’s Books Heal 

The prose is lovely. “We sway to the wind’s song under crimson showers.” “We play until the sun paints the trees a copper hue.” The illustrations are even lovelier. I am amazed at what this artist can do with fibers. – Bonnie Ferrante, Books for Children

"Young children learn through imitation and movement. If that movement is filled with imaginative pictures, they are able to take it up in their whole being and express it outwardly in their play. Claudia Lenart's book Seasons of Joy uses the artistic medium of needle-felted wool to express the joy of children in movement at every season of the year."
--Barbara Patterson, retired Waldorf Extra Lesson teacher in private practice, author of Beyond the Rainbow Bridge: Nurturing Our Children from Birth to Seven

"In Seasons of Joy, Claudia Lenart uses her beautiful rhyming prose to tell a classic tale of the changing of the seasons and the carefree pleasure of playing outside all year around. The details in every scene are meticulous and refined, down to the distinct wing pattern of a butterfly and the catchlight in a squirrel's eye. This book is exactly what it sets out to be - a joy to read and an inspiration for nature play for children everywhere."
--Linda Akeson McGurk, journalist, blogger at Rain or Shine Mama, author of There's No Such Thing As Bad Weather

"What a treat to meander through the seasons with these wonderful words and beautiful wool paintings. Claudia is an extraordinary fiber artist who has the special talent of bringing magical scenes to life. A delight for adults and children alike."
-- Donni Webber, www.TheMagicOnions.com, author of Magical Miniature Gardens and Homes

If you have read this entire blog post, you can get another entry by also telling me your favorite season in the comments. But please don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, too.