If you love children and gardens, you will love this book, Sunflower Houses, by Sharon Lovejoy. I bought my own copy long ago, and use it often when planning my garden or looking for fun games to play in the garden during the spring and summer. It has chapters about garden games and toys made of flowers. Below, you will see the illustration for the page about how to make hollyhock dolls.
A sunflower house is a beautiful living playhouse made of morning glory and sunflowers.
Sharon Lovejoy, the author and illustrator of Sunflower Houses, interviewed many grown-ups about their favorite flowers, childhood garden memories, traditions, and how-to's. Many of my favorite ideas are from your great-grandparents' generation and before, when boys and girls made their own fun and their own toys outside with what was growing around them. You will remember or learn about grass slides, screechers, secret lemon juice notes, poppy maidens, sassafras chains, tree swings, tops made of acorns, mini trough gardens for children, living playhouses and gazebos, growing vegetables in bottles, how to make a garden "clock", keeping worms, and more.
I like the collections of poems (some of which are Sharon Lovejoy's) the flower lore, and the delicate watercolor illustrations. If your bedside table is starting to look like the picture below, than this is a good time to add Sunflower Houses to your collection. It is a wonderful book to pore over on cold nights when you are beginning to let yourself to dream a little bit about springtime. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you can start using the games and ideas right away!
I decided to have a giveaway in celebration of having collected over 100 wonderful followers. Thank you all for the encouragement, which gives me so much energy! All you have to do to participate in the giveaway is comment on this post. If you post about the giveaway on your blog, let me know about it and I'll put your name in the hat a second time. I will collect all the names I receive before 9:00 a.m. Monday, February 15th. Check back later that day for the name of the winner. Make sure there is a way for me to contact you if you win!
Guess what??! Sharon Lovejoy has a blog, too! Visit it at: http://sharonlovejoy.blogspot.com/
85 comments:
I don't want to be entered in the giveaway - I already have the book - but I wanted to add my love for it just the same. A dear friend gave my boys and I Sunflower Houses at an event where the author actually signed our copy. I love everything about it and just wish we had more room to try out all of the fantastic ideas!
This book looks wonderful!
-Phyllis
that's Brilliant! We have square foot gardens planned for this spring, and we always do morning glories and moonvine every year.
The kids have already been saving seeds too.
The big excitement around here is the Rain Barrel!
Dear Beth,
of course I follow you on your give-away!
Will post about it immediately now on my blog.
How much I would love to have a garden in this narrow Japanese land I am living.....but I keep on dreaming and I know one day it will get true and then, I will read Sunflower House with my grandchildren.
Or earlier, hopefully.....
Love
Gabriele
What a wonderful giveaway! Thanks, Beth.....i will try to blog about it later this week.
Oh, yes please!! This book sounds and looks amazing! I follow you in google reader so I read every one of your lovely posts. This is such an inspiring blog. Thanks for the giveaway.
What a lovely book!! I'd love to get some new adventure ideas for our family. Thanks for entering me in the giveaway!
Also, when we were iced in without power down here in Oklahoma for a week, my girls and I stayed busy making a Spring Swag following your directions and using old clothes we'd outgrown or worn out. It was great fun!
I love following your blog and was so excited to see a giveaway! My girls would love this! I will pass on the news on my blog for all to see!
www.ourbrokenroad.blogspot.com
Oh Beth,
This is such a great book. I have borrowed it from the library many times and would be thrilled to have a copy of my own.
Warm wishes,
Tonya
How very generous of you. My little boy and I love your blog. We have ice freezing in cans right now to make lanterns!
Beautiful book! I know Goose would love it!
This looks like a beautiful book! Thanks for offering it as a giveaway and thanks for your wonderul and inspiring blog!
Happy Day!
Karen
I have been wanting this book for so long, and no library in this area has it !! Crossing my fingers...now off to blog!
That sounds so magical! I will definitely have to get my hands on a copy of this book for my kids!
I just blogged about it! NOW I'm crossing my fingers!
Our family would love to win this book, it's a favorite! Our local library has lost their copy, to our sorrow. Thanks for the giveaway!
What a wonderful book! My girls and I would love to pore over it's pages.
I have looked through this book at a friends, and it is lovely. I would love to be entered to win it. I will add it to my blog post today, too.
Thank you,
Jean
I did add this to my blog :)
Oh you are so dear to write these kind words about my old book Sunflower Houses. Thank you for caring about it and sharing it with others.
Please stop over for a visit on my blog. I feel as though we are already friends. http://sharonlovejoy.blogspot.com
Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island
Check my old posts and see the garbage gardens entry. You'll enjoy doing this project. It is fun! Oh, and don't bother entering me in the giveaway, I seem to have a good stock on hand!
Sounds like a good read!
Oooh... looks like a wonderful book! Thank you for offering this giveaway, Beth.
Blessings and magic,
Donni
This book sounds just SO wonderful! Keeping fingers crossed!
I love to garden, and had an awesome garden when we lived on the east coast. (veggies/flowers - you name it!). MUCH more challenging in the desert.
I blogged about your giveaway!
http://woolies-woolies.blogspot.com
THis book looks fantastic. I'll just have to get my own copy if I don't win... it has sparked my interest and seems like something I would cherish.
Thanks, Beth!
What a beautiful looking book. I garden with my children in mind often. Planting things for them to eat all about the garden as well as in the vege patch, I love the idea of a sunflower house. Thanks for offering this give away.
I want one of these! As a grandmother-to-be I want ideas to make my garden more inviting for the little ones to come!
I was just telling my husband that I wanted to give one of these sweet houses a go this year. I didn't even know about this book and now I must have it. :) Thanks for sharing.
This book looks and sound wonderful, I hope to blog about it as sometime this week. It would be a lovely addition the the bookcase.
Oh I have looked at this book before but never had the funds to purchase it. What a wonderful giveaway. Thank you for the chance.
It sounds and looks lovely! Thank you for this give away Beth : )
I'd love to be entered in your drawing. I love books that combine healthy, outdoor family activities and arts and crafts!
Oh, I would love a chance to win this lovely book! Thanks so much for the lovely give-away!
I'll announce it on Growing Naturally right away.
:) Stephanie
i love this. i've been needing some inspiration to get out in the garden with my little ladies. this looks perfect!
Mama K
www.mama-ks.com
I had decided just the other day to add this book to my wish list! I would love to be entered for the drawing. I also posted about the contest, so I'd love to be entered twice!
it's funny how we are all so connected with the internet...i am just visiting your blog for the first time today. i was looking at some of your inspiring projects to try with my preschoolers. at my preschool we built a willow house in the yard last spring and just the other day one of the parents mentioned sharon lovejoy's sunflower houses and i'm truly inspired to add one to our schools' backyard. i would feel quite priviledged to win this in your give-away. even if i don't, i have still won by finding your blog and all of your inspiring projects. thank you Beth!!
You have a lovely blog and the book is wonderful!Please pick me up!You have a new follower now!
have a nice day!
I'd love a chance to win - it looks a beautiful read - Thank you and congratulations! :D
It looks like a lovely book.
Hi Beth,
This sounds like a wonderful book with lots of great ideas to bring joy to children in the garden!
We would love to be entered.
Best wishes
Kelly
Love, love, love Sharon Lovejoy! I don't have this book though. Thanks for the chance Beth!
lisa
Hello Beth
I could not think of a more beautiful Summer book for a giveaway. I already have this book so please don't count me in but I just want to add that I have loved this book and use it often.
Congratulations on your wonderful gathering of followers. I for one am a happy follower!
Have a happy day Beth
Warm regards
Suzanne
Sunflower play spaces--what a fun idea, like so many on your wonderful site. This was a good time to post as I'd love the book but mostly want to say thank you for time spent on your lovely blog!
I've blogged about it!
Stephanie
Sharon I have "A Blessing of Toads"
would love this book also.
Wish you lived near me. I would love to visit your gardens, sit and talk and have a cup of tea.
Blessings to you this day!!!
Ooooh, I'd love to be entered in this contest. Benjamin & I would surely enjoy this book & all it has to offer. My mom "built" a Rose of Sharon house for Benjamin at her house--so we are well aware of the joy natural play houses can bring! :)
Hi, Thanks for entering me for the giveaway! I just heard about this book and would just love to use it for ideas for my children. I'm crossing my fingers.
What perfect timing. We were just starting to talk about our garden for the spring. Thanks for the giveaway.
What a fantastic book!
nice set of books
Hi. Thanks for a great givceaway. I adore your blog!
Sue C from Ontario
How wonderful! We love her books :) We began growing sunflowers last year, too.
my friend sara (woolies) posted about this giveaway and i have never been to your blog before, so i am very excited! what a great blog. i plan to read here for a good long time. it looks so lovely and inviting. thanks for offering a great book for your giveaway, we love to garden and i bought the children mammoth sunflowers to grow this year. fun!!
The book looks lovely. Thanks for the chance.
i have always wanted a copy of that book! wonderful!
I have wanted this book for a while and your glimpse makes me want it even more!!! I would LOVE to make one of these with my daughter this summer. Thanks for offering this great giveaway!!!
Great Idea. Thanks for the inspiration always!
oh i love this!! thanks so much beth!
xoxo
I would love to win this book! Am I too late? Hopefully,
Kay Guest
chriskayrich@att.net
What a beautiful book!
Cathy at trahans dot net
This looks a beautiful book. I would love to enter. :)
I've posted a link to the giveaway here:
http://sunnydaytodaymama.blogspot.com/2010/02/giveaways.html
I'd love to have a chance to win this book! Thank you! And congratulations on 100 followers!
What a beautiful book! Would be so happy to win!
Thank you for the opportunity! :)
-Bobbi
snoodledoodles@gmail.com
This was my first look at your blog. I love it. I am always looking for things to do with my children. nature is awesome. I sent this link to my MIL, she loves to make things with my 4 year old. Thanks for the inspiration and a chance to win the beautiful book-Jan
I entered your giveaway on my blog!
We're planting a garden for the first time this year. My kids are really looking forward to it!
I am sure my girls would love to add this book to our collection. Thanks for sharing!
I would love to create a garden with my kids this year! They would love it!
I love her books! I just came over from The Magic Onions - thanks for the giveaway.
Mrs. H
We love sunflowers! see http://www.playingbythebook.net/2009/09/17/sunflowers/ and http://www.playingbythebook.net/2009/10/22/a-new-house/
It would be a wonderful book to win!
I love this book, we have checked it out of the library every year for several in a row. It would be a great one to own.
I'm so glad I didn't miss your lovely give away Beth! Thank you for the chance to win....I'd love to add this to our library!
love, sara
Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful book. It looks very inspirational. I noticed your white flower farm catalog. we are lucky to live close-up the property and it is breathtaking and very spectacular.
Just blogged it....Angie
I have her other book and think this one sounds neat! Thanks for a chance to win.
We made one last year. YAY!
Thanks for the book recommendation! We have hollyhocks and the doll looks like a great garden project for my daughter.
Please enter me in the contest!
That looks like such a beautiful book! I love your blog. So many great ideas!
This looks like a wonderful book. Thanks for the nice giveaway. I hope I get lucky :-)
I wonder if I've made it in time> fingers crossed. :)
=^..^= a dreamy book if ever i have seen ... sigh.
i found the link to your blog on Sharon's and popped over to see what Acorn Pie could possibly be. Where to start when I arrived!
Well, i seem to be quite delighted at my findings. First thing i must build is a snow lantern for the faeries at the bottom of the wood. They will be over the moon.
See you soon.
love, zUzU
love this book--how wonderful to think of gardens as the snow falls outside!
I might be missing the time frame for this contest, but It would be fun to win if i can- The kids and I will be growing our sunflower house this spring. i can hardly wait to try it out!
Just loved seeing your creative ideas as I browsed your blog. I'll be back to check out some of your project ideas. This book is awesome. I have looked at it again and again in the bookstore. My daughters and I tried to plant a sunflower house last year but the deer ate it along with our greenbeans.
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