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This giveaway is now closed. Check back soon for the winner!
Fall is in the air - can you feel it? Yeah, neither can I. But I’m elated that it’s around the corner, because hands-down, it’s my absolute favorite season. I love the smells, the sounds, the sights… I eagerly await the first drop in temperature, hopefully not too long from now. I can’t wait!
But one thing that’s definitely around the corner is my birthday. This, combined with the upcoming arrival of the fall season, has inspired me to have another giveaway here. You all are the best readers in the blogosphere, so I thought it would be fun to give one of YOU a birthday present on my behalf.
The cool thing about this giveaway… it’s actually seven presents that one of you will win. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of prizes, and I can’t wait to find out which one of you will be blessed with all of it.
I have a soft spot for small businesses, so I’m thrilled that each of these prizes come from shops run by an individual, a couple, or a family. This gift basket has prizes that represent each of the topics discussed here on Simple Mom - so the one winner will receive all of these things:
1. Green and Frugal Living
This is a set of six reusable produce bags. They are weightless nylon bags with a drawing closure that come in their own pouch for easy storage. Just clip the storage bag to your purse, and you’re good to go! AMK Designs makes and sells eco-friendly, affordable produce bags, helping us cut down the use of plastic bags, which hurts both the environment and the clutter-free ambience in our homes.
2. Making Your Home a Haven
Bliss Candles is adding to the gift basket a premium 10-ounce soy candle in your choice of Harvest, Pumpkin Souffle, or Cinnamon Buns. Fall scents are my absolute favorite, so these each sound heavenly. Best of all, Bliss Candles exclusively makes soybean candles - there’s not an inch of wax to be found. They burn cleaner and smell stronger than traditional candles, and they’re better for the environment.
3. Cooking
Marie-Madeline Studio is generously giving away one of their gorgeous hand-stitched aprons. The Frilly Fandango apron is so delightfully feminine without being cutesy - your mood would brighten just tying it on! This shop is run by four sisters, and I love browsing their goods - everything is made with such lovely fabric. Aprons are making a comeback, and I think that’s wonderful - they’re great uniforms for home managers.
4. Productivity & Organization
The next prize is a set of Organizing Bags from the Lazy Organizer. I’ve had my eyes on these bags for about a year now, and to me, they scream “clutter-free, organized, and productive!” I love them. They’re see-through, sturdy, and easy to use with a simple zipper. The bags come in all sizes, for a variety of organizing needs - puzzle pieces, art supplies, receipts, even picnic supplies.
5. Taking Care of Yourself
You know I’m a believer in the importance of a mama taking care of her own needs, and not just her family’s. For many women, that means getting time outside the house and having friendships with other moms. Busy Nest is giving away a set of customized calling cards, a brilliant productivity tool for moms. Similar to business cards, calling cards provide all your contact info for other moms at the park with hands full of kid stuff. The back side of these cards provide a place to scribble down the details of your next mommy meet-up.
6. Kids and Parenting
My daughter doesn’t know it yet, but she is getting this next giveaway prize for Christmas. Plum Pear Apple is adding to the gift basket a personalized superhero cape for your pint-sized wonderkid! I love the simplicity behind these well-made capes, and that they’re not embellished with TV characters or trendy themes. The capes come in all sorts of colors and patterns, and you can choose your child’s emblem and initial. These capes are a genius toy.
7. Money Management
Finally, the winner of this giveaway will receive a lifetime subscription to Pear Budget, my budeting tool of choice. You may remember Pear Budget from a giveaway a few months ago, and it went so well, I wanted to bless another reader with a chance to win this. You’ll get lifetime access to this beautifully simple budgeting tool, which is so helpful when you’re in charge of the family finances. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of zero-based budgets and an envelope system, and Pear Budget allows our family to do both as simply as possible. This prize is a gem.
The Whole Kit and Kaboodle
This gift basket is valued at over $200 - at the very least, seeing as the Pear Budget subscription is for life! Please take time to visit all these generous shops, and peruse their handmade quality wares.
How to Win
To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. In your comment, tell me - what is your most favorite thing about the fall season?
To enter a second time, subscribe to Simple Mom and email me the secret code at simplemomblog [at] gmail [dot] com (not the contact form above, like we’ve done in previous contests). All you have to do is mention the code in the email’s subject line - no need to write anything in the email’s body. You’ll see the code in the footer of any post, whether you subscribe via email or through an RSS reader. For more information about any of this, please read a recent post I wrote called Subscribing to Blogs 101.
Update: The code is there, and most of you are now sending it in. Please read the link above if you’re not sure what I’m talking about. The code will always be a normal word in English. Heck, here’s another hint - it’s below the phrase “print free coupons anytime.” Hope you find it!
To get a third entry, mention this giveaway on your blog, and make sure I get word of it!
This giveaway will close on Monday, August 25, midnight CST. I’ll choose the winner using a random number generator, and I’ll post the winner’s name the next day.
I hope you win!
Here are some related posts from Simple Mom:
- We have a winner!
- Holidays By Hand: Celebrate the Season With Your Sewing Skills
- A Frugal Family is a Greener Family: Easy Everyday Tips
- Use Your Nose, and Other Decor Inspiration - upcoming series on Simple Mom
- Link Love :: the Book-Loving, Creative-Aspiring edition
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
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Oh, I want to win! For me, as somebody who grew up in Southern California, the changing leaf colors are my favorite things about fall.
Kelly from Almost Frugal’s last blog post…Your Frugal House: Five Ways to Save Money in the Living Room
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WOW - what a wonderful prize package. My favorite things about fall - temperature change, burning leaves, and college football.
AmyDe’s last blog post…From the Mouths of Babes
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The leaves changing colour, the wind picking up, the feeling of a secret on the breeze.
Felicity’s last blog post…I Miss My Garden
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Hi,
This is such a great give-away, thanks for taking the time to put it all together. My favorite thing about fall besides the cooler weather and color change, is crisp clean air, there is something about fall and the air it has such a great clean smell….maybe strange but so true, especially in the northeast.
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I love it. Can I have it all
Please?
Fall, to me is about the change in the trees and the cooling of the days. watching the leaves turn orange and red, beautiful.
Cooler days to rain and longer nights for more knitting
and happy birthday!
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Fall is in the air here in Indiana. We are already having cooler days in the 70’s. I just love it. Can’t wait for the Johnny Appleseed festival. Love the smell of carmal corn and carmal apples.
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Oh, I never win anything, but I’m excited non the less. I love the super hero cape. We’ve got a super hero who would love that! For me fall is the gateway to the holidays. The air is crisp, my nose is red and I can hear my Christmas ornaments calling from the attic. Thanks for the great gifts. Have a great weekend.
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My favorite things about fall are…crisp cool air, crunching leaves, the colors and pumpkins. It’s impossible to pick just one.
I’m off to post this fabulous give away on my blog!
Jen A’s last blog post…A Purchase has been made! + a really cool site!
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Ooh, I’m unlurking although I’m not sure if I’m eligible to enter as I live in the UK.
No matter, I’ll still tell you what I love about autumn. I love new shoes. Even though I’m nearly 40 this time of year always reminds me of new shoes. Generally, it’s only the children who get them in this house, but I still have a hankering to kick the fallen leaves and crunch in the russet piles. Autumn doesn’t seem complete without them somehow.
Added to the “new shoes” is the feeling of new starts. Much more so than at New Year, or spring when everything is fresh. I’ve no idea why this should be so but autumn means new shoes and new beginnings to me.
Have a happy autumn (can definitely feel it in the air here, but this has been a reallllllly bad summer here).
Debx
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Firstly, FANTASTIC GIVE AWAY!!!! Thank you so much for sharing your birthday with all your readers.
Secondly, I love the crisp mornings, mild sunny days and cool evenings…
Autumn/Fall in Australia is when my birthday is (April), so that will always help the season’s cause
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What a wonderful giveaway, and happy birthday a bit early, btw!
I love fall for the crisp evenings that invite the opening of windows and snuggling up with a blanket, for pumpkin picking and apple cider, for the beautiful leaves changing color, and the bounty of the end of season harvest.
Take care,
Steph
Steph @ Problem Solvin’ Mom’s last blog post…Edible finger paint experiment
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great prizes! love you blog (i subscribe via google reader).
what do i love about the fall? the change of the seasons, the smell and crispness in the air!
Bridget =)’s last blog post…First Day of Kindergarten
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My favorite thing about fall is the crisp, cool weather in the mornings.
Love your site!
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With fall comes good reason to make “fall foods”—everything yummy with pumpkin, or molasses, or cinnamon. Then, that means coming inside from a crisp, cool day to a house that smells warm and cozy.
What a fun giveaway- thanks, and happy birthday!
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Oh the smells! Walking outside and smelling the cold with just a hint of piles of leaves burning and knowing that soon I can wear my sweaters again
What a great prize pack!
Joanna’s last blog post…Dax Meets Rice Cereal
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I LOVE the fall season so much! My favorite thing about fall is taking my family to one of the many pumpkin farms in our area and going on a hay ride…so much fun! Oh, and fall bonfires, snuggled under blankets with my hubby
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The thing I love about Fall is the changing of the leaves and presents (because my birthday is in Fall =).
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HI! ME ME ME!!!!
I would LOVE this prize!!! My FAVORITE season is fall!!! The look of the clouds, the smell in the air of burning leaves…the brisk breeze swirling the leaves around behind the car heading to endless soccer practices…a scented spice candle in your kitchen, cutting up apples with the kids and mixing them with cinnamon & sugar for that apple crisp….and of course the brillinat God-created beautiful mosiac of the fall colors on the trees….Amazing - Fall…a gorgeous conclusion to the beauty of summer! 
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I can’t pick just one thing! Fall is my favorite season too. I love falling leaves, crunching them under my feet, apple cider, picking apples, fall festivals, Halloween, Thanksgiving, sweater weather, camping, hiking in mulit-colored forests, later sunrises, chilly evenings, my birthday (October 11th), wearing jeans again, pumpkins, pumpkin pie…..
Sarah @ OrdinaryDays’s last blog post…He’s (Unofficially) The Last
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Since Fall in Houston brings a small change in our weather and scenery compared to where I grew up, my favorite part of Fall has to be the seasonal food it brings to the grocery store. Apple cider is my favorite! Drinking it takes me back to the feeling of fall in the beautiful Northwest where they actually grow the apples and memories of visiting apple orchards as a kid and watching them making fresh-pressed cider. Thank you for the extra special giveaway!
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My favorite part of Fall is all of it! When the leaves start to change colors and it starts to get cold at night but still warm in the sun during the day. I can break out the heavy quilts, apple picking, baking pumpkin seeds and all the wonderful smells that come with Autumn. Now I can’t wait for Fall to come!
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I love when the weather starts turning cool. We can turn the AC off and open up the windows to let the fresh air in. I also love sitting out on our terrace in the morning with a huge comfy sweater and cup of coffee.
Marie’s last blog post…Done. Now on to the Bookcase
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My most favorite favorite thing about fall is my September birthday
And I live in the Northeast, so I get to see changing leaves that knock my socks off!!!
I hope I win your birthday present for *my* birthday!!
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Those are some very nice prizes!! We are close to Burt’s Pumpkin Farm in North Georgia and enjoy visiting there with the grandchildren every year. Our oldest will be 9 this fall and he’s already asking about it. I asked him if we’ll still be going when he’s 21 and he nooded enthusiastically. See why October is my favorite month?
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love indian summer, warm days & cool nights, bright colors on the trees, the sound of crunchy leaves when I walk.
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My favorite thing about fall is getting to bake again. I avoid using the oven in the summer as much as possible, but in the fall, all my favorite baking recipes come out again and we indulge!
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As a brand new reader, I can’t believe I’ve found this great blog AND you give away cool, useful stuff!
My favorite thing about fall is getting back into a schedule. In the summer, we’re more flexible with bedtimes and travel and activities (which is great), but the whole family seems to enjoy getting back into a regular routine.
Oh, and I have a fall birthday too : ) Love that. Happy birthday!
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My favorite thing about fall is Halloween, which is also my birthday….so it is a double treat! I also love the fall clothing…nothing is better than jeans and a lightweight sweater.
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I love the Fall too. Growing up in Louisiana my favorite part is the cool weather it brings. And after being inside for a couple of months it is so fun to be outside and actually enjoying it!
What an amazing give away!!
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Wow, it will not be long I love to think about fall. It’s the morning cool air with a gentle breeze and the leaves turning colors and the beauty of it all. I live about 25 min from the mnts and I would not want to live anywhere else. This is a awesome package I would just love to win !! Thank you for brining some fall memories to mind.
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I love the feel of the crisp and cool air. I also enjoy stomping in the fallen leaves (if I happen to be living in a place where leaves fall).
I am subscribed, but I don’t see any special code at the bottom.
Awesome Mom’s last blog post…The Blue Room
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Every fall I relish the cooler temperatures and the gorgeous colors, however, this fall I will be a grandmother for the first time! Needless to say I will be practicing much gratitude!
Tami’s last blog post…Wii Fit Addiction
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Oh gosh! I’m with you, fall is my favorite season too and it’s hard to decide what is my favorite part. I think it’s when the pumpkin patches open at the beginning of October giving me the opportunity for some great photo opps and the beginning of the countdown to the holidays. The cool weather is just the icing on the cake.
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Surely I can’t be expected to choose just one thing! Football games, marching bands, the colors, the first cup of hot chocolate…..
Mary’s last blog post…My head is spinning
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What a generous giveaway! I love all of it!
My favorite thing about fall is the sound of leaves crunching under my feet. Now that I live in the south, it’s not quite the same crisp cool air and drinking hot cider in a cozy turtleneck kind of season, but I still try to find my ways to drink it all in.
Emily’s last blog post…What Motivates You?
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Autumn is my absolute FAVORITE Season!! I love the brilliant colors of the turning leaves, the cooler temps, the warm comfort food, and best of all ~ taking our family for the memorable trips to the pumpkin patch!!
(…Thanks for hosting the giveaway!!)
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living in North East USA sums up my fav thing of Fall, I LOVE everything about it, even got married and had two children in it!
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like you, fall is my absolute favorite season! i love the smells, the sounds, the apples, the buses rolling down the road on the first day of school, the color of the leaves, the smell of the leaves in the air…oh, i just love fall. i have smelled small hints of fall already here in michigan. oh, and university of michigan football. we live so very close to the stadium and there is always a rush of excitment when you see all the people gathering for the games. fall also signals that (shhh) thanksgiving and christmas and the new year are right around the corner. and pumpkin ice cream starts hitting the shelves of the local grocer. and yes, the scents of fall flavored candles.
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I love the change of temperature, the colors, the sense of family closeness that comes as you are inside the house a bit more, and of course the wonderful change of cooking that fall brings!
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Thanks for a great giveaway!
My favorite thing about fall? We live in south Alabama - so my favorite thing would have to be when the weather FINALLY starts to cool off - even just a little bit! I grew up in the north - so I miss the changing of the trees.
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I have a tie: Starbucks fall flavored drinks and fall scented candles. Yum!
Lynley’s last blog post…Evelyn’s List of Things To Do Today
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My favorite thing about fall is our weekend bonfires. We invite neighbors and friends and enjoy!
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Wow– what bounty!
I’ve always said that my favorite weather is changing weather, and fall is the most brief and changing of the seasons. I can’t wait, either!
Love your work,
e
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I want to win!!!!! Everything looks amazing. What a great gift! There are two things I LOVE about autumn. Since I live in Florida, I love that it starts to cool down. That is always so refreshing. And the other is my anniversary! It’s on October 25th and I am always reminded of how beautiful our wedding day was!
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Both my hubby and I have our birthdays in the Fall. And having grown up in Florida and South Carolina, I love the Fall I get to experience now that I live in Virginia. The crisp air, shortening days and the colorful leaves are just wonderful!
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Wow! What a great giveaway! Fall is my favorite season… so I LOVE all things about Fall, but specifically the colors in nature and the crispness of the air! Happy Birthday to you! My birthday is around the corner too!
Teri
Teri H’s last blog post…what i’ve been doing…
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I love fall because I start to get motivated to work on my quilting again! For some reason, I always put it aside during the summer because the last thing I want to do is sit inside covered by a warm blanket. But once it starts to get cool outside, I’m ready to get back to my quilting projects again. I can’t wait!
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My favorite thing about fall is being able to open the windows and let the cool, crisp air come it. I love that first day where you need to wear your favorite pair of jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt to be comfortable.
Lindsey W’s last blog post…Pictures from Sunday/Monday
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My favorite thing about the fall season is my special memories of my Dad (he died of bone marrow cancer) and myself raking leaves and how he would pile the leaves high so I could jump in them.
My Dad loved to sit outside in his favorite chair and I right beside him. We talked about so many things.
He loved the fall as much as I did. We both enjoyed the cool air, decorating for Halloween, and also knowing that Christmas was right around the corner. He would purchase walnuts, we would sit outside and crack them open so Mom could use the nuts for cooking. My special memories are my favorite about the fall season.
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Great giveaway!
My favorite things are watching the leaves change color, getting to put my super soft cashmere sweater back into my wardrobe, and pumpkin pie - Mmmm.
Christina G’s last blog post…The Bottle of My Dreams
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