In the aromatherapy world, the name Andrea Butje is synonmous with excellence. She has set the bar to a new high in essential oil education at her school Aromahead Institute and has given those of us who love high quality essential oils an invaluable gift: relationship with the distillers. If you want to buy directly from those who make essential oils, you can subscribe to her International Directory of Essential Oil Distillers.
Now she has written a book called Essential Living: Aromatherapy Recipes for Health and Home. This book is exactly what you would expect from Andrea. Clear, easy to follow, based on research and bursting with information.
Would you like to win a copy? Of course you would! Keep reading….
About the Book
This beautiful book has every kind of recipe a beginner would need to get started with aromatherapy – for health and home, just like it says on the cover! Even a veteran aromatherapist will want to add this practical guide to their library. Andrea has shared 60 of her best (and favorite) recipes to help you create safe and environmentally-friendly products for everything from personal body care to cleaning the house. This is such a great resource!
I asked Andrea if she would be willing to share an autographed copy of her book with one lucky reader of my Aromatic Wisdom blog and she said, “sure!” My bet is, this book will become a classic. You’d better get a signed copy while you can 
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Here are the Rules in 3 Easy Steps:
Step 1. Leave a comment below, or on any of my blog posts. There are plenty to choose from – look to the right and you’ll see Recent Articles, or click on the drop down menu called Categories.
Step 2. Go to Facebook to Andrea’s Aromahead Institute page and you’ll see her post about the giveaway. (It begins with “Aromahead Institute is doing a blog/book tour!” There’s a thumbnail photo of Andrea being filmed.) Found it? Great! Now simply a) “Like” the Aromahead fanpage, and b) “Share” that post so others can learn about the book giveaway!
Step 3. Email Andrea at andrea@aromahead.com to confirm that you have shared her post and commented on my blog.
Andrea will keep track of all the emails and randomly choose a winner.
**Note: All entries must be in by midnight on Monday, Dec. 31, 2012. The winner of the Essential Living book will be announced right here on my blog on January 1, 2013 and will be contacted directly by Andrea Butje.
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I recently interviewed Andrea about her book – as well as her life as an aromatherapist.
Liz: What inspired you to write Essential Living: Aromatherapy Recipes for Health and Home?
Andrea: I have always enjoyed sharing what I know about essential oils. My motivation to write the book started when I realized how many of my friends had chemical cleaners in their homes, even the ones with small children in the house. I know how easy it is to make your own cleaning products and how hard chemical cleaners are on the immune system. I was constantly sharing these recipes with friends. Finally I decided the information needed to be in a book. While I was writing, the book turned into much more than cleaning products. Now includes a much wider range of recipes including body care products and blends for issues like colds and flu, sleep and pain.
Liz: If I someone wanted to give this book to a non-aromatherapist friend, and they wanted to include a few essential oils with the book, which oils would you recommend?
Andrea: I would suggest starting with a small collection of essential oils including lavender, lemon, peppermint and white pine. This group of oils provides a wide range of therapeutic activity and are moderately priced.
Liz: If you had to do it all over again, is there any aspect of getting your first book published you would do differently next time?
Andrea: Actually, I am really happy with the process. I self-published, hired a professional editor and a designer. I learned a lot and look forward to writing another book.
Bergamot distiller in Italy
Liz: Do you have any advice to give an aspiring aromatherapist who wants to write a book ? (Like me )
Andrea: Do it! The more accurate information we have available about using essential oils, the better. I would suggest being sure that the information shared in the book is either supported by solid research or by clinical and personal experience.
Hydrosols in Crete
Liz: What do you do when you’re not writing or teaching?
Andrea: I travel frequently to visit essential oil distillers around the world. I love meeting the farmers and distillers that make it all possible, and I always learn from them. I love taking photographs of the plants and distilleries. In the past few years I have been to visit essential oil distillers in Greece, France, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hawaii and Canada.
Freshly harvested Thyme in Crete
Liz: What aromatherapy projects are you working on now?
Andrea: My partner Cindy Black and I are co-authoring an online course called Aromatherapy for Massage Therapists. Cindy and I founded and co-owned the Finger Lakes School of Massage in NY for 10 years. We very excited about the class and are almost done writing and making the videos for the course. We hope to have it available at Aromahead Institute by the end of January.
Andrea “on the set” for her new online class
Liz: That sound so exciting! Finally, Andrea, where can people learn more about you?
Andrea: Thanks for asking Liz!
Purchase Essential Living: Aromatherapy Recipes for Health and Home: http://tinyurl.com/Aromahead
Aromahead Institute: www.aromahead.com
Aromahead blog: http://www.aromahead.com/blog/
Aromahead free and educational newsletters: http://www.aromahead.com/newsletters
My photographs on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aromahead/
I made some fun Youtube videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/trustyoursource
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aromatherapyeducation?ref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aromahead
Google +: http://tinyurl.com/Aromahead-Google
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/aromahead/
Articles: http://blogs.naturalcures.com/author/a.butje@naturalcures.com/
THANK YOU ANDREA!
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Check it out: A Dose of Aromatic Wisdom
Ohh the reading enjoyment I would get out of this book!! Looking forward to my aromatherapy journey
Jennifer, and what a magnificent journey it is ….
Ohhh I agree and I am just getting started!!
Reading everything I can get my hands on lol
Hello Liz,
I have just recently started following Andrea on Facebook and she shares some really awesome recipes. I am a newly licensed massage therapist and I would love to learn more about aromatherapy. Thank you for interviewing Andrea, I love all the new information on how to get started as a new aromatherapist. Peace
Maryann
Hi Maryann, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I’ve taken nearly every course Andrea teaches and my ACP is modeled after hers. I’ve been doing massage for 17 years in addition to teaching aromatherapy and I can tell you, it’s a great thing to add to your massage practice – for you AND the client!
Hi Liz. I use essential oils in my practice, at home and everyday in general. I would Love to take some of Andreas courses but am a very small business. So for now I follow her and try her recepies. Love, love, love her!
Will come back to this blog when I have more time! Would like to enter the contest to win your book! I always have so much to learn. Susan https://www.facebook.com/StarDragonflyHerbCompany
Susan, I agree – there is so much good stuff out there about, well… everything! Come back anytime
Just started my journey on essentail oils and their healing properties. Not a fan of money grubbing corporate pharmacutical companies. Feel like lab rats with who knows what being prescribed and put into our bodies not knowing what the long term effects just so the corporate world can make a profit. SO we are going back to nature and natural healing.
Jennifer Group-Graff (what a great name), all of us in the complementary health care field know exactly how you feel!
Hi Liz, You are doing wonderful with sharing your knowledge of essential oils. I look forward to your posts. I have entered Andrea’s book give away. I would love to be the one to win it.
Renee
Renee – it’s great to hear from you. I was so happy to see you subscribed to A Dose of Aromatic Wisdom! Keep your fingers crossed…
I’m very new to essential oils. I purchased my first oils back in September to help in healing my very badly sprained ankle. I would love to have a copy of this book as I’m quickly becoming addicted to essential oils
I even gave Lavender oils and jewelry lockets with refill pads as Christmas gifts. Thanks for all the great information.
ahhhh yes, Jeanne. You definitely have the bug! YAY! I can’t think of a healthier addiciton!
I am excited for her book and look forward to getting a copy! Great interview.
Thanks Rebecca!
I began this joureny as well in the holistic field through Fingerlakes School of Massage. I believe Andre was one of the original founders. I have since then started to learn the many benefits with herbs and essential oils. I have 5 sons and my husband with whom I am passing a new way of thinking to them. Breaking patterns.
Prudy, I am so pleased to hear this! First of all, I know you’ve had great massage training if you attended FLSM, but also how lucky your children are to be exposed to natural products! Breaking patterns, indeed! Thank you SO much for stopping by the blog today!
Love Andrea! I can’t wait to read her book!
Patrick Smith recently posted…Muscle Balm – Peppermint Aromatherapy by PSNaturalHealth
Love this! Can’t have enough well researched, solid aromatherapy books. Unfortunately, I passed many of mine along years ago (I know – what was I thinking?). Now I need to ‘rebuild’. Thanks for this opportunity!!
Victoria recently posted…Tough (and Valuable) Lessons from the Homestead
This seems totally appropriate for leaving a comment. I am just renewing my interest and study into natural cleaners/body products/herbal therapy and aromatherapy. When the student is ready, the teacher and “The Book” will show up. Happy New Year to all. !=)
I look forward to getting the book. Andrea is a great resource!
Thank you for this post!
I think Andrea is a world-wide reference to the industry of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils. I’m glad the world i lucky to have essential oils at hand and luckier to have Andrea as somoone who can teach us how we can use them in a responsibe way!
Just shared the contest and cannot wait to read the book! I have been interested in aromatherapy for years, but I’m just getting into mixing my own. Would love to win this book, but if I don’t will definately buy it.
Mary Blackburn recently posted…Gluten-Free Holiday Cooking With Your Kids
I am brand new to “natural” healing & living of any and all kinds. I’m so glad I’ve found you and look forward to learning so much!! Can’t wait to learn how to leave western meds behind!!
I love using essential oils and am so excited my sister referred me to your site! I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate them in daily life.
My mom just recently bought a copy of this book and it is amazing!! Hope to get a copy for myself!!
I have become obsessed with aromatherapy this past year. I want to learn as much about it as I can!
Whoop. I did it …not such a technophobe after all…looking forward to the online classes…I use EO in my holistic practice. They work on all levels mental, emotional, mental and spiritual. I would love to learn how to green clean my home..:) Well done on your book. Wishing you much success! Marian
Andrea really seems amazing! I have been interested in aromatheraphy for the past two years and have made several items. I want to learn so much more and eventually take classes. I hope to win Andrea’s book. Thanks for the opportunity.
This really IS such a great opportunity. I have been using Aromatherapy since ’88 as a Massage Therapist. Then, it was Tisserand and LaVabre(sp?) And I took a 5-day course with Eve Taylor; she is great. And I am always up for learning more. Aromatherapy is SUCH a wonderful healing tool, AND it’s very pleasant too. Thanks for the opportunity.
Karen
I hope to win a copy of this book. It sure would come in useful and I’m sure filled with valuable information. Even better yet is the online class!!
Hello from Ireland – Best of luck with the new book – Hope I win a copy
Awesome blog! Thanks so much for this opportunity!
Congratulations on your first giveaway!
Rebecca David recently posted…Breathe Deeply
I have been following Andrea’s blog and I really enjoy it. I just found yours this morning. I will enjoy reading through it tonight with a cup of tea. I would love to receive Andrea’s book. Thank you for the chance
Beautiful blog site, chock full of information– enough for a few lifetimes of exploration!
Can’t wait to see this book too!
Thanks for visiting Laura. Feel free to stay and poke around as long as you like
The giveaway is over, but Andrea has another contest going already – Check it out here: http://aromaticwisdominstitute.com/essential-living-winner
This book looks fantastic. I’ve been making my own bath and body products and would love this book.
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