Laurel’s Sweet Five-Petal Crochet Flower Pattern

Chapter 19- Laurel’s Sweet Five-Petal
Crochet Flower Pattern


Hi, Rachelle the farm girl here to show you how I used the Five-Petal Crochet Flower Pattern to create a darling set of patriotic hair clips.

Here's what you'll need to make the hairclips:

Yarn of your choice and weight- for this example I used crochet thread size 10 in red, white, and blue
2 crochet hooks, size C and size F (or size to your preference)
Metal hair clips
Small piece of felt--I used white
Glue gun
2 Buttons to match your hairclip

Make 3 flowers to create one clip.  I love crocheting these because they are so simple. I promise! It takes less than five minutes to crochet one flower. Here's the pattern with step-by-step photos using the size F hook:
 

Five-Petal Crochet Flower Pattern

Rnd 1: Ch 5, join into a ring w/sl st in 1st ch.

Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 9dc in ring, join to top of
ch w/sl st—10 sts.



Rnd 3: **Ch 2, work 3dc in next st, ch 2, sl st in next st** five
times. Fasten off.

You can see how the petals form as you repeat Round 3.

 To layer a slightly smaller flower on top, use one hook size
smaller than you used for the larger flower.

 Now create 2 more flowers for the layering effect. Use the size C hook for your smallest flower. Take all 3 strands of Red, White, and Blue crochet thread and tie them in a slip knot. Crochet the flower with the 3 strands together to make your multi-colored base flower.

For variety, you can create a different colored center by changing
yarn colors after round 2. Experiment with different weight yarns and
hook sizes.
Once you've crocheted your 3 flowers, layer them one on top of the other and place a button on the top. Use a tapestry needle or other dull point needle to sew your button on through the 3 layered flowers.

Cut a circle of white felt and attach your metal hair clip to the underside of the flowers with hot glue.

Repeat this process to make a matching set. You can see in the photo that I changed up the layer for a second set of hair clips so both of my girls can wear their favorite messy buns in style!

These flowers would work well on a T-shirt, bag, or table runner. Use your imagination and enjoy!
Chapter 19- Laurel’s Sweet Five-Petal
Crochet Flower Pattern
Use any size hook (depending on what size flower you want) and
any weight yarn, but for delicate lace flowers use fingering 10-count
crochet thread and a size 6, 7, or 8 hook.
Rnd 1: Ch 5, join into a ring w/sl st in 1st ch.
Rnd 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 9dc in ring, join to top of
ch w/sl st—10 sts.
Rnd 3: **Ch 2, work 3dc in next st, ch 2, sl st in next st** five
times. Fasten off.
For variety, you can create a different colored center by changing
yarn colors after round 2. Experiment with different weight yarns and
hook sizes. To layer a slightly smaller flower on top, use one hook size
smaller than you used for the larger flower.

If you liked this project, you might be interested in more projects from my novel about a wedding planner who runs her own craft blog and solves mysteries! Learn more about Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things and all of the chapter tutorials here.

The handmade candles were a hit with my kids and everyone loves the special touch of this rose-petal covered journal.
 Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com

Cover Reveal for Proposals and Poison

It's time to introduce book #3 in the Wedding Planner Mystery series! Adri is back with her assistant Lorea to solve mysteries, and that handsome divorce attorney, Luke, just might be a little help this time.

I'm so excited to introduce you to this book filled with dozens of craft tutorials, recipes, and more just like the other books in the series.

Do you want to take a peek of the cover?

Here's a little blurb on the book first:
Proposals and Poison, Wedding Planner Mysteries book #3 Rachelle J. Christensen

Love can be a very dangerous thing.

At least it seems that way to Adri Pyper, the premier wedding planner in Sun Valley, Idaho. When one of her clients dies mysteriously, Adri takes the advice of the local detective and swears she will stay out of the investigation . . . this time. Luke Stetson's involvement in the case, along with the possibility of a kiss between the two, should be enough incentive to keep Adri out of trouble. But when a dog-themed wedding is almost ruined by a suspect, Adri and her assistant, Lorea, are thrust into private eye mode. When poison enters the picture, even a reluctant sleuth can’t steer clear of danger.

I had so much fun writing this story which is set in Sun Valley, Idaho--a gorgeous place to visit year-round! Here's what one of my readers said:

“Cozy mystery meets romantic comedy in this fabulous, fast-paced story.” 

Cami Checketts author of The Resilient One, A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance

 “Packed with danger and romance, intrigue and entertainment, Rachelle Christensen's Wedding Planner series is romantic suspense that will keep you turning pages late into the night!” --Maria Hoagland, Author of The ReModel Marriage (Romance Renovations series)
 Author Rachelle J. Christensen Rachelle is a mother of five who writes mystery/suspense, nonfiction, and women’s fiction. She solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She enjoys raising chickens and laughing with her husband. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music. Rachelle is the award-winning author of ten books, including The Soldier’s Bride (a Kindle Scout Selection), Wrong Number, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know, and Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology. Her novella, “Silver Cascade Secrets,” was included in the Rone Award–winning Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection.

Rachelle has a VIP mailing list where all subscribers get access to free books, guides, and other resources. Sign up now to hear what exciting news Rachelle has to share. http://eepurl.com/eFD3o

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Series endorsements
“Mystery, suspense, murder and romance all intriguingly tied together in one very fun walk-down-the-aisle cozy mystery!”—Shauna Wheelwright, reviewer

 “I love a great mystery that keeps my interest and keeps the pages turning. I loved the Hawaiian setting, that was a character on its own. As the story progressed, I enjoyed where the author went with the mystery, doing a perfect job of planting the right amount of seeds to try to throw me off the trail of who the killer was.”—Mindy Holt, reviewer    

Preorder your ebook now for only $2.99 here on Amazon

And because we really should celebrate birthdays before they happen, there's a giveaway just for you!

Giveaway Details $25 cash giveaway plus an ebook bundle of the Wedding Planner Mystery Books 1 & 2. (gifted via Amazon) Ends 3/3/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Veils and Vengeance Launch & Cash Giveaway

Today is the big day! I've been waiting for this for sooo long, so let's party!It's time to find out more of Adri's story!
Veils and Vengeance, book #2 in the Wedding Planner Mystery Series is officially available today with an ebook sale price of only $2.99! The paperback version is on sale for only $12.99!
Veils and Vengeance (Wedding Planner Mysteries Book 2)
“Author Rachelle J. Christensen has created likable and realistic characters. She blends the drama of a mystery with the allure of weddings mixing in a good dose of humor, suspense, and of course, a touch of romance.” –Mason Canyon, reviewer

 
 Here's a blurb about the book. Be sure to enter the giveaway and the goodreads giveaway below!


Veils and Vengeance by Rachelle J. Christensen When wedding planner, Adrielle Pyper, goes to Hawaii to orchestrate a destination wedding, she isn't prepared for what she finds. After the trauma of her previous event, the beautiful isle of Kauai is the perfect place for Adri to unwind and do what she does best – plan. She even lets herself indulge in the attention of the groom’s handsome brother. But just when everything seems to be perfect, an afternoon snorkeling trip turns to murder when Adri discovers the body of a young woman. Shaken, but unable to let it go, Adri’s sleuthing leads her into more danger than she could imagine. When a number of “accidents” threaten her own life, it soon becomes apparent that someone will do anything to keep Adri from interfering with their vengeance.   Enter the Goodreads Giveaway here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/139545-veils-and-vengeance     

What's that? You haven't read book #1 yet? Never fear, check it out here Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things: A Wedding Planner Mystery (Wedding Planner Mysteries) !

Praise for Rachelle J. Christensen

“A fun walk-down-the-aisle cozy mystery!” – Shauna Wheelwright, reviewer

"Fans of award-winning author Rachelle Christensen will be standing in line for her latest release. With tension, action, danger, and definite hints of romance, this book represents everything we love to read."  - Tristi Pinkston, author of the Secret Sisters Mysteries

“Author Rachelle J. Christensen has created likable and realistic characters. She blends the drama of a mystery with the allure of weddings mixing in a good dose of humor, suspense, and of course, a touch of romance.” –Mason Canyon, reviewer

"Here's the exact way to turn an improbable plot into a rollicking suspense novel, full of surprises and twists, and wonderful characterizations."-- Jeff Needle prominent book reviewer from AML

"Don’t expect to get a lot of sleep . . . . If the thrills of the chase don’t get you, the thrills of the heart will."
-- Jeffrey S Savage, author of the Shandra Covington mystery series and the Mysteries of Cove series

Photo by Erin Summerill

Author Rachelle J. Christensen Rachelle J. Christensen is a mother of five who writes mystery/suspense and solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music. She enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and, of course, reading. Rachelle is the award-winning author of six books, including Wrong Number, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, and What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know. Her novella, Silver Cascade Secrets, was included in the Rone Award-winning Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection.

* Blog * Website * Facebook * Twitter  

$50 Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/21/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized and sponsored by Rachelle Christensen. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Cover Reveal of Wedding Planner Mysteries Book #2, Veils and Vengeance

All of us at Mashed Potatoes and Crafts are so excited about book #2 in the Wedding Planner Mystery Series, Veils and Vengeance!
This book continues Adri's story, and you won't want to miss this page-turning mystery!

What's that? You haven't read book #1 yet? Never fear, check it out here Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things: A Wedding Planner Mystery (Wedding Planner Mysteries) !

And here's the cover!

 
 Here's a blurb about the book. Be sure to enter the giveaway and the goodreads giveaway below!


Veils and Vengeance by Rachelle J. Christensen When wedding planner, Adrielle Pyper, goes to Hawaii to orchestrate a destination wedding, she isn't prepared for what she finds. After the trauma of her previous event, the beautiful isle of Kauai is the perfect place for Adri to unwind and do what she does best – plan. She even lets herself indulge in the attention of the groom’s handsome brother. But just when everything seems to be perfect, an afternoon snorkeling trip turns to murder when Adri discovers the body of a young woman. Shaken, but unable to let it go, Adri’s sleuthing leads her into more danger than she could imagine. When a number of “accidents” threaten her own life, it soon becomes apparent that someone will do anything to keep Adri from interfering with their vengeance.   Enter the Goodreads Giveaway here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/139545-veils-and-vengeance     

Photo by Erin Summerill

Author Rachelle J. Christensen Rachelle J. Christensen is a mother of five who writes mystery/suspense and solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music. She enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and, of course, reading. Rachelle is the award-winning author of six books, including Wrong Number, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, and What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know. Her novella, Silver Cascade Secrets, was included in the Rone Award-winning Timeless Romance Anthology, Fall Collection.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

$25 Cover Reveal Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/15/15 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Handmade Party Candles

Handmade Candles- Chapter 12

We had some extra fun with this project! My kids all got to make a little candle using dixie cups as the mold. The possibilities are endless, so don't be shy. Melt some wax and get started!

Measure the depth of a Styrofoam cup or other heat-resistant
but temporary container.

Cut cotton wicking one and a half times
the depth of the container.

Melt paraffin wax (one pound of paraffin
melts to about 20 fluid ounces) in a double boiler. Or if you melt scented wax, you can melt down your used wax from Scentsy candles, etc.

For this step, I had an old emergency candle that got melted in the summer heat of the trailer that my hubby and I lived in when we were first married! Yes, it was that hot in that tin can! I finally decided to do something with it since it couldn't be burned as a candle in its current state!

 After melting down, add essential oils for your favorite scent.

Stir in dried rose petals, eucalyptus leaves, berries,
or wood shavings, using about four parts wax to one part mix-ins.

Wrap one end of cotton wicking to a pencil that is slightly longer
than the diameter of your container, and tape the other end to the
inside bottom of the container. The wick should be slightly taut. Alternatively, you could set up something like I have pictured below. We put the candles on my cooling rack and taped the wicking to the underside of the cupboards.

Pour wax into your container and adjust the wick as needed. I poured in different colors of wax in layers and let each one set up for about five to ten minutes before adding the next layer and mix-ins. Once the wick is centered and taut, allow 24 hours for the wax to harden.

Then cut the container and peel it away to reveal the candle. Trim the wick to
¾ inch. This was quite the exciting step for my 4 year old!

Wrap twine or ribbon around the candle if desired.

In my book, this candle idea is used as a centerpiece for the wedding celebrations/reception. These candles also make great holiday gifts and fun decor ideas.

Here are four of my kids showing off their candle creations!

Learn more about Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things and all of the chapter tutorials here
Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com.