4 Ways to Celebrate Valentines Day and a Pattern Giveaway!!!

Here are four of my favorite fun, simple and crafty ways to celebrate Valentines Day. 1. Make turn a simple and ordinary, everyday dish into something romantic, by adding and edible heart-shaped embellishment. Here, I simply added cranberries to everyday oatmeal.

2. Turn and ordinary pattern into a Valentines Day pattern, by working your project in a sensous and sultry shade of red. I crocheted a set of his and her Valentines Day Beanies in this soft and simple Vanna's Choice yarn, in a rich romantic red.

3. Make a Hearts and Roses tote bag to match your Valentine's Outfit of the Day! I used the oversized tote pattern, and the poppies galore pattern, to make this, in a shade that will match these earrings, and necklace, that I plan on wearing for the first time this Valentines Day.

4. Make this Hot and Spicy set of coasters, to liven up your Valentines Day toast for two! To get your complimentary copy of this very simple pattern, sign up to follow my blog. Make sure to include your e-mail address, and I'll send you a copy!

Happy Valentines Day!

Poppies Galore and Handmade Weddings

Even though I've been hitched for over a fifth of a century, I still get bit with the bridal bug every year around this time. I guess it may be because it's the season when I planned my own wedding, and when I helped my sister, and many others plan theirs. This little poppy pattern, is quite the ace in the hole, for the diy bride, Or for anyone anxious to bloom. These flowers can be used with other knitting or crochet projects, or to craft all sorts of goodies!! You can find them HERE

A stash busting, scrap rug for Kouassi's Bathroom

This is a great way to burn a hole in your yarn stash. I made this rug for my youngest son Kouassi's bathroom. I'll take some photo's of it in there, as soon as I get the chance. I made it to coordinate with the granny square blanket that is on is bed.

My Happy Bag - How Does My Garden Grow?

So I guess its official. It's time for me to get turned in to Craftaholics Anonymous. While you won't catch me with a travel flask, I do carry this little purse with me wherever I go. Inside, I have a crochet hook, and enough yarn for a fleur galore flower or 2. I guess you could say that wherever I'm going, my garden is growing!!!!

The Color Purple

A WHILE BACK, I DESIGNED THIS HAT AND PATTERN FOR THE COVER OF THE FIRST ISSUE OF CROCHET TODAY MAGAZINE. AT THAT TIME, I FELL IN LOVE WITH COATS AND CLARK YARNS, AND WITH THE COLOR PURPLE. IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH IT ALL OVER AGAIN. NOT ONLY SHADES OF PURPLE, BUT VARIOUS BLUSHING PINKS. IF YOU'D LIKE A LINK TO A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS PATTERN CLICK THE LIKE BUTTON ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, AND I'LL SEND YOU THE LINK. HERE'S THE LINK TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE
www.facebook.com/pages/Francine-Toukou/107934249246008?sk...

The Joy of Blankies!

Now that my boys are getting bigger, I don't have a whole lot of use for these little blankies, but boy, were they a hit, just a couple years back. My youngest still uses his though. I still love them. I gave them a little tlc over the long weekend, now they're nice and clean and ready to keep my lap warm. And boy did I need one today! BRRRR.....!!!!! I took some more pictures of them that I hope to get a chance to post soon. BUSY, BUSY, BUSY!

A handmade girl in a digital world. - Thoughts from my handwriting corner.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been getting a stream of handwritten thank you notes in the mail. They've been lovely thank you's for handmade holiday gifts. They made me think about how much I love the lost personal touch of an actual 3 dimensional note, or card, in actual human hand writing. I mentioned before that I'm not into New Years Resolutions, but I plan on establishing the habit of taking time this year, to keep in 3 dimensional touch, by handwritten, postcards, greeting cards, notes and the like. I've designated this little area of my room as "My Handwriting Corner". I closed my laptop, fancied up the corner a bit with some crochet flowers, and stocked this little box that my neice gave me, with postcards, blank cards, thank you notes, and sweet little envelopes.

Hearts and Roses - A Valentines Day Pattern Pairing

From now until Valentines Day, receive a free gift copy of the Poppies Galore Pattern, when you order the Oversized Tote Pattern. Here, I used the poppies galore flowers to embellish a bag made with the oversized tote pattern. The tote was made using Red Heart Yarn in Claret.

You can find the Oversized tote Pattern at www.francinetoukou.com

I think I'm getting obsessed with pattern pairings, but I just love exploring all the different possibilites. I'm putting together a slipper pattern lookbook. If you'd like a copy, click the like box on my facebook page, and I'll post a link on your page later in the week.

Here's the link to my facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Francine-Toukou/107934249246008?sk...

I HOPE YOU LIKE!!!!!

Crochet Slipper Lookbook - Complimentary Copy

I love to use my imagination when it comes to styling craft projects, so I'm putting together a lookbook to share, that features lots and lots of photos, showing different simply slippers designs and styling ideas. To get your complimentary copy, click the like button on my facebook page, and I'll post a copy on your wall when the lookbook comes out next week!!!!

Here's the link: www.facebook.com/pages/Francine-Toukou/107934249246008?sk...

P.S. These were made using the Head to Toe pattern from www.francinetoukou.com

Spectator Poppytoes

When I was a young lass, my grandmother used to wear spectator pumps. I thought that they were quite the lovely "classics", but found them a bit too serious and stuffy for my own personal tate. I made this "happy-fied" pair of spectator slippers that are just the opposite of stuffy and serious. They don't have high heels, they're soft, and they are gloriously vibrant with hot pink poppies!!!!!! I used the poppy toes pattern to make them, but instead of using just one color of yarn, I crocheted the first four rounds in onyx, and the rest of the slipper in linen.

www.francinetoukou.com.

Fleurs Galore Hair Pins

These cute little flower pins were made using the fleurs galore pattern. Instead of using the worsted weight yarn, and larger hook, I used cotton thread and a US size 2 needle. This yielded a much smaller flower. I made a little lookbook that features a number of projects that can be made using the fleurs galore pattern. You can view it at www.francinetoukou.com

Happy Crafting to You!
-Francine

I Don't believe in New Years Resolutions

I don't believe in New Years Resolutions, but I'm making a commitment to do more painting this year. I'd forgotten how much fun it actually is. I'm still pinning crochet flowers to everything that can't outrun me! I put together this little lookbook. It shows some ideas on ways that the flowers can be used.
You can view the whole lookbook HERE