Style – Francois et Moi

Mother’s Day Instagram Giveaway with Yen Chee Design

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 12 May 2017 12:48:05 +0000

Since becoming a mom to our daughter, Sylvia, a little over three months ago, I’ve gained a new-found respect for all the mamas out there. Being someone’s mom is truly one of the toughest jobs in the entire world. And as a first-time mom, no one can prepare you for the ride ahead. It’s demandingly grueling and thankless at times. It fills you with self doubt and feelings of inadequacy as you’re navigating this new, uncharted territory in your new role, but at the same time it’s so incredibly rewarding as you watch your little one grow and blossom from week to week. You find a depth and capacity for love you never imagined existed and have a stronger understanding for the devotion and sacrifice your mom gave to you. Needless to say, Mother’s Day is taking on a stronger meaning this year as a first time mom, so I’m teaming up with my friend, Yen of @YenCheeDesign to host a Mother’s Day Instagram Giveaway. We’re giving away a matching 14K gold necklace and earrings set from Yen’s stunning quartz crystal collection! Quartz crystals have been known for centuries to promote harmony and balance, and what mom couldn’t use a […]

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Instagram Lately

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 21:38:02 +0000

Happy Friday! This weekend we’re headed to my friend Briony’s cabin for their annual winter extravaganza of fires, sledding, and spiked cocoa with friends! [I can’t wait!] I hope you have something fun in the works too! It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Insta update, so today feels like the day for it! Here’s what’s been transpiring on Instagram this month so far. Many thank-you’s to @lumen8mpls and @midwest_dressed for sharing a few F&M photos! An Aerial shot of South Minneapolis | Ciao 2014! | Souvenirs from Tampa | Avocado Toast + Poached Eggs | Mascarpone stuffed Medjool Dates | Another Shot of Our Fine Metropolis From the Air | Contouring Stripes | An Antique Kilim Rug from Aubry Angelo | A Roaring Cabin Fire | My ApartmentTherapy.com Feature | A Sunny International Market Square Atrium

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No-Sew Blanket Vest for SheKnows

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:07:08 +0000

Hello Friday! After the fah-reezing week we had don’t you just want to hunker down under a pile of blankets, make a pot of hot tea and marathon watch old movies on Netflix? Then on the 3rd movie, when you’re feeling restless and perhaps a bit crafty (?) why not make yourself a blanket vest to cozy up in the rest of the afternoon? I recently created this 10-Minute Blanket Vest tutorial for a series SheKnows.com was doing on No-Sew Style Hacks. It’s seriously so easy because it’s made from a scarf–you know, the one at the back of your closet that needs reinventing? And all you do is cut two slits for the arm holes, and slide it on. Oui, C’est tout! So mosey on over to Sheknows.com for all the details and stay warm this weekend!

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4 Stunning Holiday Dresses from Anthropologie

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Sat, 22 Nov 2014 00:40:51 +0000

Anthropologie really got the Holiday dresses right this year. Holy wow are they gorgeous! With intricate details and just the right amount of formality, their new arrivals have you covered from Holiday work parties to New Years Eve on the town. These are 4 of my faves… Un | Deux | Trois | Quatre

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Velvet-lined Faux Fur Collar

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:45:37 +0000

I’ve been admiring the fur fashion movement from afar for over year. (Remember my Fur Lusting last year?) Since I’m still lusting now that winter is around the corner, I decided to join the party and add some fur to my life. Enter the oversized faux fur collar–I freaking love the way they can totally change the look of a coat, and instantly make it feel brand new again! The velvet lining not only adds a luxurious touch, but its textured surface also helps keep the collar in place around the neckline. The result? A cozy fur accessory to jump start your winter wardrobe! Materials: 1/2 yard of faux fur 1/2 yard of velvet Permanent marker Scissors Sewing Pins Needle and coordinating thread 1. Hand draw 1/2 “boomerang” shape as shown above on the back side of the faux fur. Use a straight straight vertical line to close off the “boomerang” shape (This will be the fold line.) Step 2. Cut along drawn lines except the straight vertical line. Step 3. Fold the cut out 1/2 “boomerang” on the vertical fold line, and outline the shape with a permanent marker. Step 4. Pull back the cut out portion to reveal the other half of the “boomerang,” and cut […]

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DIY Gilded Accordion Sconce

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:38:53 +0000

Something I really wanted in our new place was a pair of sconces flanking our bed. Not only do I love their minimalist look, but they also don’t take up space on the nightstand. And when living in a small space every. inch. counts. There are several stunning options out there…and not a one of them fit our budget, so I took to Pinterest to figure out if there was a way I could make the sconces I was envisioning, but for less cash money. Finding inspiration in DIY sconces from Vintage Revival and Poppytalk, I used the accordion arm from Ikea’s Frack Mirror in combination with the lamp head from Target’s Wood Pole Scholar Desk Lamp (Just wait ’till you see what I have in mind for the base from this lamp–stay tuned!) And then I painted everything gold. Because, well, I heart gold. The best part? Each sconce came together for right around $20 bucks! Materials List: Ikea Frack Accordion Mirror – Use the accordion arm only. Target Stick Table Lamp – Loosen the screw on the lamp head to slide it off the wood pole base. Metallic gold spray paint Painter’s tape Plastic bag Drop cloth 5″ of elastic (1″ to 1-1/2″ thick) Gorilla Glue (Gorilla Glue expands as it dries, […]

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DIY Danish Modern Coffee Table

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 13:17:20 +0000

Living room coffee tables in small spaces wear many hats. They function as drink perches, game tables, casual dining tables, craft tables, etc. and our coffee table is no exception. Our new small(er) square shaped living room was calling for a downsized, multi-functional table with not only a smaller footprint, but one that visually felt lighter too. (Previously we had an old train cart which we still love, but there was just no squeezing a rectangle into a square.) So when brainstorming what exactly our new coffee table should be, I dug into my DIY happy file and pulled out a Martha Stewart Living article I’d torn out and filed away for a rainy day. The spread was called Table It, and they highlighted several sources for DIY-ing your own table with crazy cool “legs” you can find online. I landed on the unfinished 16″ danish table legs from tablelegs.com, and then sourced a 30″ round tabletop from a kid’s pink activity table that I found for peanuts at The Salvation Army here in the North Loop. The table was in rough shape, but after removing the base and spray painting the top with an Appliance Grade White Epoxy Spray Paint (to make it super durable and wipeable), […]

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Housekeeping!

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:45:53 +0000

Hello and Happy Monday! I apologize for the radio silence this past week. Things have been absolutely car-eh-zay over here. Lots of changes. In addition to Ken and I moving to a new place, Francois et Moi also moved…over to a self-hosted WordPress.org site that is! You might notice a few tweaks to the site design which hopefully make it easier to browse more content on the homepage with one swift scroll of the mouse. WordPress.com was a fantastic and user-friendly blogger’s jumping off point, but it was limiting in many ways, so I’m pumped to be able to stretch my little blogger legs and introduce different types of posts and additional plugins on to Francois et Moi. And also be ad-free for awhile. Eeek! So exciting. As for our physical address, we’re not totally settled, i.e. we still need art on the walls, but here are a few shots of our new place. More wide angle shots and bedroom images will follow as soon as the last of the boxes have been cleared (moving is a freaking lot of work!). Check back on Wednesday as I’ll be sharing the DIY process behind how I made our new, danish inspired coffee table. Have a great start to the […]

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DIY Faux Hair Hide Swag

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 16:33:20 +0000

I’ve been thinking about adding a fur hide to our new living space for awhile now, and with this weekend’s fall weather blowing in with determination, I decided to take an hour break from hauling moving boxes and make a faux fur swag to cozy up our space for winter. I love Ikea’s Rens sheepskins, but they’re freaking EVERYWHERE, so I took the general shape and scale of the sheepskin and created a different fur look using a particularly lovely faux fur from Joann’s. Faux fur doesn’t ravel, so there’s no sewing involved. Simply draw your shape, cut, and drape! Materials List: 1 yard of faux fur. Use discretion when selecting your fur! There are ALOT of bad faux’s out there. scissors permanent marker measuring tape Step 1. Lay 1 yard of faux fur face down on your work surface so that the short side of the rectangle is nearest to you. Measure a 40″ x 28″ rectangle. Mark corners with a permanent marker. Step 2. Find and mark the top and bottom center (20″) . Divide each long side into three by marking off at 14″ and 27″ from the bottom. Step 3. Pull up an image of the Ikea ‘Rens’ Sheepskin on your phone or […]

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[Make Your Own] Patterned Leggings

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 16:47:20 +0000

I love me a good pair of leggings. A mostly cotton blend with spandex for elasticity and retention, and of course ones that fit me just right. When I’m not at work, I live in my leggings. Yep, they’re crazy comfortable and perfect with over-sized flowy tops and sweaters and flats. What’s not to love? So when my favorite pair began wearing through as they inevitably do, I decided to use them as a “pattern” and create a few more pairs that fit just like them, but this time using graphic fabric that I’ve been holding onto waiting for precisely this project to come along. I feel like there’s a misconception out there about how difficult it is to sew on stretch fabrics. Truthfully, it’s not as hard as everyone makes it sound, and you, yes you, can sew stretch fabrics! If I can do it, you can do it. By simply adjusting your sewing machine settings (as noted below) you’ll set yourself up for success. A big thank you to my mom, Sandi Knutie, of Seams Sew Cool for coaching me from afar on the secrets of the craft. Materials List: an old pair of leggings that both fit you well and are ready for the donation or trash bin (you’ll be cutting […]

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Weekend DIY: Lattice Tote

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 12:16:11 +0000

I’m so excited to share a faux leather tote I’ve been working on! When I came across this crazy cool DIY leather plant hanger on Design Sponge, it got my wheels turning as I loved the shapes that were created simply by making slits in the leather. Since we’re not huge indoor plant people (other than the baby fiddle leaf fig tree that we affectionately call “Figgy”), I used the technique as inspiration, and created a tote instead. Of course the slits had to be smaller, more frequent and linear in order to be functional as a tote, and I love the unique texture they create! I made this baby in about 3 hours, which also included alot of experimentation. I bet it could actually be done in under two. A fun accessory for the autumnal days ahead! Materials List: metal ruler pen exact-o knife two 14″ x 14″ (or larger if you prefer) piece of vegan leather or genuine leather sewing pins coordinating thread Special Equipment: self-healing cutting mat sewing machine Step 1. Measure, draw, and cut with an exact-o knife, 1″ strip on two sides of each leather square. These will be the straps of the bag. Step 2. Draw a line 1/2″ in […]

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{Handmade} Mermaid Tear Pendants

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 13:27:52 +0000

We brought home a handful of pretty mermaid tears (sea glass pieces) that we collected this spring on the beach in Positano, and since we’ve gotten home, I’ve been looking for the right project to put them to good use (other than looking pretty in a jar on our end table). So I decided to pick a few of my favorites and turn them into mini sea glass pendants. I didn’t want to have to drill into the pebbles since they’re so small, so I used wire and strong adhesive instead, and I love how they turned out! Materials List: sea glass pebble(s) 26 gauge brass wire gold toggle clasp & ring or gold lobster clasp gold jump rings 18″ gold chain clear drying glue 18 kt gold leafing pen wire cutter pliers Step 1. Cut a 10″ piece of wire and wrap around sea glass either creating an “x” with the wire, or wrapping the wire parallel. Step 2. Tightly twist wires around each other at the back of the sea glass. Step 3. Create a loop with the right side wire and tuck underneath the horizontal wire wrapping the gem. Tightly twist wire tail that created the loop with the other […]

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