art – Francois et Moi

DIY Textural Art

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 11:42:19 +0000

Channel your inner ‘artiste’ with DIY textural art! Use a tile trowel and modeling paste to create minimal and chic large-scale art in an afternoon. I first became infatuated with textural art two years ago after discovering the work of artists like Krogh Andersen. It has such movement and visual interest, all the while feeling minimal and chic. Last year I picked up some modeling paste, pulled out a trowel, and began experimenting with troweling paste into 3D art. However, I didn’t document a minute of it, because frankly I wasn’t sure it’d turn out. But much to my chagrin, it did turn out, and I LOVE it! So I’m back at it partnering with Handy Products to create another piece–this time with a very detailed tutorial, so you can make one too with confidence! What Type of Paste Should I Use? Flexible Modeling Paste: I use Flexible Modeling Paste because it trowels nicely without looking clumpy like joint compound sometimes can. It comes pre-mixed and takes the guesswork out of finding the right consistency. The paste is true white in color, and it can be mixed with acrylic paint if you want to add an element of color. Mixing […]

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DIY Vintage Paintings (That Are Truly Convincing!)

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 12:00:25 +0000

Steal this easy idea for turning inexpensive thrifted art into beautiful DIY vintage paintings with chic gilded frames. Champagne art on a beer budget! Picture It: That serendipitous moment when the stars align for one fleeting second, the thrift store crowd parts, and you lay eyes on the PERFECT vintage painting: colorful brush-stroked landscape, framed by nuanced gilded molding, and within your minuscule budget. This heavenly scenario–well it’s only ever actually happened ONCE in my experience. LOL. But I have come across many a dime-a-dozen, amateur paintings in my thrifting tenure that are affordable and have great frames. The only tiny problem is the art and frame aren’t exactly my taste. My blogger friend, Melissa from The Faux Martha, introduced me to the National Gallery of Art’s website with her infamous George Washington print. NGA offers open access images of noteworthy American art free for download. It’s a pretty amazing resource. They have so many great works, and I was particularly taken with a landscape piece called, The Lackawanna Valley by George Inness. It’s a beautiful landscape composition with a delicious earthy color palette. When I saw this fruit bowl ‘still life’ painting at the thrift store, I initially walked […]

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Artist Spotlight: Marquin Designs + A GIVEAWAY

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 13:08:05 +0000

Last January, while I was very pregnant, sans baby and still had free time on my hands, I took a bit of time and studied some of my favorite interiors I had pinned on Pinterest. What I discovered was that one thing all those amazing spaces had in common was ORIGINAL ART, emotion-evoking, dynamic art. After coming to this realization, I decided I wanted work towards bringing more original art into our home this year. Over the summer, I had the pleasure of getting to e-know the lovely, Marquin Campbell, painter, entrepreneur and creative brains behind Marquin Designs. I adore her work and was excited to work with her on a custom piece for my dining room. I love the dream-like quality of her painting style and that she draws inspiration from landscapes near the charming city of Savannah, Georgia. This was the first time I’d worked with an artist on a completely custom piece, and it was so much fun! Marquin had me send photos of my dining room, as well as asked me to peruse her previous works on Instagram to hone in on styles and color palettes I responded to. I gathered my thoughts and sent […]

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DIY Geometric Metal Wall Hanging

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 16:11:00 +0000

I’ve been playing around with geometric metal shapes that I found on Etsy recently, and rather than making some kind of statement jewelry with them, I decided to make something pretty for my walls. I came up with this cool brass + cotton flossing wall hanging. A little bit boho and a little bit modern, it pairs beautifully with a mixed art grouping or on its own in a small nook area, and it’s one of my favorite things I’ve made in a while. Check out the full DIY tutorial I did for Sugar & Cloth! Into this post? Share the love! How to Make a Geometric Metal Wall HangingClick To Tweet Follow

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Mindful Design: Redefining Luxury with St. Frank Textiles

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 13:30:54 +0000

One of my most favorite design trends or movements at the moment is the concept of mindful design. Socially conscious by nature, mindful design is the push towards surrounding ourselves with unique, handmade pieces in our homes–ones that are made of high quality materials from ethical sources. It’s knowing the stories behind our belongings: Who made them? Where were they made? How were they made? And I think it’s a new way of defining interior luxury. I’m always on the lookout for brands, like St. Frank Textiles, who resonate with this approach, deviating from the mass market and bringing something more meaningful to the table. I was first captivated by luxury home decor brand, St. Frank, and their extensive framed textile offering on Instagram. The more I learned about their mission, the deeper in love I fell with their company as a whole. I think we can all agree that St. Frank’s one-of-a-kind pieces are the stuff interior dreams are made of. But beyond simply offering beautiful pieces for the home, they’re committed to curating product with a story. St. Frank works with artisan groups in 25 countries around the world with a goal of preserving traditional crafts within these […]

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Francois Renovates: Nursery Sneak Peek

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 14:00:53 +0000

It’s been 6 weeks of renovation and the nursery is nearly finished! Today I’ve got a little peek of the room for you and want to talk specifically about the art we chose because it’s one of my favorite things in the room and honestly probably the easiest things to execute. Once the old ice damage was fixed, the board & batten and wallcovering were up, it was time to think about art, and we worked with Framebridge to make it happen. Framing is their specialty, which means they have it down to a science, from the ordering process, to the personal note tucked in with each framed piece, to including the hardware needed to hang your specific piece. It’s obvious there’s a lot of thought and love that goes into their craft. We wanted the wall decor to feel playful + spark imagination and creativity so we went with a downloadable print from Merillee Liddard’s illustration shop, Tuesday Mourning for the large piece above the crib. Ken and I both love to bike ride, so the bicycle built for three was just all too perfect. Not to mention, the ample white space was great for breaking up the […]

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Repurpose An Old Piece: Brushstroke Statement Art (Video)

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:03:27 +0000

So I think at one time or another all us Millennials had one of those large city skyline art pieces from Ikea hanging on our walls. New York, Chicago, London; they were $49 and so much bang for the post-grad’s limited budget. I had the London one as an homage to the six months I lived there when I was 20. It was front and center over my sofa for several years, but all good things must come to an end. Our new house didn’t have a good spot for a large horizontal piece of art, and truth be told, I was over it; ready for something new brushstroke-y and abstract. The canvas and frame were still in great shape, so I was excited to give this oldie a makeover. Here’s the hyperlapse of my creating the art. Materials: Large scale canvas art that you’d like to repurpose or a new canvas/frame. Black spray paint & primer White acrylic paint Gesso (optional) Blue acrylic paint. I used Golden Acrylic Paint, color: Phthalo Blue (Green Shade) 1-1/2″ – 2″ paint brush Here we go: Lay down a drop cloth and spray paint the frame black (about 2 coats). No […]

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Inkdot Instagram Art

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 29 May 2015 12:42:09 +0000

It was a sad Thursday last November when my laptop decided it was the end of the road and crashed, taking with it about 6 years of travel photos, most of which my tech guy couldn’t recover. (A painstaking lesson in backing up, if I do say so!) Luckily, I also use my iPhone quite a bit for snapshots when we travel and some of my all-time favorite photos are ones captured through Instagram. So I was really kind of pumped to find Inkdot, a group of fellow Mid-westerners (Chicagoland), who are turning those favorite Insta snapshots into art, getting them off your iPhone and into your home where you can enjoy them in a more meaningful way. Surprisingly, iPhone photos an be blown up to any size so you can even create large scale, focal art with your snapshots if you like. The other cool thing is they print on innovative materials like wood and metal, which add another layer of depth to the prints. The carousel shot we captured near the Eiffel Tower in Paris is printed on the wood substrate and the ink is slightly pearlized. It’s tough to see in the photos, but it’s so pretty […]

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Maker’s Spotlight // No. 2

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 26 May 2015 12:21:28 +0000

Hope you had a great long weekend! I’m excited to share an amazing round-up of makers this week in the 2nd ever Maker’s Spotlight! From screen-printed soft goods to hand-painted ceramics–there’s a whole lotta inspiration for the devouring up in here. Britt Bass Turner – First up is an abstract painter out of Atlanta. I LOVE her use of color and the movement in her pieces–I mean, wow! Her shop features originals, prints, homegoods and notebooks. Suite One Studio – Lindsay Emery, a ceramicist hailing from North Carolina, creates watercolor-inspired, gold-kissed tableware that effortlessly makes mealtimes everywhere just a bit more beautiful. Goldfinch Blankets – The creation of Debra Herdman and Caroline Andrea Vaaler, Goldfinch blankets and throws are designed here in Minneapolis and hand-loomed with only the finest merino wool by artisans in Nepal. Their simple sophistication and luxuriously soft hand make them a must-have for cool summer nights. Lori Harrison – Lori finds inspiration in the imperfections and unexpected beauty in the world around her, translating it into luxe home goods to enhance our everyday. I especially love her screen printed pillows. Get on my sofa!

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Dancing Mannequin Magnets

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 15 May 2015 12:56:24 +0000

After a bit of radio silence during a non-stop busy week, I’m back today to #1) wish you a Happy Friday! YAY! And #2) share a fun interactive mannequin magnet project using mini artist’s mannequins from the art store (or you can also find them here!). I created “dancing” themed mannequin magnets because I think the human form is really beautifully expressed through dance, but of course, they’re repositionable, so the poses in which they can strike are virtually endless. The key to success here lies in the magnets. I’m talking the silver “super magnets,” not the black old school ones–they’re just not strong enough to hold up the mannequins. Materials: 5-1/4″ mini artist’s mannequins Spray paint or acrylic paint/paint brush Heavy duty magnets (Extra strength) Industrial strength clear drying adhesive 1. Remove the stand that the mannequin comes on by pulling and twisting the stand away from the mannequin.2. Spray paint mannequin with desired color. A few coats are needed, and you’ll want to reposition the pose of the mannequin each time so that no natural wood is left showing at the end. Allow to dry completely. 3. Stack two magnets together. Using two magnets will provide more magnetic holding power, as well as give […]

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