Entertaining – Francois et Moi

Bathroom Refresh for Holiday Guests

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 16:23:14 +0000

This post has been sponsored by The Home Depot. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We have one bathroom in our 1930’s Tudor home, thus it more than earns it’s keep around here. Someday we want to renovate, but that definitely isn’t happening this year. Since we haven’t been able to dive into a big renovation, I’ve slowly been making-over different elements around in here. This fall, I’m teaming up with the The Home Depot on a $100 budget refresh to get things ready for when entertaining season hits, a.k.a. the holidays. Easy, inexpensive additions I ordered on HomeDepot.com to help this room put its best foot forward. First and foremost, I’ve focused on upgrading or introducing elements that give a sensory experience: Hand towels are a no-brainer when it comes to creating a luxe tactile experience for guests. Home Decorators Collection has a big selection of styles and colors online, and they’re affordable. Like these Fairhope 1-Piece Turkish Hand Towels. Rug. We’ve never really had a rug in here because I love this floor so much that I don’t like covering it up! But with people coming when it’s freezing, it was high time we get one. I […]

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DIY Cheese Tools Set for Holiday Entertaining

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 20:46:44 +0000

We’re well into November which for me means (happily) starting to prepare for the Holiday shenanigans of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The cheese plate is probably my most favorite element when it comes to entertaining. Mostly because it’s so freaking easy and looks like a million bucks. We’re hosting Christmas this year for the first time at our new house. Yay! So I decided to make a new set of DIY cheese tools to serve with the spread. I’m kind of loving malachite right now, so the idea for the handles were inspired by the stone (which is thought to guard against negative energy). However, as the design process worked itself out, the handles ended up being a bit bluer in color which seemed to work better with the cheese plate elements in the photos. It’s fun to look back once the project is complete to see how an initial idea has transformed to take on new life. Anyone else feel that way too? The handles are created from simple hardwood blocks manipulated with a saw and belt sander to resemble gem stones. Find all my sources and the entire project with Ashley over at Sugar & Cloth! Follow

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DIY Patio Serving Tray

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:59:55 +0000

Hello Hump Day! The weather in Minneapolis has been sunny, warm and downright fantastico so far this week, so naturally it’s not hard to be in a good mood. Today I’m sharing this super fun, and oh-so-summery DIY patio serving tray that I created for Homedit. Use this dual-handled and colorblocked (scroll down and you’ll see!) number to serve summer fruit al fresco, or create one as a housewarming gift for your friends who just moved digs. Either way, you can’t lose! Find all the project deets here!

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Tiered Plate Stand

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Sat, 04 Apr 2015 13:25:58 +0000

Happy Easter Weekend! When I was at the thrift store a last month, I came across a vintage china set being sold off piece by piece. Though the set was pretty picked over, they still had a coordinating dinner plate, salad plate and dessert plate, and as I stacked them up, I got the idea for this tiered plate stand–an elegant and budget-friendly way to serve treats at Spring gatherings. Check out the tutorial on how to make one for yourself over at Homedit! For more of my Homedit projects, go here! Hope it’s a great weekend! Linkin’ up with Cupcakes and Crinoline, Lou Lou Girls, The Winthrop Chronicles, The Style Sisters, The NY Melrose Family, Homestories A to Z, Domestically Speaking, Knick of Time

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Real Simple Entertaining

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 13:27:51 +0000

Several years ago my longtime friend, Briony, introduced me to Real Simple Magazine, and I’ve been an avid reader ever since. I love their simple (easy) approach to hosting, recipes, social situations, and life in general. This weekend, I devoured the November issue, and with the Holiday season just ahead, I thought I’d highlight some of my favorite points from their feature, A Moveable Feast, which offers expert advise on easy entertaining. “Universal Party Truths: The first guest will arrive early. The pots and pans won’t be washed. And a half-dozen folks will squeeze into the kitchen while you’re still slicing and dicing. Instead of fighting the facts, finesse your game plan. With these clever tips from entertaining experts, you can keep holiday (or any day) guests happy and occupied–and make yourself less harried, from hello to good-bye.” -Deb Schwartz, A Moveable Feast Create a conducive party flow by staging easy access to the bar for guests upon arrival. Be prepared for kitchen congregating and give over the far end of your counter or island to appetizers for those who want to chat where the action is. Reserve certain small jobs for guests who want to help, such as setting out […]

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