picnic – Francois et Moi

DIY Bike Basket

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 12:17:29 +0000

I love a good bike basket. There’s just something nostalgic and downright picture-perfect about them–don’t you think? I’d been wanting to get one last summer for trips to the farmer’s market and carting picnic fixing to the park, but I never quite found the right one. So this year, I wasn’t going to let another summer pass without one and got to work turning my leftover Easter basket into bike caddy. I mean, why not?! I love how it turned out–bring it on picnic season! Materials: Oval or rectangle shaped basket. I used the Easter basket I had on hand from this year, but thrift stores usually have tons this time of year. Painter’s tape Outdoor craft paint Paint brush For the Buckle Straps: A scrap of faux leather or leather at least 8.5″ long. Two – 1/2″ buckles Rotary cutter Ruler Pen 1/8″ hole punch Waxed thread Sewing needle 1. Remove the basket handle (if applicable) by cutting the rattan straps that hold it in place. 2. Apply painter’s tape to create a design. I taped 4 horizontal rows, so that I’d end up with 3 painted stripes. 3. Paint in between tape lines with outdoor craft paint. Allow […]

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Autumn Picnic Inspiration

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 12:57:14 +0000

Lordy, lordy, what an incredible fall we’ve had here in Minnesota! I swear we had snow on the ground this time last year, so this weather makes me want to drop everything, get outside and savor every waking moment. What better way to enjoy fall than to spring for a picnic?! Pack a cozy blanket, a thermos of steamy spiked cider, a spiced treat, a birding book (available on Amazon or pretty much any garage sale in America) and go enjoy those blazing fall colors. Wool Camp Blanket | American Made Picnic Basket | Hot Bourbon Apple Cider | Stanley Thermos (Image via Honestly WTF) Mini Pumpkin Pies | Vintage Birding Book Main Photo via The Marion House Book.

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Ridiculously Good: Rustic Homemade Herb Crackers

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 13:29:55 +0000

Sometimes I think the best days are the ones that evolve naturally with little or no planning or calculation to them. And the following Saturday after we came back from Europe happened to be one of those days. I woke up early that gloomy Saturday morning, made a pot of french press and made myself comfortable with my laptop. It was an amazing trip abroad, but I was glad to be home nestled on our sofa and slowly working back into the everyday. I jumped on Pinterest between emails and blog planning and decided I wanted to cook something–it had seemed like forever since I’d done anything in my kitchen! We had picked up Boursin Cheese on our first stop at the grocery store, so I thought it would be fun to make something to go with it. I decided I’d use Martha Stewart’s Thyme Crackers as inspiration, as we happened to have all the ingredients already, (I’d picked up cream earlier that week for another project I’m working on!) but since I only have a mini food processor, and it’s not large enough to accommodate the recipe, I used my Kitchenaid mixer instead and it worked great! I also used a blend of fresh herbs […]

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The Art of the Simple Summer Picnic

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 12:31:03 +0000

One of my favorite things to do on a sunny summer day is to pack a bag and head out for a picnic with Ken. An impromptu–it’s beautiful out, so let’s go!–sort of picnic. Here are a few ways to keep things light, simple and stress free so you can dash out the door and relish these fleeting days of summer. Don’t over think it or fuss over it too much! It’s supposed to be a laid back lounge and snack session in the park. Rather than packing an entire lunch which usually requires a cooler and an extra arm to carry it all, focus on an afternoon snack. Cheese, homemade crackers, olives, veggies, fruit, and cookies. And if you plan to bike to the park, packing light makes that journey oh-so-much more enjoyable. Try packing what you’ve already got in your kitchen. If you cook somewhat often you’ll be surprised at what you’ll be able to pull together, plus you’ll avoid that extra store run allowing yourself more time relaxing in the park. We had zucchini, snap peas and red grapes in our fridge, which aren’t obvious picnic choices, but the zucchini paired well with the Boursin Cheese and the grapes and snap peas […]

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Picnic Season

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 13:17:09 +0000

Though spring is really taking its sweet time getting here, it hasn’t stopped me from ogling all the fantastic picnic gear that’s out there right now. Packing a lunch, hopping on our bikes and having a picnic by one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes on a Saturday afternoon is one of my favorite things to do when the weather warms up. Here are a few picnic accessories I hope to incorporate into our Saturday afternoon repertoire this season! 1. Portable Radio | 2. Picnic Tote | 3. A French Picnic Menu | 4. Glass Beverage Bottle | 5. Wooden Picnic Flatware | 6. Lawn Checkers | 7. Ticking Stripe Merino Wool Blanket | 8. A Perfect Day for a Picnic

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