winter – Francois et Moi

5 Clever Ways to Incorporate Blanket Storage In Your Home

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 14:00:34 +0000

This time of year I find myself reaching for a blanket almost daily. Whether it’s to curl up with while watching a movie or adding an extra layer to the bed as we go to sleep. So I like to keep extra blankets out and around for easy access, but how do you incorporate them into your home decor so they’re not just in a stack on the floor or draped over furniture? Today I’m sharing some clever ways to incorporate blanket storage into your home decor, so they’re not only easy to grab, but also act as pretty accessories when not in use! Photo via The Ranch Uncommon 5 Clever Ways to Incorporate Blanket Storage in Your Home DecorClick To Tweet Available through Couleur Locale. Available through Urban Outfitters. Available through West Elm. Get the blanket ladder tutorial here. Follow

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DIY Wood Dowel Blanket Ladder

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 16:36:18 +0000

Happy Friday Guys! I’ve decided to relaunch the DIY blanket ladder we made back in 2013, because the original photos were pretty darn horrible and my blog was tiny back then, so I’m pretty sure only my mom and best friend saw the original post. No joke. But the truth is, this fantastic blanket ladder, made from hardware store wood dowels has served us so well over the past 3 years. It’s sturdy, quietly beautiful, stores ALOT of blankets and the wood dowels only cost $34 bucks. Can you see why I wanted to bring the spotlight back to this gem of a project?! The assembly of the frame is easier than it looks, and only took about an hour on a Saturday afternoon. It’s simply a matter of cutting the rods and dowels to the appropriate size and gluing them in place. The finished dimensions are 84″ tall x 25-1/2″ at the top of the ladder x 37-1/2″ at the bottom of the ladder. Make a Blanket Ladder for Your HomeClick To Tweet Materials List: two, 1-1/4″ dia. x 96″ long unfinished closet rods (available at Menards) six, 3/4″ dia. x 48″ long unfinished wood dowels (available at Menards) […]

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‘Tis the Ski-son: DIY Après Ski Sweater

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 15:39:38 +0000

a·près-ski | äprā ˈskē/ | noun | the social activities and entertainment following a day’s skiing. Ken and I are heading up North for our annual ski getaway next weekend, so naturally I’ve had all things ski on the brain lately. The Francophile in me went NUTS for this Après Ski sweater, but apparently everyone else did too because the smaller sizes are completely sold out. Not to mention it’s a men’s sweater so even if S or XS was available, chances are it would be too big. Never one to let a sold-out roadblock stop me, I decided I’d just make myself one. $20 and 20 minutes later, I’m ready to hit the slopes in true Francophile style. Read on for details below! WHAT YOU’LL NEED: V-Notch Pullover – This one is super warm and fleecy inside. Iron-on Alphabet Letters Scissors Iron Ruler MAKE IT IN 5 EASY STEPS: Cut the clear plastic sheeting around each letter needed to spell “après ski.” Heat your iron on the wool setting without steam. While the iron is heating, center the “après” letters (adhesive side down) on the front of the sweatshirt about 2″ down from the bottom of the collar’s “V” […]

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Escape to Moose Mountain

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 19:14:14 +0000

Every year we pick a winter weekend to hit the slopes with friends in Lutsen, MN. Caribou Highlands Resort has awesome ski-in/ski-out townhomes (with wood-burning fireplaces!) on the mountain that serve as our home base for the weekend. This year, we snow-suited up for two full days of skiing on Lutsen’s 90+ alpine runs, followed by necessary après-ski cocktails, and hot tub lounging of course. A cozy up-north getaway that satisfied both our need for adventure and relaxation!

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A Mid-Winter’s Hideaway

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 14:15:52 +0000

This weekend we hid away in Wisconsin’s north woods for sledding and skating by day and log fires and cribbage by night. Here are a few shots captured on our northern jaunt. Thank you Heltne and Bresnahan Families for hosting! Have a great week everybody!

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Merry Weekend

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 14:58:49 +0000

As we head into the final weekend before Christmas, I’m sharing my favorite Holiday pins from Pinterest. Dreamy & festive imagery to get even the scroogiest in the Holiday mindset. Cheers to a spirited and perhaps spiked(?) weekend. Top photo via Madwell. Via Habitually Chic Via This is Everything Via Fantas-tisch Via Sleigh Me Via 100 Layer Cake Via Idealist Mom Via Thorn + Sparrow Via Free People

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White Cheddar Lobster Mac

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:50:09 +0000

March 25th: Though it’s technically Spring, to step outside here in Minneapolis you’d never know it. We’re still rocking 25 degree weather, winter coats, and comfort food. This past weekend Ken brought up the idea of lobster mac & cheese for dinner, and I hopped right on board. Yum! We found inspiration in Half Baked Harvest’s recipe and made a few tweaks based on ingredients we already had in our kitchen. The ridiculously creamy béchamel sauce paired with garlic butter sauteed lobster takes mac and cheese to a whole new level. This one’s going in our recipe rotation for sure! Ingredients: 1 lb cavatappi noodles 8 tbsp butter 1 garlic clove two – 6 oz lobsters (fresh or frozen and thawed) 1 tbsp fresh parsley + more for garnish 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (smashed in tube) 1/4 flour 3 cups whole milk 2 c white cheddar cheese, shredded 1 -1/2 c swiss cheese, shredded 4 oz brie cheese, rind removed and chopped 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper 1. Steam the Lobster: Bring 1″ of water to a simmer in a medium sized pot, and place steamer rack on top of pot. Place lobsters in steamer, […]

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The Recharge Walk

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 13:35:49 +0000

Hello there–I hope you had a fantastic weekend! Ken and I bundled up on Sunday and went for a walk around Lake Calhoun. Though it was really cold out there, I love getting outside into the fresh air, moving around, and recharging. Our walks are a good balance of checking in with each other + personal thinking time. The fresh air–no matter the temperature–is the perfect catalyst for strategizing as a couple how to reach our goals, both short and long term, as well as thinking through things creatively for Francois et Moi. During the winter we don’t get out for these walks as often as we do all other times of the year, so needless to say I’m counting down the days until spring arrives! What do you do to clear your head and recharge? Have a great week everyone!

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Powder Pursuit

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 14:05:51 +0000

Oh Monday, you always come too fast. I guess time flies when you’re having fun! We had a killer time at Lutsen, and I tracked the details of the weekend on Instagram. Did you follow along @francoisetmoiblog?

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Photo Diary: A Weekend at the Lake

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:13:08 +0000

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Fresh Tracks

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 14:04:46 +0000

On Christmas Day, between opening gifts and the big afternoon meal, Ken and I snuck away for a snowshoe hike through the park preserve near my family’s home in Northern Minnesota. It had been snowing for the past 24 hours straight, so the trails were generously coated and the tree boughs were heavily weighted down. Other than a single cross-country skiier, we were the only ones to be seen or heard, and it was quite the magical experience to make our way through the peaceful north woods surrounded by solitude and dancing snowflakes on Christmas, of all days.

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