Smith-School: My Interest in Homeschooling

I've become a big believer in the theory that with parenting when you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. I've really embraced the idea of the Homeschooling the Smith Littles in the past few years. I'm passionate about education, specifically education reform, and having a holistic view of learning that's intended to build lifelong learners not miniature test-takers. 

Celebrations: Chinese Lunar New Year

As an initial observation, I'm not sure that white people are allowed to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year. But... if I did, I would have a fantastic time. 2017 is going to be the Year of the Rooster and the idea of a gold and red shebang sounds like a blast. 

Fashion: Crushed Velvet

You're cooler than me (I'm sure!) so you probably already know that velvet is one of Fall 2016's hottest looks. I don't know where it came from but it looks utterly fantastic in almost any form. The blue is incredibly rich and I love the way it looks paired with the modern cut off silhouette. 

Tribute Tuesday: Kay Rasmus Nielsen

Am I starting to reveal that I only appreciate fine illustration as an art form? We're all allowed to have favorites, so I won't feel too badly. Kay Nielson is such a gem!  He's a Danish illustrator from the Golden Age (with the dear Arthur Rackham), born in 1886 in Copenhagen, who actually collaborated a bit with Disney. 

One of his hallmarks are his trees, with their skinny, branchless trunks and their circular tops. His characters are tall and willowy, and don't have the same sense of motion as some other illustrators. I like the mix of realism in his animals and figures, and the sense of opulence and royalty in their clothes and surroundings.

Spinning the Color Wheel: Camel

Not that type of camel my friend, although that girl is happier about her camel BFFL than I've ever been about anything. I've always been a big believer in needing to decide whether you're a black/grey person or a brown/earth tone person. However, I'm starting to mix brown and black accessories like a wild animal these days, so I decided to revisit the idea of camel. It seems... not brown to me anymore. 

Tribute Tuesday: Charlotte Olympia

Charlotte Olympia is a British shoe designer who realized that she loved footwear while complete her course at the London School of Fashion. She launched her business by her 30th birthday, and says that she's inspired by old Hollywood glamour. Personally what I love is the whimsy in her shoes and the way they are so completely committed to each theme. Her most famous piece is probably her collection of cat loafers that have been imitated everywhere. Her themes go from  skulls and maidens on her flats, to fish on stilettos, to roses on strappy sandals. Let's take a peek at some of her collections!

Just Because: Cottontails

Smile It's: Bunnies by buildingcamelot featuring a pink coat

So there's no real reason for this post, except that I realized that I'd pinned like a dozen random things involving bunnies recently. Then I realized that I wanted a bunny. Then I imagined our beautiful bunny life together, and the hatch I'd build, and the way he'd hop. 

Then I realized I'd lost my mind and should get a sweater like a normal person. Even better than buying a sweater is spending $0 on a mood board. You're so welcome!

Smith-Capades: Montana & Wyoming

That's right, friendos! I went on vacation, and now you get to hear all about it under my cleverly coined "Smith-Capades" header! Visiting Yellowstone, America's oldest National Park, during the National Parks Centennial is basically the best planning ever. By which, I should clarify, none of it was my planning and I was simply along for the ride. 

Fashion Crush Friday: Marion Cotillard

I wasn't really aware of Marion Cotillard until I saw her in Inception, and obviously found her magnetic in the haunting your ex-husband mentally kind of way. She's an extremely accomplished French actress. She has that Continental sophistication that you expect, but she can also be a bit fun and irregular. She caught my eye recently because of her promotional tour for Allies, with Brad Pitt, which she's taking on in her second or third trimester. I thought it would be fun to look at the way she's kept her style consistent while accommodating her bump.  

Fashion: Bucket Bags

I really didn't think that I was a bucket bag person, so I'm not quite sure what has come over me. They're impractical and a little loosey-goosey, yet I've been staring them down every time I see one for a few weeks now. I'm tempted. Not tempted enough to get one of course, but tempted enough to ponder them and wonder if I wear enough tightly tailored clothes to get away with a bouncing, rounded bucket by my side. 

According to The Art of Dress, the legendary Bonnie Cashin, of Coach in the 1960s, sent out bucket bags that made it into Vogue, but apparently the real origins of our modern version might lie with rationing during WWII and the urge for a more practical bag inspired by duffels. So let's take a peek!

Tribute Tuesday: Jan Pieńkowski

Jan Pienkowski is a Polish-British author and illustrator of children's books. He was born in 1936 and is now an 80 year old man living in the U.K. I stumbled across some of his work the other day and couldn't believe I'd never seen it before.