Leopard? Lichen? Camouflage?

I'm not really sure.  It looked a lot better in my head.

American Apparel California Trooper
Zoya Shawn
China Glaze 2030
Konad plate m57

I'm holding onto a new ball of Calmer - getting ready to start Maris!

Over the Moon

Thanks to the Yarn Poet's comment the other day, I can't get the cream and coral color combination out of my head!!

Here's my first real attempt at a half-moon mani using reinforcement stickers:

Half-moon mani with:
American Apparel California Trooper
Nubar Belize Coral

As of this writing, I've only done my left hand.  I did a basecoat, then one coat of the cream followed by a coat of Seche Vite.  I waited about 20 minutes and then applied the reinforcement circles one nail at a time, placing them directly on my nail from the backing paper (i.e. without softening the adhesive by pressing them against my skin first).  After placing a circle and pressing it down really well all along the curved edge, I applied one thick coat of the coral then immediately pulled off the sticker.  After doing all five nails, I topped it off with one more coat of Seche Vite.

I'm going to wait a few hours to do my second hand.  I found that on a few fingers, the adhesive pulled up some of the cream polish near the cuticle, so I think I'll have more luck after the first coat has cured well.

The coral polish is actually much more vibrant in real life!  I'm really liking this look, and I'm glad it's having a comeback!

Brunch

Today we went to brunch with some friends, so I used the occasion to finally wear a sweater I finished four months ago, but hadn't yet worn.  This is Livi, by Kim Hargreaves:

Livi and Cherry

I wore it along with Kim's pattern Cherry, which I knit using the leftover yarn from Livi.

The pattern called for about $250 worth of cashmere yarn (Rowan Pure Cashmere DK), but I substituted Elann's Peruvian Baby Cashmere, which gave me the same gauge.  This yarn has been in my stash for at least 5 years.  I originally bought it to make a cabled tube top, which I did make, and ripped out literally as soon as I had finished it and tried it on.  How could I have believed that a cabled cashmere-blend tube top was a good idea?

The yarn languished in my stash for a couple years, until I decided to try making a beaded edge bolero with it (Kim Hargreaves' Fleur - do we see a pattern here?  a step in the right direction).  But somehow, I didn't care for the fabric it made when knitted in stockinette.  Ripped again.

This fall I decided to try it out on Livi.  To be honest, I wasn't 100% sold on the pattern, but I really wanted to use that yarn.  But the more I worked on it, the more I fell in love with it.  The shell pattern on the bottom border was such fun to knit, and the texture stitch on the body kept things interesting.  And of course, working with this yarn was a dream.  I really hope to get more of it and use it again.

So you can imagine my disappointment when I finished the sweater and found it to be a little tighter than I'm comfortable with.  Back into the closet.  I never wore it, until today.  Hurray!  I've lost a few pounds recently and now it fits perfectly!

I wore it with this silver and marcasite dragonfly pin - his wings move!

Hello little dragonfly!

And American Apparel Nail Lacquer in MacArthur Park.

Brunch was at Marion Street Cheese Market in Oak Park, where they have lots of beautiful cheeses and wines:

lomo cheese

lomo wine

I ate some really yummy waffles and drank a mimosa . . .