Bears and boys. And yarn.

In this week's edition of When I Have Lots of Money and a House to Decorate: That's right kids, it's polar bear wallpaper.



Shut the front door. I know, right? It's so perfect for me. I die.



Fall is hitting a nice, easy pace for me. Finally. I love this season and the progression of holidays. The football on the tele. The flash of a red tree against a gray sky. The smell of my house after I've been baking or cooking. The planning of your Christmas list. Sure there's a lot to get stressed about, but that would take all the fun out of it. So why do it?

I've been trying to find more time in my schedule to look at other people's blogs (perhaps should be spending more time updating my own, but oh well). And cataloging things I like on my pinterest (you're on there, right? it's such fun). And yes, still crocheting and knitting. Thank goodness for that.



This was my first commission project (thanks E)! Made for E's brother-in-law. E's husband liked the scarf so much (it was made for his brother), that I've been asked to make another one for his brother's partner. Awesome! I really hope they like them. It's hard to make scarves for people in Houston - too toasty down there. But I used this Rowan yarn called Summer Tweed, made with silk and cotton. I think it's the perfect weight and so yummy.

Oooh, this Auburn and Georgia game is quite the entertainment. And um, does anyone else have a crush on the Allstate Mayhem guy? aka Dennis from 30 Rock? aka Dean Winters? Anyone?



Okay, less hot there. But how can you not love Liz and Dennis?



That's better, right? I know, he's been in other shows too. I should investigate.

Missing you

Hey there, bloggy town. I've been missing you. You been missing me?


From Geninne's Art Blog, which might be the prettiest blog ever. Illustration by the super amazing Geninne. Hopefully it'll make it onto her Etsy.

I just ate two big cookies with my lunch. I should not have done that.

Polar Bear Report

What the eff?! So cute. Holy geeze.


polar bear painting by LoucheLab on etsy

Just cos I've been spending a wee bit too much time on etsy lately. It's bound to happen. The polar bears, they find me. And then I share.

Oh my

I let myself just dip a toe into Etsy this morning. Never a good idea in my current financial state, to be sure. It had been far too long since I'd visited Berkley Illustration's store (I was a verified stalker of it last year, when I bought three prints). There are many new creatures both large and small that Ryan has drawn, but oh this one tempts me more than any:



Oh my. Polar bears are obviously at the top of my list of animals I am inexplicably attached to. But lions and horses are quite close behind them. (Although, despite my joy at the sight, that would be one hot, bloody mess if you got all three of them in a room together. Yeesh.)

I may have to add this to the wish list. He would look quite fine alongside my polar bear print. Even better, Ryan should draw a lioness to go along with him. And then my life would be complete. Sigh.

Also, I just discovered something quite strange. When I first started this blog about a year ago, I was living in Austin, obvs, and chose the name. And at one point I tried to find it via google and it was just near impossible (the phrase "Keep Austin Weird" is quite popular, you see). So just this morning, I googled the blog name without thinking (usually I just type the address in) and it was on the first page of google. Wha?? So I think in some highly technical internets way, that is a good thing.

However, I was just recently considering finally changing this over to Keeping Dallas Weird, since it's been almost 6 months now that I've been up here. But I dunno, should I just keep it as is? I'm not sure there's any way to move all the previous entries over to the new address, which is a drag. And the google development is sorta cool.

Meanwhile, I keep thinking that people are stumbling upon this blog and start looking around thinking this is an Austin person's blog and then they're like, "Yo, this bitch lives in Dallas! I'm out." I feel like it's a bit misleading that way. I do still love Austin, and hope in this wee little corner of my heart that I'll return someday, but maybe it is time to let go and devote myself anew to weirdifying Dallas. (Tho regardless of outcome, rest assured I'm still keeping my 512 cell phone number.)

Suggestions? I think there's only 10 people reading at the most, so perhaps am giving this too much thought..

The Bird bandwagon

How did I miss this? From Bakerella (via Lazy Life):



Yes those are cupcakes. OMG. Things I love about this:

1. I love cupcakes.
2. I love polar bears.
3. I love those coke bottle gummies.
4. I really like Coke.
5. I love the Coca-Cola Polar Bears.

Click on the photo to see more pictures and how she made 'em and the recipe, etc. Love.

Yes I am back from Belgium. It was cold but beautiful and the waffles and frites were just as dreamy as I suspected they'd be. I also had an awesome time on my honeymoon with Liz. I never made it all the way through the users manual and just threw caution to the wind and started snapping photos aplenty. Eventually I'll get them all up on Flickr. I'm terribly slow with that stuff.

Of course I am now behind at work. Very much so. But that didn't stop me from listening to a stream of Andrew Bird's new album online and otherwise obsessing about him during the day. I had an opportunity to get a burned copy of the CD for free from a co-worker, but I love him enough that I want to give him my money. I got no issues with it. So I'll wait. I wanna buy the deluxe version too with the instrumental CD. Can't wait to see him in March. Helloooo! Swoon.



This photo is by the wonderful Brandi. She took it (along with many others) at a recent secret set he did in Chicago. She took some awesome photos of Jeff Tweedy fairly recently as well, and I am just terribly jealous of her proximity to these two photo subjects. Also, she was in Grant Park the night Obama was elected and took a bunch of really cool photos there. More jealous. Times like these I think, Hrm, maybe I might like living in Chicago and then it's like Oh, the high there on Saturday is going to be 19? Okay nevermind.

Looks like Neko Case has a new album coming out too. I just watched the little video about it on Amazon and it looks amazing as well. This spring is going to be the best! Well, music-wise anyway. Yippee!

Ask and ye shall receive

That's right, my grand scheme is working. All this harping on polar bears has scored me some goods. Kind people are sending things my way because I have so brainwashed them that if they see anything with a polar bear on it, they think "Amanda!" Yes, yes. It is working.

Exhibit number 1: This t-shirt that Susan, one of my dear friends I left in New York, sent to me. She bought it in Union Square (where she got her "Baby Seals for Obama" shirt), and intended to have it to me by election day, but I messed everything up and moved.



It did make it to me eventually, and I continue to wear it with pride. It is the perfect souvenir of my anti-Palin rabble-rousing days during the election, all of which was done, of course, on behalf of polar bears everywhere. Thanks Soozi!

Then.. Exhibit number 2: Tonight I get home and there's a little box waiting for me, with this inside.



Oh, how I squealed. A little polar bear ornament for my tree (going up as soon as I get back from T-day with the fam) from Julia of Dozen Flours. And just earlier today I was admiring a polar bear Christmas ornament online and trying to convince myself not to buy it immediately. Now I got my wish. Thank you Julia! I suspect Miss Julia is a person who is full of so much thoughtfulness that it comes out her ears, and manifests itself in such ways as buying a gift for someone she's never met, spending days perfecting cupcakes for a baby shower, and baking endlessly for everyone she knows. What a sweetie.

The cool weather has definitely swept into Dallas these days. I'm ready for pie and green bean casserole and football. And for bundling up in hats and scarves and cozy coats and boots. Speaking of boots, you know you're scraping the barrel financially (or just really busy?) when you're using a paper clip to zip up your boots. WTF? I need to get it together.



Anyone got a recommendation for a good shoe guy here in Dallas? I don't mess around when it comes to shoe repair - I need someone who knows their stuff. Like my beloved Hector in the West Village. I miss him so much. This boot needs its zipper repaired, and my gold sandals need the tip of the heel replaced. Plus I'm sure I could rustle up some other pairs that need to be attended to.

Meanwhile, I'm really all about the gloves these days. Love the gloves. This photo from the pretty, pretty, pretty Cherry Blossom Girl blog made me desire a long pair of gray knit ones..



Luckily I found a pair just like them at Target a couple weeks ago. Now just need a furry collar and a plane ticket to Paris and I, too, could be that French and chic.

Celebriteh

So I was (discreetly) catching up on some blogs today at work and got such a pleasant surprise, if a bit late. A photo of CJ won an honorable mention spot in Erika's dog photo contest! Yeah, I know, CJ's a cat, but cats were allowed to enter too. And CJ was the only cat to make the cut. He rocks!! I was so proud.

There were soooo many cute entrants. She put together a slide show of all of them - it went on forever, just one adorable dog and puppy photo after another, with a kitty thrown in here and there. I really am excited that my boy was in that top tier. What a bad ass. He's being very modest about it, of course. He gets some Greenies tonight fo sho.

Oh, and here's the picture. I didn't have to think twice of which one to send. I love this photo of him.



So one thing I'll say about Erika, other than that I love her blog, is that she's a huge proponent of adopting rescue/shelter animals, as am I. In fact, I recently bought this stamp to just put on the back of whatever's going into the mail these days.



It's from my new favorite etsy stamp store. You know me and the stamps. RubberHedgehog's area of expertise is animals. (They've also got a non-etsy store.) So of course you know what kind of stamp I was looking for that brought me to their shop. Uh huh, hello Christmas cards!!



I'd been trying to find a polar bear stamp and knew this one was it. Also purchased, for my sweet 7-year-old niece, is this adorable bookplate stamp.



It's going into her Christmas present, along with some Ramona books. I hope she loves them as much as I did. I also bought a hot pink ink pad for her. Nothing but the best for my pretty girl.

One last tidbit here before I go - what can you say about this photo? What can you not say? Just look at them.



1. I love the dress. Poor Laura's there in this frumpy brown thing and there's Michelle, a vision in perfectly tailored red. FYI it was made by her go-to girl, Chicago designer Maria Pinto.
2. This image says volumes about the years to come, doesn't it? The Obamas are just so young and modern and elegant and fresh and everything that the weary Bushes are not. Change is good. Change is so good.

Keeping Austin Dallas Weird?

Yes, it's true, I did get a job offer, and I have accepted it. Unfortunately, it is not here, it is there. A place I had absolutely no desire to live in. But it was a job in my field (aren't many down here), so I applied for it and, welp, there you go.

This is also my second relocation in a year - something, as I told someone yesterday, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I hate - no wait, loathe - moving. So you can understand why amidst all this, I'm a little less than elated. Even though getting a job is a wonderful thing and I should be grateful for it.

I never spent a lot of time in Dallas, despite growing up in Forth Worth, so I don't really know much about it. Hopefully I'll come to like it. Got any tips?

Meanwhile, this also means I can begin (tentatively) spending money again. I broke the seal on Saturday at Maker Faire with Stacey, home to the Bazaar Bizarre craft fair and rock-em-sock-em robots. It was a perfect Texas fall day (i.e. warmer than you'd prefer, but pleasant). I took lots of fun pictures which it'll probably take me forever to sort through and edit, so we'll just go straight to the product shots.

My goodie of the day was this calendar from ilee papergoods. Here's her etsy shop. She had traveled all the way down from Seattle to sell her beautiful cards, and seems she does custom wedding invites too.



So pretty and perfectly seasonal. And of course the best month is my birthday month - October! Looks like my birthday's on a Thursday next year.



I also got to meet Elizabeth Soule of e.soule, whose pictures of tiny animals I covet. This one in particular of course.



She usually sells them on these wooden blocks and then you put it on the wall and it's gorgeous, but I'm not that financially flush yet. Or, rather, might not ever be. But I was able to buy my favorite little polar bear photo on a card. So that scratched the itch.



She's got a horse collection now too. Did you know she takes these with a Polaroid camera? You can shop her stuff here.



She also sells many of these as just prints. You know, frame-it-yourself deals. I'll keep that in mind going forward. I am looking to expand my polar bear print collection.



And yarn lovers everywhere collectively swooned.

Okay, I better get going. I'm heading over to the local NPR station to take pledge calls. Yeah, this was a commitment I made before I found out I needed to move in three weeks. But procrastination's my middle name, so...

Daaaaang

"The unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 percent in August, its highest level in five years, pushing the job troubles of American workers onto the political stage as the presidential campaign enters its final eight weeks.

So far, 605,000 jobs have disappeared since the start of the year, with employers slashing 84,000 jobs in August alone, the Labor Department reported on Friday. And even Americans who are still employed are facing tough times.

Raises have not kept up with the rising cost of living, putting more pressure on workers as high gasoline and food prices curtail their spending power."
-Jobless Report Becomes an Issue on the Campaign Trail, The New York Times, 9/5/08

I guess this makes me feel better. I'm not sure. It's always nice when a whole bunch of people can sympathize with what you're going through. Although I sorta already knew that. Since early July, I've personally known of three other people (besides myself) getting laid off. Plus did I mention that everyone at my former workplace had to take a paycut? As if we were rolling in it to start with.

"Economic downturns are almost always bad for the incumbent party."

Man, sucks to be you Sen. McCain. It's a hell of a year to run as a republican. Good luck and stuff. PS - Gov. Palin, America raises good people in big towns too. Snap.



How did I miss this? Oh the agony. It would have been such a nice pick-me-up. I will watch her store for more. Maybe she will make another one? That would be swell.

If polar bears played football...

This morning at 9 am, I dragged my butt out of bed, pillow in tow, and migrated to the couch in the living room. Then for the next two hours, I drifted in and out of consciousness while listening to the sweet sounds of Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, and Chris Fowler. That's right, it was time for College GameDay, because this weekend was the start of the college football season.



Many of you who know me already know this, but I am a college football fiend. I could do without pro football, I'm not one for basketball, and baseball's alright. But I go nuts over the college football.

Of course this Saturday morning ritual was a lot easier in New York, where I didn't have to drag my butt out of bed until 10 am to see GameDay. AND, I had DVR back then, so if I overslept, no big whoop. But now it's 9 am or bust. And I had to do it because for me, Saturdays in the fall are sacred. First, I gotta watch GameDay. And then I gotta decide what games I want to watch. If I go out that evening, I often try to position myself so that I can see the TVs in the bar. Then when I get home, I watch SportCenter, often while drunk. If I don't need to go anywhere, I can easily watch college football for hours, shifting from game to game. Usually CJ and I do this while spooning on the sofa. Speaking of CJ, he's doing much better. Thanks for your well wishes. He's a good boy.



I'd still be watching football right now, whilst knitting, except that I made the grave error of cycling through the channel guide while my mom was present. She spotted a romantic movie on the Hallmark Channel and had a fit. And since tomorrow is her birthday, and since she is leaving on Wednesday for two years in Europe where she will have no Hallmark Channel, and - oh yeah - since it is through her generosity that I even have cable right now, I gave up the battle and came in here to blog. I'm not sure what the movie is but it has Lisa Hartman Black and Rue McClanahan in it, and this has made her exceedingly happy.

Which is just as well, as there's something more pressing that I want to address. Did you know that Sarah Palin hates polar bears?? She does. Or rather, she loves oil more than she loves polar bears. Hrm. Apparently, back in January, she wrote this piece for the NYTimes about how she doesn't think the bears should be listed in the Endangered Species Act. They get listed anyway, and she sues. Why pitch such a hissy about cuddly bears being listed as endangered?? What did they ever do to her?



Because it would severely interfere with plans to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Which she is all for doing. WTF? On top of that, the Anchorage Daily News found out that the state's own biologists disagreed with her, even though she claimed that the state's researchers backed her up. Um, no Governor Palin. And it wasn't like I was going to vote for your ticket anyway, but you mess with the P.B.s and you are dead to me.

Well, speaking of politics, after swooning over Obama's speech on Thursday evening, I flipped over to Comedy Central and saw this genius bit on The Daily Show. I heart Jon Stewart. But you probably figured that out by now.

Just as I suspected

My, what a pair they make.



Doncha think? Just a lovely couple. He, all dapper. And she, all sweetness and light, holding her bouquet of flowers. Neither based in any facet of reality, but who cares about that. I'm glad I got this out of my system before the bottom fell out on my finances. Yeah, cos I got laid off. But anyway.

Since I can't really buy stuff these days, trolling etsy is a little dangerous. Doesn't really stop me though. But I thought I'd feature a few things I own rather than those I want to buy. Because, you know, I can't buy them. I bought this pendant back when I lived in Astoria, at a little shop near my apartment.



This gal paints pictures on the backs of little dominoes, then sets them as pendants, rings, brooches, earrings, etc.



So many pretty designs! Her name is Tara Campbell and the company is Odd Bird. Here's her etsy shop. She's Canadian! Despite trying to beat up on them athletically at the moment, we can still show the northern neighbors some consumer love.



Even the back is pretty.



Cutie kitties. There are so many designs, I swear you'll find one you think you can't live without. And on that note, I'll just be navigating away from her website right now...

Mom gets in tomorrow and cat fur is coating every surface. I gotta go clean.

Meet Willard!

Isn't he handsome?



Democracy in action my friends. Well, not really. Despite my rallying and voting, the polar bear never won an open vote at the Berkley Blog. But somehow (comments, lots of comments) my pleading and begging was heard. And now he has arrived. Even better, I love his little bio:
"Meet Willard the Polar Bear! This rosy fellow is the Chairman of the Board for a successful popsicle corporation. His ingenuity in the frozen novelty field is unsurpassed and he's currently working on a flavor that is so secret, he has to carry the recipe in a briefcase handcuffed to his arm."

Plus, I can't help but think how dandy and color-coordinated he will look alongside the tray. Yes, that tray. Which, okay yes, I might have bought. But I had a percent-off coupon, and free shipping. And clearly a deep love and adoration for it. Plus I waited like six weeks or so before I finally caved. My, how it will look good alongside Willard!

Thank you Ryan and Lucy!! Here's a little Q&A with them, if you want to know more about these two. And of course the Berkley Illustration store is here. I'm treating myself to an 8x10 of Mr. Polar Bear. Yeah.

M. F. Squirrel

It's too good. It's all just too good. My newest Etsy crush is on Elloh (also known as Ellen), a gal in Philly making art, who also happens to have a strikingly similar taste in movies and TV as I do (the 80s, Hitchcock, Amelie, and a strong love and adoration for The Office). She's also got this Sarah Vowell thing going on with the obsession with presidential facial hair. I dig it.

So she's this week's "Stuff on Etsy I'd Like to Buy." Here are some highlights from her shop. You have no idea how hard it was to narrow it down.

Pam from The Office. In fact, Ellen has painted ALL of the characters from The Office. And not just the American version. The UK version too. You can find them in her Etsy store. They're amazing. Now that is a labor of love.



The characters from The Breakfast Club. This was the first one I saw where I thought, Okay, maybe I need to buy one of these. This would be an ode to my youth. My brother had videotaped this movie and Pretty in Pink (she memorializes that one too) off of cable, so I grew up watching it with all the curse words in it. I thought it was weird when I got to high school and didn't hate my parents.



I had a love affair with the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird when I was in high school. We had to read the book, and it was great, but the movie is what really got me. Gregory Peck as Atticus. I love my dad and all, but having Gregory Peck be my dad was sort of a dream of mine. And of course I thought the world of Scout. This set of paintings of her is the best - I love Scout as the ham.



Also, Berkley Illustration is having another "vote on your favorite animal for Ryan to do up in people clothes" thing, and if you love polar bears and/or love me, you'll go vote for the PBs. Clearly I am doing a lot of kissing up to them but so far it has done me no good.

On the homefront, I should point out that it was discovered that the culprit of my plant upheavals was indeed a squirrel. I caught one in the act last week. I called Nicole (who has had similar problems) that morning and was like, "M. F. squirrels this!" and "M. F. squirrels that!" Except, you know, not abbreviated.

In addition to uprooting my plants from time to time, I discovered a wee pecan tree growing from a buried pecan in my hydrangea. I will also blame this on the squirrels. There seems to be a seasonality to the rodents bothering me. The birds eased up after the spring (migration perhaps?), so now we've moved on to the squirrels. What's next? It's like freakin' animal kingdom out there.

Meanwhile, when I get filled with squirrel animosity, I like to watch this video. If I had a yard, I'd get one and watch the squirrels go flying off all day long. The fun really starts at around 3:40.

One more

Okay, just one more before the holiday weekend. I mean, c'mon, it's a video with cute polar bears in it. This can't wait. My favorite bit is the little girl waking up with the polar bear curled up on the floor beside her bed. Oh, if only.

Music, polar bears, etc.

What's this I see on design*sponge yesterday?

"Michael from Cursive predicts that polar bears will be a big trend this winter."

Shut up! I don't know who Michael from Cursive is, but that just made my day. Bring it on deesignurs. You make it and put a polar bear on it and I'll buy it. I am your #1 customer. I'm thinking I should make this the all-polar-bears, all-the-time blog. But that would be a bit much, wouldn't it?

Taking a break from polar bears though, this poster is my latest obsession. Srsly.



The fact that I was at this concert and did not somehow attain one breaks my heart. I love it almost as much as the polar bear tray. Almost. Meanwhile, do I have really varied tastes or what? I mean, can you picture this poster and that polar bear tray side-by-side on a wall? But you know what they say, if you love it, it'll work together in your home. Maybe they could work together from separate rooms...

Unfortunately, the poster's not for sale (and I'm too poor to buy the tray) so they're safe for now. I spent an embarrassingly large amount of time earlier today perusing gigposters.com. Mostly I was trying to find posters for shows I'd been to, just for fun. The good news for my pocketbook is that most of the posters aren't for sale anywhere.

Speaking of concerts and music (we'll just make that the theme today - that and polar bears), I love this photo of Jeff Tweedy I took at the Wilco show at Stubbs a few weeks back.



I bought the tickets right after I moved back to Austin, before I knew anyone who would go with me, and ended up attending alone. Sad right? But I do really well going stag to concerts. Once the awkward pre-show period is over (standing in a corner sucking down vodka tonics - or at this show, sucking down vodka tonics while registering to vote), I have a blast moving around, taking pictures, or just wiggling my way up to the front. Which was how I took that photo. Wilco was great live, just as I suspected they'd be.

Another great band is Fleet Foxes, whose CD I patiently waited to buy until it was released last week. Once upon I time, I had a job where I was inundated with free CDs of all the hot new bands, usually long before anybody else got their hands on them. Now I have to work to find them, and pay for them. So discovering the Fleet Foxes all on my own was exciting for me. I purchased it just in time for a road trip, and it was perfect summer driving music. Sub Pop does it again.

Okay gotta run. I've got to go home and pour Drano down my kitchen sink (the intricacies of having a disposal still elude me). One more poster before I go. I wasn't at this show, nor have I ever seen Bowie live, but I just loved the looks of it. And hey, no polar bear! I'm branching out.

I should be working but...

I had to share this. I love it so much. I'm tempted to just stare at it for the rest of the day, but then I wouldn't get much done.



I can only attribute this to my long-standing love and adoration for polar bears, since it's a bit 'tripping the light fantastic' for my usual taste. A bit frou. A bit swirly whirly. But damn, you take something and put a polar bear on it holding a bouquet of flowers (or even a coke bottle, really) and I'm there. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

My love for this tray knows no bounds. No bounds!