Thank You

Thank you. Thank you for your support and understanding during this difficult time. Thank you for your heartfelt and comforting comments. Thank you for your patience and hanging in there with me.

As you can imagine these past two weeks without my Mom have been quite hard. Support from friends, Chai tea and grilled cheese have helped me get through the long days. Today I finally sat down and looked at my overloaded Google Reader and was comforted by this installation by Martin Creed found via Booooooom. My Mom loved Please Sir and would want me to continue posting inspiring art, design and of course...vintage finds. So, as hard as it may be without her...I will slowly make my way back here and reassure myself that everything is going to be alright. Thank you again for your kindness and love.

Link - Martin Creed

Hiatus

Dear Readers,

With great sadness, I am taking a temporary hiatus from Please Sir due
to the unexpected loss of my mother. The only consolation of her
passing was that she did not suffer, and in her last hours she was
surrounded by her family.

She was an incredible mother and a lady of extraordinary kindness and
wit. I learned so much from her…an appreciation of quality vintage
design, the art of fleamarketing and the value of hard work. The
measure of her love and influence transcends all words. We spent many
memorable weekends together hunting for the perfect vintage find and
dreaming about our future lake house. My mother was the number one
supporter of the blog and frequently commented as “Fiesta Lady.” She
enjoyed each post and especially liked reading all of your comments.
She was the inspiration behind many of my creative endeavors and truly
my best friend.

If you would like to make a donation in her memory we have chosen
Flight of Honor, a World War II Veterans organization. My mother was
an avid history buff, proud of her family’s tradition of military
service and would have appreciated this honorable cause. More
information can be found here - www.flightofhonor.org/.

Thank you for your support and understanding at this time of unimaginable grief.

Pheasant

Start your week off with a visit to Pheasant, a mail order company providing a hand-picked, tiny selection of home accessories, all handmade and crafted in Yorkshire. Wondering how they find these lovely goodies? The owners of Pheasant say, "We love to go up to Yorkshire, travelling around and discovering new craftspeople tucked away in The Dales or further afield. Sourcing has to be our favourite bit, especially when it means a sneaky half pint of Theakstons with a pub lunch and an ice-cream at Brymor in the process." Wow...two words...dream job!

Pheasant's unique items and beautiful photography are great starting points for achieving a cozy home feel. Here's to a warm and tea-filled week ahead...

Link - Pheasant Mail Order

dottie angel

You can't help but swoon over the photographs, beautiful home and store of Tif Fussell or more famously known as dottie angel. One peek into her life and you will feel like you've stepped into a wonderful dream filled with hand-embroidered doilies, vintage notions and thrifted furniture. I can't say enough about her inspiring imagery and products...you must see for yourself!

Link - dottie angel website, Flickr, Etsy and blog

{found via N.E.E.T. Magazine}

Autumn Sunshine

I immediately smiled when I saw the wonderful Flickr photostream of Xanthe Berkeley. The long hours filled with rain, cold and busy work turned into a sigh of joy. For a sweet moment the dreary day turned away and I escaped into the warmth of the autumn sunshine. Go on...escape away.

Link - Xanthe Berkeley

Century Finds

Check out the cute animal finds over at Century Finds, an online shop featuring a mix of high quality, handcrafted items including vintage and other found treasures for the home. I'm especially drawn to the colorful and quirky tile designs by Xenia Taler. Oh and the miniature die-cast deer, which are perfect for this time of year.

Hedwige Jacobs

Originally from the Netherlands, Hedwige Jacobs draws inspiration from the box-like houses and landscape of her current residence in Houston. Her drawings also address themes like overcrowding and human interaction. From these themes intricate narratives are created, which evoke intriguing questions about the idea of home.

I also love the use of woven interlaces to create connectivity and a literal thread of life. Believe me...my textile loving heart is beating fast! Simple, yet truly inspiring work - check out more here.

Woolly Pockets

Just because winter is arriving doesn't mean you can't enjoy lush, green plants. Check out Woolly Pockets - flexible, breathable and modular gardening containers. Handmade in the USA from recycled plastic bottles, these soft-sided pockets can be used indoors and out. Plus, they look great on the wall, on their own and in groups. They also have built-in moisture barriers to help protect furniture and can be folded flat for easy moving and storage. So, no more plants peeing on the carpet or lugging around bulky pots! Can we say vertical garden in the kitchen?!

Noa Noa Miniature

Adorable kid clothing and photographs from the Noa Noa Miniature Christmas collection. To be a kid...doesn't it seem magical?

Attachments

I am in awe over the needlepoint lace creations by Toronto-based artist Dorie Millerson. Her work addresses and questions topics like family, fragility and home. Millerson is also "concerned with the themes of attachment and memory" and "adapts textile techniques in order to explore these concepts." As a result, both the process and the form of the pieces become equally important in presenting her ideas. These thought provoking works are stunning and inspiring.

Wouldn't you love to see them in person? Check out more work by Dorie Millerson here.

The Sweeterie

I'm super excited about t.ruffles: the sweeterie, a beautiful new site designed by two of my favorite bloggers Mary Swenson and Karey M. The dynamic duo have created what they call, "a creative confectionery where we make candy for your soul." A daily dose of stunning photographs and inspiring words by these lovely ladies...WOW I'm already tingling with delight. Be sure to check out t.ruffles: the sweeterie for your daily eye candy...don't forget your toothbrush!

Brass Love

I have a sudden love for brass after viewing the lovely selection of vintage brass items on High Street Market. Why not add a little brass to your table or dresser?