A Sweet Folk ART Jewelry Box I Found:

Here is a sweet vintage/antique handmade folk art jewelry box I found to sell, made with charm and love, please read my listing I added below:
 

Here is a very charming , vintage, circa 1920-40's, hand-made and hand-carved and painted wood jewelry box. It has red flowers/poinsettias ? On the top, inlaid wood pieces and ' cut-designed' wood . On the sides are carved roses and foliage, and chiseled or ' cut-designs' in the surround( around the flowers). It measures 3 1/2 ins. tall, 5 ins. in depth and 10 ins. long approx.

The inside has more ' cut-designed' chiseled accents and carved hearts. The mirror looks to be an old pocket mirror he glued in here, and has one lone bakelite/or green wood holder to anchor it. The top does not fit on perfect, sort of does not close totally flush. I believe the hinges , especially the one to the left needs some work.

It doesn't close correctly here. The side has separated here some too. But it is strong and sturdy. The hearts here are wonderful.

He even made these corner stops/pads in the shape of hearts, though they have lost most of their shape through the decades.

It is chiseled out and signed Made by F.D.M. inside.

He carved all the flowers , and put some inlaid wood accents on the corners, and chiseled the hearts and mirror holder out of a single piece of wood I believe.

I am thinking since he has poinsettia leaves and Flowers on top, that this was a Christmas gift to his wife or girlfriend , and then roses all all other 4 sides.

The back hinge that does not sit correctly. Hopefully someone can fix this, or leave as is, or even take off the hinges and just lift the top on and off.

I can just imagine this woodworker, carving this out, many days, weeks of hard work, intently showing his love for a woman through his hands.

So basically this man gave this woman his heart in a box. Very, very romantic.

I would place this in the 1920-40's time frame. It may be older than that. Any questions, feel free to email me,

Sincere thanks,

Gina

AntiqueARTGarden

A Stolen Kiss

Now gentle sleep hath clos'd up those eyes
Which waking kept my boldest thoughts in awe,
And free access unto that sweet lip lies,
From whence I long the rosy breath to draw;
Methinks no wrong it were if I should steal
From those two melting rubies one poor kiss;
None sees the theft that would the thief reveal,
Nor rob I her of aught which she can miss;
Nay, should I twenty kisses take away,
There would be little sign I had done so;
Why then should I this robbery delay?
Oh! she may wake and therewith angry grow.
Well, if she do, I'll back restore that one,
And twenty hundred thousand more for loan.

by George Wither( 1588-1667)



Antique ART Garden NOW at SLEEPY POET Antique Mall in Charlotte, NC

I wanted to let some of my East Coast shoppers know that I am now in Sleepy Poet Antique mall in Charlotte , North Carolina. If you click the link above , it will tell you all about it, the hours and days etc., and driving directions. 55,000 S.F. of antique shopping! The picture above is sort of the beginning of my booth there...

I will be bring items in, probably every week or every 10 days or so. Many items I brought from my site on ebay to here. My booth is located next to the drink and snack area. You can't miss it, large sign above it...that if you lean your head back as far as you can, and get a crick/spasm in it...then you will see this up top...

A absolutely, undoubtedly ' handmade' sign by Mrs. AAG herself. That is my dealer code too, but you can just ask up front where Antique Art Garden is or where Gina's booth is with all the paintings and hopefully someone can direct you.

Hollywood Regency pair of armchairs, circa 1950-60's in front for sale, young son crouched between them is already SOLD ( he's mine).

So much to do there still, more artwork, my husband is building me a shelf for more smalls...have to fill up a booth you know. My husband and my young son helped me move in yesterday. My son  was happy, my husband half-happy and half-grouchy as he was the one on the really tall ladder hanging my artwork. I was mainly annoyed at myself for not bring more artwork, it was hard to gage how much I needed, and we do not live in Charlotte. So I couldn't just run down to the mall and measure. etc.

Please stop by and shop, if not in my space...any of the hundreds of venders booths, you will really enjoy yourself. It is my favorite mall, full of the nicest employees around.

I'll be in touch with more( and better pics), when I get my booth more filled up.

Bless you all,

Gina

AntiqueARTGarden

10 Ways To INCREASE Your Happiness~Robert Holden

My son made me this picture of my garden, and now I have it hanging in my kitchen. I need to properly frame it with acid-free foam board, but since he has the patience of a gnat like his Mom, we put it in here pronto.

I LOVE my new piece of art in my kitchen, makes me smile.

I used to tell Sarah that "Your future looks so bright you're going to need sunglasses to see it !" Heard that on Joyce Meyers one morning.My son's sun has some great shades on, and a smile.

The little boy here is saying, " C'mon!"

Hope you are all doing well, read the link below, an excellent suggestion list for us all.

Gina

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/10-Ways-to-Increase-Your-Happiness/9

Wanting GOD to Provide ANSWERS~

I think we all have times in our lives, the older we get, the more times we have...of wanting answers/explanations from God for events , tragedies, health problems, financial problems or simple unfulfilled hopes and dreams that we desire. I have had people tell me, that my faith is strong, evidently ( I am guessing since they seem to see it), strong.

I know that it is not.

 Between deaths in my immediate family, and some other circumstances and relationship difficulties, and then observing other people's tragedies and misfortunes...I am having some down days as a fan/witness of God Almighty.

I have come up with an analogy to try to explain my faith right now, and it is sort of like this.

I am a fan of a team( believer in God), and I live my life, and at certain times....I sit back on some bleachers and watch other's lives, and even my own from a slight distance.

When a good play( event in life), occurs....then I cheer, clap and move closer to the field.

Life is good.

When a bad play occurs, I move up the bleachers, further from my team, the coach, and grumble. And by the way, I mean it has to be a VERY bad play , such as a death, calamity or serious health issue of someone.

I understand about job losses, break-ups, car problems, minor health issues, etc. I understand that life is not fair, and that we all have burdens.

( disclaimer-I do not move away from my son's team when they are losing).

Example: I had a very nice friend, a fellow baseball mom, a special mom of one of my son's friends, die of breast cancer, only 41 years old, fought it for years bravely...and God allowed her death. He did not cause it, but allowed it to happen, and leave a young 11 year old boy and his father without a mother in their home.

That made me move back a bit in the bleachers.

And by the way, I am already half-way back anyway, since my youngest daughter's death.

Then yesterday I found out a young , handsome 24 year old umpire at our baseball complex my son plays at, was killed by a drunk driver .

I remember him just 5 nights ago, young and healthy and nice to the children, umpiring our last game.

I subsequently shift back about two rows, further from my team( my God, my Christianity, my faith).

Frowning now.

I am not on the top of the back bleachers yet, but if tragedy after tragedy, occurs unrelentlessly...as it happens in life...

then I would REALLY like God to EXPLAIN why in the heck He allows so much sorrow and pain in our lives!!???

I know we learn from pain, I know many people unwittingly cause their own deaths through carelessness/bad habits/forming bad relationships/very bad decisions, etc.

BUT, many do not. Many people are caught up in a illness, accident,murder, abuse that they have NO part in.

So I sit back and want ( or have really) screamed at God, "What are you doing, can you see the pain here?!!!"

If some of my followers write and tell me we are supposed to go through trials and tribulations, that Jesus has overcome the world, that He was a man of sorrows, that we must suffer to learn, that we are not to grieve like ones who do not have hope...I KNOW all that.

I also know that God knows I am one very hard-headed woman who is passionate about causes and my family. That 'fighter' in me, is what makes me so difficult to calm, at least spiritually.

I can just imagine my head coach( God), on the field ( life), during a terrible, stupid play...and I am up near the top of the bleachers yelling at HIM to " STOP this, DO something ! Can't You see out there!", pointing at this or that.
And then I imagine Him turning to look at me, His assistant coaches( some Saints, Moses, Elijah ), telling Him to shut me up or throw me out of the ballpark. He instead just mildly smiles, shakes His head , and says leave her.
And I think...
If He keeps leaving me up here at the back of the bleachers I am going to fall off !  

Be careful , love your family, be kind to someone you don't feel like being kind to today,
        Gina           

Blog-FUNK here~

My front yard pink azaleas

Definition of a funk - lack of motivation and low energy ( concerning blogs).

Been going through another funk about blogging. I mean how many posts are possible about my own garden, trips to Charleston,and antique paintings can I do that will not bore my readers ? And basically taking the same photograph, just on different years. I feel too many pictures/writing of the same subject is boring.

Considering if my blog has run its course , or simply only blogging about different topics on a monthly basis or every other month.

Not trying to get any ' Oh, please don't stop blogging comments", just re-assessing. Will consider it all and be back another time,

take good care all of you,

Gina

Hey SOUL Sister~by Train

Been busy taking pics for ebay listings, now heading out to take Miss Maxine for a walk around the neighborhood. Everyone enjoy your day and tap along or dance to this song on your way~

Gina