ANTIQUE RING BOXES

When I was a little girl I loved to play with my Grandmother's jewelry. Being an Antiques Dealer she liked to keep her jewelry in beautiful old Victorian containers. I especially liked the RING BOXES.

I loved holding them in my hands. Running my little fingers over the worn leather and opening the box then closing it with that unique snap you only hear from an anitque ring box.

I adored the heart shaped ones like this one from HOUSEWARMING on Etsy.

There was something about the heart shaped box. How romantic to have the one you love hand you this little jewel of a box. What was inside was wonderful, but the heart shaped box would sit on your dressing table as if to say "Remember me, I hold the key to your lovers heart".

I believe they put as much work into the ring box as they did the ring itself. The box was an extension of the ring, they were a pair. I love the height of the old ones, the little latches and the lining proudly dispalying the jewellers name.

And those woman who were lucky enough to receive a ring from Cartier in a box like this one I am sure never got rid of it, I know I would not.

You can still find these gorgeous RING BOXES online at sites like Etsy and Ebay or at Antique Shops & Auctions. I am going to make some, which I am working on today, as my homage to my Grandmother's good taste and try and bring back the marriage between the container the ring comes in and the ring itself. I am hoping these little jewels I am creating will perhaps become the precious pieces that sit on the dressing tables of future brides reminding them that they hold the key to their lovers heart.

Check out my Gardening/Foodie Blog LUCYS GARDEN. Today I talk about raised gardens.

HAVE A SEAT!

I love a great chair! It has always been a little addiction of mine. There is something about finding a big, beautifully upholstered armchair, new or old, that makes my heart go ping.

I just adore the look of worn burlap chairs. The vintage ones here are so lovely. The amazing covered chair is new from Restoration Hardware.

I must share this gorgeous chair with you. I saw it on another blog and she was selling it at a show. I am sorry but I forget what blog it was I just grabbed the pictures so I could drool over it every once in a while.

I covered my kitchen chairs in antique french flour bags. They look fabulous and are so durable.

The tufted back chairs have always been one of my favourite looks. They remind me of chairs that would have sat in an old english study.

I was so pleased when I found these English Style chairs from Bernhardt Furniture. I have two in my livingroom.

What a great style this French chair is. That lovely deep seat and high back.

That is why I fell for this chair, another Bernhardt. I call it my reading chair, it is where I cuddle up with a good book, if I can get there before on of the cats.

I picked up this Art Deco Club Chair in a thrift shop for $20. I have it in my kitchen and it has been reupolstered and slip covered many times. Right now it is black and cream stripes. Very comfy!

Then there are my studio chairs. My gorgeous vintage Monkey Chairs were my cheap auction finds. I have posted about them before, I never get tired of that fabric, I wish I had some more. And the blue high back chair my husband gave me for my birthday one year. He says I had him build the studio so I had a place to put more chairs.

So here is my dilemma. How many chairs is too many chairs? I have a total of 33 chairs between my house, studio and screened-in room. That is including 9 upholstered armchairs, rockers, dining chairs but not benches and outdoor seating. I think I have room for some more, maybe this last one because I really, really like it!

BUSY, HAPPY WEEKEND!

It was our little Princesses Birthday on Thursday, a big 1 already. Our son and daughter-in-law had a lovely family party at their home on Saturday.

I made her a little cake all her own. We thought she might just dig in but being the little lady she is she would not even touch it.

She was much more interested in playing with her toys and running around with her cousins. I cannot believe this little tiny thing is running around already.

She did stop long enough to enjoy the rocking chair we got her. I skyped with our son this morning and she was sitting in it watching her Backyardigans.

Speaking of the Backyardigans, I thought she would be so happy when she saw the balloons we brought her but the great big Tasha scared her. My nieces little 6 month old loved it so she took it home. All in all it was a beautiful day for a beautiful little girl who was surrounded by love.

THE BEAUTY OF AGE!

I was visiting my Uncle the other day and he brought out a photo of me when I was 19. I had the picture taken for my husband the year we got married. When I showed it to him he said that he thought I was more beautiful now. I love him for that. I looked at the photo and realized that I actually do like my face better now.

As the Academy Awards approach and actresses are primping for the show I wonder how many are having a little touch up. The photo of the model Carmen, above, shows a woman of beauty in her early 20's on the cover of Vogue and a woman in her 70's on the cover of Madame. Carmen has never had any work done and I think she is more beautiful now than she was then.

I do not want to show the woman who may or may not have had work done, but I would like to show the beauties like Sophia Loren who have aged with the grace and beauty than can only be attained by living life.

A few years ago, I watched the Oscars red carpet and Jessica Lange was interviewed. She has a smoldering attractivness that put the young starlets to shame. Here is a woman who has embraced her age and wears it well.

Peggy Lipton (remember Mod Squad?) is truly ageless. She has that lovely hippie look she had as a young girl and she just seems to enjoy life. She is the mother of the actress Rashida Jones and I have seen them in photos looking more like sisiters than mother and daughter.

These two English Roses Helen Mirren & Julie Christie, have not only had long and successful acting careers but have a beauty that has taken them from the ingenue roles to roles that show them for the older gorgeous woman they are. Helen Mirren was photographed in a bikini last year and look fabulous.

The ever honest Diane Keaton is very open about aging and how she feels about it. She is a spokesperson for one of the makeup companies that focus on older woman and she is an actress who makes movies about strong woman who love life at any age.

Last but certainly not least is the fabulous Blythe Danner, mother of Gwyneth Paltrow. I think that Blythe Danner has become more beautiful each year. She is an amazing looking woman and I enjoy her films because she really stands out not just as an actress but I think her features are incredible. Gwyneth is a lucky girl to get such good genes.

I chose these woman because I truly think they look more beautiful today than they did in their twenties. Would I like to be in my twenties again, I would be lying if I said no, but not for my looks. I would love to have the energy I had then but I love the way I am now. I think if women would embrace the second stage of their lives with a positive outlook and take a look in the mirror and see the beautiful women we are now, how our lives have shaped our faces, they would see that you only get that beauty living life. Beauty radiates from within, a beautiful soul, a beautiful mind, a beautiful you. Look in the mirror today and see that you are beautiful!