Valentine's a Deux

After a small dinner party for friends on Saturday, we had just the two of us for dinner on Valentine's Day itself.  

It's been unusually cold here, so I set the table in the living room in front of the fire place.  I've thought of doing this many times, but the reality is that it is just too hot most evenings.

These dishes by Cynthia Rowley were an easy choice.  I bought them before Christmas, thinking they would be a great Christmas selection, but never used them.  I love that they are gold rimmed and  sort of formal, but I find them fresh and a bit whimsical as well.

Especially when you add the salad plate.

You can just see the small appetizer plate that I added and used for our shrimp cocktail.  Here's the napkins that a guest sent us after a dinner party several years ago.  I thought they were perfect for this table.

The glasses were a red vintage stem for wine......

and these white speckled water glasses.  

This mis-matched silverplate flatware showed up again.  Here's a disclosure:  I substituted a steak knife for these beautiful knives before we sat down to eat.  Mr. Pressed Pants cooked fillets on the grill and that would have been too much for these fragile old knives. 

A red bread and butter plate and some glass confetti hearts added some spunk to the table.

These flowers made another appearance from the night before.  Actually, many of these items were "re-runs".  The dishes and linens were about the only things different, but they change the look of the table greatly.

A simple Waterford crystal wine coaster was used the night before, too.

This touch of silver was lovely in the firelight.   

I used a plain white linen caterer's cloth with this special cloth over it.  My mother made it for me years ago, and I've used it for many special events through the years, even engagement parties and bridesmaids luncheons for our daughters.  

Here's a  picture of the table in front of our fireplace.  It's only a card table, but I brought in chairs from the dining room.

This one is taken from the upstairs hallway through the gate in the wall.

See it here?

This is taken from the same place, but a bit closer.  Doesn't it look inviting?

We might do this more often.

Dinner with friends last night was great, but you can't beat an evening with just the one you love. 

I meant to put this on the last post.  It's our front door. 

And this is the fountain in the front driveway circle.

There's something very romantic about this, and, of course, it gets even sweeter with a bit of tulle and a peony, right? 

Joining:

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Ski and Showshoe Table

I must admit that I'm sort of over Christmas decorations and tablescapes.  I was pretty sure that I'd post something non-seasonal this week, but we got a "gift" of snow in Atlanta on Christmas day, so I decided to do this winter sports themed table.  I have this cheerful tablecloth that I found at The Christmas Shop.  As a matter of fact, many of the items are from there.  Ok, it's not Christmasy, but it's not non-seasonal either.  Did you get that???  The skis....

and the snowshoes are embroidered on it several places.

I decided to use it on the breakfast room table for a breakfast for two. 

I limited the colors to just red and white. 

I started with a plate that Kroger is selling.  Pretty good match, don't you think?  I added our everyday flatware from Williams-Sonoma.  

Then I used a white plate under a red scalloped cereal bowl from Ballard's.

These red stems are so old that I can't remember where I got them.  Oldies but goodies!

I got a little clever with the napkin.  I found these at The Christmas Shop and bought them for a centerpiece or something.  I wasn't sure, but could any of you pass them up?  Didn't think so.

Here's how I used them!  Napkin rings???  Napkin skids???  Napkin adornments???  You decide.

   

And here's the best part.  The stag standing in snow with SNOW outside!!!!!

See?  Even the lower terrace has snow on it!

He's from Z Gallerie this year.  Couldn't resist.

Here's an aerial view of how it came together.

So, after I had almost everything put away, I realized that I forgot two items that I had planned to use!  Do you ever do that?  Well, since I probably won't be using this again for a long time, I'm slipping them in for you to see.  One is these cute little mittens that I thought I'd use as silverware holders.

And these juice glasses would have been cute, too.  Oh well, at least  they'll be available another time.  

I'm linking up with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.  Go over there and see her great blog party.

betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com