Grandma Would Love This

When Mr. Pressed Pants told me (sort of at the last minute) that he was not going to be home on Valentine's Day, we decided to have a dinner for two on Sunday.  We never go out on February 14th anyway because of the crowds and the "prix fix" menus, etc.  So surf and turf at home suited me just fine.

I had just arranged these flowers for a sick friend, so they became an impromptu centerpiece for just this one meal.  Sort of "borrowing" up front! The more I think about this, the more I think it might be tacky.  Oh, my! Well, they could sit on the counter, or they could sit on the dining room table, right?

I love this combination of colors.

Grandma's Haviland china matched them perfectly.  I buy very few "sets" of dishes.  I'm more of an impulse buyer of miscellaneous pieces which I use to mix and match.  But this pattern was my Grandmother's and she gave me all of the many, many pieces for our wedding.  The best part is that her name was Rose Ellie, and my name is Linda, and the pattern is called "Rosalinda".  I just love that.  I didn't use any of the serving pieces, cups and saucers, or even bread and butter plates.  I kept it special, but not at all over the top.

The linens kept the dishes from being too precious.  They are just a bright pink tablecloth and a scalloped linen placemat.  No charger, and no fine silver.  Just French reproduction flatware that reflects the cream colored dinner plates.

Then, I chose light pink linen napkins and tucked a bright pink carnation into the ring.

The napkin ring is made of ivory.  It is old and I've collected these for years.  They can't make these anymore, of course, since ivory is a protected resource.  So they are becoming very hard to find, but that makes the hunt more fun.

These cranberry glass stems are another antique, or maybe just vintage element.

Not old, but fun, are these gold cherub candlesticks. 

Some special things and some casual things.

I don't mean to be flippant about being apart on Valentine's Day, but our marriage can surely survive an early celebration and short notice of travel plans! 

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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? 

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The Happy Scraps

Pastel Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!  This is a simple breakfast table that I set for the folks that have the key to my heart: my precious Mom and Mr. Pressed Pants.

Breakfast was the only meal we were eating at home today, so I set this pastel table for us.  Why pastel, you ask?

Well, these conversation hearts inspired me to pull out my LuRay china that I have collected for years.  Then these pale pink gerbera daisies jumped into my basket at Whole Foods yesterday, and I had a plan.

This is a well-known trick for "lining" vases with any material that complements your arrangement.  Just a small vase inside a slightly larger one then use almost anything in between.  Easy-peasy!

So....a pastel table was born for a breakfast of three. 

LuRay china comes in these four colors.  The heart shaped plate is not LuRay, but the pink is a perfect match.  You can see how I use this china for Easter here.  I added this pale pink flatware that I've had for ages.

These juice glasses are actually cut glass vases that I thought would be great glasses and voila!  I bought twelve.

These antique napkin have such finely detailed needlework.  They are the finest, softest linen.  I wish I could learn about some of the other meals they have seen.  Do you ever wish your antiques could talk to you?  Am I strange?

Here are some of the many serving pieces that come in this old pattern.  

I have this sweet little jam dish and spoon with foxgloves on it.  It is Carleton Ware.  I think I need more of this!

What do you think?  Not your typical red and white Valentine's Day table, but we all certainly felt surrounded by love.

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