Valentine's Tablescape for Two

by Heather

How do you decorate a table for a romantic dinner on Valentine's Day when you don't love pink...or red...or hearts? Can it even be done? Let me elaborate on my dislikes -- I enjoy seeing pink and red on other people or in their home decor; it just isn't for me anymore. Perhaps it's because I was the sister who had to wear pink as a child while my slightly younger sister got dressed in blue -- funny, I don't love blue either. I think the true issue is that I love so many things that I had to find a way to limit my wants so I've put a ban on all things pink or red (unless I really, really want them). Anyway, back to the problem at hand..

The upstairs office is the receptacle of all things red that I don't want to part with just yet. I dug out the cranberry crystal glassware that I hand-carried back from the Czech Republic when I was on a teacher exchange to Regensburg, Germany (this was before my personal ban on red). I found some Spode salad plates at Tuesday Morning (so much for not buying red, eh?) that match a vintage Spode tureen (purchased years ago when I was a buyer trainee in the China and Crystal departments at Dayton's, now Macy's) to layer on top of the everyday Martha Stewart white plates. Small silver heart-shaped dishes are from one of my favorite local stores, Holland Boone. Underneath it all are gold pottery chargers bought at Target years ago.

Only red roses were used initially but proved to be just a little too red so I went on the hunt for something else and ended up with white roses, white tulips, and English ivy to add a little green as well as make the tureen serve a purpose. I tried an all-white color scheme for the flowers but that was a little too drab so the red roses were back in the mix.

The little standing gold X and O are a new purchase from Edie's Lab at etsy.com

I still love the etched crystal Fostoria Navarre water goblets that were my mother's. The cranberry votives have been around for so long that I can't remember where I bought them -- possibly Pottery Barn?

The flute-playing cherub found his way from upstairs where he was serving as a necklace holder. The faux white flowers in the urn are from On the Veranda and live in my back yard most of the time. It's the only kind of flower I can "grow" in the hot summer months here.

The XOXO lying flat on the table shows the extent of my crafting abilities: spray painting. What isn't visible is the coating of glitter paint that gives them a little sparkle in the light. Oooh, Martha Stewart better watch out!

The hubby polished off one marbled chocolate heart cup with fresh raspberries as soon as I stopped taking pictures. Granddaughter Peighton put in a request for the other one. I have two more to be used on Valentine's Day. The four came packaged together with white and milk chocolate curls from Cost Plus World Market.

This is another example of my fine "crafting" abilities (the other two writers of this blog are very crafty people; I'm not if you haven't guessed that already). I tied gold hearts onto the red and gold napkin rings using fine gold wire. The hearts were part of a Christmas give-away by best friend, Susan J, who no longer wants to decorate a tree at Christmas time. Instead, she collects hand painted Navajo ornaments that she puts on a beautiful gold ornament stand. I was the lucky recipient of her largesse and am finding many uses for the items she gave me.

The faux white tulips in the glass vases (one on either side of the urn and cherub) are from Fry's Grocery Store (Kroger's). I bought them at the same time as the real ones and I couldn't tell the difference even close up. In a few days, when the real ones are drooping, these will still be perky. I might have to go back and buy the faux yellow tulips while they're still 20% off.

A trio of white pitchers contains the white tulips and roses, with one lone red rose mixed with rosemary from the garden in a glass bottle.

T hearts H...aaah, isn't that sweet?
And Heather loves Tom. Happy Valentine's Day, honey!
Now take me out to eat :)

Love,
H