Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I’ve always had mixed feelings about this particular holiday. As a child, I loved making Valentines to give out at school – snub-nosed scissors snipping at lace doilies and red construction paper, candied hearts, lots of glitter and that particular smell of brownish-clear glue in bottles with a slit at the top, often crusted with dried glue. Does anyone remember those bottles?
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- doilies
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- red construction paper
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- red snub-nosed school scissors
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- glue
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- glitter
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- candy hearts
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- cinnamon hearts
But it also seemed to be an occasion where hurt feelings abounded – the less popular kids pointedly left out of the Valentine exchange on more than occasion. As I got older, it seemed much the same among the single women in the workforce, coming in the day following the “big event” with disappointed faces as their hapless swains failed to live up to romantic expectations. So much hype!
My preference is for a quiet meal for two by the fire, and that’s what we’re opting for this year.
To that end, Glenn bought me these roses a few days ago and they’ve held up fairly well, all things considered. I love creamy coloured roses and these were fabulous. I arranged them in a clear glass, trumpet shaped vase so they could open up. The next morning i came down to find the vase overturned, all the water spilled out over the table and the roses gasping for breath. I quickly righted them, mopped up the mess, and refilled the vase. To my dismay, it was the same thing the next morning. The poor things looked like goldfish out of water, drooping and wilting. To my amazement, they revived yet again when trimmed and put back into water. I couldn’t figure out what was happening until later that day, i noticed our ginger cat, Tigger, shoving his paw down into the vase to get a drink of water. It’s a habit he has, and I have to watch him closely if I have a glass of drinking water nearby. He doesn’t like to share the dog’s water bowl and prefers his water from a fresh glass, iced, into which he repeatedly dips his paw and licks it. Nothing like cat feet in your drinking water. Bleahhhh. I sprang up and shooed him away, just as the vase was tipping for it’s third cascade.
I trimmed the roses (again) and put them in the Juliska pewter-coloured pitcher with a sturdy bottom where they remained unmolested for the rest of their natural life.
The plates are Robert Sprays by Wedgwood. I didn’t realize until recently that are three slightly different centre floral motifs for this pattern. Mine are all of one kind. The flatware is olivewood Dubost from Sur La Table.
The table linens comprise a red wool paisley shawl I got eons ago from Country Dining Room Antiques (now defunct) and some custom-made napkins from Chintz & Co.
Chintz and Co are also the source for the napkin rings.
The goblets are clear bowled, gold-twist stemmed antique Venetian glass from Elise Abrams Antiques.
And these lovely salt & pepper shakers were a Christmas gift from my business partner, Gordon. I love the way the burnished gold and the mother of pearl shell glows against the paisley pattern.
What are your plans for celebrating Valentine’s Day this year?
I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.
Beautiful table. And your cat story is so funny. I guess it wouldn’t be funny if it hadn’t turned out okay in the end. Cats. My sister’s cat will only drink out of a running faucet in the bathroom. I really like how you use three different materials from the same color family, the olivewood, gold glass stems and the burnished gold of the salt and pepper.
Thanks Lorri. My daughter Lauren’s cat has the same disgusting habit, except with her cup of tea. Cats! So glad you like the table. I’m really glad you visited!
I believe there may be beach walking involved HK. And a stroll through the card store as we point out the ones we would buy for each other but don’t. Enjoy yours with the handsome Dane.
Hugs
Thanks so much, Di. Hope you’re having fun!
Cats! lol! I have to cat-proof all of our tables and chests. Love the Venetian glassware – such elegance.
Thanks, Sandra! I love Tigger to bits, and he is quite a character.
Great Valentine’s tablescape! Love the Wedgwood china with the great rim and floral center! Sorry about your roses but they are the perfect bouquet! Hope you will pop over and visit my Puppy Love post at Tea in Texas! Your creative ideas are so elegant! Great job!
Happy Valentine’s Day,
Pam
Thanks so much, Pam. I adored your Puppy Love post. Doesn’t Pier 1 have the most adorable pet-themed plates? I bought the Park themed ones last fall with the girl on the bench reading a paper, surrounded by pets. Thanks so much for visiting and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours.
Great story to go along with table for two. Our dear departed cat Molly loved to smell/ eat flowers in a vase. Left unchecked, she dumped over my bouquets. Miss her and her buddy Maggie the cat, that also passed from old age Spring 2020.
Tigger was quite a character and Dundee, our current ginger tomcat is equally quirky in different ways. Aren’t cats marvellous?