Celebrating Valentines Day and a Tablescape

How do you celebrate Valentines Day?  We don't have any particular tradition here.  Of course I love a romantic dinner with Shawn but we are both such homebodies that going out on the busiest dinner date night of the year really isn't that appealing to either of us, not to mention he has some nightmares about Valentines Day in the restaurant business that I think he'd rather just forget.  More often than not, we stay at home for a low key, quiet Valentines Day and save our date nights out where there aren't big crowds.   The very first tablescabe I ever posted on my blog (or anywhere, for that matter) was our 2010 family Valentines Day table.  I also shared our Valentines Day menu and recipes.   I have to say that looking back at those first ever tablescape photos is a little more than embarrassing (hence the reason there is no link to it! lol). 

A few nights ago we were catching up on 'This Is Us' and Ashton asked Shawn and me about Valentines Day ideas for her boyfriend.  Shawn suggested she cook him a romantic dinner and of course then wound up offering to do most of it for her.  (Have I mentioned she is spoiled by her Dad...and she knows it?)  I then offered to set a romantic table for them  (I might spoil her a little too) because it will be there one year 'dating anniversary' so we are happy to help make it special.  We'll probably get everything ready and then let them have the dining room for dinner and tv room to watch movies after dinner and Shawn and I will most likely vamoose back to our bedroom where we'll have dinner and watch some movies back there.

Today, I'm sharing a tablescape from 2016 that I never got around to publishing at the time.  It turned out really pretty though so I think I'll use some of these same pieces and elements to set the Valentines table for Ashton and Hunter.

In this setting, I used French, English and German transferware.  The predominantly pink/red plates at the bottom are English.  The lovely plates on top are French.  They have birds and roses...two things that go hand in hand with romantic gestures in my mind.  The transferware napkin rings are German.  I know...German...not quite the language of love but these lovelies have a floral motif' and are perfect in this setting!   

Actually I used two napkin rings, one set of cloth in a floral toile which are under the transferware ones and show on either side.  I used these gorgeous Irish damask napkins with crochet lace edges and tucked a fresh rose bud under the rings.

Toile is almost always romantic so I laid out a long piece of left over fabric in lieu of a tablecloth from some custom drapes I had made in my 2nd home about 20 years ago.  Toile never goes out of style either!

I filled one of my favorite pitchers, a circa 1830-35 two color transferware pitcher, and antique, tarnished silver sugar bowls and creamers with fresh roses in creamy white and ivory colors with soft pink tinges.

The stemware is my favorite Waterford Clarendon wine hocks and the iced tea glasses are a vintage set I picked up at a yard sale for next to nothing and probably dating to the 1960-70 era. I love all the gold on them.  I scattered red glass tealights around the table because you just have to have candles for a romantic dinner table!

I make homemade croutons which everyone raves about and that year I made great big ones in the shapes of hearts.  These can be made a day or two ahead so if you have a salad on your dinner list and want to make them extra special try these.  If you want them extra, extra special...make them into a shape that goes with whatever holiday or theme you're celebrating!   They will be a hit!

Wishing each of you the truest of LOVE in your lives and a Happy Valentines Day!

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