One-stop Shopping for a Valentine's Tablescape

Recently, I was in one of my favorite retail stores–Marshalls. 

I had stopped in just to browse a bit with my daughter and fifteen-month-old granddaughter.

 (Can one actually browse with a fifteen-month-old in tow?! lol)

My intent was not to shop, merely to soak in all the

 delightful spring displays. In light of the incredibly cold weather we've

been experiencing, it was a breath of fresh air to see signs of spring somewhere!

As I rounded the corner, near the back of the store,

I was drawn to a wonderful group of holiday arrangements.

 But, the one that really got my attention was dedicated to Valentine's Day.

Let me preface what I 'm about to say with this confession...I'm a dish-aholic!
If there is anything that will pull me in like a magnet—at a flea market,
antique store, yard sale, retail shop, etc.—it's dishware.

And this lovely grouping reeled me in effortlessly!

I knew I just had to run back to the car to retrieve my camera!

With digital in hand—and without hesitation—I returned and began

 clicking away with quite a fervor.

After fifteen minutes or so, it occurred to me that I was receiving

some rather peculiar stares from passersby.

The looks on their faces told me, in no uncertain terms, that someone

snapping up pictures in a

department store is more than a little strange.

Did they think I was casing the place?

On more than one occasion, a stranger's look said,

"Who in their right mind takes a camera into a department store

and takes pictures of displays?"

Umm…let me see.

That would probably be just about

every woman who blogs, right?!!

So…I threw caution to the wind and kept right on clicking.   ; )

Of course, it's the wonderful multi-hued flowers

that take center stage on these beauties.

They just happen to be some of my favorites—pink peonies!

And the cute little extra flourishes—like the hearts and

the words Love and Amour—are just

icing on the plate…I mean cake!   ; )

Then there were the fabulous serving pieces…oh my!!!
There were so many, I dare say I probably missed a few.

What tablescape wouldn't look adorable with that cute little creamer and sugar bowl? 
The sugar bowl is practically hidden on the second shelf.

Now, take a look at these lovelies. Are they not totally charming?

There was a rectangular pink-handled tray, a ruffled square dish—it's in the back—a precious

heart-shaped plate, and large bowls decorated with pretty hearts on the inside.

And that doesn't include all the coordinating accent pieces

that were not even part of this actual set,

such as…

this trio of pretty heart bowls and...

this darling "Kiss Me" mug—for that special someone.

Wouldn't it be fun to dish up that delicious Valentine's fare

with these quaint serving spoons?

Can you guess who I thought of when I spotted this

sweet little heart-shaped ramekin?

None other than the delightful hostess of Tablescape Thursday, Susan.

You know how she adores using unique items as salt cellars.

Or...

perhaps she would prefer these cute round ones with

the Valentine's messages in the bottom.

As you can see—for an addict like me—this was pure dish heaven!
As a matter of fact, I've only shown you the tip of the iceberg.

Visit me again next week and I'll share my ideas for

the perfect Valentine's Day tablescape using some of the lovely pieces you've seen here.