Serving Up Serenity

If you recall, last week I took you on a little shopping excursion
with me to one of my favorite stores—Marshalls.

Remember all those wonderful Valentine's dishes?

Well…
it just so happened that the day I was there,
I didn't make a single purchase.

But, a day or so later, I decided to go back and buy
several place settings and a number of serving pieces.

When I returned, there would still be plenty of pieces to choose from—right? 
After all, the display had been overflowing with goodies.

 


But...
when I returned, the entire display was missing.
Oh, no! Where did everything go?

I searched the store, thinking that perhaps
they had just shuffled things around. And, indeed,
they had moved those dishes—at least the handful that were left.

 

I went to three stores—yes, three—and could only come up with
 a fraction of the pieces I had intended to go home with.

Armed with those few pieces, I scurried back to the cottage to mull over
how I was going to use them.  Then inspiration hit!

I love to dine al fresco. There's just something about being
out in the open air that makes food taste so much better.

But, there's a difference between just eating outdoors—at a barbeque
or picnic—and having a genuine dining experience.

So…
I ventured outside the cottage
to look for that special place to create just such an "experience."

Unfortunately, it’s the dead of winter here.
Consequently, things are looking rather dismal.

The only color in the landscape at present is...
 brown, brown, and more brown—except for the lively green of the pines.
Thank goodness for the pines!

As I surveyed my surroundings, I thought of how pretty, prissy, 

and feminine those dishes were and how rustic and primitive

the landscape appeared at present.

As a matter of fact, the only color to be

found anywhere, other than the pines,

was the white blooms of my camellias—if you consider that color. 

And I'm sorry to say…they had been kissed one too

many times by Mr. Jack Frost!

As I stood in one of the fields behind the cottage,

 something occurred to me. The Yankee and I have such divergent tastes that I'm constantly

challenged to strike a balance between the rustic and the refined.

Hmmm!  Rustic surroundings, refined tableware—

I could just blend the two...

as always!

I gathered a table and some chairs from one of the barns, gave

everything a thorough cleaning, and proceeded with my plan of attack.

I chose a rather large piece of lace from my stash to cover the table,

 some simple lace-trimmed napkins, and several old lace curtain panels

to toss over the backs of the chairs.

I knew I would have to soften things up a bit for those dishes to shine.

My goal was to create a light-reflecting, colorful table setting
that would nicely contrast with the somewhat stark countryside. I decided that
a splash of vibrant color would complement the dishware
 from Marshalls quite well.

So, I brought my favorite vintage ruby red goblets into play.

Though I dared not use anything with a flame in this environment,
I absolutely had to display the incredibly ornate candlesticks
that I found at—you guessed it—Marshalls.

Their beautiful sparkling crystals would be the perfect accompaniment
to my assortment of vintage crystal and clear-glass accessories. 

The shimmering sunlight reflecting from all those gleaming glass surfaces
would present a nice alternative to the absence of candlelight.

To bring yet more color to the setting, I assembled

some pink silk roses, Queen Anne's lace, and silk greenery to make

 floral arrangements to place atop the candlesticks.

While I was at it, I fashioned four simple napkin rings
from other silk flowers I had on hand.
 

I really love the instant character that vintage

and antique items contribute to any setting.

And, I prefer to mix and match my pieces—especially silver flatware.

In this particular tablescape, I used three different patterns of vintage silver.

I also delight in uniqueness.

 For that reason, I dispensed with protocol,

reversed the normal layout of the flatware, and placed the knives and spoons to barely peek

 from the lacy opening of the napkins—which were placed at an angle.

For a touch of whimsy, I decided to incorporate these cute,
 inexpensive glass votive holders from the Dollar Store—two for a dollar.

They made simply charming salt cellars, and since they were
 heart-shaped, they tied in perfectly to the Valentine's theme.

Notice how sweetly they repeat

the hearts splashed all over the plates and bowls?

Though the field where I was hosting this little Valentine's soirée

was a bit drab and lacking in color, the serenity that enveloped you there would

certainly make a wonderful dining experience.

When all is said and done...

I think rustic and refined play pretty well together.   ; )