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.   ; )

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.