I’ve been wanting to create a red and white table setting, but basically being a “pink” person, I had nothing much to use that’s red. I kept trying to come up with ideas and finally had a “light bulb” moment.
Yes, it came to me! My aunt, who is more like a second mother to me, is a “red” person…in fact, red is her favorite color. So I gave her a call and she came to the rescue. She had these pretty red doilies that I used under the red vase.
My aunt has most of my grandmother’s dishes and linens and I just knew surely she had something in red that I could use. She told me to come on over and see what I could find. I think I probably broke the sound barrier going to her house. I found red damask napkins along with red and white checked ones.
My aunt and I had so much fun yesterday afternoon! We looked through cabinets and I saw dishes I hadn’t seen in years. We poked through drawers looking at linens.
The most magical thing though was going through my grandmother’s old pie safe. It was packed full of glassware, dishes, salt/pepper shakers, flatware. I felt like I had found Ali Baba’s treasure! In the very back was this wonderful set of clear glass salt and pepper shakers decorated with red polka dots. I placed the matching cruet on the other side of the centerpiece. The cruet was used to hold salad dressing for our dinner.
Roses were my grandmother’s favorite flower and she loved these iced tea glasses. I think the design is so pretty. They’re decorated with climbing red roses winding their way up the glasses. The candle holders are topped with red and crystal glass vases.
Just before I left, my aunt spotted this cardinal watching over her babies in their nest. She insisted I bring it to use in the setting.
My grandmother loved pretty dishes and glassware. I’m sure I inherited my dishaholic habit from her. I saw lots of dishes that I had forgotten about. Some of them really brought back wonderful memories.
I didn’t find any china that had red in it, so I used my white plates trimmed with gold. To bring a touch of Valentine’s Day to the table, I layered red lacey hearts in between the charger, dinner plate and salad plate.
Red gladiolus and white wisteria were arranged in the vase.
I’m sure my grandmother would be so thrilled to know that items she once loved are being used, appreciated and enjoyed once again.
My Grandmother (1906 – 1992)
Please join Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for another Tablescape Thursday.
I hope your life will always be filled with a Touch of Valentine’s Day!
DG
