Christine's Home and Travel Adventures: February 2013

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Valentine Luncheon with the Girls!

May I ask you all a favor? Can you please help my granddaughter AJ get a chance to win a private performance with Ed Sheeran, just by clicking on this link? Thank you very much.

http://933flz.com/c/?mk

Now on to my tablescape.

This is my third Valentine's table for this year but I promise it will be the last, at least for 2013. I had a luncheon for my girl friends here the day after Valentine's Day so I decided to do another one with that theme. After all, I really love my friends!

This is my 3rd Valentine's table this year but this is also the third one that I used a stored dinnerware for the first time for this occasion. I think I will try to do that more this year cause I have so many sets that has been kept for so long that I have not used at all.

These is my Limoges Wm. Guerin & Co. dinnerware set. I bought them from Ebay while searching for a set to complete my Hammersley's Bird of Paradise set, cause I only have a setting for 4 but I could not find any that is affordable. Then I saw a setting of 10 that they were selling on this Limoges set. I thought they will go well together so I bought them.

The small bowl on the left below is Hammersley and the one on the right is Limoges. Don't they look very similar? The Hammersley has a blue edge with 12 sides though, but I think they are still mixable.

I love the bird of paradise. Again, I used the white pierced tin plate chargers cause I think they look so well for a Valentine table. They even have some piercings that are heart shaped.

For the centerpiece, I borrowed 2 pots with silk flowers from the formal living room and again used the cardinal S & P shakers and added a red votive candle.

I thought the ruffled crocheted doily made it look more romantic.

Etched stemware I got from an estate sale, 6 for $8.00

Pierced flatware. I have had them for a while but I cannot remember where I bought them from. Only the knives aren't pierced.

I alternated 2 types of napkin rings.

I added an egg shaped Hammersley's Bird of Paradise box.

The girls all brought some food too so we had a feast.

Riza, Noemie and Ryzlyne. Riza is from out of town so we try to get together when she gets in town, this time for Ryzlyne's dental appt.

I also alternated 2 types of placemats, a pink heart shaped one and round red ones with pierced hearts on the edges.

Our dessert table

We had Whittard of Chelsea instant tea with lychee and mango flavor. The tea set is Hammersley's Bird of paradise.

But the cups and saucers are Limoges Wm Guerin and Co. See how they blend together? The birds are just positioned differently.

After eating, we were all happy and contented:-)

After lunch, Riza and Noemie went to the secret garden to plant the plantings that Riza dug out of her yard. See why I love my friends so much? They bring me stuff and then they even do the work themselves too, lol.

Thank you girls for joining me and thanks to all for stopping by!

I am also very thankful to the hostesses of the following memes that I am joining.
Beverly's Pink Saturday
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/
The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
Kathryn's Make it Pretty Monday
http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com
Marty's Tabletop Tuesday
http://www.astrollthrulife.net/
Kathy's A Return To Loveliness
http://adelightsomelife.com
Kathleen's Let's Dish
http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/
Tablescape Thursday
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Share Your Cup Thursday
http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Martha and Terri's Teacup Tues
http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Ruth's Tuesday Cuppa tea
http://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/

Monday, February 18, 2013

Valentine's Day Dinner Table

Two years ago, we had an unpleasant Valentine's Day dinner experience in a restaurant where we waited about 3 hours to get served, so since then, we always just choose to stay home on this occasion. My mother is still with us so I set the table for 3. I am flying her back to Chicago this weekend.

I layered a red table cloth with a lace runner.

John gave me this beautiful lily plant which I will try to plant in the backyard this week. He noticed I have been browsing on line lately, looking for items for our vacation home in Florida so he told me to pick for what I want for a present. Oh boy! Did I have a fun time browsing the internet. The problem was I wanted so much that I had a hard time picking but I finally settled for 8 new dining chairs. I really do not need anything for myself, I just wanted something for the house. We are giving our existing table and chairs to my daughter cause we need a bigger table and more chairs as we are having a family reunion there in July.

John gave me this lovable teddy 2 years ago.

I cooked pancit (Filipino noodles), rice and tuna steak.

For the place setting, I layered white pierced Polish ceramic plate chargers, our red fluted everyday dinner plates and Spode Copeland Chelsea Bird bowls and used silver plated flatware from Horchow (I cannot remember the pattern name).

Vintage embroidered napkins were bought from an antique shop in Seattle and pewter peacock napkin rings from Ebay. The cardinal S&P shakers are from a store in Celebration, FL near Orlando.

John loves tuna steak so I seared one for him.

My mother went to her bedroom early so I just served her dinner in bed. Thus, this making this a table for 2.

I hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day. I have one more Valentine's Day table to share next week, a luncheon with my friends. I hope you are not getting sick of them, lol. I am anxious to move on to a spring or Easter table.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I am linking with the following gracious hostesses and their respective memes. Thanks for hosting, ladies!

Marty's Tabletop Tuesday at

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Kathy's A Return To Loveliness

http://adelightsomelife.com

Kathleen's Let's Dish

http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Susan's Tablescape Thursday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Centerpiece Wed

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/

Richella for Grace at Home

http://www.impartinggrace.com/

Katherine's Favorite Things Thursday

http://katherinescorner.com/

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Valentine Table and Decor, 2013

I did not want to miss Laurie's Valentine's Party so I decorated my family room mantel with hearts. If you want to join and enjoy the party, head on over to Laurie at http://networkedblogs.com/I90wL

My first cousin Marlene, who I have not seen since my College years in the Philippines came for a visit this past Saturday. We got reconnected through FB and found out that we are only 2 hours away from each other. She wanted to see mama before I take her back to Illinois in a few weeks. Her dad and my mom are siblings. She also brought her daughter, son in law and 2 grandkids and we had a great luncheon and get together. I set the table with a Valentine's theme since it is that time of the month.

I placed heart shaped and pierced placemats in the center of the table like a runner, to use as trivets since I am placing hot food on the table.

Seeing Fabby's tablescape last week inspired me to use my Polish Warvel dinner set too, which has been stored and never been used before, except for the teapot. I thought the pink flowers are kinda sweet and romantic, making them appropriate for Valentine. I used my tin pierced white plate chargers because I think they resemble a white doily under the plates.

Bird S&P shakers from Target from a long time ago and red silk flowers for napkin rings.

Aren't my cherubs just the sweetest?

I think these are Meissen candle holders but I am not sure cause I do not see the usual crossed sword mark. All it says at the bottom is M-382. If anyone has any info, please let me know. We bought them from a local antique shop last summer.

I used a silky red tablecloth. Sorry, I did not iron it, lol.

I served rice in this lidded bowl.

Here's the dessert table using the tea set that matches the dinnerware.

I love the shape of the pedestaled cups.

I gathered enough courage to go down the hill the morning of the luncheon (but not brave enough to go farther to cut up some pink ones, lol) to cut up some camelias so we can replace the faux flowers on the table.