Sunday, February 3, 2013

Valentine China Cabinet

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and at our house we’re sure to celebrate—the chickadees are a perfect excuse to decorate for any holiday!  So the red and white and hearts are out!

The china cabinet is always one of the first things to get a refresher.  I had whites and silver there since after Christmas, when our eyes and home needed a “rest,” so I simply added some reds and we were ready for Valentine’s Day.  Little Miss Chickadee likes to go through and see what I’ve added.

DSCN6809 The red roses are from the Valentine table (aren’t you always sad to take a tablescape down?  I am!)  You can see that table here.

DSCN6810 Isn’t it fun to play with Picasa? I used the Waterford Kinsale vase in the Valentine table centerpiece, but it was hard to see it with the ivy around it.

DSCN6811 Would you like to join me for a bit of Bailey’s?  Always a favorite treat.

DSCN6813 Before my blogging days (and before Little Miss Chickadee was around or old enough to notice), I didn’t have many Valentine decorations.  This vase is now a favorite.  It, too, was part of the Valentine tablescape—did you notice it?  As were the hydrangeas, which are from last summer.  I find that I keep using them over and over again in different places, because I think they’re so pretty and fragile.

DSCN6814 Someday I’ll have to do a post on why I have these cups, which for now I’ll call double-espresso cups, but they are for something much more yummy!  The darling teapot is a gift from my sweet friend Cookie.  I wonder if she remembers that she gave it to me?

DSCN6815 The silver sugar scuttle is versatile.  Of course~candy for Valentine’s Day!

DSCN6818 While I didn’t have many Valentine-specific decorations, I do have quite a bit of red around the house, because I LOVE red.  To me it’s such a versatile color—I can use it for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, the fourth of July, and just about any other time, which I do!  It’s a great accent color for me.  Do you like red that much?  Or is it too….RED?

DSCN6819  This darling tureen is a gift from my mother which I use quite often as a gravy boat, or for sauces, or even salad dressing when we have a larger group.

DSCN6821 Can you believe that a college student makes these gorgeous glass serving pieces as a way to earn money for school?  We visited her booth at an art show while we were vacationing on Anna Maria Island a few years ago.  It’s very, very fragile, but boy, does it have WOW factor when it’s on the table!

DSCN6825 The red Tiara glass was originally on the stack of plates, until…

DSCN6916  …the roses earned the coveted spot once they were past their prime and no longer suitable for the vase.  As I’ve mentioned before, I love “old” roses.  You can see lots of them here.

DSCN6932 Did you notice that the top was bare in the first picture?  Are you that observant?  After the pictures were taken touches of red and silver were added.

DSCN6925 There’s a bit of a love story behind this cruet set.  When I was a teenager, a friend of my mother’s was getting married, and her MIL-to-be gave her a vintage/antique cruet set.  I thought it was LOVELY, and since that time I’ve wanted one, but just never ended up buying one.  So about six months ago this lovely set appeared at an auction…and now IT’S AT HOME WITH US!  So it just took me a few {decades} to have one.  The wait was long enough to make its homecoming all the more special!  Believe me, it wasn’t in this pretty, shiny condition when it arrived, but it was truly a labor of love to bring it to its full splendor. 

Are there pieces like that, that you want but for one reason or another haven’t gotten?  What is it for you?  What is on your WISH LIST?  This is testament to the fact that if we wait, the things we cherish long term will eventually come to us, and the fleeting wishes will disappear.

So here’s wishing you a happy Valentine’s Day around your home.  May your hearts be filled with love for all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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From my nest to yours, ~Zuni

13 comments:

  1. Love all of your touches. I have so much going on, I won't get near to changing my china cabinet for Valentine's Day.

    - The Tablescaper

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  2. Pure loveliness!!
    The sugar scuttle and the red tray catch my eye for sure. And I love the treasure you now have in the cruet set. How special that little miss delights in seeing what you have changed or re-arranged. Such joy!!
    Also...your Valentine table setting is beautiful!! I hope that you can pull it back out for a romantic dinner.
    Blessings!

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  3. I'm a sucker for silver, so I'm really lovin' your sugar scuttle, Zuni! I have one, though some of the plate is missing- but at least it has its little scooper. So often, they are missing. I would be as ecstatic as you were finding your cruet set. Sometimes our dreams DO finally come true. It's a lovely addition to your dining room. <3 Sue

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  4. You have so many pretty things! Love all of your treasures.
    Thank you so much for your visit and very sweet comment. I appreciate it so much!!!
    See you soon!

    Jenny
    www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com

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  5. Zuni - with those touches of red, your whole room is ready for Valentine's Day. What a wonderful change! The thing that I have always wanted, but have not bought is a silver tea service. I could have bought one ten times over, but every time I think about it, I realize how many other things I could buy with the same money. Maybe, some day!!

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  6. Happy Week Before Valentine's Day, Zuni!!! You are totally in the spirit! I wish I could get into the occasion like you do! Ramon and I are just old fuddy duddies! :-) I LOVE the way you used your sugar scuttle! That's really a good way to put it to use when it's not offering up sugar. I have 5 or 6 of them, and that gives me a good idea of something I can do with them. Thanks for the inspiration!!! You've really got an eye for great pieces...like that beautiful red tray! It's really dramatic, AND you helped finance a young girl's education! Can't beat that!!! I think maybe the only thing that I don't have that I would love to is a set of silver serving domes. I have just one that I bought as a sample piece several years ago, but I would love to have a set of 12 to really class up my formal tables. Of course, that will never happen in this life, but a girl can dream! :-) I hope your week is starting out really great!

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  7. Beautiful table, Zuni! Like you, I love red and think it's extremely versatile. Unfortunately, this year I haven't yet pulled out the first hint of Valentine's Day at my house... and may not. I've been too busy trying to help get Hope's new office moved from CA to TN, so your table is a real treat! Ironically, even while in downsizing mode, I'd still love to have a sugar scuttle. Yours is put to great use holding candy!

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  8. I went through a pretty dry decorating-for-holidays spell between the time that the kids left home for college and the arrival of grandbabies. Now, with little ones around, I feel the need to dress up the house for every holiday. Thanks for the inspiration today! -- Jan

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  9. Oh so pretty. I love our hutch and all of your vignettes are so lovely. Great pictures too. Thanks tons for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

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  10. Thanks for the tour of your china cabinet! I love the touches of red -- and the addition of candy! That reminded me that I have a silver heart-shaped dish that I need to fill with Valentine M&Ms before my grandkids arrive for the weekend!

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  11. You have some beautiful pieces! I love the red and white together. You have a lovely home and blog. Have a great weekend!

    Deborah

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  12. And most of the time we find those things we have been wanting for a very long time when we are not looking. :) Your cruet set is jut beautiful along with all your Valentine touches. Hope you are having a fabulous fun weekend

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  13. A beautiful cruet set has been on my list for a long time, too....someday. I loved all your touches of red, but my heart went pitter pat when I came across the Anna Maria glass tray. Oh my! Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay

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