Nostalgic Valentine's Day Table

When I set out to create a Valentine’s Day table this year, I had no idea how emotional the experience would be. 

In assembling the various components that I had set aside for my table, I came across an envelope that my dad had given to me years ago. 

It contained a wide variety of things that my mother had saved from past Valentine’s Days, including all of the cards that we had sent her. We knew that she liked the old-fashioned kind, so that’s what we tended to buy and send. 

She even saved a computer-generated one that my dad made from back in the 80’s when we did that sort of thing, as well as one featuring the Rugrats that my son had sent her back in 1996. 

The red cardboard cupids (along with doilies and hearts that I did not use) graced her tables annually. 

All of the ephemera on this table once belonged to my mother.

As I got out the fabric that I intended to use as a tablecloth, I realized that this had once belonged to her too, purchased, I assume, in 2002 as that was the date on the selvage. 

Today marks the five-year anniversary of her passing, and that makes this all the more bittersweet.

I’ll provide no more commentary, just photos of the table, followed by a list of sources.

Miss you, mom!

Carved wooden chargers – Pier One Imports
Cranberry red dinner plates - Pier One Imports
Ikat heart napkins - Pottery Barn
Heart-shaped salad plates - wayfair.com
Eiffel tower wine glasses - La Rochere
Mugs – Maison Versailles “Amelie”
Flatware - Target
Red Pitcher - Fiestaware
Small heart dishes - Amazon

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