What? Leftovers Again?

Just because you haven't had your fill of red and white Valentine's Day tables!

Everyone else probably plans out their tablescape and blog post, has an organized file with the pictures they will use, types it up, edits it and then uploads the finished product at the proper time.  Not me.  I just throw things at the table to see what sticks. Then I come back to it later and take some pictures.  At a later time I look at the pictures, change the table, and take more pictures. I come back one more time for candlelight shots.  Next I look at all the pictures and write down the numbers of the ones I like.  Finally I stare at this blank white screen waiting for inspiration to smack me upside the head.  It's exhausting, I tell you!  Downright exhausting.  I never know what I'm going to talk about until the fingers start typing.  To steal from Jerry Seinfeld... it's a blog about nothing!

Here's the very first picture on my disk this week, before any changes or retaking of photos. The reason I'm using some of the those pictures is that "test day" turned out to be the only halfway-sunny day with halfway-decent light. The rest of the week was rainy.  Notice I'd bumped the cup in the foreground.  Oops!

Today there's a cold cheek-biting wind blowing down from the mountain, gathering the clouds into giant fluff balls that repeatedly block then reveal the sun, thus thwarting any attempt at taking new pictures.  People think we don't have four seasons here in Southern California, but we do... Earth(quake) Wind, Rain and Fire.

No worries. If you've been here before, you know I serve up leftovers.  Same old table shot from the same old angle with many of the same old things.  Even though I'm shopping a lot, it takes a while to get everything needed for a tablescape, leaving me a little frustrated and overwhelmed.  Maybe I should slow down and only do one or two a month instead of every week.  I've got bits and pieces all over the dining room table for several different future plans, but finding something for today was a challenge.  So here's the same tablecloth from last week, topped with lace, and then the red pandam chargers and Italian Countryside plates you've seen before. I dug out my old Arcoroc ruby glass dinnerware for another Valentine's Day table with a bit of an old-fashioned feel.

The flowers are left over from last week, too, and were dropping petals as I was taking the pictures.  When hubby went to the store for the Valentine candy, I also told him to see if they had any red and white flowers I could use in my basket arrangement.  He called and said they had red and white carnations.  Okay, fine, that will do nicely.  Then he came home with mums and tulips. What the???? He actually said, "These aren't carnations?"  Time for a collective head shake, girls.... Men!  Well, at least the mums lasted two weeks...sorta.  The tulips were in this vase in the family room, and had a shelf life of five minutes.

The pierced plate is Victorian Rose by Gracie China, found on Amazon.com.  The tassel napkin rings are from Marshall's long ago.  I like all the different textures together with the ridges of the plate showing through the ruby glass.

Let's accessorize!  This tablescape needs leftover booze.

The Mikasa French Countryside goblets are another leftover.  The cordials were from Linens & Things a few years back.  I found the clear wine glasses in the back of the liquor cabinet when I got out the liqueurs.  I'd bought them years ago to hold dessert for a dinner party.   I came up with this great idea for fresh strawberries with a topping of sour cream, brown sugar and Grand Marnier.  It was delicious and I was so proud!  Who knew Strawberries Romanoff had already been invented?  *sigh*

Every time I look at a picture of the liqueur bottles, I want to grab a sip of the raspberry Chambord.   If these pictures  were in order you could watch the contents of the bottle diminish.

I like the reds and greens in this rare moment of good natural light.

Time for candlelight?

These stemmed candle holders came from an an antique store at Lake Arrowhead Village.  They aren't antique but I don't know anything about them.

Leftover votives...

  

The dead flowers look better in the dark.  The dark is leftover from last night.

Thanks for sharing my leftovers at A Cottage Under the Rainclouds.


I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.