Valentines Dinner at Home

This year Valentines day was quite enjoyable.  To be honest, they all have been pretty nice.   I don't think we've ever done any big celebrating but we have spent some years going out to dinner and/or exchanging gifts.  We opted not to do gifts this year after recently just purchasing a new desktop computer for me and because we are spending lots of money getting a new bottom job for the boat.

Since Valentines day fell on Sunday we leisurely enjoyed all afternoon together and spent the day getting some things done around the house.  I am very excited about that and hope to share a few small finished projects with you all soon.  My valentine is a good man and knows how to treat me right.  I am a happy wife when he tackles that honey do list.  We wrapped up the evening with a delicious steak dinner cooked at home on the grill.  Of course, you know me, I just had to jazz up our meal with a few sweets and a few decorations for our sweet little table for two.   

Everything I used for our setting I already had on hand.  The only things new this year are the plaque I made a few weeks back and the metal X and O, both were purchased and made for other displays. 

 It all started with my decision to use my off white table cloth because I don't have a solid white. I actually liked the softness of the off white and surprisingly enough it complimented all of my other elements quite well.

I also decided I wanted to keep the lazy susan on the table since its such a large table. Additionally, this would give my display in the middle a bit more depth.  I was pretty thrilled to find the off white round crochet table topper in my linen drawers.  I have a pair I used on round tables by the bed waaaay back in the day. Sometimes it's good to hang on to old linens.

After getting the linens in place it was an easy pull together on the center display just pulling a few pieces here and there from a few of the Valentines displays I did around the house this year.

The flower arrangement from the kitchen was light and a perfect off white match to the tablecloth.

I then placed the Love plaque I made this year (see here) on the table, the mercury candles jars, a little faux lighting and topped it all off with the adorable metal X and O I purchased this year from Michaels.

I just adored my place settings. Sorry, I don't mean to gush but they were just soooo cute!!!

Here's the breakdown, I started with my Lenox Butlers Pantry dishs, then added the linen dish towels I purchased a few years back from Stein Mart when I managed the home dept.  I have a set of six of these because they went on clearance after not selling during for Valentines one year.  I think they were perfect for Napkins, don't you?

 The red heart plates are melamine and have a bit of a sparkle to them.  As you can see below, they were just perfect for dessert.

I brought out the bubble acrylic goblets also from Stein Mart and these beautiful blown glass stems given to me from my son for Christmas a few years back.  

Need I say more!  It was an easy day followed by an easy dinner for two with a festive atmosphere too.  Life at home is good!

Thank you so much for popping in today.  If you enjoyed seeing this tablesetting and you'd like to see more there is a party going on over for;

Tablescape Thursday

Go on check it out, it's beautiful!

On a side note;  Did you know Picasa is going away?

I'm not trying to be whiner but let me share how much of a struggle it was to get my post out on time today. It was a big struggle because I just found out last weekend that Picasa is going away.  I know it is not until March that they stop supporting it and I still could have used it but I really felt the need to figure out a new plan immediately.   I have used them for years to do my editing and storage of photos.  I was quite in a panic until I read and have assured that all my photos are backed up on google photos.

I felt relieved that they have an editing program but  I was again disappointed to find out that the editing features were not all I had hoped for.  I don't know if I was doing something wrong but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to watermark my photos on google photos.  I have no text symbols at all, so I had to back track and re-decide what to do. It was all very challenging because I am also on a new computer that uses Windows 10.  I like the system but I was having problems with it trying to figure out the path my photos were taking when I downloaded them.  I could find them on the Windows gallery but not in the computer files and that was a problem when trying to edit them in another program.  Finally, I figured out how to redirect the Windows photos to a folder I could find.  Whew!  

For the moment I have decided to edit my photos using Ribbet.  I like how quick and easy it is and I can save edited photos really fast right back on my computer.  I don't like not being able to easily work on editing batches at a time and uploading batches at a time to blogger.  Since blogger is so supportive of Picasa I've become quite spoiled.  I wonder how this is all going to play out soon and what will be the new replacement.  I know it's all good, but sometimes these changes....

With all that being said, I hope to be back with another post soon (after I recoup some time) my sweet readers to share my latest home project.  I hope you'll join me again.  Hope you all are having a wonderful and productive week as well.  

Hugs and Waves!