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Valentine’s Day is not too far away, and while few things are as romantic as flying to Paris for dinner, it’s not going to happen for most of us, right? Instead, create a beautiful romantic dinner right at home, I’ll show you how. A French Valentine’s Celebration that s beautiful and easy to put together. Please join me for this cozy and fun Valentine’s Day celebration.
Welcome to Monday Morning Blooms! The Valentine’s edition. My friends Mary, Pam and I are so happy you are here! I’ll share their links at the bottom of this post so be sure to visit them and get inspired.
I am so excited to share my table for a French Valentine’s Celebration with you today! It includes beautiful flowers, a romantic setting, good food and everything you can get in Paris except the French waiter and ok…no Eiffel tower either. But I promise it can be charming, and heart warming.
Whether you are envisioning a cozy tête-à-tête or a family celebration of Valentine’s Day love, a pretty table setting with a touch of romance is especially fetching for this holiday. Various shades of cream, pink and red add plenty of romantic atmosphere – this is a table setting that will work for a friend’s Valentine’s Day lunch, or dinner! If you have more guests, you just set up a bigger table.
Chateau de Rose Flanders Tapestry Throw
This table has all the love, style and sweetness you need, just add food and maybe a hand written note or card. I am dedicating this table setting to my mother in law. In truth, ours was not a love at first sight story. I married her son, and he promptly left Holland and moved across the ocean. {She was not a fan.}
She had always been a “house-wife” as they said then, and she was very good at keeping hers beautifully. She had many “hints” and opinions {which I later figured out were just her way of caring} for me as a young wife and mom. Because we lived so far, we would stay with my parent’s-in-law for 2-3 weeks. I’ll give myself grace and say I was really young. I found her hints aggravating, to say the least. She was completely different from my own Mom, who was a career woman and didn’t really care about home making skills.
Later in life I learned to love my mother in law, and she me. Before she passed away, we had the opportunity to have her over at our home for several weeks at a time, for which I am so grateful. She loved roses, the garden, served tea everyday. Her life was really centered around making sure everyone in her family and home had everything they needed. She was a very relaxed and no-nonsense hostess, no frilly stuff, but everyone felt cared for in her home. I am so glad that we learned to love each other as much as we did!
This table setting is a great place for lunch or tea with a neighbor or friend. Valentine’s Day is not just about romance. It’s about love, pure and simple. Love for a partner, love for family, love for friends, love for neighbors. If you live alone, invite a friend or neighbor over for a sweet time! It can be as simple as a cup of tea with a slice of cake, or a lunch, or dinner. There is never a bad time to reach out to someone and invite them over.{ It doesn’t have to be as fancy as this, either!}
I set our little round table in front of the antique French armoire, by the fire place in our living room. A layer of antique white table cloths cover it. The soft velvet pink round ruffled placemat is an added touch as a centerpiece cloth. {The white velvet round placemats would be beautiful, too!} On this table it’s off-center {since it’s such a small table} but on a larger table it would look wonderful in the center. A large antique Wedgwood round platter keeps the glass bowl of Marie Antoinette individual tea bags and a special little votive nicely.
I choose my Wedgwood creamware as the base, and layered vintage cream and red smaller plates on the top. Antique champagne glasses hold the first course….fresh strawberries with a little plate of powdered and brown sugar to dip them in. For this first course a glass of bubbly would not be a bad idea!
Individual Marie Antoinette Tea from Nina’s of Paris
The votive is one I have kept after celebrating my mother-in-law’s birthday here when she turned 85. She came with the rest of the family {her other son and his older kids and their husbands and wives} and we hosted a super fun birthday for her. I made these votives by printing out photos of her in several stages of her life on vellum paper and gluing them on inexpensive glass votives. This is such a cute idea for a Valentine’s Day dinner, an anniversary, or birthday party! {The vellum is just glued in the back, not all the way, it’s a sleeve type of idea.}
The flowers are easy. My local Trader Joe’s had these amazing pink garden roses, that I mixed with a bundle of small white chamomile flowers. Strip, cut, arrange. Easy. You can learn how to create a romantic French rose arrangement and read my Ultimate Rose Care
Dessert can be as simple as some macarons in a goblet. I buy these sweet French delicacies at our Trader Joe’s store, they’re frozen, which is good so that someone {meaning ME} won’t eat them before the meal or tea. This year they offered these sweet little heart ones, aren’t they darling?
Speaking of food, Wednesday I’ll share my absolute favorite French Chicken in White Wine Sauce recipe with you. Trust me, this is SO good! Even my youngest, who, now that she is married and cooks for her own family actually says “this is good” most of the time when she eats here said “this is DELICIOUS!”. {I waited her entire life time for this and now she is in her 30’s!! There is hope, if you are still in the stage of cooking for someone of a certain age who moves the food around, says “ick” to mushrooms etc.}
I hope that you find inspiration to help you celebrate the people you love this Valentine’s Day! {Yourself absolutely counts!!} Be sure to visit my friends Pam and Mary, I can’t wait to see what they have created for our favorite Monday of the month!I
Sending you all love on this upcoming Valentine’s Day. I hope that you find someone to celebrate the holiday with, a friend, a neighbor, anyone…because it seems to me that life is short, so love as much as you can. We can all use more l o v e in our country and on our planet. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to come here and join me, I am so appreciative!
SHOP GIFTS > {teas, place cards, tassels and more}
VISIT ALL OUR VALENTINE’S POSTS HERE :
And me, Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
ARE YOU PLANNING TO TREAT YOURSELF [AND MAYBE SOMEONE YOU LOVE] FOR A SPECIAL BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER THIS VALENTINE’S?
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
Lidy what a lovely story. What is the skinny silver thing by the votive ?
Myrna, thank you so much for your visit! That is a vintage rhinestone studded arrow, once a part of a pin. I didn’t really do a good job photographing it, did i?
Lidy, I’m pink with envy over your gorgeous roses …oh to have a Trader Joe’s close by and not an hour away. I love the adorable sweet heart-shaped macarons too. Your table is beautifully set with your Wedgwood creamware and pretty linens and so cozy next to your fireplace. What a sweet photo of your MIL, I love the personalized votive you created for her birthday celebration. I so miss my MIL. We lost a friend who passed away unexpectedly two weeks ago. Life is short, tell everyone you love and appreciate them. As always, it’s a treat to share blooms with you. Wishing you a happy week ahead. <3
Happy Monday Morning Blooms Mary! Wish you and Pam could join me at this little table for a sweet time of friendship and conversation. I am so sorry to hear of your friend, loss is always so difficult. Life IS short, I agree we tell everyone we love that we DO. I love and appreciate you, friend! xo
Lidy, the pink garden roses are stunning! Just like Mary said, I wish I had a Trader Joe’s close by and not an hour away. I am a big fan of macarons and occasionally buy the ones from TJ’s. I took a cooking class to learn how to make them, buying them is much easier. Your table is gorgeous set with the Wedgwood creamware and so romantic next to your fireplace. The personalized votive with the darling photo of your beloved mother-in-law is a great idea for a birthday celebration. Your sweet story of your relationship with your MIL is a reminder that life is short and family is so very special.
It is always a treat to join you for flower therapy and to sit at one of your beautiful tables. Wishing you a joy-filled week!
Thank you for your visit! I’ve always wanted to learn how to make macarons, too, but so far have not. : ) Love to have you join me on our beloved Monday Morning Blooms, dear Pam! I’m wishing you a blessed week, too! xo
Beautiful table and sentimental ode to your mother-in-law, Lidy. Those little vellum sleeves on the votives are adorable. The beautiful touches in the flowers and servings (both food and place settings) show your attention to the detail. Amen to love, pure and simple.
Rita, thank you so much for joining me today, it’s always a joy to have you visit. I wish I had more time to visit your blog because your posts are always so delightful. Wishing you a joy-filled week ahead friend. xo Lidy
Just lovely Lidy, so soft and romantic!
Thank you so much, Jenna. Wishing you a blessed and joy-filled week ahead. xo Lidy
Lidy, you have set such a beautiful table with such sweet sentiments to pay tribute to your dear mother in law. Everything looks so pretty, and those pink roses are gorgeous! I adore macrons and would love to have one this morning with my tea. I look forward to your post about the chicken recipe. It sounds delicious! Enjoy your day, sweet friend!
Shannon, Happy Monday! Thank you for your sweet visit! If you were here I’d certainly share the macarons. Wishing you a beautiful day too. Xo Lidy
Finding out my Mother in law loved me came after she graduated from this earth to Heaven. Many of her friends came up to me at her funeral to tell me so. My MIL was a grand letter writer. Her penmanship was beyond me to understand because at age 87 it was still perfect. I miss her. It’s heart warming to know that you and your MIL. Came to love each other. Who knows but when you and Mr. FGH. Celebrate your love on Valentines Day, that’s she will be there in spirit.
Oh Alice, I love that you did find she loved you! It’s amazing how these women that went before us have impressed their marks on our lives and our hearts, isn’t it? May God bless your week ahead, dear Alice. Thank you for always leaving the kindest comments, I appreciate your friendship. xo Lidy
Just lovely Lidy! Those plates are so pretty, and the ROSES!! My local TJ’s never has these? I’d love to know which location had these beauties, they look like David Austin roses.
Thank you Donna! I sent you an email about the location.:) wishing you a beautiful Monday!
Ohhh my! This is SO LOVEly, Lidy! I LOVE the fresh feeling of the soft pink and white, every detail adding another layer of LOVEliness! (swoon) I so wish I was at that table enjoying tea and treats with you, my dear friend!
Happy Valentine’s Day! xoxo
Kathleen, thank you so much. I wish you were at my table too! Wishing you a joy-filled week ahead! xo
So beautiful, soft and romantic! A definite inspiration for me. Thanks for sharing.
Char, thank you so much for your visit! I hope you are able to celebrate some one {or many of them!} on Valentine’s Day too. xo Lidy
So lovely, Lidy! Your roses are gorgeous! I’ve never had access to roses that beautiful! Mixed with chamomile is perfection.I remember your heart macaroons from last year. My daughter looked for them at her Trader Joe’s and did not find them. They add just the right touch this time of year.
Such a lovely tribute to your mother-in-law!
Thank you so much, Bonnie! Apparently Costco also sells them, but in a bigger box. I went to a baby shower yesterday where they had them, and the hostess bought hers at Costco. Wishing you a blessed week!
Lidy, so beautiful. The pink roses are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing the story of your MIL. I have enjoyed your writings so much. I agree that our mothers and others have imparted so much beauty and wisdom into our lives. I believe we should be expressing love to all those we hold so dear. We should never wait. Thank you Lidy.
Thank you so much for your visit, Dianne. I agree with you! We should never wait to express love to those we hold dear to our hearts!
Wishing you a blessed week ahead!
Lidy, I love the simple elegance of the pink garden roses with the camomile. Perfection! Your story about the love you and your MIL nurtured through the years is heartwarming. One can only imagine how difficult it must be for a child to leave and move across the world to begin a new life with a young bride.
I’m going to take your words to heart, set a special table to share my love with special friends. My amazing friends continue to wrap me in love. I’m forever grateful.
So cheers to living each day to the fullest and celebrating those we love near and far.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sarah, I am so happy to hear you will share your love with friends- and also that they are covering you with love dear friend. Cheers to all of that, and sending love to you!!?
I love the sweet story about your mother-in-law. How wonderful that you were able to have a wonderful relationship. Your table is gorgeous.
Thanks so much, Chaya! Hope you are having a beautiful day! xo Lidy
The roses are gorgeous. How sweet to dedicate this table to your MIL. LOVE IS THE GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD!
Nancy, it is, isn’t it!! We have so many opportunities to give live in all sorts of ways to the people we encounter xo Lidy
I wanted to leave a second comment after reading so many comments about loved ones. This is my quote so write it on an index card and put it where you will see it:
“You never know when the last time will be the last time”
Myrna, that is a very good quote and reminder! Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you Lidy for sharing such a lovely post with appropriate scriptures. Just this morning I was thinking I really have to sell my Wedgwood Edme china, it’s been sitting in a box in my mahogany armoire for ages and your charming tablescape popped in my email. Have a blessed day!
Noreen, I still love my Edme! Because it is classic and elegant, and it can be mixed with so many other dishes. I hope you keep it and start using it, it really is a beautiful Wedgwood pattern, isn’t it?
Lidy what a delightful post. Everything is beautiful/ i am French on my maternal side and love anything to do with French. My ancestors came from La Rochelle,
Happy Valentine’s Day
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
Thank you Marion, wishing you a beautiful Valentine’s Day too! xo Lidy