Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Violet Valentine's Tea


Inspiration for today's tablescape came from these vintage valentine postcards. Knowing how I loved violets, my husband gave me these postcards while we were dating. Wasn't that sweet?

My love for collecting violet china began with spotting this tea set in an antique booth in the Charleston Market. It caught my eye because violets were my sorority flower. Did you know that the Victorians attributed modesty and faithfulness to violets?


Here is another violet teapot that I was given. It has the same pattern of the violets bound with a white ribbon as are on the dessert plates and cups and saucers. All of these pieces were found at different times and are stamped with different manufacturers. To the left of the tea pot is a violet tea strainer I was given. I love loose tea and like having these as not all tea pots have built in strainers. Two tea pots makes it possible to offer two varieties of tea. Would you prefer Harney & Sons' Valentine's Blend (with chocolate and rose petals) or their Indian Spice?
The lace tablecloth reminded me of doilies pasted on homemade Valentines.



The dessert plates looked a little lost on their own. I tried my formal dinner plates underneath them, but the platinum trim clashed with the gold trim on the violet plates. I pulled out some antique violet handkerchiefs and draped them over the dinner plates.



The different handkerchiefs add a certain charm, don't they?


I added a Waterford Araglin Traditions iced beverage glass for those who might like some iced water. I had to substitute wine glasses at two of the place settings (because of the Great Thanksgiving Smash-up of 2008), but since this is a mix-and-match tablescape, I think it works.


The violet cake plate was a birthday gift several years ago from the great-aunt whose china I inherited (You can see the tablescape I created with that china here.). I think it makes a great pedestal for the vintage Valentines.



For more tabletop inspiration, be sure to visit our hostess Susan.

16 comments:

Allie and Pattie said...

Beautiful!! I collect vintage linens of all kinds and I'm definitely going to use this hanky idea! The tea set is beautiful, but the hankies and cloth take it all over the top-lovely!
Thank you so much for visiting and for your kind comment. We're having so much fun!
xoxo Pattie

Shine said...

Pretty! Makes me soooo look forward to spring! Love your violets!

ellen b. said...

Celly! I love your Violet Valentine Tea. How very sweet everything is. The violet design on the tea pot is great and I like what you did with those vintage hankies. They are beautiful by the way...

Anita Diaz said...

Hi! I was looking at an old post of mine and saw where you had left a comment about teas, and I'm so glad I came over! I love all your beautiful china, and the blue willow of course. I especially liked the scripture you quote about training the young women to love their husbands. I am a worship leader and minister of music and I am SO dealing with a situation with a younger coworker, 26, single, who just doesn't get it about being a mom/wife. She actually told me that I have free time all day long. BTW, I have three children 3, 8 and 10. To make a long story short, experience has it's rewards. How to mentor someone who really doesn't have a clue is difficult. I also saw where you are reading the Bible through for the third time! I am on my second time through and there are so many things I missed the first time. What an incredible blessing it is to do that. I read every day even if it's just a verse or two. Love your blog and so glad I came over!!

vignette design said...

I love the vintage hanky idea. Love the violets too.

Marigene said...

Love your violet table...neat idea using the vintage hankies under the dessert plates. Thanks for sharing.

Debbiedoos said...

Hey carolina girl!!~ I love the vintage look to this table, it looks so romantic! Please stop by again:) Debbie

The Tablescaper said...

What a great collection of violets! Love how you draped the hankies over the dinner plates. And it does look like your vintage valentines.

- The Tablescaper

Chubby Chieque said...

Love, love, love.

Your collections is to die for too.

TY for sharing.

Greetings from Stockholm, Sweden

Unknown said...

Hi Celly! What a lovely collection. Your hankie idea great. I love to reuse, repurpose vintage textiles..especially hankies.Your love of violet is very appropo...The Stigmata or wounds of Christ were to have had an aroma of violets. Just a little flower lore. I'm so happy you got to stop by my blog. I hope you visit often. Now that I now where you are I can pop in. I hope you can visit my website too to see my use of hankies.

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

How clever to use those pretty vintage handkerchiefs. Your violet tea is lovely. laurie

Kathryn @ Bonafide Southern said...

What pretty violets! I especially love the handkerchiefs. Very nice.

Raggedy Kingdom said...

What a great tablescape. Loved the old lines.
Sheila @ Raggedykingdom.blogspot.com

Phyllis @Around the House said...

I love lthe vintage hankys, I have a stack of them that my mom used to collect, I am gonna steal that idea if you don't mind...I am a new follower of yours, come on over and maybe you would like to follow me too....

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Love the violets...love the dishes. This is the table setting style that I get excited about. It has that beautiful, vintage quality to it.
♥, Susan

Susan said...

Your violets display is so lovely !