You are invited to attend a Valentine’s Day cookie decorating class here at Bella Terra on Saturday, February 3rd from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This class is a bit spontaneous and I’m happy to announce that Libby, from Sweet B’s Baked Love with be available to teach us how to do this.

Recently, my sister had a big birthday and her daughter, after taking a cookie decorating class, made these gorgeous cookies. Inspired by these beauties, I reached out to Libby to see if she could teach a group of us how to do this. Decorating cookies in a beautiful manner is on my bucket list so why not learn this year?

I am hoping you are available on Saturday, February 3rd. Libby wants to allow for 3 hours for decorating hearts and gnomes, but we may finish sooner. The cost of the class is $75.00 and you will leave with 6 beautifully decorated cookies. All supplies are included.

Depending on the weather, we hope to do this outside on the covered back terrace. Seating is very limited so if you are interested, please either sign up via PayPal or reach out to me directly at [email protected]. Once you have confirmed attendance, I will send you further details.

Hope to see you on Saturday, February 3rd!

Link to sign up via PayPal is here. Looking forward to learning things together!

February is just around the corner with the pretty colors of Valentine’s Day. From bright heart reds to blush and shades of pink, I love any of these colors to brighten up a cold, winter day. Inspired by the pretty, flowery and cottage design of The Pioneer Woman dishes, here is my affordable February and/or Valentine’s Day table.

The Dishes

Each time I go to Walmart I check to see what is new from The Pioneer Woman in household goods. In this world where we see so much monochromatic, colorless, design, I appreciate the Pioneer Woman’s bright and cheerful colors.

I am pleasantly surprised to find these sweet 7″ cow dishes with a scalloped edge for $3.32 each. Wait? What? They are such a great size to use in many different ways. This particular plate in pink seems to be out of stock online, but I was able to find this in the Walmart, Showlow, AZ store. You can find the same plate but in 8.75″ in red online here.

I layer the cow dish on top of this equally adorable 8.5″ flowery plates~again at a great price of $5.46! The style of these dishes just makes me happy! With some orange tones to the pink, the predominant color seems more pinky-coral than a traditional Valentine pink.

Using a white dinner plate with a narrow gold rim, I set the two plates on top. Years ago, I bought Pottery Barn’s standard white dinner plates. An affordable option is this one ~ 10 dinner plates for $47.65. At the base is a brushed gold charger to complete the look. These chargers on Amazon are 12% off ~ for 12 pieces at $29.99

The Table Cloth

Debating between a plain white tablecloth or this more vibrant Francheska block print, the brighter one wins. The combination of orange and pink in the design, picks up the colors in the Walmart plates. I like that it is more colorful and playful, justlike the dishes.

The Napkins

You may recall the time I tried to make my own stamped letter napkin? A colossal failed DIY and you can read about it here. Well, my younger sister, Susie is an excellent seamstress. She felt pity for my pathetic attempt at the DIY napkins, so she whipped these beautiful “Blessed” ones up for me.

I love how the black stitching picks up the color of the cow and helps anchor the place setting. Thank you, sweet Susie!

Silverware and Glasses

Wallace Napoleon Bee Gold Accent Stainless Steel flatware can be casual or dressy, depending on the dishes. This set is holding up so well with frequent use.

A simple crystal glass with a gold rim for both water and wine plays into the more casual look of the table. My glasses are quite old as I bought them when I was in my 20s from Lenox crystal.

The Centerpiece

With such a vibrant table cloth, I keep the centerpiece a clear glass vase with white hydrangeas, peonies, and pink and white tulips.

I cannot say enough about my battery operated gold table lamps. Not only do they give off an inviting light, but they have two settings. Charging is a breeze with a USB port. I find I prefer them because you don’t have to worry about candles blowing out or dripping.

Small glass votives are scattered around the table to provide a little more ambiance.

Need More Valentine impact?

If this table isn’t Valentine-y enough for you, it is easy to add elements of the holiday. I find these cute felt hearts at a cafe store up in the mountains. Here is this page resource on Amazon that has hearts in multiple colors and sizes.

Adding Valentine place cards will also step up the love theme!

This table is particularly fun and joyful to put together because of the affordability of the plates, the addition of these pretty colors and using my sister’s handmade napkins.

Are you decorating a table for Valentine’s Day? I hope this one inspires you to spread a bit of happiness, love and cheer.

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Happy Sweet Valentine’s Day to you and yours! As you may recall, we host an intimate dinner party for 10 to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I wish we could invite many more people, but since it is more formal and a sit down dinner event, the maximum number we can accommodate comfortably is 10. This tradition started in 1998 and what was once an annual event, now occurs every 2 to 3 years.

The Invitation

Normally, our style for entertaining is casual and comfortable. But for our Valentine’s Day dinner, we step it up a bit, starting with the invitation. Since there is one invitation per couple, I try and make it one of a kind and extra special.

This year, I use watercolors and hand paint the front of the card. Inside are instructions on time, date and the attire, which is Dazzling and Dapper.

Using a white satin ribbon and a fabric covered button, the invitation is finished.

The invitations are hand delivered with a homemade gift of Meyer lemon Marmalade and freshly baked heart-shaped scones.

I have several lovely white boxes (from my quarterly subscription to My French Country Home box). With the jar of marmalade and scones in tissue paper, the invitation goes on top. The box is hand delivered, fun trips for my husband and I.

Guest Homework

Since some of the guests know each other and others do not, I like to get the conversation going during the cocktail hour. Each guest is asked to provide the answers to 3 questions. With a glass of Champagne, the guest is handed a sheet of paper with some of those answers. They are tasked with matching the person with the answer.

Gifts for Guests

Since my husband and I do not buy gifts for each other for Valentine’s Day, we love providing a little something for our guests. One of my favorite virtual friends, Tanya Lochridge creates and makes exquisitely designed, meticulously handmade jewelry (that is affordable!).

Please check out her online store. She is a dear and always willing to make something unique and extra special for you. Each of the bracelets she made for our guests are similar in color but one of a kind. You can find Tanya’s website here or on Instagram @tanyalochridgejewelry

For the men, I found these useful, yet fun, rechargeable flashlight gloves on Amazon. Perfect for working in small spaces and even for night time walks with your dog.

Menu Planning

Most years we hire a caterer to help with the meal, just so I can fully participate. However, our caterer is not available this year (somewhat due to our last minute decision to hold this party), so I think “I can do this”. Aye-yai-yai!

Of course, I want something elegant and a choice of entrèes~beef or salmon. To take it up a notch, we choose Wellingtons, for both the beef (Gordon Ramsey’s recipe) and the salmon (recipe by Tasty). The sides will be potatoes au gratin (by Serious Eats) and snow peas with sesame seeds.

Even though I have never made it before, my friend, Rick highly recommends this salad and it sounds delicious~Apple and Pomegranate Quinoa and Kale Salad with Feta in a curried maple dijon dressing. See recipe here from Closet Cooking.

Dessert will be Lemon Pots de Creme, which is light and refreshing. You can find that recipe here.

With menu in hand, I go to Total Wine and meet with Peter, who helps me select the wine pairing with each course. My husband researches each wine and shares the information with our guest in between courses.

On Friday and early Saturday morning, I try and pre-make everything that I can. The goal is to participate in the dinner as much as possible and not be tied to the kitchen. Timing everything is the key and I write a schedule so I know what to put in the oven when so everything comes out hot at the same time.

Cocktail Hour

This year, the cocktail hour is in the entry, dining and living room. Typically we hold it on the front porch, but daylight hours are still short. With a starting time of 6:00 p.m., sunset is at 6:09 not providing enough light to make gathering outside enjoyable.

In addition to a bit of bubbly, I serve homemade cheese straws, shrimp cocktail and a variety of vegetables and hummus. Of course, I didn’t take any pictures of the final presentation…

The Table

On the back terrace, we have a table that comfortably seats 10. With the addition of gas ceiling heaters and 2 portable heaters, it is perfectly lovely to dine outside here in February.

The flowers are from Torchio Nursery in San Francisco, which they ship overnight to me. I find it easier to buy large quantities of flowers this way and their quality is excellent. Since this post is getting quite long, I will share how I built the centerpiece at a later time.

Hydrangeas, tulips, stock, peonies, carnations, gardenias and seeded eucalyptus make up this abundant and fragrant centerpiece.

Gift bags are at each place setting.

My sweet daughter, Julianna and her boyfriend, Dalton, are big helpers the night of the event. Just before guests arrive, they inflate 50 balloons with long pink ribbons. This provides a festive look to the table!

I should have hired a photographer because I am far too busy and preoccupied to remember to take pictures! But here is one photo with our guests opening their gifts. With the fireplace going in the background, the setting looks so magical with those balloons!

Needless to say, the evening is a resounding success. The food is just delicious (that salmon Wellington!). We are so lucky to share moments like this with our friends and each time we learn more about each other. Toasts are made to peace, health, love, happiness and prosperity. Conversation is lively and thoughtful.

To see the details of our last Valentine’s Day dinner party in 2021, click here. That post was so long that I wrote it in 2 parts.

Have a loving and warm Valentine’s Day. My husband and I are still a bit pooped after this event, so I’m hoping it’s cozy clothes and a good movie for us.

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Happy February! After writing 18 blog posts over the last few years about Valentine’s Day, I am putting what I consider the best of the best together. Whether you spend Valentine’s Day with girlfriends, family or that special someone in your life, there is something for everyone here. From elaborate centerpieces to a simple dinner for two; entertaining tips to great recipes, I hope you enjoy the photos and inspiration.

Valentine Centerpieces

Some years we do an elegant sit-down dinner party with 5 couples and other years, it is a small celebration with just my husband and I. Either way, a great looking table makes the meal taste better, in my opinion.

It all begins with color and flowers. Personally, I find it annoying that prices for roses skyrocket around Valentine’s Day but I guess it is all about supply and demand. But do the prices really need to double and then some?

Instead of succumbing to the need for roses, I find other flowers that provide an equally romantic look. Beautiful pink tulips, carnations, hydrangeas, and stock are the foundation for this abundant centerpiece. You can see how I build this centerpiece here.

At night, this same table takes on a completely different look in the candlelight.

Here is another Valentine centerpiece, using a tablecloth and more green hydrangeas vs. the white. The tones are still romantic and you can see how roses play a small role in this display.

On a much smaller table for two, only a few flowers can fit in the space. Lavender/pink wax flowers are daintily tucked in with the hydrangeas for a spot of color.

Even using faux flowers can make an impact too!

Valentine Tables

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know how much I love beautiful place settings.

What better way to honor Valentine’s Day than to use the “Juliet” pattern from Royal Doulton’s Romance Collection? This fine dinnerware has soft pinks, blues and greens. What makes this setting extra special? It is my very first one and purchased in my 20s. I think I owned this set of china before I had real furniture.

When you have a versatile place setting, you can change up the look by using a different napkins, tablecloth and glassware.

Both new and vintage stemware, adds sparkle and continuity with the pink theme.

Even though I love shades of pink and blush, Valentine’s Day is most often associated with red and white. Here is a table for two using a vintage tablecloth with bold reds and green.

Heart shaped glass ornaments serve as a Valentine reminder. Affordable silver decorative chargers add a bit of elegance to the Emma pattern white dishes (our everyday dishes) from Pottery Barn.

This place setting’s main star is salad dish from Williams Sonoma called Famille Rose. With the pink Indian-blocked pink tablecloth from Just Darviny, this too can evoke Valentine vibes.

Valentine Food

What’s Valentine’s Day without yummy food? Playful heart shapes can be created at every course.

If you have a pasta attachment for your KitchenAid mixer, or a good rolling pin, you can make your own ravioli. Personally, I find making pasta enjoyable so here is the detailed post on how to do so.

Another delicious entreè involves a French style way of cooking the main course in parchment paper.

The key is cutting the parchment paper in a heart shape, so when you guests open the pouch, the heart is revealed. Called Heart and Sole, a filet of sole with herb butter and artichokes is baked in the parchment pouch.

Such a fun and tasty presentation! You can find the recipe here.

Using store bought pie crusts and cherry pie filling, these cherry hand pies are super easy to make. All you really need is a heart-shaped cookie cutter and a fork. See how to make them here.

Dress up your charcuterie board with heart-shaped cheese slices. Trust me, you will use this cookie cutter more than once. If you don’t have one, here is the link.

This delicious cherry cobbler with a heart-shaped biscuit makes a sweet and easy dessert. Doesn’t it look pretty in this vintage pink dish? Here is the recipe.

Love chocolate? These dense chocolate biscuits are filled with strawberries and whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Yummy! See recipe here.

I love Linzer cookies~their buttery texture and endless possibilities for fillings. In this recipe, the filling is raspberry preserves. Topped with sifted confectioner’s sugar, this cookie is divine. Here is the link to the Linzer cookie post.

Don’t like to bake or cook?

I understand that not everyone likes to bake or cook, so there are simple ways to have fresh ingredients that feel like Valentine’s Day. Fresh raspberries, either plain or garnished with whipped cream and/or a drizzling of Chambord is a treat in itself. A sprig of mint leaves provides a nice touch of color too.

How sweet is this cup of tea? You can find heart shaped tea bags at Uncommon Goods or on Amazon here.

What I adore about Valentine’s Day is the ability to celebrate love and friendship. A pretty and inviting table, a meal or dessert that shows your guests, friends, family or spouse that you took the extra time to make it with love~that’s what Valentine’s Day is all about.

Thanks for joining me today. Sending hearts to all of you!

Happy Saturday friends! As slow as last week went for me, this week is just the opposite. The antithesis of my hope for a new year, but it is unavoidable when many things unexpectedly collide at once. But it is now the weekend, and time to take a breath. Welcome to another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Painting the Guest Cottage

Due to the heavy rains this week, my painter will not be starting the guest house project until next week. I am debating about paint colors, but I am leaning toward keeping the colors very similar. The main cottage color is Basil by Sherwin Williams and the trim and shutter colors are similar to the main house. Looking forward to fresh paint!

Guest House Repairs

The sofa in the guest cottage is an original one from Ethan Allen purchased decades ago. It has been reupholstered but it is time for another update. I do hate to get rid of an old sofa because they have North American hardwood frames, vs. the manufactured wood used today on new ones.

The cushions need a complete overhaul so in order to have a more contemporary look, I will go to two bottom and two back cushions. This is a sofa bed too, but the mattress is relatively new and hardly used. So it’s off to the upholsterer next week. Possibly, I’m leaning toward a white denim (?) that I can Scotchguard.

Currently the bed has a full mattress, but it may make sense to upgrade to a queen. I am hoping I can just add a queen bed frame to the antique head and foot boards. It is a small bedroom so I will need to measure to see if it can take on the additional length and width.

Like the pool house remodel, I hope to replace all the can lights with LED ones. The kitchen may need a fresh coat of paint too. It is fun to reimagine this space!

Finally hanging my large painting

Last year, I shared my largest painting ever with you. It is inspired by artist Ericka Carter and something similar is featured in the Sundance Catalog (for $16,800). Due to its size, my husband reinforced the canvas with a stronger wood frame.

However, when hung, you see the wood from the sides. I finally got around to painting the wood in Naples Yellow to match the canvas. Now it is officially in the pool house, adding a bit of color to a white wall. Love checking those small projects off the list!

A Delicious Breakfast for Guests

This week, my cousin Charleen and her/our friend Carla visited from California and stayed a few days. For breakfast, I tried this new recipe from my blogging friend, Rachel at The Ponds Farmhouse. Unfortunately, I was unable to taste it due to my January reset eating plan, but they said it was delicious!

I love recipes that you can make ahead of time. This one sits overnight in the refrigerator and just goes into the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. The recipe has so many yummy ingredients~from fresh blueberries to pancakes. I didn’t know you could buy frozen pancakes (I did know about frozen waffles), which makes assembly very easy.

Serve it warm with maple syrup! Here is the link to Rachel’s delicious breakfast Blueberry Bread Pudding.

Another Major Unexpected Project

When we restored this property 22 years ago, my husband put in the state of the art home security/technology system. Fast forward to today and all the technology is outdated. As the system begins to fail, we are unable to repair them as parts are no longer being manufactured. Plus the world has gone from analog to digital; wired to wireless.

After receiving several bids to update the system that would literally break the bank, my daughter’s boyfriend (who has an IT degree), offered to tackle this project. We are about 2 weeks into it, and it is such a major undertaking for him. Nonetheless, he is determined to bring us into current technology with the ability to upgrade in the future.

We’re thinking of adopting this smart young man who is kind enough to help us who are technically challenged. However, many rooms are a mess until all the wiring is removed and new “smart” equipment is installed. Times like this I sort of miss the on/off dial on a television.

Garden Update

We have frost warnings here until next Tuesday. My garden is confused as we have remnants of autumn and new growth for spring.

Generally the frost warnings are over by the end of February. Then I can really start planting the Spring garden.

Cleaning and Coating the Concrete Terrace

Behind our pool house is a small covered outdoor terrace. It is a pleasant place to sit and view the hen house and garden. A few years ago, we tried this concrete cleaning and coating treatment on our main home’s back terrace and loved the results. You can see it here.

My husband took on this project this week and the results are very satisfying. Nice and clean.

Week 3 of January Reset Eating Plan

We are in the third week of The Fast Metabolism Diet and trying new many new recipes. If you order this book, I strongly suggest getting the hard copy because I use mine all the time while cooking.

Why do men lose weight faster than women? We are eating what feels like a substantial amount of food (mostly vegetables, protein, some grain/fat), and my husband has dropped quite a few lbs. Not many complaints on this reset but I do miss a few things like my morning coffee and late afternoon cocktail. Only a week and a few days left so I’ll report in on our progress.

Indoor Plant Care

As much as I love to garden and feel relatively successful at it, I am not great at keeping indoor plants alive. Actually, I’m quite bad at it. My friend, Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms provides so much information about indoor plants on her website. She recently posted The Secret to Watering Plants Indoors and you can see it here.

Favorite Product of the Week

I cannot tell you how much I LOVE this rose water spray. Not only does it smell heavenly, but it hydrates your face. I’m hoping it’s not a limited edition, as Trader Joe’s can often do. Grab it while you can. Either at a Trader Joe’s store or online here.

Well, that’s a wrap for Saturday Meanderings today. I hope you were able to see the transformation of the French bistro table and chairs this week. Next week, I hope to share some Valentine ideas as I just gave the front porch a bit of love for February.

Have a warm and cozy weekend. Stay safe out there!