Updated: 1/14/2020–This post contains Cottage Style Decoration Ideas for Valentine’s Day.

It’s time again, for the cutest little guy and his snappy red accessories! No, not Santa. He’s taken a well deserved rest.

Cupid! I suppose if we need a day dedicated to telling the one’s we love how much they mean to us, we might as well have a curly-haired, charming, winged angel directed to shoot love filled arrows as the mascot. Agreed?

Red roses, chocolate candy (Russell Stover if you’re a Kansas City native), and a blatantly sentimental card (Hallmark, again if you’re a Kansas City native) are the customary  expressions of adoration. No help needed, if that’s your modus operandi (and no shame either). Still, if you’re interested in a few simple, inexpensive ways to add fun to your home decor during the love month, I’ve got a few to offer.

You cooks out there will be preparing a decadent meal (you’ll be needing to follow another blog for those tips–or if you’re local contact my sweet friend Tekia of “Life Around the Table Catering” — lifearoundthetablecatering@gmail.com — for the best dinner you could imagine.)

 I’ll be serving up ways to present said meal with an “I love you soooo much”, tablescape.  I have two to share with you. The first is for a Valentine’s Day family breakfast or lunch, when the kids are invited. The second is geared more toward “just the two of us”; you can be eagerly looking forward to that in another blog…..with bated breath…..on the edge of your seats….

For now, be content to check out this study in pink!  Not sure if there was a vote that I missed that determined red to be the signature color for Valentine’s Day; it makes perfect sense with red being so closely related to passion and fire, I guess. But, for the family meal, we’re all pink all the way!

I gathered all the pink ‘things’ from tubs, closets, and armoires. Chunky throws are one of the hot home decor items of the past couple winters. You can find you tube videos on how to make them yourself, or purchase one. As with most home decor, there will be an array of price points assuring one to within your budgetary guidelines.

If you follow me on Instagram, and I hope you do, you watched me make this centerpiece in my IG stories! I post, almost daily, home decor inspiration on that account. (If you’d like to follow me, click on the Instagram photos on the right of the screen and it will take you to my account. You can then click on my name ((Southern Nell’s Gracious Living), to go to my IG bio page, where you’ll click  follow.) There you have it.))

If you’d like a step by step blog, leave a message in the comments section below, and I’ll put one together for you. It’s a quick and easy arrangement.

A mixed collection of vintage dishes, including Ironstone and Limoges, sat beautifully on the 1940s table linens I chose. But, the Homer Laughlin dessert dish with the single rose steals the show for me.

The teacart was pulled in close to the table for easy access to more Valentine’s Day decadence.

Strawberry cream wafer sticks , macaroons, and cranberry orange drink are just sweet enough to kick start the day of “all things saaaweet”!

The envelope folded napkins were the topic of a former IG story as well. They may be the easiest how to story I’ve done to date (filmed with one hand, folded with the other.) You can tuck a love note inside and use sticker to hold it closed. Again, if you’d like a step by step blog, leave a comment below and I’ll put one together.

That’s all the syrupy, gooey, sacharine-laced sweetness I can tolerate for one blog! Check back later this week for the red-hot table for two!

Enjoy Today!

Love y’all,

Lori Nell