Love Letters ~ Air Mail

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and love is in the air! I set a table for two on my dining room table to have lots of room to spread out and read my Daddy's letters to my mother written from Italy, Africa, and England from 1942-1945. I get chill bumps just thinking of how hard it must have been for them during the war.  I'm joining a group of tablescapers for another great blog hop sponsored by Chloe Crabtree@ Celebrate and Decorate. The blog links to other Valentine table inspiration are at the bottom of this post. Be sure to visit them and leave a comment letting them know you enjoyed their post.

This tiered tray was my mother's. The dainty roses on the tiered tray were perfect to display some cameos Daddy brought back from Italy. I'm sure they were not expensive since he was a sergeant but they are almost antique now and are meaningful to me.

The letters are also special and I think of more questions every time I read them. My mother saved all the ones he wrote her. I only can find a few that my mother wrote my daddy. Maybe something happened to them in all the moving around he did. 

"MY HEART TO YOU IS GIVEN:

OH, DO GIVE YOURS TO ME;

WE'LL LOCK THEM UP TOGETHER,

AND THROW AWAY THE KEY."

FREDERICK SAUNDERS

This was a pretty birthday card to her. 

It is dated July 1945, so it was sent after the war was over when he was back in the states but not released yet. 

I had envisioned a lush garland of assorted colors and varieties of camellias as a centerpiece but the weather did not cooperate. There were only a few and mostly  one variety. It was disappointing but could not be helped. 

Since my flowers did not work out as planned I went all out with a silver tray full of crystal candlesticks collected through the years. Candlelight always evokes romance and is perfect for a valentine celebration.

This pink transferware plate is an English pattern called Royal Vitreous Bombay by John Maddock and Sons. I happened to have two just alike which was just what I needed for a Valentine tablescape. They were bought at separate places from antique shops years ago.   

The etched crystal goblets were my mother's and it is a  Fostoria pattern from the 1940's called Meadow Rose. I've always adored them and never tire of using them. They are quite delicate and must be hand-washed but I don't mind. Something else I never tire of is my wedding flatware by Gorham named Buttercup and I use it often.

The silver plate champagne flutes have a lovely grape pattern.

I topped a napkin ring with this larger cameo.  It suffered a crack somewhere over the years but it is still pretty. I love the size of it and  wish I knew where in Italy Daddy purchased it.

For the second napkin I embellished a filigree napkin ring with a costume jewelry vintage pin.

And here is my mother's handwriting I would recognize anywhere on the few letters that survived from her to Daddy overseas during the war. 

Be sure to visit the blogs below for more Valentine inspiration.                       Happy Valentine's Day🌹 Click on the links below to visit each blog hop participant. Thank you Chloe, for all the work you do to organize these blog hops.

Celebrate and Decorate      Home and Gardening With Liz

Debbee’s Buzz   Panoply     Bluesky at Home

Red Cottage Chronicles   Living With Thanksgiving

Home is Where the Boat Is    Everyday Living

Corner of Plaid and Paisley     My Family Thyme

Intelligent Domestications    White Arrows Home

Life and Linda   My Thrift Store Addiction

Calypso in the Country   PMQ for Two   Katherine’s Corner

Create With Cynthia   Sweet Sensations    Our Crafty Mom

The Painted Apron      The Little Yellow Corner Store