“Love is lovelier the second time around.” Those words written by Sammy Cahn and made famous by Frank Sinatra hold such meaning for me. They provide the soundtrack for my post today!
Valentine’s Day on a Tray Tour
Today I am joining a group of talented ladies for the “Valentine’s Day on a Tray” tour. Put together by our wonderful hostess, Katherine of Katherine’s Corner, I am thrilled to be a part of this year’s first “on a tray tour.” Thanks so much Katherine!
If you are coming over from Simple Nature Decor, welcome! Maria is amazing, isn’t she? I absolutely love her beautiful style.
With such a tough act to follow, I guess I better get started!
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
While there is nothing difficult about putting together a tray to display in your home, I find I work best with a plan in place.
There are always a few decisions to make before I start. Simple ones like which tray works best or where will I put it. A little tougher is deciding if I simply want it to be pretty with elements from the holiday or the season, or do I want it to tell a story.
Today I decided on a story. The tray is to be the preface really. The story is still being written and I’m hoping it will not be finished for years to come.
Love the Second Time Around Tray
Last year, I put together a Valentine Vignette to honor my parent’s great love. Although they were wonderful teachers, it took me a little longer than most to get my lessons down pat.
Having gone through a divorce after 17 years of marriage, I lost a lot of faith in the whole concept. Through Mom and Dad, I saw first hand how wonderful it could be, but I thought maybe it just wasn’t in the cards for me.
Thankfully, I was wrong. So today, I decided to design a vignette dedicated to my husband. I’ll call it the “Love the Second Time Around Tray. ”
Our Story – Preface
This story begins on a beach in Maui many years ago. Since we got engaged on Kaanapali Beach the year before, this would be the place for our wedding too.
Working around spring break for the kids, we decided to take our honeymoon first. They would fly over with their Grandparents the day before the wedding. We would have two weeks alone and two weeks to show the kids around our favorite place.
Since Maui is a big destination for weddings, we decided to wait until we got there to plan things out. We thought we’d take a few days to enjoy the beaches, do a couple of whale watches, and then get serious That was a mistake! Before we knew what happened, we had settled into island time. We completely lost track of the days. It hit us both at the same time that family and friends would be arriving tomorrow!
Leaving our favorite spot on the beach, we headed back to the condo in a panic. We would need to pull off a miracle to have the wedding in place in time. On the drive back, we spotted a sign in the window of a strip mall proclaiming there was a WEDDING PLANNER inside. We found her, told her our vision, paid the $350.00 fee, and she went on to arrange the perfect wedding for us!
So how do you put all that on a tray? Well…
Telling the story this way
First, I needed to add a little of the beachy vibe. I used some navy blue fabric to bring a nautical feel and add some color. Of course, I needed some of the beach itself.
A few signs to represent the start of our lives together.
And of course we needed pictures. I wanted the pictures to look a little like a painting though. An app called Prisma provided that but there are several that accomplish the same thing.
I added a favorite saying to the photo as well.
Using the same app, I made a painting from one of our wedding pictures as well.
I used a favorite book of poems that belonged to my Mother for a riser. In addition, my Dad’s vintage perpetual calendar is set to our wedding date.
I had room for this pretty little canvas that was a gift from my Sister-in-law too! She’s just so talented!
I added the champagne flutes from our wedding planner. They will be ready for a toast on our anniversary next month!
Some greenery with heart shaped leaves adds the finishing touch.
The finished tray represents the preface to my second time around love story. Although not a lot of planning went into the wedding on our part, it went off without a hitch. I mean, our minister actually grabbed a ukulele at the end and sang the Hawaiian Wedding Song for us right there on the beach! It just doesn’t get more perfect than that!
No one guessed the wedding was a scramble just hours before their arrival. After two more weeks in paradise we returned to Colorado and built a life we both love.
Putting a broken family back together again wasn’t easy for the man I married. Being a stepparent rarely is. But with infinite patience and a whole lot of love, that’s exactly what he did.
We head to Maui every chance we get. Always in March to join the humpback whales and their babies. With Covid, we have missed several years and are having major withdrawal symptoms. This year is still up in air. We’ll see!
Thank you!
Thanks so much for stopping by today! The tour continues with a visit to Linda at Crafts Ala Mode. I hope you’ll join me there. Linda’s creations are always amazing!
I hope to see you all again soon. Spring is just around the corner and My Home of All Seasons is gearing up! Your email added to the form below will have our welcome letter to your inbox in minutes. You’ll have immediate access to everything in the Printable Library and I’ll keep you up to date on all things trending in seasonal decor!
Enjoy the tour and thank you again!
Oh Denise that is the sweetest story! I love your photo-paintings and the special items from your parents! and sister in law. Your tray is the perfect expression of how love can change your life!
It’s great touring with you! Hope you and your lovely family have a wonderful Valentines weekend!
Thank you Barbara! I really am so very lucky. I think timing is such an important part of things too. Sometimes you need to go through those dark days to understand how special the bright ones really are. So glad to tour with you today! Thanks again and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
Oh! I love the sentiment behind your tray. This is so sweet and heart touching. I’m so glad for 2nd chances. I love that your tray has it’s own non Valentine-sy vibe. I love it. I am so glad to be touring with you. Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day. XO- MaryJo @ Masterpieces of my Life
Thanks so much MaryJo! Second chances are the best! It was great touring with you today and I wish a wonderful Valentine’s Day too!
Denise,
You made me fall in love with this wonderful story of second chances!! The tray depicts every part of your beautiful story and is so darn charming!! I would be keeping this tray out forever!!
Thanks for sharing!!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Hugs,
Deb
Thank you Deb! I will leave it out for awhile, maybe downstairs in the beachy part of the house. It was fun touring with you today. I fell in love with your tray and the Valentine table too! I hope you and Joe have a wonderful day. Thanks again! Take care.
What a wonderful story and I love how you were able to tell it on your tray! So romantic, and perfect for Valentine’s Day on a Tray! I agree with Debbie, you should keep this tray set up always! I hope you have a very special Valentine’s Day 💕
Thanks so much Jenna! I’m very lucky to have been given a second time around for sure! I always enjoy touring with you and I wish your and yours a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
This is awesome. I would love it if you would share this on The Fabulous Friday Link Party.. https://www.peacockridgefarm.com/category/fabulous-friday-link-party/
Hugs to you.
Thanks so much Renae! I will head over to the party right now. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Denise, what a sweet story! Making your tray a personal one that tells that story was wonderful. And adding in even more sentimental ideas that represent the people in your family circle makes it even more special.
Hope your Valentine’s Day with hubby is a good one.
Hugs,
Rachelle
Thank you Rachelle! I guess I just always seem to turn into a sap when Valentine’s Day comes around! Our wedding was exactly as we hoped it would be. The perfect setting to start our family life together. I wish you both a beautiful day too. I hope all your health issues are under control and you can just relax and enjoy this special holiday. You’ve been in my prayers. Thanks again. Take care!
Denise, What a beautiful story and your tray is a tribute to you, your husband and family! Beautiful! laura
Thanks so much Laura! We had a wonderful wedding in a place we both love. We’ve been back several times with the kids over the years. Apparently, kids never get too old to vacation with Mom and Dad in Hawaii! Go figure! Thanks again and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
I love the coastal theme … can’t wait for summer now. Hope you are enjoying the hop. I am. Best wishes, Linda @Crafts a la mode
Pinning your tray also.
Thank you Linda! I can’t wait for summer either. I am behind visiting everyone’s posts but I could tell from the teaser that I’m going to love yours! Unfortunately, I have a sweet tooth and it is really starting to show! Happy Valentine’s Day!
What an adorable idea. I love the beach and this is perfect for Valentines Day Idea.. I also had a coastal theme. I was late in posting my tray. Have a great Valentines Day.
Thanks so much Maria! I love the beach too and you are lucky to be so much closer to it than I am. I can’t wait to see your tray and I’m headed there now. Thanks again and have a great Valentine’s Day.
Thank you for sharing your love story. It is magical and made me smile. Your tray represents a beautiful forever love story.
Hubby and I have been together for 23 years. We both had divorces. I wish we could have met sooner so I could love him longer. Thank you for joining in the fun. Happy Valentine’s Day xo
Thanks so much Katherine! I love that quote and it’s true for me too. I’m so glad you have your second time around love too!
Thank you again for putting together such a great tour. I know it’s a lot of work but it’s so appreciated. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours!
Denise, what a lovely tribute to your husband! And to yourself as well, because it takes two to build a successful life together. All the beachy items are cute, especially so because they were made with love. I liked that you used blues to tell your story — the spirit of Valentine’s doesn’t have to be pink or red. Happy Valentine’s Day!
ps. My husband and I honeymooned on Ka’anapali Beach, Maui. It is beautiful!
Thank you Sandra! It really is such a beautiful place. It’s been awhile since we’ve been back and I’m hoping not too much has changed post Covid. Great touring with you. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Denise, this is totally amazing. I knew it would be when you said you wanted to tell a story. What a precious idea and way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us. Happy, happy Valentine’s Day!!
Thank you Debra! I love telling stories with trays and lanterns. This was a special one for me since it was a new beginning of the life I treasure so much. Happy Valentine’s Day!
What a sweet story that is represented on your tray!
Thanks Debbie! Happy Valentine’s Day to you!