My First Vignette

We've been living in the new apartment for 4 months now, but between all the craziness the past few months - the honeymoon and post-wedding hoopla, the moving and furniture shopping, getting back to work and figuring out new routines, not to mention the whole learning how to live with (and feed) a man thing :) - our home is still a work in progress :) But what home isn't? 

Anyway one of our furniture finds was a beauty of a dresser from IKEA to use between our dining area and workspace in the apartment. It provides a lot of extra storage as well as a buffet surface, and best of all a space for me to decorate :) So a couple weeks ago I finally got to creating my first little vignette! 

It started with an idea I've seen in stores and on a few other blogs - decorating with pinecones. I loved the idea of natural decor in our home. 

Pinecones are all over the christmas aisles as pot pouri or tree ornaments, but why on earth pay when you can get them free? So I asked some of my sweet students to collect them for me at lunch time. They returned after lunch with enormous smiles and three tiny little pinecones in hand :) 

Since I needed just a few more, my husband and I went out one evening to collect a whole bag full. I washed them all to remove any mud - and yes, a few creepy crawlies did come out and almost get me, but praise to God I didn't incur any serious injuries. 

When it came to displaying them, I've read on a lot of blogs to use what you have. But as newlyweds just starting out we haven't got much in the way of decor supplies...just some leftover wedding stuff that wasn't right size for this anyway. 

So I went shopping for some vases and bowls on the cheap. I found some great ones at Walmart, but the two I wanted were totalling 35 bucks! So I shopped around at Goodwill and Value Village and scored these shapely beauties for 3 and 4 bucks each! I'm pretty sure the smaller one is exactly the Walmart vase...nothing beats a great deal :)

I filled them up with pinecones and added a little colour with cinnamon sticks and some fall fillers I found on clearance at Homesense. 

The two vases were looking a little dinky alone though, so I wanted to add something taller. I tried these great candlesticks, but they were a little too dark and chunky next to my shiny dainty vases, so I returned them.

Then I found the perfect tall & thin apothecary vase at Pottery Barn, but it happened to come with a $90 price tag...ouch! Enter this great toilet paper holder I'd seen previously at Kitchen Stuff Plus:

It was $20! Sure it's for toilet paper, but who's gonna know? 

To balance the other side of the dresser, I added one of the floral arrangements I'd made previously (see here). I also found these gorrrrrgeous candlesticks on clearance at Winners ($6 & $7) - I was in love!! 

The tinted glass of these curvy beauties suited my vignette perfectly - warm colours with a bit of sparkly glass. I added some deep red candles, also on sale from Bombay, and voila! My first vignette :)

I love the rich fall colours and the way it brightens up this previously bare corner of the apartment and makes it feel so much cozier. And I'm seriously loving the combination of nature with a little sparkle of glass.

What do you guys think? 

P.S. Linked up at:
Thrifty Decor Chick : November Before & After Party
Creating a House of Grace : Twice Owned Tuesday Party