roses + pine arrangement on the cheap

my husband and i are attending a christmas party 

at a friends home tonight, 

and this is what i am bringing as a hostess gift.

total cost?

$7

i already had the vase 

(don't we all have a couple of these 

hanging around the house?)

i thought about buying a new vase, 

but my cheap sensible nature kicked in, 

and i decided to go with the one i already had.

plus, i only had 10 minutes until i had to 

pick up the kids at school, 

and the nearest store that had decent vases 

was a few miles away. 

i live close to a grocery store that sells roses 

by the dozen for $6.99.

i love that grocery store.

they also have an olive bar that 

sells pitted kalamata olives. 

and a machine that makes fresh peanut butter.

i spend entirely too much time there.

 i went out into my yard and cut some branches from some evergreen trees.

 my kids have fun digging the 

pine cones out of the snow.

i filled the bottom 

of the vase with pinecones,

stuck the flowers and the evergreen 

branches in the vase,

and nestled a few pine cones among the arrangement.

i've seen arrangement like this at 

floral shops for upwards of $35.

this one was only $7.

i'm linking this post to the inspired room holiday party