{BIG & small DIYs}

ugly porcelain bookends (found at Marshall's for a steal) → refinished in 2 easy steps.

{before}

1 can of Rustoleum white primer spray paint: 2 thin coats, let dry between coats :-) 

1 can of Rustoleum white gloss spray paint: 2-3 coats or whenever desired result is achieved!

*I recommend doing this {diy project} outside!

{after}

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Our home was build in 1928 and let's be honest, it needs some updating!  Thankfully, our wonderful landlady is onboard and ready for change if we're up for the job...{which we are!}

We found our 1st DIY project on Pinterest {where we find most all of our DIY projects}.  If you haven't been there, you're missing out...it is all sorts of fabulousness!

Sense of smell is known as one of the most powerful triggers of memory.  My childhood home smelled of fresh potpourri.  The house next door where I babysat smelled of Downy laundry detergent.  The smell of cafeterias always reminds me of elementary school, and the smell of mothballs triggers memories of my Grandpa's trunk from China.  Just to name a few off the top of my head ;-)

Funny as it may sound, Matt & I wanted to have a yummy smelling house - this was pretty important to us!  I found an awesome {and inexpensive} idea to fill our nostrils (and any visiting nostrils) with the smell of warm, french vanilla coffee. So simple to do...here's how!

1. It requires only 3 ingredients: mason jars, whole coffee beans and vanilla scented tea lights.

We used Ball glass pint-sized mason jars from Target.  Normally $5.54 but we were able to get them on a sale weekend for for $4.94. Get your mason jars on!

Matt came home with Starbucks whole coffee beans and I {gawked} "Starbucks, really!? It's just for the house..." But it was also on sale and {cheaper} than the generic brand - so, designer coffee beans we used!

For the tea lights, we bought a pack of 12 Home Scents Tahitian Vanilla from Target for $4.44 - we're still shopping around the best deal {keep ya' posted!} Light it up!

2. Remove the metal top and replace the lid on 3 mason jars. (I set aside the metal tops instead of throwing them away in case we find another use for the mason jars and/or lids.) Then, equally fill each mason jar with coffee beans - the fuller the mason jars, the easier to light the candles {also provides a stronger smell!}

3. Place 1 tea light in each mason jar and...

4. Ignite your flame!

the dining room

For the original pinterest idea: Click here!