Small Jam Jars for Lighting
by
JD Powers
3 Materials
I am a Realtor and I get listings every now and again. Those listings can be so very different from one to another. Some Seller's are willing and ready to sell and they will move the earth to make it happen, then others are a little less motivated, they need to sell for one reason or another and it's just not something they HAVE to do. So, I work with them all, it's kinda just the way the business goes!
One of my Seller's has 3 pets in the home. The pets are not crated during the day, but they are house trained so there are no messes to clean up. However, if you're a pet lover you probably wouldn't notice pet smells that someone who doesn't own a pet would notice. There are some folks out there that just have a keen sense of smell and there's no hiding anything from them!
So, as a way to help cure some of the obvious pet smells I asked my Client to spray down their curtains and couches and let's not forget to spray where they sleep too! (Sometimes that's the same bed you sleep in!) I also asked my Client to buy a candle, one that didn't have a floral fragrance or a musky fragrance, but rather a cookie or baked goods fragrance or maybe the clean scent of fresh laundry. My Seller was a little hesitant to go out and buy something just for showing their home, so I put together a little something to help sell their home!
One of my Seller's has 3 pets in the home. The pets are not crated during the day, but they are house trained so there are no messes to clean up. However, if you're a pet lover you probably wouldn't notice pet smells that someone who doesn't own a pet would notice. There are some folks out there that just have a keen sense of smell and there's no hiding anything from them!
So, as a way to help cure some of the obvious pet smells I asked my Client to spray down their curtains and couches and let's not forget to spray where they sleep too! (Sometimes that's the same bed you sleep in!) I also asked my Client to buy a candle, one that didn't have a floral fragrance or a musky fragrance, but rather a cookie or baked goods fragrance or maybe the clean scent of fresh laundry. My Seller was a little hesitant to go out and buy something just for showing their home, so I put together a little something to help sell their home!
First, I found a scrap piece of wood in my husband's arsenal of woods (shhhh! he doesn't know I was fiddling around in his stock pile). Then I wiped it down with a clean rag, it had some snagging areas so I grabbed his sanding block and I started sanding in one direction following the grain of the wood. On the edges I sanded them the best I could trying not to split or chip the wood.
I got out my rag again and wiped down the dust.
Then I found my good ole' can of Minwax Stain (Espresso). I used this stain on my first project where I did my son's dresser and hutch. I love this rich color of stain.
Then I got out a rag to stain the wood. I wiped the stain on following the grain of the wood again (my hubs would be proud I actually listened to something he said). After the first coat dried I sanded it down again just to make sure that the stain was soaking in and would be darker in the grain and lighter on top of the grain, but also to make sure that I still had no rough splinters. I ran another
Then I carried the 3 small jam jars outside while I waited for the wood to dry. (Notice the foil covering my deck rails? I didn't have a cloth or cardboard to use nearby, so I grabbed what I did have. My husband was so grateful I didn't spray his deck red!) I did about 2 coats of red spray paint and they were complete!
Here's where I placed the jars on the wood. I wanted to make sure I had enough room for all three, I guess I could have done that before I started the project, but I don't ever think that far ahead, these projects just some to me when I have a need for them. I wouldn't call myself a Crafter like many of the people here on HomeTalk. Now, my wood was not level at all, it had a slight bow going lengthwise down the center of the board so I had some slight issues getting the flat bottoms of the jars from rocking.
After trying hot glue, the jars kept popping off so I left some of the hot glue on the bottom of the jars so they wouldn't rock anymore and I added some krazy glue... I wish I would have had some of that glue that other users have... what is is D9000 or something like that, but again, I was trying to get this quickly to my Client before our next showing that evening and I had to use what I had available!
Guess what!?! It worked. The Krazy Glue worked. The jars didn't rock, they didn't move. So I got out my tea lights. These have a clear plastic bottom so I took out the candles and placed a tiny bit of Krazy Glue on them and placed them down inside the jars. Then I placed the tea lights back in the plastic cups. This was turning out pretty good for a quick fix! (Oh, I guess you see I used foil again to protect my dining room table!) ;P
Yeah! All done!!
I didn't paint the lids, I just Krazy Glued the lids and the rings together so they would stay one piece and I put them on the jars. I wrote a nice note to my Client, wishing them a successful showing and what to do with them... "Light these before you leave for the showing, and leave lit. They are only tea lights so they can burn all the way out and not be a danger but just in case do not put them under anything flammable. Placing them on the stove or the kitchen counter would be ideal! Sometimes you just don't want to assume anything. That Buyer who came to see the home... they did make an offer, I can't say it was because of my gift, but I am sure the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls was better than the smell of 3 house pets!
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4 of 45 comments
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Time is Money. As a Realtor it would be much more cost effective to buy candles,
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@sarawinchester408. I was trying to figure out a way to remark about the cost effective way to just buy candles and today I was reminded by a post from a Marketing Company who uses a technique unique to their business for all of their Clients and how they maintain relationships new and old. It was perfect for what I do, I just do mine handmade. Their post was on LinkedIn and they said that their appreciation is extended to their Clients with their firm by purchasing and sending a specific color of roses and it's always a dozen and they also brand the gift with their business card. They do this to show their appreciation for the Client's loyalty to their firm. It's the same for me as a Realtor. The Client sees that you've made for them or purchased a gift for them specifically, whether it's the same every time or different it doesn't matter, and they see that you appreciate their time and their money and their loyalty enough to spend a little bit of your time and your money back on them. Time may be money, but showing your appreciation is GOLD! This is why I take whatever down time I have doing something that eases the stresses of the business and giving back a little something of me that isn't required. The rule to success in sales is repeat and refer... and I really like when my Clients refer me to their family and friends. ;o)
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You are really full of good information. Thanks for letting me know.
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Thanks Shirley! - JD Powers
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