Pine Cone Firestarters Make Great Christmas Gifts

Create some Christmas Gift Baskets as a Family Holiday Project

Pine cone firestarters can be made as scented or non-scented and may or may not be colored depending on the wax used. You can use candle wax from the craft store, old candle stubs or paraffin blocks from the canning department of your local grocery or even broken crayon pieces from your childrens' toy box.

For color use candle coloring from the craft store. The scent MUST be essential oils, the type used in potpourri or candle making available at your local craft store or candle supply store.

A Family Holiday Project

Everyone can have a hand in this project. One of the fun parts is taking time to collect your pinecones. Fall is a great time of year for this. The ground is littered with cones of every shape and size. If there are none available around your home, pack a picnic lunch and plan an afternoon trip to the nearest woodland as a family to collect cones to make pine cone firestarters.

Once you start, the youngest child can break up the wax and tie the strings around the pine cones. Older children can break up the cones after they have dried if you wish to make an array of colors. If old enough they can also do the dipping with supervision.

Once the cones are dry, everyone can help with the assembling and decorating of the baskets

How to Make Waxed Scented Pine Cone Fire Starters

Wax must be melted in a double boiler to reduce risk of fire. This can be achieved by using a metal can large enough for your largest pine cone to set into with at least two inches head room above the pine cone. Place a mark on the can at the top of your largest pine cone (a coffee can usually works well). Place the can in a pan of water on the stove. Add broken pieces of wax or candle stubs to the can and allow to melt on medium to low heat until the liquid wax reaches your mark. For scent add some aromatherapy oil such as pine or cinnamon to the wax

Tie a string around a few of the scales. Holding the string dip the pine cone slowly into the liquid wax. Remove and allow to drip over the can until it stops. Place on wax paper and allow to completely harden. This may take about an hour or two. You may need several coats if you wish to completely cover the pine cone. After the final dipping, sprinkle the cone with glitter or fake snow for a more decorative look.

CAUTION: Because of the properties in the essential oil cones should not be placed on finished wood furniture without some protection as the essential oil will damage the finish.

How to Make Pine Cone Firestarters with Colored Flames

For colored flames you can soak the pine cones in water to which one(never mix two chemicals together as this might cause an adverse reaction)of the chemicals listed has been added (see list below). Fill the bucket with half of a gallon of hot water. Add a cup of the chemical of your choice and soak your pinecones for about 8 hours. Use only one color per cone or break the cones apart before soaking and then when dry, mix the different chemical soaked scales together when adding to the flames to provide an array of colors.

After the cones have soaked remove them with tongs and spread them out to dry on newspaper. Since some of these chemicals may lightly stain the surface, do not spread them on good surfaces without proper protection.

The pinecones need to dry for at least 3 days before they can be burned. When dry you can add the cone to the fire and watch the colored flames dance

Color Chart for Pine Cone Firestarters:

• Strontium chloride produces bright red flames
• Magnesium sulphate (Epson Salts) gives white flames
• Calcium chloride for blue flames.
• Copper sulphate (blue vitrol) has a green flame
• Thallium (Alum- used in pickle making) has a bright green flame
• Baron salts (borax -20 mule team borax in the laundry aisle) has a yellowish-green flame
• Potassium sulphate mixed 3 to 1 with potassium nitrate will show off a violet flame
• Boric Acid for deep red flames
• Mix the dryed red, white and blue pine scales and have a patriotic fire

Making Pine Cone Firestarters with both Wax and Chemicals

Mix fine sawdust and your chemical of choice in a large container. Follow the directions above for making waxed pine cone fire starters. After dipping, immediately roll the pine cone in the chemical mixture. You may have to use an old spoon or ladle to get the sawdust into the hard to reach areas of the pine cone. Set aside to dry and then shake away the loose sawdust. If the cone is not covered to your satisfaction, you may repeat this procedure

Safety Rules

Make a Holiday Gift Basket

Pine cone firestarters can be arranged in a basket or other container to make a great family christmas gift basket. You might add a fancy box of fireplace matches.

A bottle of wine, some glasses or fancy snacks, and an elegant candle can add a romantic touch to the gift basket.

How to Use Pine Cone Firestarters

To use as a fire starter place the pine cone on top of the kindling and light the edge of one of the scales. Watch the beautiful colors as they catch fire and put on a wonderful light display