INSIGHT Magazine December 2018 | Page 39

Pinecone Fire Starters Source: somethingturquoise.com Supplies: • • • • • • • • • • • Soy wax flakes Pinecones Candle fragrance oil Candle dye blocks Wired candle wicking Wooden spoon Glass bowl Frying pan Wax paper Scissors Cute tags and twine Directions: • To create a “double boiler” station place the glass bowl (only to be used for craft proj- ects) into a large pan that has water in it. • Lay out wax paper to protect your counter- tops. • Heat the water and add your soy wax flakes. • Stir the wax as it melts slowly. • Chop up pieces of your color block and add to your wax. • To test the color of your wax drip a little onto wax paper and see how it dries. Too light, add more color block. Too dark, add wax. • When the wax is fully melted, wait 20-30 minutes for it to cool down before you dip your first pinecone. (You don’t have to wait, but if you dip your pinecones while your wax is super hot it won’t stick as well.) • While you are waiting wick your pinecones. Adding wicking around your pinecones helps to keep the flame moving throughout the cone in your fire. • Cut about 12" of wired wicking for each pinecone. • Fold in half and tie a loop knot with the INSIGHT wicking, then hold the loop at the top of the pinecone and wrap between the scales. Wrap each of the wicks in the opposite direction. • Stuff the ends of the wick inside the pine- cone, you can use the ends of your scissors to help if you need to. • You’ll know that your wax is cool enough to start dipping when you see remnants of it start to harden a bit on the glass bowl right above the wax. • Hold onto the wick knot and submerge. Let the extra wax fully strain off the pinecone. • Fully submerge each pinecone in the wax and set on waxed paper to dry making sure to strain as much of the wax off each pine- cone while in the bowl. • Let pinecones dry for 15 minutes between dips. • After the 15 minutes are up, break off any clumps of wax on the bottom of each pine- cone and place in a pile to reheat later. • Continue to dip your pinecones until you’re happy with the look. • Dip the top to finish and coat the wick knot… and you’re pinecone fire starters are complete! December 2018 39