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Decorative Firestarters Project

By Bob Sherman

I originally published this project in 1998 and have rewritten and modernized it to fit this site. This technique makes firestarters that are both beautiful and functional. These look great in a basket near the fireplace or as components in a gift basket. If you scent them, they will act as air fresheners until used. For this project I used Autumn colors and cups, but they can be made for any season.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT CONFUSE THESE WITH CANDLES! Although made with some candle making materials, these are not candles and are designed to burn with a large flame. These should only be used in areas suitable for making fires such as a fireplace or campfire.

Most of the candle making supplies needed can be ordered directly from this page for your convenience.

PLEASE NOTE!! - Candle making can be dangerous if proper safety procedures are not followed. Please read these Safety Rules before attempting any candle making projects.

This article assumes basic candle making skills. If you are new to candle making, my Introduction To Candle Making Course is free and will show you all the basics for working with wax safely.

WAX FORMULAS
None - Any paraffin wax will suffice and this is a great way to use up scraps, drippings, half burned candles, etc....

Candle Making Supplies

The following candle making supplies and other materials were used to make this candle. Clicking on the item name will bring you to that item's page with a full description and ordering information.

Item	Amount Used
Wax	Paraffin scraps or the cheapest paraffin wax you can find.
Scent Oil	Optional. 1 ounce per pound of wax if you want these to have a scent.
Melting / Pouring Pot	Minimum one. One for each color is more convenient.
Thermometer	One
Dye	Optional. I used orange dye for this project.
Wick	Scraps leftover from candle making work well.
Cupcake Pan	One. To hold the paper cups.
Paper Baking Cups	One for each. Cupcake size. may be plain or decorative.
Pine Cones	One for each - optional, but looks very nice.

Step By Step Instructions


1. A standard cupcake pan was used.	2. Place a paper baking cup in each opening.

3. Melt your wax. Add color and / or scent if desired. Fill each cup 3/4 full. Pouring temperature on these is not critical and the can be poured as soon as the wax liquefies. If you plan to color or scent you will need to bring the wax temperature up around 175 degrees F. to get the dye and scent to blend in.	4. Bend lengths of wick into a U shape. Position a length of wick in each cup. Note how the wick protrudes on both sides of each cup.

5. Allow the wax to firm up, then position one pine cone in each cup.	6. Make a second pour to just below the top of each cup.

7. Once fully cooled, trim the wicks.	8. The finished firestarters.

Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and common candle making practices as of the time of this writing - September 2006. The author and the publisher accept no liability for the use or misuse of any of the information presented in this article. This article is presented for informational purposes and is used at your own risk.

Author: Bob Sherman

Publisher: Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc.

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