How to Make Colorful Burning Pinecones!

These colorful pinecones are lovely for the holidays. You can make them in green, crimson, yellow-orange. Add them to your fire for a quick display of multicolored flames. They only last for a short time, but has a great ta-da factor!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Water
• 3 Plastic containers, one for each color
• Copper Sulfate
• Boric Acid
• Calcium Chloride
• Gloves
• Pinecones

1. Pour 1/2 gallon of hot water into each container. The container must be plastic or ceramic. Metal will cause a chemical reaction that will make a mess!

2. Wearing gloves add one chemical to EACH container of hot water! DO NOT MIX THE CHEMICALS!!!
   Crimson - 1/2 pound of boric acid
   Green - 1/2 pound Copper Sulfate
   Yellow-Orange - 1/2 pound Calcium Chloride

3. Using SEPERATE wooden spoons for each container, stir chemicals until they are dissolved. Do not mix the chemicals!

4. Add pinecones and soak overnight! Weigh down pinecones if necessary to get them to sink in the chemical mixture.

5. Remove pinecones and allow them to dry thoroughly in warm dry air for at least 2 days.

6. How to use:
   Add pinecones to your fire two or three at a time. The colorful flames will last only a few minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Place pinecones in a basket with a big bow for a pretty hostess gift!
• Never leave a fire unattended!
• Use only two or three at a time!
• Do NOT make a fire of just pinecones!