How to gift people who burn wood

What could be more fitting than a basket of fragrant waxed cones and dried flowers, as a winter bouquet--as well as a functional way to manage a wood stove or fireplace??

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• old candles
• old kettle
• essence oil
• dried pine cones
• acorns
• sawdust
• dried pine needles
• small cupcake papers
• a medium sized basket
• a bow

1. Collect pine cones +acorns all year, whenever you find them. New and old pine cones + acorns will dry in the summer sun--or (if absolutely necessary) in your oven @225 degrees X 20 min. Do NOT use "green" pine cones, whose petals haven't opened, and won't dry to be waxed.
2. Use old, discarded pot, tongs and draining rack--and store with supply of old candles, oils, cones + acorns.
3. Melt old candles, add balsam or cinnamon oil essence . Weave twine thru the petals of the cone, to use for dipping, or dip the cones in with tongs, tipping them upside down to assure that they're covered. Hold over pot to drain, and dry on a wax paper covered rack (this way, you can save the drippings and put the wax back in the pot.
4. Tiny cupcake papers (used for candies work great as fire starters.) Find a woodworker hobbyist who would be happy to give you a shoe box size load of shavings. Or, if this isn't possible, dry pine or balsam needles in the sun.
5. Fill small cups about have with wood shavings, needles of an acorn and pour wax over these to almost full.
6. When cones +cups are cool, they arrange well in a tissue lined basket, with a big bow. If you dry flowers, this adds a special touch--and if not, you can purchase dry "Baby's breath"@ any craft store. Add a long, barbecue style lighter.
7. Tag basket with these directions:
   Wrap a fires starter in a sheet of newspaper, along with twigs or wood shavings, and place between logs. No more fussing to start a fire, or keep it going, because if a fire starts to fade out --just throw a fire
   starter@ it.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a project for very outdoorsy, earthy people, but truly makes a lovely and fragrant winter bouquet for a mantle.
• NEVER use fire starters in a gas fireplace.
• These are for fireplaces and wood stoves only.