How to Make Herbal Fire Starters

While using pine cones as kindling to get a fire started is not a new idea, you can spice things up for a great smelling fire by mixing a few natural dried herbs into the mix. Making herbal fire starters is fun for the whole family. Herbal fire starters also make fantastic gifts and are a great way to use up some of those garden herbs before the end of the season.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fibrous egg carton(s)
• Dried herbs (rosemary, lavender, mint, roses)
• Paraffin wax
• Double boiler
• Crayons (optional)
• Scissors
• Ribbon (optional)

1. Fill the small compartments of a fibrous egg carton half way with fragrant dried herbs, such as rosemary, lavender, mint or even rose petals. Make sure that the herbs are completely dry, and never use Styrofoam egg cartons. Once filled with herbs, push a pine cone firmly into in each compartment.
2. Melt paraffin wax in the top portion of a double boiler. As a general rule, you will need about a 1/2-inch-by-1/2-inch-block of wax for each pine cone; however, a little extra will not damage your herbal fire starters. You can use inexpensive candles, the ends of old candles, blocks of paraffin and even add old crayons for a touch of color. Stir the wax constantly as it melts.
3. Pour the melted wax evenly over your pine cones, making sure to keep the wax inside of the egg carton compartments, gluing the herbs and pine cones in place. If the wax cools, simple heat it again slightly until it easy to pour.
4. Allow the wax to cool completely and then carefully cut the egg carton into individual fire starters. If you like, you can tie a ribbon onto the top of each pine cone for added decoration.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do not want to mess your nice double boiler with wax, you can set an old coffee can onto a metal trivet over a large pot of water instead.