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Homemade Coloured Fire Starters; How to make them
Topic Started: Nov 2 2004, 11:50 AM (227 Views)
sylley2000
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Sylvia, Grand Bend ON
Here's a link that tells you what chemicals to use to produce coloured flames. Yeah, I know there is some controversy whether the chemicals used are safe? I've been making these for a number of years and have never had a problem. But it's up to you to decide if you want to do likewise.

http://www.members.tripod.com/Howtuz/flames.html

I don't make all the colours. The ones I make from rolled up newspapers are the longest lasting. I use bluestone, which is another name for copper sulphate (green flames)--I get it from the drug store in powdered form and salt to make those (or it can be purchased from a pool company). I add rock salt--which is granual table salt found in bags to melt ice--yellow flames) Just roll up newspapers and soak them in the solution for a week or so, then take them out and dry them. They create mostly green, yellow & blue flames. If I want to supplement them with pine cones to get different colours, I sometimes do that that too depending on if I've found the chemicals to do it. I did collect quite a few large pinecones from North Carolina this year and will do it shortly using wax. I'll give some away for presents--they are always appreciated and look great in a basket with a liner that I get from the dollar store--add a ribbon and it's a great gift. BTW, I soaked them in a tin tub and the chemicals ate through the bottom and made quite a mess--now use a large crock.

A word of caution--handle chemicals with caution and avoid breathing them in when handling. I.e. do in a very well-ventilated area. I have in years past checked with a fire marshall and been advised that in small quantities they pose no danger to persons who have no breathing difficulties or allergies.

I'm rather reluctant to post this because in times past when I've done so have been told that chemicals are dangerous when mixed with fire when inhaled. I would appreciate it if members didn't accuse me of trying to harm people in my ignorance of the dangers of doing this. IMHO, making fire logs and fire starters poses no risk to health, but if you're concerned, just make the pinecone firestarters using wax.

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Wonderful presents and they look good placed beside the wood basket.

Sylvia.
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Heathertee
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Heather-Central Connecticut
How I miss having a fireplace!
In Indiana I had a beautiful large, stone one, and every year I would buy a basket of the firestarter pine cones from Plow and Hearth. I wouldn't use them to start the fire though, but would put them on the coals as the fire started to burn low. With the lights out, the blue and green flames were magical. Never thought of making my own.
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sylley2000
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Sylvia, Grand Bend ON
I'm a pine cone nut. The last time we were in North Carolina I brought home a huge collection of pine cones.

It wasn't til after we had cleared the border that Haydn told I wasn't supposed to bring them across the border because of the dirt on them. So now I make sure I wash them very thoroughly. I would declare them if they asked me, but so far they haven't asked.

Here's some of the other things you can do with pinecones:

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My hangout for the next month of so …

http://pineconelady.com/crafts.html

Unfortunately, she doesn't put pictures on her site, but I guarantee that most of her crafts with pinecones really do look incredible if you take the time to try them: I've made squirrels, rabbits, trees and several wreaths from pine cones. They are ridiculously easy, fun to give and to receive (although no one has given me a pine cone ornament--I'd love to get one). For 'simple' ornaments for the tree, all you have to do is spray them and hot glue a ribbon to them. They also look great with bows on a present, painted or plain--I spend several days wrapping presents and love doing it every year.

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Mine didn't look like that…I used a smaller pinecone for the head by turning it and gluing it to the bottom one. Just added the eyes and a chennille puff for the nose. Didn't add the ears.

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That wouldn't be the ribbon I would choose, prefer the more traditional red and gold ribbons.

Sylvia
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Heathertee
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Heather-Central Connecticut
Oh, Sylvia, I just love those! I haven't done crafts in so long. Back in a previous life, I co-chaired the St. Mark's Christmas Fair in Foxboro, 2 years in a row, and was involved with it in other ways many years more. Thanks for the link; I may just do something with it.
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Trailblazer
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We slather peanut butter on pine cones, then sprinkle bird seed on the peanut butter, and hang them in trees or on the porch. The birds and squirrels go crazy over them! Pine cone bird feeder
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DylansMom
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Jackie-Sioux Falls, SD (in Arizona for the moment)
Hey, thanks Sylvia, those sound great!!!
Greg, Dylan & Jasper too!
2005 F350 King Ranch PSD Crew Cab 4x4 Dually; 2005 Carriage Carri-lite KIQ View My Pictures Here

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mychrissy
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Chrissy
Silvia, my Mother-in-law lives in Greenville, North Carolina and when we visit her in November I also bring home bags of pinecones. As I mentioned in a previous post, not very talented when it comes to making things, so I put them in a copper container near the fireplace.
My sister makes the Christmas trees from pinecones. Maybe one day I'll try and make a wreath. Wouldn't that be something.
Chrissy

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sylley2000
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Sylvia, Grand Bend ON
Well, since you'd like to maybe try some, here's one that I haven't tried, but it looks interesting. I would buy the pine cones for this one because they are very small--too much trouble to paint and would be found in a dollar store--very inexpensive--I'd buy a jar at a dollar store too--great place for inexpensive jars to decorate for Christmas or any other holiday. Dollar stores are a good source for inexpensive pot-pourri and ribbon too, and a virtual gold mine to get wrapping paper and bags at very reasonable prices. Most cards sell for one dollar for all occasions.

This could be adapted for a car if the lights weren't added and a more suitable clear container used for it--just hot glue a ribbon to the top of it and hang it from the mirror:

Instructions for a pine cone air freshener:

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/pineconec...necairfresh.htm

Here's the picture of it:
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Think the heat from the lights would release the scent. I'd hot glue a pine cone on top, because it looks out of proportion somehow.

Trailblazer,

I couldn't see what the finished birdfeeder looked like, so here is one that I found that may be similar.

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They are super easy to make using peanut butter.

Sylvia
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