Wine and roses are tried and true--and tired--when it comes to gifts for a party host. With the holiday season here, instead consider this unique and useful idea.
Materials
pine cones
paraffin wax chips
double-boiler for melting wax
pre-waxed wicks
vegetable oil spray
tweezers
old muffin tin
matches
decorative basket
Steps:
- Pour about an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler.
- In the top container, melt colored paraffin wax chips, one color at a time.
- Place pre-waxed wicks (figure A) in the bottom of muffin tins sprayed with vegetable oil. This will enable you to lift the waxed pinecones out of the hot tin.
- Use kitchen tweezers (figure B) to dip pine cones into the melted colored wax. Dip a few times so the wax will build up.
- Place the waxed cone into the muffin tin. Once all the cones have been placed, dip a ladle into the wax and then pour a little over each cone and into the bottom of each tin. Let them cool until solid (figure C).
- Decorate a basket and place the pine cone kindlers with some matchsticks inside. Now you have a different kind of gift for your hostess!
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