Most unusual cupcakes indeed.

    These cupcakes aren't for eating, there for heating.**
     That's right. They're fire starters, and they make wonderful gifts for anyone with a woodburning fireplace.

    I thought everyone already knew how to make these, but I found out while conducting my workshop last Saturday that many of you hadn't heard of these yet...so here's the skinny on them.

FIRESTARTERS

Cedar shavings (found in the pet section of WalMart or at pet stores. It is meant for the cages of guinea pigs and hamsters)
parifin or candle stumps left from used up candles..any color will do
An old large pot (from a thrift shop or yard sale- you won't be cooking in these things after this)
Cupcake pan (again, from a thrift shop or yard sale)
cupcake liners

Melt the wax on low heat on the stove. Watch it, wax can be flammable if overheated. Fill cupcake liners with cedar shavings (don't pack it too tightly) Pour melted wax over cedar shavings. Let set up (put in freezer to speed process up) Bag up the fire starters, along with a few pine cones if you like, and instructions for use. When you're done, let any left over wax cool and harden in the pot and store the pot, cedar shavings and cupcake pan for later use. As you have little candle stubbs, simply drop them in the pot and when you're ready to make more, you'll be set.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

Put one of these little babies in the fireplace, beneath the grate. Add some newspaper and your logs on top of the grate. Light the fire stater, and it will burn for a long while, starting up your nice big fire.

Bag a few of these little gems up in a large corsage bag or basket with directions for use and you're finished. These make perfect gifts around the winter holidays for neighbors and friends alike!

**side note here** I will admit that the first time someone gave me a bag of these (my eldest daughter was in Kindergarten and her teacher gave them to the room mothers as Christmas gifts...)and I did think they were some odd kind of bran muffins. (I vividly remember thinking that they looked a bit dry to me.) Luckily, before I tasted one, a fellow room mother announced to me that she was thrilled to get some, because they were the coolest thing for starting a fire.

Comments

[Sher's Creative Expressions]

What a cool idea. I have never heard of this. I always save my dry lint for my fire starter. . . but this looks sssoooooo much better than gray dryer lint! I must try.

Thank you for sharing.

Blessings,

Sher

[Mockingbird Hill]

How cool is this? Never heard of these but that may have something to do with living in Florida! These are easy peasy perfect gifts for our "Yankee" relatives that are seeing cold weather as we speak..and packaging them with pine cones is a great presentation idea. Many thanks once again...

Cassie

[Michelle]

Neat idea! We have a gas fireplace now but those would certainly come in handy if we still had a wood-burning one. Have a wonderful day!

[heartartz]

Cute idea!!!
BUT because wax can be highly flammable if overheated never leave it unattended.
It is safer to melt the wax in a double boiler. You can use a clean old can in a pot of water on low heat on the stove or in water in an eclectic fry pan. An added bonus is cleanup is a breeze!
Also those craft wax melting pots (for wax encaustics) also work GREAT.
Be sure to watch the wax at all times.
And have fun!!!

[Sherry aka Haus Frau]

I'll have to try my hand at these. Amazing idea!

I'm glad you didn't bite into one. Reminds me of when my daughter and I made soap and it looked like divinity. Even with a label on the bag declaring it to be SOAP, the grandparents (3 sets in different states) all took a bite...and announced the divinity to taste like soap. lol.

[Wanda]

Thanks for that idea and instructions. I've printed them out for my file.

[Laura]

Thank you for posting this. I needed just a little something more for my brother to add to his Christmas gift. This will be just right - they are young marrieds, in their first home and it has a perk they weren't expecting - a fireplace. :) These will be perfect!

[Angela (Cottage Magpie)]

Great idea, and a wonderful presentation, too, with the cello bag and pinecones. You have such a knack for putting things together! Thanks for the instructions, too!
~Angela :-)

[Rosie]

Fabulous idea.....thanks for sharing!

[Amy W]

What a wonderful idea- we always used small waxed dixie cups with candle wax and plopped a pine cone inside-- this is so much prettier.
Thanks for sharing!

[GiantsPrincess]

These are so much prettier than the ones we used to make with Girl Scouts. We used egg cartons, sawdust and wax. Toss the egg carton into the camping supplies and tear off one as needed.

[Catherine Holman]

I've never heard of these and look forward to trying them. I love your blog!

[WhichBurner]

Love the blog, thanks for sharing, now to try them out!