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Welcome to Riches to Rags by Dori. This is a place where I share a little bit of everything. My experiences, the good the bad and the ugly. Life isn't easy but worth living and my hope is that we can get through it together.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Homemade Fire Starters with items you already have.




FINALLY! DIY HOMEMADE FIRE STARTERS WITH ITEMS YOU ALREADY HAVE!

You might have seen on my blog before some Fire Starters I was excited to make with the Pine Cones that I got in a basket at the Thrift Store. Well, on my search for what else I needed I found out that NO WHERE in Rock Springs, WY can I find the items that I needed to make them. We don't have a craft store here that I apparently really took for granted when I lived in Utah. So, I have been on a mission to make my own. I have tried several things that I thought would be great ideas that didn't work.

I am so sick of using paper that doesn't work and makes a HUGE mess in the Fire Place!!!!!!  Last night was the last straw, I had had enough. I went to the Internet to find Fire Starters I could make with the things I already had and didn't require a trip to the craft store. After searching I FOUND IT! Thank goodness for the website Wisdom of the Moon that shared this great idea and can be used for CAMPING as well! I had everything in my house already that I needed to make these great Fire Starters and it was so easy! Are you ready??????  OK, here is what you will need.


  • Empty Egg Carton - Already had on hand. FREE
  • Lint - Pulled it out of dryer. FREE
  • Old Candle - FREE
That's it!  I normally would just use an old candle that I got from the Thrift Store that is already in a jar which I will use next time, but I was out so I just grated this old one I had in storage and it worked fine. You can ALWAYS find new and used candles at the Thrift Store for super cheap and you can melt it right in the jar. You can't get any cheaper than that!

So here's how I did it. 

Take pieces of dryer lint and stick them down into the egg holders. 



Put the jar in a pan of water but make sure you keep it on a bare simmer. Just wait until it melts....


Pick up jar with a hot pad (one that fits your hand will work better)


Pour over lint....


Let dry......


When dry, you can cut them or rip them apart. 




That's it! You are done. Is that simple or what? I put them in this bowl to take a picture but I will put them in something with a secure lid by the fire.



Of course I had to test it out immediately, I had a war to win!


I let the egg carton portion......so far so good...


The prices are ridiculous on Firestarters in the stores. Almost everyone eats eggs, has a dryer and a candle. If you don't have candles grab a bunch at the Thrift Store. 



I will be making several more batches of these. It is cold here in WYOMING! I will also store some away in a ziploc bag for the summer when we go camping. These would also make a great gift if you fancied them up in some cute basket! 



 Thanks for stopping by!

Dori




3 comments :

  1. this is so interesting to me! we use the expensive fire logs a lot..they are so easy! BUT.. we eat a whole lot of eggs and do a whole lot of laundry...I am going to give this as a project to one of my kids...thaks!!
    I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.

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  2. Thanks! You will be so happy to see how easy they are and how well they burn. We go through sooooo many eggs and dryer lint! I followed your blog as well. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  3. Does it leave a waxy residue on the surface it burns on after the fire is out?

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