Assorted Trifles
What's in my hand?
Some old ash trays- no, nobody here smokes, but my grand-dad did, and my uncle collected colored glass, so I ended up with three or four. They make GREAT candle-holders, especially nice for the larger pillar candles.
Old scarves- stitch them together (just a simple straight edged stitch) for a warm and fun blanket.
Drier lint and an old candle (or crayon scraps): Until recently, my husband has always used gas to start our bonfires, trash fires, and campfires. Recently, we were camping with a large group of people and when it came time to start the fire, our son asked, "But where's the gas?" One of our fellow campers works for FEMA and he took my husband aside and begged him to try drier lint fire starters instead. Bless that man. Incidentally, we're not bothering with the whole close the egg carton, make a whole in it and pour wax thing- their fire starters are the size of half an egg. If they need more, they'll use two.
Use household items for your own resusable personal products.
related posts:
- Assorted Trifles A favorite birthday present for two of my girls when...
8 Responses to “Assorted Trifles”
October 24th, 2008 at 7:58 am
What does the crayons do for the fire starter? I understand the lint. If it just to hold it togeather? Or for longer time to burn to start the fire? Or does it make pretty colors?
October 24th, 2008 at 10:17 am
We’ve used egg carton fire starters for years, but you don’t even need the lint. We simply melt old candles in a can on the stove, tear cardboard egg cartons into pieces and pour the wax over them. The wax makes the carton burn long enough to catch your kindling on fire. Works every time, unless we didn’t put enough kindling.
October 24th, 2008 at 11:24 am
We do not smoke in our home, but I have found several beautiful ash trays over the years and refused to buy them because I don’t want to even give the appearance of, or invite smoking into our home. I never thought about putting pillar candles in them though. Great idea!! Thanks!
October 24th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
The crayon is wax. Wax burns. Most people with children have old broken crayons laying around.
The wax both binds the lint together and makes it burn hotter and longer.
October 26th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Be careful using dryer lint. I worked at GS camps for years and we fazed out dryer lint due to all the chemicals that are in dryer sheets. Our concern is that by burning the lint we would be releasing chemicals. Sawdust is a great alternative. If you don’t have any around most woodworker or lumberyards will give you theirs.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:12 am
quilter mom- we need the lint because we pop the lint and wax fire starters out and reuse the cartons for the eggs we buy from a local homestead.=)
October 27th, 2008 at 10:01 am
But we don’t use dryer sheets. They aren’t frugal.=) We also make our own laundry soap, so I don’t think I need to worry about the chemicals.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Oh my. Gas can explode! That is so dangerous. I have two friends who were disfigured by a gas explosion that occurred when they were having a bonfire.
I wouldn’t worry about the chemicals from the lint any more than I would about the chemicals coming out of the crayon or candle wax.
Leave a Comment