Make Your Own Beeswax Firestarter

Summer is officially here and so is campfire season! Have you ever struggled with kindling to get your campfire started? When the kids are ready to roast marshmallows, you need that campfire quickly blazing.

We're here to help! Betterbee's resident crafter, Mel Sandbrook, discovered a way to use your extra beeswax to make fire starters that reliably and quickly light your campfire.

Things you'll need:

• Pulp-based egg carton (not plastic or foam)
• Dry pinecones, bark, sticks, flower petals, or anything you can get your hands on
• Any size waxed wicks
• Beeswax
• Pyrex measuring cup

Step-by-step instructions to make a beeswax fire starter:

1. Go hunting in your yard or in a wooded area and gather a few dried pinecones, bark, sticks, flower petals, or anything else he can find.
   
   
2. Place waxed wicks in egg crate. I curled the bottom to make it stand up for easier placement of your dried nature finds.
   
   
3. You can start placing things in the individual cups of the egg carton. Have fun with these and get creative!
   
   
4. Melt your beeswax while you are playing with your arrangement of pine cones and sticks. When it's fully melted (Mel used about 2 cups for 12 starters), use a Pyrex measuring cup to pour each cup until the wax fills the cup.
   
   
5. Allow the starters to cool for an hour or so, then clip these apart with scissors and let fully cure before storing them for that special evening!

Hope you enjoyed this fun little project! It's a great way to recycle and make something creative and useful, too. Try adding a little essential oil like cinnamon, lavender, or a favorite scent to throw a personal touch into your fire starters. These make nice gifts for the campers or bonfire enthusiasts in your life. They are also perfect for starting indoor fireplaces! Happy summer fun, y'all!