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Pine Cone Holiday Crafts

You can make these natural crafts gifts from pine cones you gather in your yard or neighborhood or from a bag of cones purchased at a craft store.

You need enough melted wax to completely cover your largest pine cone. To figure out how much wax you actually need, wind a 12 inch length of butcher's string around the layers of the pine cone to create a hanger/handle for dipping. Suspend the largest cone into the can and make a mark on the can just above the top of the cone.

1. Place the can in a pot of water on the stove and turn on low to medium low heat. Add small pieces of wax to the can and continue until the melted wax reaches the cone height mark.
2. Remove from heat and stir in coloring agents or essential oils.
   
   Holding pine cone by the string handle, dip slowly into the wax until the cone is just covered.
3. Gently remove and let the wax drip back into the can.
4. Place the cone on wax paper and allow to harden completely. Repeat with remaining cones.
   

Build fire using kindling above and below 1 firestarter. Light the string handle (now a wick) or a wax cone edge.

Place 3 to 5 pine cones in the bottom of basket, then twine a few pieces of garland between the pine cones.

Loosely arrange the lights among the pine cones and garland. Continue to build uplayers of pine cones, garland and lights until your basket is attractively filled.

Conceal cord and lightset plug.

Decorate basket handle or rim with ribbons, lace, and a sprig of silk greenery, poinsettia blossom, or holly.

For extra fragrance, add potpourri or essential oil to the pine cones before assembling.

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