There are many things you can use as alternative fire starters, such as newspaper, tree sap, or even dryer lint, but none are quite as cute as these DIY pinecones!
Over her blog, My Own Ideas, designer Rachel Beyer crafted a set of pinecone fire starters to give away as wedding favors. I think they'd also make sweet hostess gits or dinner party favors, especially if you use them as place cards. So collect a few pinecones, grab some candle-making supplies, and get started on this super simple project!
Go to My Own Ideas for the full tutorial.
MORE FIRE STARTERS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• 3 DIY Alternative Fire Starters
• A Better Way to Start Fires: Firestones
• Alternatives to Lighter Fluid: Biomass Firelighters
(Image: My Own Ideas)
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Nomade Express Slee...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
How to Make Buckwheat Soba Noodles from Scratch
I love it! They would also make great Christmas gifts in sets of 2 or 4, and I'd give them in place of the traditional holday gift of tins full of cookies. Maybe those vintage metal index card holders would be tall enough to hold two small pine cones. Anyway, great idea. Thanks for sharing.
When they burn, do they "pop"?
When will AT stop posting 'burning stuff' in the 'green' section? Burning stuff produces all sorts of toxic smoke--only the most efficient wood stoves should be used to avoid polluting the air. More at: http://familiesforcleanair.com or http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/healtheffects.html.
ps yes, I totally get that burning stuff is fun. but it sure isn't green.
This totally makes me think of Gandalf in The Hobbit.
My daughter and I made these for Christmas presents this year. We made them even simpler by just melting down old candle wax in a casserole pan in the oven (used a disposable aluminum one, though we kept it and will probably reuse it for this purpose) and then just dipping the pine cones in the wax and rolling them around in it. We skipped the candle wick business. We also used scented pine cones and candles so they smelled delicious - had to tell one recipient that they weren't to eat!