Pyromania

I have always loved playing with matches - the sudden rush of concentrated heat, the movement of the light and the smell of chemicals when you strike it or blow it out. At church as a child I always used to go and dip my fingers in the wax of the pillar candles after services. Generally it was necessary to warm myself up.

A few years ago I bought myself a wood burning pen, or pyrography machine, to do pyrography, which is legitimate burning of stuff. I've only really burnt things onto wood so far. It takes a lot of concentration and I've burnt myself several times. It's a nice craft to huddle over in winter though and I'm glad I bought the gadget as it was about £12 and has provided hours of fun. (I don't think my housemate was keen as I had set the alarm for our building off not long before by playing 'calorimeter' with a lighter and the contents of my biscuit tin. I think I'm making up for not having a chemistry set as a child.)

So here's some of the Christmas presents I made when I got it:
A set of coasters for my Mum....

I also did a set of Matroska dolls for Nan that had a different size and colour combo on each. I backed them with thin cork and varnished them with cheap pound shop varnish that stank to high heaven.
And a house number for my Smiley Sister who had just moved house....

I've not done much lately. I hate a great big 1 1/2 foot diameter wooden platter but am thinking what to decorate it with and who it could be for.