Liz is at my house! Talented, fun, organized Liz. We have been trading skills lately, and, today she is here to help tame my kitchen pantry. There’s the bucket of lard I haven’t any idea what to do with. I never use the stuff. I am in a I’ll-do-whatever-you-suggest-mood and brace myself for adding another item to the ‘give to someone who’ll use it’ option. (who do I know that uses LARD ?!) But no – Liz is not only talented, fun and organized – she is frugal. And SHE says, “I’ll show you how to make button lamps and you can put it in your emergency supplies.” I am intrigued. A What Lamp?
Here’s what I needed: the now-interesting lard (or any fat or oil), a 3x3 in. piece of 100% cotton fabric, a penny (the pioneers would have used a metal button, hence the name), thread, and a plate to set it on to burn and, of course, matches. Set the penny in the center of fabric and gather the ends up with the thread into a charming li’l bundle.
Ta-da. See? Isn’t it as cute as a Hershey kiss?
Coat the whole thing with the lard and set it into a smearing of the stuff too.
Now, strike a match! (yelled the NOSM-private family joke-sorry. Call me to name where that saying comes from.)
Add fuel to your little button lamp by pouring a tablespoon of oil or melted solid fat to the base. It will wick up the oil and burn quite brightly for about a half hour per tablespoon. Keep adding as long as you want light. But remember, this little baby is a one time burn. After she goes out, you’ll have to fashion a new one. If you’re using a solid fat and have no electricity, just melt it over the flame in a metal measuring spoon or cup.
Liz tells me that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about doing this in her book The Long Winter. I remember loving that book, and read it while enduring a long, Canadian winter. But I don’t remember that part. The boys are going to love this while we finish reading Farmer Boy. My Wolf Cubs are going to hear about this too. I maintain that being frugal is most fun when you don’t HAVE to be.
