I've always been an outdoorsy girl...a tomboy from birth, it seems.  Growing up in the country like I did meant that hardly a week went by where I didn't play outside from dusk 'til dawn and sometimes even sleep at night beneath the stars.  Being an avid camper and hiker, I'm definitely no stranger to campfires, until that is, I moved to the city.

Now, I'm smack dab in the middle of suburbia and a good 'ol fashioned campfire would not only be dangerous, but would also ruin our lawn which we work hard to keep looking its best.  I've dreamed of adding a fire pit or fire bowl to our patio decor for years.  That way, I could bring a bonafide camping adventure right to my own backyard and make some wonderful family memories with my daughter.

AvantGardenDecor.com offers almost anything and everything you can think of relating to the great outdoors and they were kind enough to allow me to review one of their EXCLUSIVE fire bowls from CobraCo.  Keep reading to learn more!

Pick the Right Fire Pit for You!

Fire pits are great for backyard barbecues and impromptu camp outs!  They are also great for quiet reflection and relaxation after a long hectic day, or a focal point for entertaining family and friends.  Fire pits come in a variety of styles – fire pits, bowls, rings, and tubs are just a few.

• Fire tubs are designed with straight, deeper sides and a flat base.  These taller, straight sides enable you to use more wood to build larger, but still controlled fires.
• Fire bowls are designed with shallower sides.  Using less wood than tubs, bowls offer the choice of building a smaller, cozier fire and feature sleeker styling and the availability of more decorative frames and finishes.
• The fireplace offers cozy, traditional styling in an outdoor setting.
• The campfire ring is a great item to take with you when you go camping.  Several decorative ring patterns are available and all enable you to safely contain your campfire.
• Barbecues provide one of the most fun and creative means of entertaining. Backyard barbeques in particular will create an instant ambiance whether the occasion is planned or spontaneous.

Situate comfortable seating around your fire pit and serve cocktails, make s’mores, or roast foods on long forks for a casual dinner.  The best place for barbecues is in the open where there are no hazardous obstacles interfering. Barbecues also work well on patios. Choose a fire pit style that matches your outdoor area or plan your backyard style around the look of your fire pit.

The beauty of portable fire pits, bowls, rings and tubs, is that these can be moved depending on the time of year and weather.

The CobraCo. Copper Mission Fire Bowl from AvantGardenDecor.com is a top of the line fire bowl which will add plenty of ambiance and atmosphere to your patio or backyard.  It's composed of an easy-to-assemble mission-style frame, 100% solid copper fire bowl and heavy-duty spark guard cover.  Add the matching metal grate to the bottom and you are all ready to enjoy a cozy outdoor fire with family and friends.

I absolutely LOVE the look and design of this fire bowl and can't wait to put it to good use in a few weeks when my family has our first backyard campout, centered around the CobraCo. Copper Mission Fire Bowl!  We'll be roasting weenies, marshmallows, and of course, making some amazing s'mores all in our own backyard.

Expert Tips on How to Make S'mores

The original recipe on how to make s'mores appeared in the American Girl Scout Handbook back in 1927.  This recipe utilized Graham crackers – first invented by Sylvester Graham way back in 1829, before anyone knew how to make s'mores – plus chocolate and marshmallows.

1. Use Graham crackers which are more like cookies than crackers.

2. Get the crackers and chocolate ready before you toast the marshmallows. You can ‘roast’ them over a stove burner or use long metal forks for roasting over an outdoor fire pit or grill.

3. Marshmallows are ready when slightly brown outside and runny inside.

4. Sandwich chocolate with a toasted marshmallow between a halved cracker and squeeze together gently.

If you want to know how to make s'mores the Mexican way, use flour tortillas with crunchy peanut butter, chocolate chips and marshmallow. If you want to know how to make s'mores that are cold, spread peanut butter and instant chocolate pudding on Graham crackers and add whipped topping instead of marshmallows.

Right now, the 100% copper bowl looks bright and shiny, but because it has been left unfinished on purpose, we can enjoy watching it transform over time into a beautiful, weathered patina.  When not in use, we can shelter it from the elements using the included protective vinyl cover so that leaves and rain can't enter inside the bowl itself.

If you'd like to update your patio or backyard for the sublime weather that lies ahead, don't hesitate to shop the large selection of yard decor, planters and fire pits from AvantGardenDecor.com.  Their vast array of high-quality products coupled with excellent customer service will make you one satisfied customer.

Disclosure: I received the CobraCo Copper Mission Fire Bowl from AvantGardenDecor.com in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. This product review is based on my own personal experiences with this item and is completely honest and objective.