Beeswax alchemy : how to make your own candles, soap, balms, salves and home décor from the hive

Title:

Author:

Ahnert, Petra, author.

ISBN:

9781592539796

Personal Author:

Ahnert, Petra, author.

Publication Information:

Beverly, MA : Quarry Books, 2015.

Physical Description:

136 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm

General Note:

Includes index.

Contents:

Preface -- Introduction to beeswax -- The wax -- Candle making -- Balms and bars -- Salves, creams and scrubs -- Soaps -- Home products -- Beeswax art -- Ingredients guide.

Abstract:

Offers a basic introduction to the art of extracting and purifying beeswax, as well as countless ideas for what to make with it. These include skin care creams, candles, and other home products like beeswax ornaments and wax fabric.

Subject Term:

Beeswax craft.

Document ID:

SD_ILS:2211157

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Library	Collection	Collection	Call Number	Status
Searching... Auberry Branch Library (Fresno Co.)	Searching... Unknown	Non-fiction Area	745.59332 AHN	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Visalia Library (Tulare Co.)	Searching... Unknown	Non-Fiction Area	638.17 AHN	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Featuring over 40 DIY projects that illustrate how to transform one of the world's most natural ingredients into tangible creations, Beeswax Alchemy is the perfect amalgamation of recipe craft book and beekeepers' guide.

Considered the miracle of the beehive and used by humans for 8,000 years, beeswax remains a vital ingredient to society and is still used as the foundation for many household products in the twenty-first century. Learn from apiarist and entrepreneur Petra Ahnert about the history of beeswax , as well as tips and techniques on how to mold it into beautiful, reusable creations .

An introduction details the different ways in which beeswax has been used throughout history, as well as the products that contain it today. You'll also find an explanation of the different types of beeswax, as well as insider tips on working with beeswax , followed by step-by-step instructions for making candles , balms , salves , creams , scrubs , soaps , ornaments , art , and more out of beeswax (either your own or store-bought). Color photos illustrate the processes and show finished results throughout. Among the useful and beautiful things you'll learn to make out of beeswax:

Hand-Dipped Birthday Candles Lip Balm with Cocoa Butter Rosebud Salve Solid Natural Perfumes Honey, Oats, and Beeswax Soap Beeswax Luminaries

Whether you are an expert beekeeper or experimental crafter, Beeswax Alchemy is the best guide for anyone aspiring to make wellness-boosting treasures to keep or gift to friends and family.

Author Notes

Petra Ahnert is the creative force behind Beehive Alchemy (beehivealchemy.com), an artisan soap, body care, and home goods business. After a serendipitous meeting with a beekeeper at the library in 2002, Petra soon had a couple hives of her own and extra honey to sell. Since that time, she has sought out ways to make good use of the extra wax, too, often replacing items in her home with ones she can create herself. Eventually, these beeswax-based items made their way into the product line-up for Beehive Alchemy and the projects featured in her book, Beeswax Alchemy .

Reviews (1)

Library Journal Review

Beeswax is a wonderful, malleable and beneficial product that has a wide array of possible uses. This attractive book has a lot to offer for the intermediate do-it-yourselfer. In her debut book, businesswoman Ahnert provides an excellent introduction and solid technique instruction to make candles, lotions, and soaps with beeswax. The joint and muscle cream is unusual, as is the herb-infused oil base. In comparison, the section on wax candles seems perfunctory, and the use of wax in art and fabric applications is weak. Some ingredients and tools are very specialized and not available in neighborhood craft stores. VERDICT Go elsewhere for batik or candle making. The true strength of this book is its instructions for making homemade body products. While similar in coverage to Leeann Coleman and Jayne Barnes's Honey Crafting, Ahnert's book provides better body products and more detailed technical instruction. Strongly recommended. © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.