We have thousands of healthy ladies in our yard now, after a terrible winter that seemed to decimate the bee population across the country. So this year we are getting honey. And next year, maybe some wax!

As everyone knows, I adore the library. And while we were attempting this year’s Passport (visit every library), I made a point of taking out at least one book from each library we visited.

And so, I grabbed Beeswax Alchemy, by Petra Ahnert. And I was delighted.

This book is pretty, fun to simply glance through. But it’s also informative, with great step by step written instructions, illustrated with gorgeous photographs.

It’s a book full of ideas on things to do with beeswax, from tiny amounts to huge ones. Petra covers everything from making lip balm to heel balm, from luminaries to dipped candles. Any amount of wax you have can be used in a project, as some of them only use a few grams.

My personal favorite thing in the book is her use of plantain, that ubiquitous weed we see everywhere. It’s a remarkable little plant, and I am so happy to see her using it in her herbal concoctions.

If you have some wax you want to play with, I highly recommend grabbing this book. I plan on going back to it soon, when I have a bit more time and a bit more wax to spare.