Teachers Gifts - Stocking Stuffers - Kris Kringle - "Great to Just have in the Cupboard" Gifts under $25

Seems we're at the pointy end of the year from a gift giving point of view... and so a little, gentle, oh-so-sweet reminder that we'd love to solve all your gift giving woes for you! We cater for both the complete control freaks who arrive with lists (with whom I have immediate affinity :-0) and for our many male customers who send us a list of the people they want gifts for (+ essential details) and a budget and we pick, pack & wrap. Whether you're looking for a gift for a special teacher, a little something meaningful in the stocking, a kris kringle gift or a sustainable, Australian made gift for all of your staff and clients we've got it covered. As I write this, I'm ponder the words and philosophy of another blog I read, Whole Larder Love. Rohan speaks a lot about the impact on the planet of consumerism and, on many levels I agree. I reconcile what I do (selling beeswax candles and other, beautiful, Australian made products) because I know that what we do does actually make a difference to many lives and many businesses. When you buy a Queen B candle you are supporting Australian beekeepers and the regional communities they live in as well as our staff and our many Australian suppliers. Don't let that just wash over you as being marketing spin (it isn't). Think about it for a moment. Our beekeepers (and their hard working bees) put food on our plates, flowers in our gardens, herbs and veggies in our patches and the caramelised sunlight that we call honey in just about anything tasty. They're worth fighting for. They're worth supporting and hopefully we bring you a product that makes it easy and affordable for you to show that support. The fact that you also get to bathe in the natural wonder that is bee-created light is a bonus. And, oh, what a bonus. Even after a decade of making beeswax candles, the flame of a Bee Light candle can still stop me, as it grabs me by the eye-balls and demands that I get into the moment NOW. Right now. If you've never noticed the aura/halo that that surrounds the flame of a pure beeswax candle (versus the paraffin tealight candle on the right), take a look the next time you light a beeswax candle. It truly is extraordinary. I'll leave it at that. The literature says that the answer to getting people to read your blog (or newsletters) is to do short posts! I find that next to impossible because there is so much thought behind everything that we do... and I just like a good chat. As an aside, because it's lovely to share a little of the magic that goes on at Queen B... you may know if you've followed us for a while that our continued survival is due, in some part, to 'angels' who turn up weekly as volunteers to package the candles. It wasn't something that I dreamed up, but someone, somewhere realised I needed help and it arrived. Many of the angels who have helped have had terminal cancer and so their numbers have dwindled over the years. At the same time Queen B has been growing. We're now very reliant on the couple of remaining angels (and mum and dad are being called in with alarming regularity to get me through a fix)! About a week ago I said to Sarah (the same Sarah who writes the beautiful notes on your invoices) we desperately need more angels but I have no idea how you go about finding angels! Fast forward a week. A woman (we'll call her Robin) calls yesterday morning. She's local. Googled for beeswax candles. Popped in to the hive. We had a lovely chat and off she went with bags full of beeswax candles (and some of the DIVINE Dinosaur Designs stuff we've got in store). A few hours later she was back. This time I was upstairs and she was looked after by Sarah. Now it may have had something to do with the fact that I was supposed to be doing MYOB, but I could hear their conversation and I hear Robin say 'if you're ever looking for a volunteer... a spare set of hands... someone to help out, I'd love to come and just spend time here and help you'. I seriously almost vaulted off the mezzanine level. Certainly not many of the stairs were touched as I flew down them. I could have (and I think I may have) hugged her! All the while saying a silent word of thanks to the powers that bee. Amazing... and nothing really to do with kris kringle or stocking stuffers or teachers gifts - but my favourite part of this post! If you did make it to the end - thank you! Cate xx __________________________________________________________________________ Queen B beeswax candles are made with 100% pure Australian beeswax a pure cotton wick and copious amounts of hand made love. We stock beautiful and stylish candle holders, personalised candles, votive candles and pillar candles that nourish the human spirit and our environment.