The Creative Hive NZ

The Creative Hive NZ Handmade heirlooms & fabulosities including 100% pure NZ beeswax candles Beeswax Chandler in Aotearoa

22/08/2026

Save the date 📆

✨ We’re back! ✨

The Creative Hive is so excited to be returning to the annual Pirongia Craft Day on Saturday, 27 September! 🕯️🐝

Come say hi, browse our handmade goodies, and soak up the awesome community vibe this local event always brings. We can’t wait to see you there!

📍 Pirongia
📅 Saturday 27 September

✨The biggest lesson from this experience?Don't judge beeswax by one bad candle.Real beeswax candles should burn beautifu...
14/08/2026

✨

The biggest lesson from this experience?

Don't judge beeswax by one bad candle.

Real beeswax candles should burn beautifully when the wax is properly cleaned, wicked, tested and crafted.

This week, the customer walked away understanding something important:

🐝 Beeswax isn't the product 🐝 Craftsmanship is the product

Anyone can pour wax into a mould.

Creating a candle that burns correctly from beginning to end is an entirely different skill.

Next week I'll take you behind the scenes and show exactly how I prepare our beeswax before it ever becomes a Creative Hive candle.

Because quality starts long before the wick is lit, this wax ended up being filtered four times before it was clean enough to become a candle in the Creative Hive 🐝

🔥 Here's the truth most candle makers won't tell you.Good beeswax candles don't happen by accident.Every step matters an...
13/08/2026

🔥 Here's the truth most candle makers won't tell you.

Good beeswax candles don't happen by accident.

Every step matters and it takes time:

✅ Cleaning the wax ✅ Filtering impurities ✅ Testing burn performance ✅ Matching the correct wick to the candle size ✅ Regular quality checks

Skip any of those steps and the candle can:

• Tunnel • Smoke • Self-extinguish • Waste wax • Leave customers disappointed

That's exactly what happened here.

The customer thought beeswax was the problem.

But beeswax wasn't the problem at all.

The process was.

Tomorrow I'll reveal the difference proper craftsmanship makes.

Trust me... the transformation surprised even me

🐝✨

Part two - Look what I found👀🐝🔎 When I looked closer, the clues were everywhere.The wick was too small for the size of t...
11/08/2026

Part two - Look what I found👀🐝

🔎 When I looked closer, the clues were everywhere.

The wick was too small for the size of the candle.

But that wasn't the biggest problem.

Look closely and you can actually see impurities throughout the wax.

🐝 Bee fragments 🍯 Honey residue 🌿 Propolis

These naturally occur in raw wax, but if they aren't removed correctly before candle making, they affect how a candle burns.

The candle also felt sticky to touch.

That told me even more.

What seemed like "poor quality beeswax" was actually poor candle making.

All of the candle bits and candles weighed just over 900gm in weight when the customer handed them over, that's a lot of wax!

Follow along if you'd like to see what happens next. 🔥🍯

🚨 Not all beeswax candles are equal 🐝A customer recently arrived at The Creative Hive with several beeswax candles purch...
10/08/2026

🚨 Not all beeswax candles are equal 🐝

A customer recently arrived at The Creative Hive with several beeswax candles purchased elsewhere.

The verdict?

❌ They tunneled ❌ The flame kept going out ❌ They looked ugly ❌ They left a mess ❌ They smelt funny ❌ They'd almost given up on beeswax completely 😔

At first glance, I could see something wasn't right.

What most people don't realise is that just because something is labelled as "beeswax" doesn't mean it's been made properly, there sems to be a lot of people selling beeswax candles all of a sudden.

And what I discovered next explained everything...

👀 Part 2 later this week

✨ People often ask how I manage a full-time career, study and a candle business.The honest answer?Not perfectly.There ha...
03/08/2026

✨ People often ask how I manage a full-time career, study and a candle business.

The honest answer?

Not perfectly.
There have been early mornings, late nights, airport lounges, assignments, market preparation and a lot of coffee & gin 💛☕

But I've learned that you don't have to choose between being ambitious and being creative.

You can build a career.
You can keep learning.
And you can still make time for the things that light you up.

For me, that's creating beautiful beeswax candles by hand, in the traditional way.

Thank you for being here and following along with both sides of my journey. 🐝💛

If you're balancing work, family, study or a side business, leave a 🐝 in the comments. I'd love to cheer you on.

One minute I'm overlooking Brisbane. The next I'm back home dipping candles.This view is a long way from my little candl...
01/08/2026

One minute I'm overlooking Brisbane. The next I'm back home dipping candles.

This view is a long way from my little candle studio in the Bay of Plenty.

Work often takes me across to Australia, meeting with teams and supporting our people 🥑🥭🍋

I love the challenge, the learning and the opportunity to make a difference.

But no matter where I travel, I'm always collecting ideas, inspiration and stories that somehow find their way back into The Creative Hive 🐝💛

🐝💻It's a reminder that we're never just one thing 🕯

Do you have more than one passion in life? Tell me what they are below, I'd love to hear your story. 👇

🐝✨ We're Heading to the German Winter Market! ✨🐝We're so excited to be attending the German Winter Market this Saturday ...
31/07/2026

🐝✨ We're Heading to the German Winter Market! ✨🐝

We're so excited to be attending the German Winter Market this Saturday at The Crossing Community Centre, Titirangi, from 3pm to 7pm.

The event will feature traditional German-inspired food, pretzels, sausages, food trucks, market stalls, and plenty of winter atmosphere.

I'll be bringing a beautiful selection of my 100% pure New Zealand beeswax candles, including the children's candle dipping workshops and some winter favourites and of course there will be plenty of handcrafted candles perfect for adding a warm glow to your home.

There's something rather magical about wandering a winter market with twinkling lights, delicious food, and unique handcrafted goodies. 💛

Whether you're looking for a special gift or simply want to treat yourself, I'd love to see you there.

📍 Event Details
📅 Saturday 1 August
⏰ 3pm - 7pm
📍 The Crossing Community Centre, Titirangi

👇
If you're coming along, let me know in the comments and tell me which beeswax candle you'd love to see at the market! Better yet, tag a friend who'd enjoy a great winter market evening. 🐝💛



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Most people are surprised when they find out candles aren't my day job. 🐝By day I'm a Group Manager of People & Safety f...
31/07/2026

Most people are surprised when they find out candles aren't my day job. 🐝

By day I'm a Group Manager of People & Safety for a Horticultural company in New Zealand.

That means employment law, leadership, wellbeing, safety, strategy, and at least once a quarter jumping across the ditch to our Brisbane business.

Over the past couple of years, I've also completed my Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety Management, and I still genuinely love learning.

Then I come home, swap the laptop for beeswax, and head to the candle studio.

Two very different worlds.

Both are a huge part of who I am.
🐝💛

I'd love to know, what do you do outside of work that lights you up? Tell me in the comments. 👇

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Aongatete
3178

Telephone

+64212039554

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