PETRA AHNERT is the owner and creative force behind Beehive Alchemy. She has been making soaps and body-care products for close to two decades, although the use of honey, beeswax and other bee-related products only came into the picture after she and her boyfriend discovered beekeeping in 2004 and a new business was born. She now sells her wares online (www.beehivealchemy.com) and at regional craft shows and farmers’ markets. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and keeps bees scattered throughout southwest Wisconsin.