2 Ways to Preserve Autumn Leaves
Autumn leaves are one of the most beautiful and natural materials you can craft with. The crimson, orange and burnt umber tones are so gorgeous, it makes sense to make them last a little longer! Here we have two fabulous projects showing two different ways to preserve autumnal leaves, using wax and a laminator.
Waxing autumn leaves to preserve them means that you can craft with them knowing that they won't shrink and shrivel or disrupt the look of your projects. Once waxed, the leaves can be made into hanging garlands, wreaths and all manner of seasonal displays.
Laminated leaves are such a fun activity to enjoy, particularly with kids. Watching the colours intensify when put through the laminator is such fun, and the laminated pictures can then be made into placemats, wall hangings or autumnal bunting.
Projects and instructions by Georgia Coote.
You will need
You will also need:
* Autumn leaves
* A spoon to mix the wax
The amount of wax you need will depend on the size of the leaves you have, however a rough scale of one teaspoon per leaf is a good place to start.
Melt the wax, if you have a specialist wax melter you could use that, or you can use a bain-marie or a microwave in short bursts stirring between each one. The wax should be smooth, transparent, and easy to mix.
Arrange the leaves on the coloured card and then close the pouch on top of them, ensuring you don't move the leaves too much as you do so.
Heat up the laminator and guide the pouch through the machine.
Leave to cool. Your laminated leaves are now complete!
Trim off the edges of your coloured card so that it is roughly 1cm smaller than the laminating pouch on all sides. Place the card inside the pouch, ensuring there is a 1cm gap on all sides.
Please Note: If you wish to cut out your leaves afterwards, you will need to omit the coloured card, as otherwise the laminate will not hold together.
