How to save autumn leaves for a bouquet. How to dry autumn leaves

Wax autumn leaves do it yourself step by step with a photo

natural material This is a fun thing, but short-lived. After some time, the moisture from the collected leaves evaporates, they become brittle and brittle, and lose their color. How to prolong life and decorative look? You can make wax autumn leaves that retain their shape and color for a long time.
Material Description: the master class will be useful for older students, teachers, parents.
Purpose: room decoration, decorative bouquets.
Target: creation of a decorative bouquet.
Tasks:
- develop creative abilities
- educate accuracy, perseverance
For work we need:
1.Fresh autumn leaves.
2. Candles (the most common white candles).
3. Baking paper or foil (we will put leaves on it to dry).
4. The saucepan and container for the water bath are better wide so that your largest leaves can easily enter there.
5. Stove, kitchen.

The process itself is:
1. We melt the candles in a water bath. (Amount - so that you can freely dip the leaf, about 1.5 -2 cm from the bottom of the container.) Once the wax has melted, reduce the heat to a minimum to maintain heat.

2. We spread baking paper or foil near the stove - the leaves will dry on it so that they do not stick to the surface. The distance from the plate to the foil should be minimal, ideally cover the edge of the plate as well, otherwise it will take a long time to scrape off drops of wax.
3. When the wax becomes liquid, dip the leaf into it, turn it over so that the wax covers it on both sides, 5-7 seconds will be enough.

Take it out and let the droplets of wax run right over the pan. To do this, first hold it for 6 seconds down with the tips, then, if it is dense, turn it a little to completely cut off all the drops and so that no accumulated wax remains on the tips.

Then quickly place the sheet on the foil or baking paper face up. The sheet dries quickly - in about 1 minute. After a couple of minutes, the leaves can already be used in the work. Foil or baking paper should be periodically cleaned of drops of wax, or put a new one so that the drops do not stick to the leaves. When you put the sheet to dry - a small droplet may remain on the tip and go beyond it - after drying, this droplet can be easily removed manually with a knife or fingers, but in such a way as not to damage the entire coating of the sheet.

If a child participates in the process, then he must be at least 7 years old, and then he can dip the leaves into the wax himself, but only with a long petiole and after a thorough explanation of how hot the wax is. As soon as the child is tired, let him become a spectator. But in general, this activity, although interesting, is not for kids.

The maple leaf shape is easily recognizable. It can be seen on the Canadian flag, and indeed, there are hardly any people in Russia who cannot imagine it. Maples are very beautiful in autumn: their leaves acquire beautiful colour, somehow in a special way they smell. Children and adults collect them in beautiful yellow-orange bouquets, which, perhaps, can be called symbols of golden autumn.

But they are not stored in this form for a very long time. How to extend their life? And what else can you do with them? In fact, there are a lot of options. First of all, you need to choose the right leaves: they must be quite fresh, the process of decay should not yet begin in them. Having collected enough, you can think about how to save them. The most popular way is to iron them through sheets of newspaper. This will help remove excess moisture from the leaves and prevent rotting. But this measure can somewhat spoil their beautiful color. Another well-known way is to put maple leaves in a book for a while, it will not hurt it if you lay newspaper blanks for the herbarium. But a couple of months, in order for the result to be sure to be good, you will have to wait.

So, what can be done with dried leaves? Firstly, the same bouquet that will last much longer, especially if you cover it special composition used by florists.

Secondly, they can be used for applications, herbariums and similar crafts. Some even make them beautiful roses, folding in a special way several leaves around each other. Such flowers can be covered with paint and made into beautiful Christmas decorations, especially since handwork is now very much appreciated, especially if it is such an exclusive.

In addition to the decorative function, maple leaves can play the role medicinal product, they are widely used in folk recipes. So, it is believed that they have wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties, and

can also serve as an antiemetic, diuretic, antipyretic. There is even an opinion that Maple Leaf has an analgesic effect. However, it is better not to use such funds without consulting a doctor, since only a professional can choose the right medicine for the patient.

By the way, not all maples have the same leaf shape, but there are about 160 species in this genus. The number of their shares differs, they can be round or more

elongated. But almost all nations in one way or another revere these trees, they have a place in the famous Japanese gardens, maple leaves inspire poets and composers to create poems and songs.

In addition, it is valuable wood and an excellent honey plant. In Canada, of which it is a symbol, it has long been made from it, which is added to desserts. This is how important this tree is for a person. No matter how useful and practical maple is, it is simply beautiful, and its leaves can long remind romantic natures of warm autumn days and people who were nearby.

This year, my daughter and I very thoroughly, like squirrels, stocked up on autumn leaves, and all kinds of nuts, acorns, and cones. The older the child becomes, the more interesting it is to make crafts from all this material - the daughter does more and more herself, and often we just do something nearby, mother - her own, child - her own. It's very nice to spend time like this. I already mentioned on FB that we made stamps from autumn leaves and apples - so addicted to it! And this fall for the first time made "wax" leaves - preserved leaves in stearin and wax. I had never tried this before and simply dried the leaves - in the open air, in the sand, or soaked in glycerin. I love floristry and I'm good at it. Now mastered new technology which we both love. It is not complicated at all and gives a very effective result. Now not all the leaves have flown around yet, and you can also try to make wax autumn leaves that retain their shape and color for a long time.

I don’t traditionally take pictures of a detailed master class, but I can describe everything in words. Let there be just a lot of photos of the result.

So we need:

1. Fresh autumn leaves (ideally - maple leaves with petioles);
2. Natural wax or stearin candles (I have the most common white IKEA candles, you can use transparent candles or special sets for making candles. The final result depends on the type of wax - everything can be learned by experience.);
3. Baking paper or foil; (we will put leaves to dry on it);
4. A saucepan and a container for a water bath - better wide, so that your largest leaves can easily enter there;
5. A wooden board or dish, tray, baking sheet, where ready-made leaves will be temporarily stored and dried;
6. Stove, kitchen, free time and positive mood.

The process itself is:

1. Melt the wax or stearin in a water bath. (Amount - so that you can freely dip the leaf, about 1.5 -2 cm from the bottom of the container.) As soon as the wax has melted, reduce the heat to a minimum to maintain heat.

2. We spread baking paper or foil near the stove - the leaves will dry on it so that they do not stick to the surface. The distance from the plate to the foil should be minimal, ideally cover the edge of the plate with foil, otherwise it will then be necessary to scrape off drops of wax or paraffin for a long and dreary time.

3. We take the leaf by the petiole with our hands and quickly dip it into stearin (wax). Make sure that it is all - all dipped, but do not boil it in water for a long time - 6-10 seconds will be enough. Take it out and let the droplets of wax run right over the pan. To do this, first hold it for 6 seconds down with the tips, then, if it is dense, turn it a little to completely cut off all the drops and so that no accumulated wax remains on the tips. Then quickly place the sheet face up on the foil or baking paper. The sheet dries quickly - in about half a minute. After it, you can immediately transfer it to the same baking sheet or dish, where the leaves will finally dry out or wait in line for use in crafts. But after a minute - two leaves can already be used in the work. Foil or baking paper must be periodically cleaned of drops of wax, or put a new one so that the drops do not stick to the leaves. When you put the sheet to dry - a small droplet may remain on the tip and go beyond its aisles - after drying, this droplet can be easily removed manually with a knife or fingers, but in such a way as not to damage the entire coating of the sheet.

If a child participates in the process, then he must be at least 4.5-5 years old, and then he can dip the leaves into the wax himself, but only with a long petiole and after a thorough explanation by his mother how hot the wax is. As soon as the child is tired, let him become a spectator. But in general, this activity, although interesting, bewitching, but not for kids. My daughter made 6 leaves and then helped to sort the finished leaves.

As a result of processing, the leaves become very beautiful: they retain their shape and color. It is impossible to make them absolutely even, since nothing can be put on top when drying. So the natural curve will be preserved. But such a juicy shade cannot be achieved by simple drying. From white stearin, the leaves glisten slightly, as if frosted or candied, and yellow maple leaves becomes brighter, richer. It is not so easy to work with white stearin - when it hardens, it can show flaws in the work - accumulations of white on the hollows of the leaves. It is necessary to very carefully drive the stearin from the sheet - training to make precise movements. For stearin, you need to choose even leaves without dents. Good in stearin and variegated leaves with white spots. Stearin can be chipped from the leaves - if children's fingers pick it up. But he doesn't get off on his own. The leaves are quite fragile - like glass or frozen, but durable. It's a pity the photos do not convey those delightful sensations that arise when you hold this "wax" sheet in your hand and rustle it! After paraffin, we tried natural wax. With it, the leaves do not become hard, but remain soft and acquire an almost matte appearance. Of course, you should not bend them - the coating will lose beautiful view. All red leaves are very good under wax - for example, Maiden grapes. But yellow maple leaves are not as spectacular as in stearin, and are slightly curled. In general: depending on what you dip the leaves into, it turns out very different result. Since you don’t know what exactly will turn out, you feel like a little sorceress.

We put some of the finished leaves in a beautiful dish to decorate the dining room, and to touch them and admire them. And the other part made decorations on the windows: they tied the leaves with a thin black thread and attached them over window frame. These leaves have not lost theirs for two weeks now. appearance. Our garlands are good both in cloudy weather and in sunny. In the sun, of course, they shine incomparably - like a stained-glass window. And they slightly rustle from the breath of the breeze ... But in general, anything can be made from such "wax" leaves - a bouquet, a voluminous application, an autumn tree, a mobile, a garland - it all depends on our imagination. The technology itself is great. My daughter and I are very pleased and will continue to experiment with it next year.

material prepared for work.

Water bath. Irgi leaves are drying nearby. Only I can dip such tiny leaves in wax - it is dangerous for a child to do this. Nearby lies a knife with which I remove droplets of wax from the foil.

This photo and one below: - leaves in stearin.

This photo and one below: leaves in natural pure wax.

We liked the paraffin treatment more - because they made more of these leaves.

Leaves in stearin. The most spectacular and beautiful. Although many also like wax, similar to the touch of soft thin skin.
Those in stearin are like candied, or in hoarfrost. They are hard and brittle to the touch.

I made a wreath on the wall from the leaves treated with stearin. These are the leaves of the irgi.

For contrast, this is how maple leaves dry at home without any treatment. My daughter was impressed.
True, we really like this bouquet: it is stylish and beautiful. In general, each dried maple leaf, twisted, becomes like a sculpture.

This is our composition on the window. Here you can see exactly how the leaves were tied - with a black thread for the petiole.

Our composition is made from leaves treated with stearin. It is good both in cloudy weather and in sunny weather.

It's on another window - in the nursery.

The shadows from the leaves on the window are especially good with the curtain drawn. And they sometimes "walk" around the room, depending on the time of day.

The child is delighted with our "eternal", magical leaves.

Golden autumn is in full swing, the beauty in the parks is indescribable. As a family, we really love to walk in the autumn forest, rustle leaves, raise whole “pillars” with our feet, arrange fireworks from them, and on the way home, collect the most beautiful ones and put them in a vase at home ... Oh, but at home all this beauty is warm so short lived. A couple of days pass and the leaves dry, wither and begin to curl, and so I wanted to save bright colors autumn and admire them in winter!

And here are the resources! Welcome to the cut to find out all the "magic", as well as for fun ideas of what leaves can do!

Save the leaves

The simplest and most well-known way to preserve leaves is through drying under pressure. But this method is suitable if you want to make a herbarium. Just storing it in a vase or somehow decorating a room with dried leaves is not very good, because the leaves become too brittle. Therefore, if we want to decorate the room with the help of leaves, then it is better to choose a different method of “preservation”.

In order to “prolong the life” of fallen leaves, it is best to collect still “wet” (recently fallen), undamaged leaves.

Method 1 - soak in glycerin

To do this, we need a baking sheet (or a deep tray), a board (which will completely fit into a tray or baking sheet, in fact, glycerin itself (a lot)
Glycerin is the best remedy to maintain plasticity.

We make a solution - 2 parts of water and 1 part of glycerin. The solution needs so much so that our leaves can be drowned in it. The solution is poured into a tray or baking sheet, leaves are placed in one layer, and covered with a board on top so that the leaves are completely recessed. We leave it like that for 2-3 days, and then we check. If the leaves have become plastic, you can dry them, and if they are still a little brittle and “dry” to the touch, then it is better to leave them for another couple of days.

Ready-made such leaves are perfect for decorating a room - wreaths, garlands or just a bouquet.

Also, small branches can be preserved in a solution of glycerin.

How it's done:

1. Cut off small twigs with leaves and immediately immerse the stems in a container with warm water. Let them sit there for about 2 hours, away from direct sunlight.
2. Make a solution of 1 part glycerin with 2 parts water (you can add a few drops of dishwashing liquid) and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer it for 5-10 minutes over low heat.
3. Allow the solution to cool completely.
4. Remove the branches from the water container, and break their ends with a hammer in order to large surface could absorb the solution.
5. Put the branches in a solution with glycerin. Keep away from direct sunlight and other sources of heat until small dew drops appear on the leaves. This means that the leaves have absorbed all they can.
6. Remove the twigs and wipe the leaves.
7. Hang the branches upside down to dry.

Method 2 - wax paper

You will need wax paper (for baking), 2 towels, iron

We cut off a piece of wax paper and lay our leaves on it in one layer so that there is space between them. Top with the same sheet of the same waxed paper. It turned out such a "sandwich". Now it breaks up with a towel (kitchen, not thick) on top and gently iron it so as not to dislodge the leaves. NO STEAM! It is also better to put a thin towel on the surface on which we iron, so as not to stain anything with wax. Pieces of waxed paper should stick together completely. After cooling, we cut out our leaves, leaving small edges so that the paper remains “sealed”. Leaves are intact!

Method 3 - wax procedures

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We take paraffin wax (we took ordinary candles) and melt it over low heat. ATTENTION - we melt in the container, which is not a pity, it is not possible to wash off completely solidified wax (we have had a special bowl for these procedures for a couple of years already).
Where the leaves will then dry, we lay wax paper(again, it is better to lay under it kitchen towel) (or you can hang the leaves on a rope to dry).

We take the leaf by the handle and gently immerse it several times in melted wax.

And now for some fun ideas on what to do with leaves.

funny herbarium

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A figured hole punch is always useful

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Shall we play?

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Painting

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We draw with prints

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Thus, you can make postcards as a gift.

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And if you take craft paper (brown) and decorate it with a lot of prints, then the issue of gift wrapping will be solved!

Can you print on fabric?

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With pencils

The bright colors of autumn make you want to catch and hold on longer. Leaves are just a miracle of shades that should be used to decorate an apartment as part of color therapy. 🙂 But how often, bringing home some beautiful leaf, we notice that it quickly loses color and shape, and it is useless to use it in decor.

Today is the most successful way, get water, soda, books :))

Water and bouquets

The easiest way to keep the leaves longer is to pluck them straight from the branches. Not to say that the autumn leaves on the branches hold very tightly, but still it big chance save the bouquet original form. Before putting the composition in a vase, cut the branches sharp knife and loosen slightly. You can add a few tablespoons of glycerin or a teaspoon of sugar and an aspirin tablet to the water. Periodically spraying the leaves with water from a spray bottle will help the bouquet retain its fresh charm.

Skeletonization and decor

The skeleton in the decor is a somewhat strange combination, unless we are talking about leaves and flowers. This technique allows you to make things so delicate that you can’t believe that they are of natural origin.

You need to prepare a soda solution (about 3 tablespoons per 1 liter of water) and carefully spread the leaves in the solution. Boil them over low heat from an hour to two, until the leaves darken, periodically pouring soda. Then we lay out the leaves on paper and beat them with the bristles of a toothbrush. The pulp of the leaf crumbles and a cute skeleton remains. 😉 Then the sheet needs to be dried, you can paint or leave the resulting natural shades.

Some florists prefer the dry skeletonization method: you can clean the leaf from the pulp without pre-soaking. In this case, it is better to use a natural bristle brush, and the harder the pile, the better.

To prevent the sheet from being too brittle after cleaning, you can sprinkle it with hairspray.

Acrylic lacquer and garlands

Simple and stylish garlands - they decorate the veranda and the house very much, but in the event that the leaves remain in their original form, without losing their shape and color. Beauty can be helped by special floral sprays or acrylic varnish, which is also sold in a spray - in hardware stores.

Leaves sprinkled with this varnish look shiny and fresh, protected from damage and do not fade. Lacquer is intended for wooden furniture, plastic, glass, but it will perfectly protect the leaves 🙂

You can also use a special floral varnish for the leaves to shine the flowers. Another remedy is the usual vegetable oil, which can be applied to the leaves with a silicone brush.

Drying in a book and vertical decoration

For the type of décor that needs clean, crisp lines, the leaves can be dried the old-fashioned way. Spread them between the pages of the book, and then every day shift to a new page. The moisture from the leaves will be completely absorbed in about a week, for strengthening it is worth lowering them into a solution of water and PVA glue 4: 1 and dry well. And then you can already use the leaves in their original form, or paint.

Pictures of leaves sandwiched between two glasses look very stylish, and this decor lasts a very long time, the colors do not fade.

From the leaves preserved in this way, you can make a panel that looks like it was painted with oil paint.