How to preserve the beauty of autumn leaves. Wax autumn leaves

14.06.2019

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Autumn leaves are the highlight of the season. Colorful leaves can be even more attractive than flowers. Be that as it may, in order to decorate the house with autumn foliage, you first have to compress or preserve them. Luckily, it's extremely easy and there are 4 basic ways to preserve and preserve the colors of autumn leaves.

Selecting Leaves to Save

Whichever method you choose, your leaves will show their best qualities if you follow the following guidelines when choosing them:

1. Choose leaves that are relatively flat and not curled.
2. Look for leaves that don't have spots or bumps.
3. Don't be afraid to use the leaves on different stages color changes.
4. Leaves with a low moisture content are best dried under pressure. More elastic leaves, like magnolia or rhododendron, are good candidates for glycerin or silica gel.
Choosing leaves to save is a fun activity for kids. And since they are closer to the ground, they often best review for selection.

Weight pressing is the easiest method to preserve autumn leaves.

Pressing autumn leaves under weight is the easiest way to preserve, but these leaves will not last as long as canned leaves. To dry the leaves with a press:

1. Choose relatively flat and thin leaves, with low moisture content.
2. Lay the leaves between sheets of newspaper or wax paper.
Then pick up a few of your heaviest books and move on to step two...

Weighting the leaves

To keep the leaves from curling, you need to apply considerable weight.

1. Put paper with leaves inside a thick book. You can also add some books or a rock on top to add weight.
2. Keep the book in a dry place and check back in about a week. Make sure the leaves are dry and not rotted. You will probably need to weight the leaves inside the book for another 1-2 weeks before they are completely dry and ready to use.

Tip: If you have more dense leaves, soak them in a diluted fabric softening solution before drying. Or try covering the surface with a thin layer of Vaseline.

Design Ideas:
. Scatter the pressed leaves on shelves or tablecloths.
. Make flower arrangements by filling a basket with your pressed leaves.
. Pressed leaves can be used for table decoration. Make an arrangement of leaves on a table or tablecloth and cover with a transparent cloth or cellophane on top.

Saving leaves in wax paper is a great activity for kids

Perhaps this is one of the few activities when children are happy to pick up an iron.

1. Choose thin, low moisture leaves that have not yet begun to curl.
2. Make a "sandwich": Place the leaves between two sheets of wax paper.
3. Cover your ironing area with a piece of old cloth so that you do not stain it with wax.
4. Place your sandwich on top of the old fabric.
5. Cover your sandwich with another piece of old cloth.
6. Heat the iron to maximum, BUT do not use steam.
7. Slowly move the iron back and forth over the fabric. Don't press too hard at the beginning or you may move the leaves. Once the paper starts to seal, use the full weight of the iron and hold it for 4-5 seconds on each spot.
8. Raise the rag to check if the wax paper has melted and sealed. The leaves will show up much better as the wax grows.
9. Let the sandwich cool, then cut out individual leaves. Leave a small edge around the leaves to keep the waxed paper sealed.
Such leaves can persist for several months.

Design Ideas:
. The waxed leaves are good for children to play with and can be assembled into collages to hang.
. Pin individual moldings to curtains or glue to lampshades for an autumnal feel.

Drying leaves in the microwave

Microwaves - excellent fast way save whatever. You can use the microwave alone, or you can speed up the process with silica gel, as discussed below.
1. Select leaves that are still fresh and moist. DO NOT use dried fallen leaves.
2. Make a sandwich by placing individual casts or flat sprigs with leaves between two paper towels.
3. Put the sandwich on a tray and place in the oven.
4. Turn on the microwave for 30 seconds and then check the leaves. The thicker or more moisture content the leaves, the longer it will take you.
5. If the leaves are still wet, continue to dry at 30 second intervals and check until the leaves are dry.

Warning: Leaves can catch fire, just like anything else that has been left in microwave oven on the long time. So keep watching. DO NOT wait for the leaves to crumble or curl. They can retain heat and continue to dry for a few seconds out of the microwave if you don't want them to dry out.

Application of Silica Gel to Preserve Autumn Leaves

Silica gel is a white, salt-like powder that you can find in small bags in shoes. Silica gel perfectly absorbs moisture and significantly speeds up the drying process. You can buy a pack of silica gel at any craft store, or you can collect and save the little packs you see everywhere.

1. Choose leaves that are still damp and pliable. Silica gel allows you to dry thicker leaves too.
2. Sprinkle silica gel about 2-3 cm into the bottom of the microwave dish.
3. Lay the leaves on top of the silica gel layer, leaving space between them and up to the edge of the dish.
4. Cover the leaves completely with another layer of silica gel.
5. Place the uncovered dish in the microwave and turn it on at medium power for about 2 minutes. It is very difficult to determine the specific time for drying, as it depends on the size of the dish, the number of leaves, the amount of silica gel and the power of your oven. It is better to periodically check the condition of the leaves at short intervals.
In my experience, 3-4 sheets on an 8 x 8 dish with 3-4 cups of silica gel takes about 2 minutes on medium power.
6. Let cool and remove the leaves.

Tip: The leaves will last longer if they are coated with an additional layer of acrylic resin.

Ideas for Use: These leaves are the same as the press-dried ones and can be strung or arranged for fall arrangements.

Using Glycerin to Preserve Leaves

Preserving the leaves with glycerin is the best way to keep them supple and they can stay that way for years. You can save individual leaves or even whole small twigs this way.

The most difficult part of the process is buying glycerin. Now glycerin is very hard to find. Sometimes it is found in stores on the shelves next to hand lotion. You will have to search. You can also ask in pharmacies.

To save individual leaves

1. On a flat tray, make a solution of one part glycerin and two parts water.
2. Place your leaves in the solution.
3. Cover your leaves with another dish so that they are completely in the solution, as shown below.

Leaves in glycerin solution

Setting a smaller dish on top of the leaves will help them soak well in the solution. And it also means that you can use less solution.

Start checking in 2-3 days. The leaves should become soft and plastic. If the leaves are still dry to the touch, leave them in the solution for another 2-3 days.

When they are saturated, remove them from the solution and wipe off the stains.

Preservation of small branches in a solution of glycerin:

1. Cut off small branches with leaves and immediately immerse the stems in a container of 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 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.

Design Ideas: Glycerin leaves can be used in all kinds of creativity. They are especially well suited for wreaths and garlands, as well as table decorations, napkin rings and large dishes.

Preservation of pressed and canned leaves

No method will allow you to use leaves forever. Even leaves sealed in wax paper will eventually dry out and crumble. If you want to extend the existence of your masterpieces for a little longer, use a variety of floral preservatives.

And of course, on next year there will be other leaves, and every year your skill and creativity will only develop.

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It is easy for children to be carried away by something new and interesting. If the child is already bored with drawing or modeling, you can invite him to make crafts from bright autumn leaves. This process is utterly fascinating - amazing things are born from simple dried leaves with the help of glue, threads and other improvised devices. Having engaged in applications or making vases and bouquets, the child will not only be able to develop his creative skills and imagination, but also get to know environment. Collecting a herbarium for crafts is an excellent opportunity to teach a child to distinguish different breeds trees. So, what can be done from the leaves?

Preparing leaves for crafts

For the manufacture of any leaf craft, only well-dried material is needed, fresh leaves will not work. Preparation of leaves takes a long time, so you have to be patient. In addition, you need to dry the material correctly, here are the basic rules:

If the evenness of the leaves is not important for the craft, they can be placed in a spacious container (for example, a large wicker basket) and left on fresh air. So the leaves dry quickly, and air circulation will not allow mold to develop.
To get perfectly smooth leaves, you need to lay them between book pages or landscape sheets under pressure. Carefully spread the material between the sheets of books or albums. It will take at least 14 days for the material to dry completely and be ready for use.
If you do not want to wait a long time, you can use a special herbarium press. To do this, fold a stack of leaves, alternating each layer with newsprint or scrap sheets. In a few days, the material for crafts will be ready.

How to make leaf skeleton

Skeletons of leaves due to their lightness and transparency look very impressive as a decor. To achieve this effect, you need to resort to a special technique - skeletonization.

What you need:

any fresh leaves;
soda;
egg dye;
small capacity - ladle or pan;
Toothbrush;
paper napkins.

How to make skeletonized leaves:

Mix soda with water in proportions of 1 to 4 and put the leaves in the prepared solution so that they are completely hidden by water.
Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the stove and remove the leaves, lay them carefully on the table, glossy side up.
Remove excess moisture with paper towels.
Peel off the pulp from the leaf with a brush (this must be done very carefully, the leaves are quite fragile).
Rinse the skeleton under water and then paint it in desired color.
Leave the painted skeletal leaves to dry.

The resulting material is ready for use.

Bouquet of flowers from leaves

A bouquet is the simplest thing that can be made from leaves, and it is worth starting with it if the child has not previously been engaged in such crafts. To make crafts in the form of a homemade bouquet, it is not necessary to use real flowers, dry them, etc. Buds can be made from multi-colored leaves collected on a walk. Connect children to every step of the process, creating a real creative workshop.

What you need to make crafts:

maple leaves (fresh) with stems;
spool of strong thread.

To make a bud maple leaves, you need to do several things:

Take one sheet first and fold it glossy side out.
Roll the sheet into a tube.
Fold the next sheet in half and wrap it around the tube.
Continue to wrap the bud with leaves until the flower is quite lush.
Wrap the base of the bud with thread so that the flower does not fall apart.

With this method, you can make any number of flowers, which are then simply collected in a bouquet.

Topiary can be made from the most different materials. Often you can find crafts made from coffee, banknotes, sweets, hearts, etc. This version of the topiary involves the use of maple leaves.

So, what is required for the topiary:

pot;
wooden stick for the trunk;
a ball of foam rubber or polystyrene as a base;
gypsum;
dye;
hot glue;
elements for decoration.

The procedure for creating an autumn topiary looks like this:

The stick must be inserted into the pot and firmly fixed with a gypsum mortar. As a result, the structure will be strong and stable.
Paint the pot and wand a color you like, such as gold to match the leaves.
We fix a ball of foam rubber on the top of the stick - this is the future crown of the tree.
Stick the desired number of leaves into the ball. For decoration, you can use berry clusters, ribbons, beads, as well as artificial twigs and flowers. To make the stems of the leaves more durable, they must first be soaked in a hot solution of glycerin (1 to 2) and left in this form for 10 days in a dark, cool place .
Next, we decorate the trunk and soil of the tree with dry moss, bark, and beads.

How to make a decorative fall wreath

From bright autumn leaves you can weave a beautiful wreath to decorate windows, doors, walls, etc. A wreath attached to front door, will delight not only you, but also your guests.

What you need for crafts:

flexible branches of any tree;
dried leaves different colors(contrasting combinations look best, for example, yellow and red);
bunches of red berries (mountain ash, viburnum, etc.);
physalis;
glue;
spool of strong threads;
decorative metallized threads;
small figurines of birds for bouquets.

How to weave a wreath:

The branches will serve as a frame - make a round or oval wreath out of them.
For strength, fasten the structure with a thread in several places.
Wrap the frame tightly with gold thread, leaving small twigs free.
Glue the leaves to the branches.
Attach the berry clusters with string.
Glue or thread physalis.
Finally, attach the birds to the wreath.

A ready-made craft made of leaves in the form of a wreath can be hung anywhere in the house; it will delight you with its beauty for a long time and remind you of the most colorful season.

Beautiful autumn leaves can be used not only for simple children's crafts, but also for a full-fledged interior decoration. One of these products is a fruit vase.

To make such a vase you need:

glue and brush;
inflatable ball;
petrolatum;
scissors;
maple leaves.

Step by step instructions:

Inflate the balloon to the size you need.
Lubricate the surface of the ball with petroleum jelly, this is necessary so that the leaves do not stick to it in the process and easily separate from it.
Fix the ball in a stationary state, so it will be more convenient for you to make your vase.
Glue maple leaves to the ball, pre-lubricating them with plenty of glue.
To make the vase strong enough, you will need several layers of maple leaves.
Once last layer completed, once again carefully coat the product with glue and leave for 3 days.
Pop or deflate the balloon, remove its remnants from the product.

The original interior decoration is ready.

Photo frame in autumn style

Children love to decorate the walls of their room with their own drawings and favorite photographs. Craft from leaves in the form of a frame, perfect for complementing the design of the room. Help your child decorate the frame with autumn leaves, where he will then place his favorite photo.

For crafts you need:

thick cardboard;
glue;
leaves you like;
pencil;
scissors.

How to make a frame:

Cut out a square or rectangular frame from cardboard right size. The center of the frame, where the photo will be placed, needs to be cut a little smaller than the size of the photo.
To wrap the leaves around the frame, soak them in hot water first, so they become softer and won't tear or break in the process.
Glue the leaves to the frame.
Wait for the product to dry.

When the frame is ready, insert a photo into it, securing it with glue or tape.

Applications from autumn leaves

Applications are one of the simplest types of crafts made from dried leaves. Using leaflets different forms and sizes, you can create real paintings, which will then become the decoration of your home. You can make a whole series of panels united by a common theme. These can be animals, landscapes, etc. Next, several small workshops will be presented on making applications in the form of an owl, a Firebird, a fish and a lion.

Owl

To make an application with the image of an owl, you will need:

small leaves of brown tones (for this you can use oak, willow, birch);
colored paper;
a small branch of thuja;
a sheet of cardboard;
a bunch of rowan berries;
any branch of a tree;
glue.

Before starting work, the leaves and berries must be dried. Once all the materials are ready, it's time to proceed to the most important thing:

Cut out an owl from cardboard along the contour.
birch or oak leaves will depict the ears and legs of an owl, glue them in the right places.
For feathers, use long, narrow willow leaves.
Cut out eyes and a beak from colored paper and glue them on.
Glue your owl onto a tree branch to serve as a craft stand.

For additional decor, you can use moss or thuja twigs. You can also use mountain ash as owl paws. The product is ready.

Firebird

For the application with the Firebird you will need:

paper;
leaves of linden, birch and wild rose;
pumpkin seeds;
thuja branches.

And here is what the process looks like:

A lime leaf is glued to the place where the body of the bird will be.
Birch leaf - head.
Rosehip leaves are glued individually on the tail.
Whole rosehip branches will serve as an additional decoration of the tail.
Glue birch leaves to the body, these will be the wings.
From pumpkin seeds, eyes are made, as well as decorations for the body and tail of the Firebird.
The final stage is a crest from a thuja sprig or any other suitable plant.

The firebird is ready.

a lion

Children love different animals, so it will be especially interesting for them to make one of the familiar animals.

What you need for a lion cub:

rounded linden leaves yellow color;
black marker;
ash seeds;
horse chestnut(nuts);
glue;
a small pine branch;
scissors;
a sheet of yellow paper;
a sheet of orange cardboard.

Having collected all necessary material, it's time to start making crafts:

Draw a lion's head on yellow paper or print the image on a printer, cut it out along the contour.
For the mane, use linden leaves by gluing them around the head.
Draw the lion's nose and glue a chestnut in its place.
Pine needles will go to the mustache.
The ash seed will represent the tongue.

As soon as the craft dries, it will be completely ready.

Rybka

What kid doesn't know about the wish-granting goldfish? Making crafts with your own hands will be very entertaining for the baby.

To make a fish craft, you will need:

dry leaves of quince and linden brown and yellow, respectively;
glue;
marker;
ash seeds;
acorns;
paper scissors;
sheet of blue paper.

How to do:

Draw the outline of the fish on blue paper and cut it out.
Make scales from linden leaves and glue them to the body of the fish.
Use brown quince leaves to decorate the tail.
Use acorn caps to draw the outline of the fish's head.

Everything real gold fish ready.

Multi-colored leaves delight the eye every autumn, falling to the ground. This beauty quickly fades under the rain, turning the leaves into a solid brown mass. However, there is a way to preserve the beauty and brightness of autumn leaves - dry them or skeletonize them and use them to make various gizmos from children's crafts to interior decorations. This activity will appeal to both children and adults.

75 photos of leaf craft ideas

The beauty of autumn leaves can be enjoyed not only in autumn. Some drying methods may result in leaf loss or discolouration. However, there are numerous ways that help keep the color and shape for a long time. After reading this article, you will learn how to dry autumn leaves so that they delight you in the cold season, when the trees on the street are bare and unsightly.

Steps

Decoupage

Select bright leaves. Collect freshly fallen, bright and rather soft leaves. The leaves may be slightly dry, but not to the point where they break or curl on the sides. Choose whole leaves. Avoid torn or slightly damaged leaves.

Cover the leaves with adhesive on both sides. For decoupage, a white adhesive is used, which becomes invisible when dried. You can buy an adhesive in a store that sells goods for creativity and needlework. Use a sponge brush to apply adhesive. Lay the leaves out to dry on a sheet of newspaper.

In most cases, decoupage should be done the same day the leaves were picked. If you delay this activity, the leaves will dry out, turn brown and brittle.
If the leaves are very damp, or if you picked them directly from the tree without waiting for them to fall, they should be dried for a few days. To do this, put the leaves inside a large book.

Wait until the adhesive is completely dry. It should not stick to your fingers. On the leaves, it should also become completely transparent.

Repeat on the other side. Flip the leaves over and apply glue to them. When the second side is dry, the leaves are ready to use. This method allows you to keep the color and shape of the leaves for a long period of time.

Use of paraffin wax
1. Take fresh leaves. Collect freshly fallen bright leaves. Coating with paraffin wax will give the leaves a beautiful shine. Dry each sheet by wiping it with a paper towel before moving on to the next step.
  
  Melt the paraffin wax in a disposable bowl. 450 g of paraffin wax should be melted in a disposable dish, heating it over low heat.
  - To melt paraffin wax faster, cut it into large pieces and spread them evenly across the bottom of a disposable dish.
  - If you don't have a disposable container to melt paraffin wax, grab a cake pan that you don't plan on using for cooking anymore. Wax can ruin the mold, so don't use the utensils you're cooking in.
2. Remove the melted wax from the stove. Be very careful as the melted wax is very hot. Place it carefully on your desktop. Be careful not to overturn the wax container. This is especially important to consider if you have pets or children in your home.
  
  Dip each leaf into the melted wax. Hold the leaf by the handle and dip it in the wax a few times. Make sure that both sides of the sheet are completely covered with wax. Do not bring your fingers close to hot wax, so as not to burn yourself. Repeat the above steps for the rest of the leaves.
  
  Lay the leaves out to dry. Lay each waxed sheet on waxed paper and leave in this position until the wax hardens. Let the leaves dry for several hours in a draught-free room. After the leaves have dried, they should special efforts take off the paper. Thanks to this method, the shape and color of the leaves are preserved for a very long time.
  - To be on the safe side, line your worktop with newspaper before laying down some wax paper. Thanks to this, the wax will not fall on the worktable. If the wax gets on the table, it will be very difficult to remove.
Use of glycerin
1. Choose fresh leaves or a small twig with leaves. If you want to dry a whole twig of autumn leaves, this method is the way to go. Choose a twig with leaves that are firmly attached to it.
  - This method may slightly change the color of the leaves. Yellows will become more saturated, reds and oranges will become more vibrant.
  - If possible, look for already fallen branches instead of plucking them from trees. Remember that such actions can harm the tree.
  - Do not take branches with diseased or frost-bitten leaves. This method will not bring the desired result if the leaves have been caught by frost.
2. Cut off the end of each branch. Beat the end of each branch with a hammer so that the fresh tree is visible. This should be done so that the branch absorbs glycerin better. Otherwise, it will not reach the leaves.
  - If you want to dry only the leaves, without the twig, you can skip this step.
3. Dilute the glycerin solution. It can be purchased at the store. To prepare the solution, mix in large capacity 530 ml liquid vegetable glycerin with 2 liters of water.
  - Glycerin is a natural substance derived from plants. This leaf storage process is environmentally friendly.
  - If you want to dry the leafy twigs, add four to five drops of dishwashing liquid. This makes it easier for the glycerin to penetrate the wood. For best results, use dishwashing liquid that is colorless and odorless. Alternatively, a liquid surfactant, available from a hardware store, can be used.
4. Place the twigs with leaves in the solution for three to five days. The twigs and leaves will need to soak up the glycerin for three to five days. Place the container with the solution and twigs in a dark place.
  
  Remove the twigs and leaves from the solution. The color of the leaves will become brighter. In addition, they will become more elastic. You can use the whole twig or individual leaves to make various fakes.
Using the microwave
1. Dry the leaves in the microwave. Place the leaves in the microwave and heat them for 30 seconds. Then continue heating for 5 seconds.
  - Autumn leaves usually need to be heated for 30 to 180 seconds before they become completely dry.
  - Be very careful when you put the leaves in the microwave. If you leave them in the microwave for a long time, they may catch fire.
  - If the leaves look burnt, chances are you overcooked them in the microwave. If the leaves are curling around the edges, they probably haven't been in the microwave long enough.
2. Leave the leaves overnight. Place the leaves in a dark, draft-free place and leave them for at least a night and a maximum of 2 days. If you notice that the leaves begin to fade, they urgently need to be processed.
  
  Treat the leaves with acrylic spray. Leaves need to be processed on both sides. Wait for the leaves to dry. After that, they can be used to make fakes.
Use of the book
1. Place a heavy book on paper. To avoid stains on the book and work surface, place paper towels or toilet paper between a sheet of paper and a book. They absorb moisture from the leaves.
  
  You can also dry the leaves right in the book, but in this case, you should use only an old book, which will not be a pity, as stains may remain. Place the leaves between the pages of the book. For best results, place each sheet at least 20 pages apart.
  - Use the telephone directory if you have one.
  - Place a heavy object on top of the book. This will keep the leaves flat and dry. You can use other books, bricks, or any other heavy object.
2. Check the condition of the leaves after a week. They must be dry. If they are still not dry, continue drying for a few days.
Use of wax paper
1. Dry the leaves. Place dry leaves between two paper towels. Arrange the leaves in a single layer so that there is free space between them. iron paper towels from each side. Iron each side for 3-5 minutes.
  - Drying the leaves ahead of time will help them retain their color and quality after covering the leaves with wax paper.
  - Do not use the steam function on the iron when drying leaves. The steam will return moisture to the leaves. Use the dry ironing function.
  - Feel the leaves after ironing them for 3 to 5 minutes. If the sheet is still not dry enough, iron it for a few more minutes on each side.

Golden autumn is in full swing, the beauty in the parks is indescribable. As a family, we love to walk along the autumn forest, rustling leaves, raising whole "pillars" with their feet, making 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 in warmth, all this beauty is so short-lived. A couple of days pass and the leaves dry, wither and begin to curl up, but I really wanted to keep the bright colors of 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 branches with leaves and immediately immerse the stems in a container of 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 sprigs from the water container, and break their ends with a hammer so that a large surface can 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 it under 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 a few fun ideas what can be done 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

There is a way, and more than one, to keep the flowers almost intact. We are talking about preserving flowers in glycerin, gelatin and, of course, salt. What canning can do without salt! The latter method is suitable only for compositions in closed vessels and does not involve pulling the flower out of the solution.

I note right away that the flowers in gelatin and glycerin remain the same flexible and only slightly change color. Become more faded. If you want truly magical results, don't delay. And as soon as you receive a bouquet as a gift, select a few flowers for canning. The only “but” is that too young foliage cannot be preserved with glycerin

It is better to take dense, not too young flowers. Oddly enough, too young foliage cannot be preserved with glycerin. Excess leaves should be removed immediately. Carefully consider the flower that you decided to preserve. If you see damaged petals and leaves on it, then it is better not to use such a flower. The stem must be cut obliquely, peeled or bark (if it is a twig of lilac or apple tree, for example) approximately 7 cm from the bottom and split. This is necessary in order for the solution to better penetrate the flower.

Glycerin is diluted with water in the ratio: 1 part of glycerin to 2 parts hot water. The resulting liquid is poured into a jar, vase, any other beautiful vessel to a height of about 20 cm and cleaned in a dark, cool place. Penetrating into the leaves, glycerin absorbs their liquid and the moisture evaporating from the leaves and stems is replaced by glycerin. The liquid level must be maintained, therefore, as it dries, the solution must be topped up. This only applies to open containers.

In closed vessels, the level practically does not change. Full soaking takes from two weeks to two months, depending on the size and thickness of the stems. But the result is worthy of admiration! This is why you have to be patient and wait. Plants preserved in this way retain their elasticity and flexibility and do not require special care, they can be wiped wet wipe from dust.

It takes from two weeks to two months to fully soak, but the result will certainly delight!

Individual leaves can also be preserved. It takes much less time from 2 to 3 weeks. But you also need to take into account some features. Fern leaves, for example, produce a milky sap when cut, which can clog moisture-conducting channels in the stem. In this case, the end of the stem should be held over the flame until it darkens.

Glycerin guarantees us only the preservation of the shape of the flower. But over the color you can "conjure" yourself.

In order to give the plants the desired color, you need to feed the plants with artificial water-soluble dyes by adding them to a solution of glycerin. You can use brilliant green, acrylic, oil, silver, colored transparent varnishes, now shops for creativity, provide us a large assortment similar products.

It happens that the plants were unsuccessfully preserved and white oxidized spots formed on them, which spoil the appearance of our plants. You can correct the situation by bleaching the plants for a couple of days in the following solution:

1. Water 500g.
2. Denatured alcohol 160g.
3. Acetone 160g.
4. Oxalic acid 50g.
5. Acetic acid 99% -10g.
6. Sodium bisulfate 120g.

Flowers in decorative bottles.

The beauty of these decorative bottles hard to put into words. And even a photograph cannot fully convey to you their brightness and tenderness.

To create a composition, you need a transparent bottle of a beautiful shape. It must be washed well and disinfected with boiling water. Plants can be laid immediately by splitting the stem, and pour a solution of glycerin and water in a ratio of 1: 2. For the best effect, before laying in a bottle, plants can be placed in such a solution for several days so that they are saturated with it. Then put the flowers in a bottle, carefully straighten them with chopsticks, carefully pour the solution and seal the neck hermetically. The neck can be additionally decorated with twine, ribbon or filled with sealing wax

Great for decorating bottles fresh roses or petals, dahlias, lilies, chrysanthemums, etc. At the same time, you can put shells, beads strung on a thread, small figurines, beautiful buttons in the bottle. Fresh flowers can be replaced with artificial ones.

Another reliable preservative is a strong solution of gelatin with sugar, about 1/1. You can also use a very strong saline solution.

Flowers cannot be placed tightly in a bottle or jar; they should, as it were, hang inside the vessel. Compositions inside the bottle may be different, but sometimes one flower is enough.

Salt method.
It is necessary to cut off the buds of roses that are ready to bloom in such a way that the flowers have a stalk. Salt calcined in a cast iron pan until it turns into a very fine dry powder. After that, you need to take a tin box and pour a layer of already calcined salt on the bottom. The buds must be laid on the salt, but in such a way that they in no case come into contact with each other. The buds are filled to the top with salt, after which the box must be hermetically sealed. When fresh flowers are needed, roses should be taken out of the box, carefully cleaned of salt, slightly cut the stem and put in water. They will come to life and blossom. You can do it in another way: pour into cardboard box calcined salt, put flowers there, fill them with the same salt, then close the lid, put the box in a plastic bag and put it in a cool place. In this case, when fresh flowers are needed, you need to get the plants out of the box and put them in a bath or bucket of warm water for 2 hours for 2 hours.