How to Make Crepe Papers With Magnolia Leaves
It might be hard to imagine thick, waxy magnolia leaves as delicate crepe paper, but by cooking and pressing the leaves you can achieve that transformation. Boiling the leaves in a sodium carbonate solution strips away the waxy pulp, leaving you a leaf skeleton. The skeletonized internal structure of the leaf is thin, semi-transparent and papery. You can use the skeletonized magnolia leaves in decorative garlands, gift wrapping, table settings, bouquets and many other craft projects.
Things You'll Need
- Magnolia leaves
- Gloves
- Stockpot
- Washing soda
- Baking dish
- Slotted spatula
- Narrow paintbrush
- Paper towels
- Needle
- Thread
- Spray adhesive
- Paper goods (stationery or place cards)
- Bouquet or boutonniere
Instructions
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Skeletonizing the Leaves
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1
Collect fresh, unblemished magnolia leaves. Pluck them from a tree, if possible. Vibrant, healthy leaves have the strongest internal structure, which is the element you are preserving.
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2
Put on gloves to protect your hands from the strong basic pH of the washing soda.
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3
Place the magnolia leaves in a stockpot. Add 4 cups of water. Pour 3/4 cup of washing soda into the stock pot. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil.
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4
Reduce the heat to simmer the leaves. After cooking for about 30 minutes, the contents will look dark and unpleasant. The unattractive pulp ultimately cooks off the leaves. Add more water to the stockpot, as needed. The soda crystallizes as the water reduces, but replenishing the water is all you need to do to continue the process.
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5
Monitor the leaves to assess their progress. You cannot boil all of the pulp off the leaves, but most of it should be gone after one to two hours. Remove the pot from the heat once the leaves reach the skeletonized state, where minimal pulp is still on the structure.
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6
Fill a baking dish with cold water. Scoop the leaves out of the pot gently with a slotted spatula. Place them in the baking dish to rinse them. Pour the boiling solution and pulp down a sink drain to dispose of it.
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7
Transfer one leaf at a time to a stack of paper towels. Brush the remaining pulp off the skeleton with a narrow paintbrush. Brush gently so that you do not break the skeleton. Allow the skeletons to dry thoroughly.
Uses
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Insert a threaded needle through the lattice-like structure of a skeleton leaf to start a garland. String leaves until the garland reaches your desired length.
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Coat one side of a skeleton leaf with spray adhesive to affix it to paper goods like stationery or place cards. Press the adhesive-coated side down on the paper. Allow the glue to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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10
Tuck skeleton leaves into a bouquet or boutonniere to create a delicate, halo-like effect throughout the floral arrangement. This detail is well-suited for autumnal of winter weddings.
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Glue skeleton leaves in a spiraling, layered arrangement to make a flower for table setting decor or wedding accessories.
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Tips & Warnings
Boil twice as many leaves as you need to complete your project. If some skeletons break, you should still have enough with which to work.
Think of the skeleton leaves like shaped pieces of crepe paper. Use them with paper goods, in place settings, home decor and floral arranging just as you would use cut crepe paper shapes. Skeleton leaves are just as delicate as crepe paper, but more rigid.
Washing soda is sodium carbonate; baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. They are similar chemicals and have some applications in common, but washing soda is twice as strong as baking soda. Exercise caution when you handle the product. You should never consume washing soda. Store it separately from baking soda so that no one confuses the products accidentally.
References
Resources
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