How to Keep Autumn Leaves Using Wax Paper

When the dry autumn air begins preparing deciduous trees for the coming winter and the leaves begin to fall, the beauty of the season might tempt you to save some fallen leaves for scrapbooks and albums. You only need a few common household items to save natural autumn leaves for such projects.

Things You'll Need

• Autumn leaf
• Wax paper
• Towel
• Iron

Instructions

1. Select a leaf. Millions of leaves fall from deciduous trees every autumn, and the selection of vividly-colored leaves can be vast. An ideal leaf for preserving is large and, of course, one you consider beautiful. It should also be somewhat fresh, as the moisture in the leaf will help protect it when it is later sealed. Dry leaves should be avoided as they are likely to crumble while being ironed.

2. Place the selected leaf between two pieces of wax paper. On an ironing board, lay down one piece of wax paper of adequate size to fully cover your leaf. For average sized leaves, a 6-inch by 6-inch square should work. Scrap bookers may prefer an 8.5-by-11 inch sheet of wax paper for scrap booking consistency. Place the leaf on the center of the wax paper and cover with the other--and identically sized--sheet of wax paper.

3. Cover the wax paper with a towel. If your towel is folded, unfold it and place it gently over the wax paper. Take care not to dislodge the leaf from between the sheets of wax paper.

4. Warm up the iron. Plug the iron into the electrical outlet and turn it to the highest heat setting. Allow the iron to sufficiently warm up before use.

5. Iron the towel. When the iron is fully heated, iron the towel for up to 1 minute while applying firm pressure. Ensure the iron passes over all sections of the leaf. The heat from the iron will seal the two sheets of wax paper together, safely sealing the leaf inside. A sealed leaf may be retained for an indefinite amount of time.

Tips & Warnings

• When using an iron, always be sure to unplug and cool the iron after use.