How to Press Leaves With Wax Paper

Leaf pressing with wax paper is just one of many methods that can be used to preserve the beautiful fall colors that many trees display from September to October. The preserved leaves can be used in various fall crafts like autumn place mats, autumn wreaths, or even leaf pictures and collages with children. With some adult supervision, children can have fun preserving their favorite fall leaves too. This article will show you how to preserve leaves by pressing them with wax paper.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Leaves
• Wax Paper
• Iron
• Scissors
• Towel
• Flat & Firm Work Space
• Clear Acrylic Sealing Spray
• Or Decoupage Sealing Glue
• Small Flat Paint Brush

1. 
    
   Fall Leaf Preservation

   Gather your supplies and find a flat but firm work area. Lay a towel over your work space. This will be where you press your leaves, so make sure that the area you choose will not be damaged by heat from the iron.

2. 
    
   Fall Foliage Fun

   Preheat the iron to the high setting. The objective of this project is to preserve the leaf by removing any moisture the leaf is holding on to, so do not use the steam option for this project.

3. 
    
   Leaf Art

   Tear off two sheet of wax paper that are about 12” long. Place one sheet of wax paper on the towel with wax side facing up.

4. 
    
   Pressed Fall Leaves

   Place the leaves on the wax paper so that they are about 2” apart. You want to be sure that the leaves are not touching so that you do not damage the leaves during the pressing phase. After you have finished positioning the leaves, place the second piece of wax paper, wax side down, over the leaves and prepare to press them.

5. 
    
   Autumn Leaf Project

   Use the iron to press each section of the wax paper covered leaves. Leave the iron in each place for about 1 minute to ensure that the wax has melted onto each leaf. After each section has been pressed, you can move the iron back and forth over the wax paper for another minute or two. Carefully flip the wax paper and repeat the process on the other side.

6. 
    
   Fall Colors

   Once you have finished ironing the leaves, remove them from the wax paper sandwich. Contrary to popular belief, the wax paper will not seal around the leaf. The goal of pressing leaves with wax paper is to remove moisture from the leaf and to give the leaf a thin coat of wax that melts on to the leaf during the ironing process.

7. 
    
   Leaf Pictures

   The leaves will be very brittle at this stage of the preservation process, but there are a few things that you can do to make them more durable for your craft projects. You could spray your leaves with a clear acrylic sealing spray, use a brush on varnish, or even apply a finish with decoupage finishing glue.

8. 
    
   Leaves Fall for Autumn Fun

   You can use either a matte or a glossy sealer on your pressed leaves. This step is just a matter of personal preference. I like to use a glossy finish to give the pressed leaves a beautiful shiny finish. Once your pressed leaves have been sealed and dry, they are ready to be used in your favorite fall projects!

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure that you start this project with clean leaves that are free of any dirt or debris.
• If your leaves have excess moisture, simply place them between two paper towels and hold an iron on each side for about 4-5 minutes. Repeat this process until all excess moisture is removed from your leaves.
• Place a wash cloth over the wax paper if you think your iron is too hot. This will keep the wax paper and leaves from burning.
• Do not walk away from the iron while pressing leaves. The leaves could catch on fire if left under the iron for too long.
• Always supervise children when using a hot iron.

[jenng]

on 11/14/2009 great article on How to Press Leaves With Wax Paper 5*

[Susang6]

on 11/14/2009 I have seen this done in magazines, but was not sure of the instructions. I found your tips to be easy to follow. The pictures were great too.