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How to Preserve Leaf Cuttings

There are many reasons you may want to preserve leaf cuttings. For starters, beautiful autumn leaves come around but once a year. With proper preservation techniques, every day can be autumn inside your home. Foliage from rare plants or plants that only grow far away from your home can now make beautiful home decorations or additions to sentimental travel scrapbooks. In addition, nature-themed collages will never look as realistic and complete as they will with real preserved leaf cuttings.

Things You'll Need

  • Wax paper
  • Old towel
  • Iron
  • Scissors
  • Glycerin
  • Flat baking pan
  • Styrofoam plates
  • Rocks or other weights
  • Paper towels
  • Microwave
  • Acrylic sealant
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Instructions

  1. Wax Paper Method

    • 1

      Sandwich the leaf between two pieces of wax paper.

    • 2

      Lay an old towel over the wax paper.

    • 3

      Press the leaf with an iron set on a warm setting. Keep the iron moving to avoid scorching the leaf.

    • 4

      Allow the leaf to cool. Cut away the excess wax paper, leaving a narrow border around the leaf.

    Glycerin Method

    • 5

      Mix glycerin and water in a proportion of one part glycerin to two parts water. Pour this solution into a flat baking pan.

    • 6

      Place the leaves in the solution. Cover them with Styrofoam plates. Weigh the plates down with the rocks so the leaves are completely submerged.

    • 7

      Allow the leaves to soak in the solution for two to six days.

    • 8

      Remove the leaves from the solution and dry them gently with a paper towel.

    Microwave Method

    • 9

      Lay the leaves between two paper towels and place them in the microwave.

    • 10

      Set the microwave strength to medium or low, if possible. Microwave the leaves for between 30 and 180 seconds. Watch them carefully to be sure they don't scorch. Microwave dry leaves for less time than wet ones.

    • 11

      Let the leaves sit for two to three days. Spray them with acrylic sealant.


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