How to maintain autumn leaves with wax
The leaves are so beautiful right now, I love this time of year. My two young boys have been collecting leaves on the way to and from nursery each day, so we have quite a collection at home! They do wrinkle up and lose their colour quite easily though, so a good way to preserve them so as they don't lose their shape or colour and they last throughout the autumn and even longer is to dip them in wax.
What you will need: beeswax, a double boiler or an old tin and saucepan (which is what I used), some thread to hang the leaves on, and some newspaper to put under them so they can drip onto it (I used an old shoe box).
Put some water into your pan or bottom part of your double boiler and melt the wax slowly, don't let it boil. Once it is fully melted you can dip the leaves carefully into it, don't put them in for long just dip them in and out and give them a little shake, before hanging them up to dry over some newspaper or something you don't mind getting wax on. I used an old shoe box and sellotaped string across it and pegged the leaves to the string, see photo below.
Once the wax has dried, which won't take long at all, you can hang them somewhere in your home for decoration, I made them into a mobile and they're now hanging over our dinner table for everyone to see, see below photo
