How I Preserve Leaves With Furniture Wax

These preserved leaves will last indefinitely, without the heavy layering that happens with other methods. I used a liquid furniture wax that is widely available in craft departments: Waverly Inspirations Wax Clear

It's as easy as this. Polish the leaf with the clear liquid wax using a bit of cotton and a gentle touch. Do both sides and let the leaf dry for a few hours. I waxed these on a large sheet of wrapping paper to protect my table.

Here's how I prepare the leaves: I press my leaves for a few days between papertowels with a weight on top. This removes a lot of the water in advance. I dry them until they are papery, but still pliable. Many leaves are already dry when you find them on the ground!

I look for pretty leaves every where! Surprisingly, ordinary parking lots are great places to find them. Parking lots often have lovely tree specimens. Don't forget shrubs like heavenly-bamboo (Nandina) which turn such amazing, durable shades. I carry a small notebook in my purse for pressing them until I get home.

Here are some of my preserved heavenly-bamboo leaves tucked into a lace curtain where the light will shine through. Beauty that will last.

I also sometimes frost pressed leaves with metallic paint applied with a cotton swab. I love metallic 24K Gold by DecoArt Paint for its brilliance. Lots of metallic colors would look marvelous, but do this before applying wax and allow a few hours to dry.

These will be sweet waxed and used in my decorating.

Here's another view of the liquid wax and how I apply it with a cotton ball to larger pressed leaves.

For smaller leaves, I use a cotton swab to apply the wax.

The wax dries in a few hours and are ready to use in decorating. I chose to attach some of mine to a dried flower stalk collected from a meadow. I removed the dried leaves and glued on new waxed leaves.

The waxed leaves will still be pliable but well-preserved under a thin coat of dry wax. Use just a few drops of hot-glue to attach them to dried flower stalks.

I've left the dried flowers on these stalks, but replaced the old leaves with new, gilded and waxed red leaves.

Mixing and matching with all natural materials.

In nature, Autumn leaves tend to "weep" a bit on the branches. They curve toward the ground as they weather. These waxed leaves are pliable, so they may curve a bit naturally, just like natural leaves.

Flowers may fade, but these leaves will last for many arrangements to come! Think of me, the next time you see beautiful Autumn leaves you would love to save.