DIPPED BEESWAX LEAVES FOR YOUR AUTUMN DECOR

How to Dip Fall Leaves in Beeswax 

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it? Look at these maple branches. Don’t they give you a thrill—several thrills? I’m going to decorate my room with them.” L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)

I love bringing the outdoors in to decorate my home. A simple leaf garland can really add such a nice festive Fall touch! This is such a fun and easy craft to make that I thought I'd share with you a quick tutorial on how to make  BEESWAX DIPPED LEAVES.

SUPPLIES:
-Fallen Leaves
-Book to press leaves in
-Double Boiler
-Beeswax: 1-2 pounds depending on the size of your dipping pot (Available here)
-String
-parchment paper (for work surface)

Step 1: Collect fallen leaves. While it's a bit early here for fallen leaves, they're on their way. Different trees loose their leaves at different times so the children and I collect them all season long.

Step 2. With a damp cloth, wipe collected leaves to remove any dirt.

Step 3. Press leaves between book pages and leave for at least 1 week. You can opt to skip this step and just go straight to the dipping but they do turn out better once pressed flat and dried.

Step 4. Prepare Beeswax to dip leaves in.

First you will want to find something in which to dip your leaves in. This will need to be vessel that you can dip them in fully but not a vessel that's too wide, which would require a lot of beeswax. You can use a double boiler or make one with things you have at home.

Make a double boiler with a pot of water and a container like a coffee can (the small ones are good for this), on old coffee peculator, an olive oil tin, a tin cup or a candle making pour pot. You can also forgo the double boiler and use a crock pot, the little dipper ones work good for this craft. You probably won't be able to get all the wax out of the container when you're finished so have it be something that you will designate for beeswax in the future. To make a double boiler place a canning ring in a boiling pot of water under the vessel. Bring water to boil and melt wax completely.

Step 5. Prepare work surface (to be completed while wax is melting.) Cover your work table with parchment or wax paper and find a trivet or hot pad to put your container of melted wax on.

I highly recommend not dipping from your stove top and carrying coated leaves across your floor to the table as there will be dripping wax that is very messy. 

You will want the wax to stay hot, so leave water boiling and put wax dipping pot back on stove top as often as needed.

Step 6. Begin Dipping, YAY the fun part!!! Holding the stem of the leaf, dip leaf  in hot wax submerging completely (not the stem, you'll avoid that so you don't burn yourself:) and then simply pull out and let drips fall back in dipping pot. Once drips stop, set down on parchment paper to cool. Each leaf only needs to be dipped once. If you notice the wax is going on too thick, you will need to bring the wax temperature back up by putting dipping pot back on double boiler.

Step 7. Once leaves have cooled, tie leaf stems on your choice of bakers twine, ribbon or string.

Enjoy for many years to come. Dipping leaves in beeswax helps to retain the color. There are endless crafts to make with dipped leaves.

Try your luck at making a wreath with them or even dip extras to adorn gifts or use as bookmarks. The options are endless. As a family we enjoy doing this every year and hope you do too!

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