How to Preserve Fall Leaves
All of us adopt different habits which help us observe nature and feel inner peace, and such things can never be appropriately described in words. If you have ever gone on a walk in a park in autumn, you will have witnessed countless leaves on the ground. The sound of your feet pressing the crunchy autumn leaves is incredibly satisfying, and can have a soothing effect on you. In your childhood, you must have pressed some autumn leaves between wax papers, to preserve them. If you want to relive those memories, or simply preserve recent memories of a beautiful autumn day, you can learn to preserve an autumn leaf. Apart from being fun, this activity can also turn out to be a wonderful craft which you can master over time. There are multiple ways of preserving an autumn leaf.
Things Required:
– Wax paper
– Iron
– Paper towel
– Microwave oven
– A large, heavy book
Instructions
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1
Wax-Paper Method
Go for a walk in a park close to your home and choose a few autumn leaves. Make sure that you choose the brightest and best leaves to preserve. Make two layers of wax paper, place the autumn leaves in between them and cover them with a towel.
Having returned home, you should set your iron on warm. Seal the wax paper by ironing the fabric. In order to avoid scratching the leaves, you must keep the iron moving. By leaving a narrow edge of the wax paper around the leaf shape when you cut it out later, you will keep it sealed and preserved. -
2
Microwave Method
In order to preserve autumn leaves using a microwave, you must choose leaves which are not too dry. Place the leaves between paper towels and put them in the microwave oven. Adjust the power of the microwave to medium or low, if it is adjustable.
The microwave needs to run for 30 to 180 seconds. However, the time depends on how dry the leaves are. After taking the leaf out of the microwave, observe it closely. If it is scorched, it means that it was left in the oven for too long. However, if the leaves are curled, it shows that they are not dry enough. You will need to tweak this method a bit before you can master it. -
3
Book Method
Choose an old book which is not frequently in use, and is large and heavy to boot. Having wrapped the leaves in paper towels, place them in between the pages of the book. You can place as many leaves in the book as you wish, but make sure that you allow about 20 pages in between.
