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Autumn leaves are the culmination of the season. Colorful leaves can be even more attractive than flowers. However, in order to decorate your house with fall foliage, you will first have to compress or preserve them. Fortunately, this is extremely simple and there are 4 main ways to preserve and preserve the color of autumn leaves.

Choosing leaves to save

Whichever method you choose, your leaves will show their best qualities when you follow these guidelines when choosing them:

1. Choose leaves that are relatively flat, not curling.
2. Look for leaves that are free of blemishes or bumps.
3. Don't be afraid to use the leaves at different stages of color change.
4. Leaves with a low moisture content are best dried under a press. More elastic leaves like magnolia or rhododendron are good candidates for glycerin or silica gel.
Choosing leaves for conservation is a fun activity for children. And since they are closer to the ground, they often have a better view to choose from.

Weight pressing is the easiest method to preserve autumn leaves

Pressing fall leaves under weight is the easiest way to preserve, but these leaves will not last as long as those that have been preserved. To dry the leaves with a press:

1. Choose leaves that are relatively flat and thin, with a low moisture content.
2. Place the leaves between sheets of newspaper or wax paper.
Then pick up some of your heaviest books and move on to step two ...

Weighing the leaves

To keep the leaves from curling, you need to apply a lot of weight.

1. Place the leafy paper inside a thick book. You can also add multiple books or a rock on top to increase weight.
2. Keep the book in a dry place and check after about a week. Make sure the leaves are dry and not rotted. You will probably need to keep the leaves under the weight inside the book for another 1-2 weeks before they are completely dry and ready to use.

Tip: If you have thicker leaves, soak them in a diluted fabric softener solution before drying. Or try coating the surface with a thin layer of Vaseline.

Design Ideas:
... Scatter pressed leaves on shelves or tablecloths.
... Make an ikebana by filling the basket with your pressed leaves.
... Pressed leaves can be used to decorate the table. Arrange the leaves on a table or tablecloth and cover with a sheer cloth or cellophane.

Keeping the leaves in wax paper is a great activity for kids

Perhaps this is one of the few activities when children are happy to take an iron in their hands.

1. Choose thin leaves with a low moisture content that have not yet begun to curl.
2. Make a sandwich: Place the leaves between two sheets of waxed paper.
3. Cover your ironing area with a piece of old cloth so that you do not stain it with wax.
4. Place your sandwich on top of the old cloth.
5. Cover your sandwich with another piece of old cloth.
6. Heat the iron to high BUT do not use steam.
7. Slowly iron back and forth over the fabric. Do not press too hard at first, otherwise you may move the leaves. Once the paper starts to seal, use the full weight of the iron and hold it for 4-5 seconds in each place.
8. Lift the rag to check if the wax paper has melted and sealed. The leaves will show up much better as the wax grows.
9. Let the sandwich cool, then cut out the individual leaves. Leave small edges around the leaves to keep the waxed paper sealed.
These leaves can last for several months.

Design Ideas:
... The waxed leaves are perfect for children to play with and can be used to create collages for hanging.
... Pin individual moldings to curtains or glue to lampshades for an autumnal feel.

Drying the leaves in the microwave

Microwaves are a great quick way to store whatever you want. You can use only the microwave, or speed up the process with silica gel, which will be discussed below.
1. Select leaves that are still fresh and moist. DO NOT apply dry fallen leaves.
2. Make a sandwich by placing individual casts or flat twigs with leaves between two paper towels.
3. Place the sandwich on the tray and place in the oven.
4. Turn on the microwave for 30 seconds and then check the leaves. The thicker or more moisture the leaves are, the longer it will take.
5. If the leaves are still wet, continue drying at 30 second intervals and checking until the leaves are dry.

Warning: Leaves can catch fire, just like any other item that has been left in the microwave for an extended period of time. So keep watching. DO NOT wait for the leaves to crumble or curl. They can stay warm and dry for a few seconds outside the microwave if you don't want them to dry out.

Application of silica gel to preserve autumn leaves

Silica gel is a white, salt-like powder found in small bags in shoes. Silica gel perfectly absorbs moisture and significantly speeds up the drying process. You can buy a pack of silica gel from any craft store, or you can collect and store the little packs you see all over the place.

1. Pick leaves that are still moist and pliable. Silica gel allows you to dry out thicker leaves too.
2. Spread silica gel in a layer of about 2-3 cm on the bottom of the microwave dish.
3. Place the leaves on top of the silica gel, leaving space between them and up to the edges of the dish.
4. Cover the leaves completely with another layer of silica gel.
5. Place the uncovered food in the microwave and turn it on on medium power for about 2 minutes. It is very difficult to determine the exact time to dry, as it depends on the size of the dish, the number of leaves, the amount of silica gel and the power of your oven. It is best to periodically check the condition of the leaves at short intervals.
Experience has shown that 3-4 sheets on an 8 x 8 platter with 3-4 cups of silica gel takes approximately 2 minutes on medium power.
6. Let cool and remove the leaves.

Tip: Leaves will last longer if they are additionally coated with acrylic resin.

Ideas for Use: These leaves are the same as press dried and can be strung or stacked for fall compositions.

Using glycerin to preserve leaves

Preserving the leaves with glycerin is the best way to keep them elastic, and they can stay that way for several years. You can preserve individual leaves or even whole small twigs this way.

The hardest part of the process is buying glycerin. Glycerin is very hard to find now. It is sometimes found in stores on the shelves next to hand lotion. You will have to search. You can also inquire at pharmacies.

To preserve individual leaves

1. On a flat tray, make a solution of one part glycerin and two parts water.
2. Place your leaves in the solution.
3. Cover your leaves with another dish so that they are completely submerged in the solution, as shown next.

Leaves in glycerin solution

Placing a smaller dish on top of the leaves will help them sink well into the solution. And this also means that you can use less solution.

Start checking in 2-3 days. The leaves should become soft and pliable. If the leaves are still dry to the touch, leave them in the solution for another 2-3 days.

When they are full, remove them from the solution and wipe away the stains.

Preservation of small twigs in glycerin solution:

1. Cut off small twigs with leaves and immediately immerse the stems in a container of warm water. Let them sit there for about 2 hours, away from direct sunlight.
2. Make a solution of 1 part glycerin with 2 parts water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes over low heat.
3. Allow the solution to cool completely.
4. Remove the twigs from the container with water and break their ends with a hammer so that a large surface can absorb the solution.
5. Place the branches in the glycerin solution. Keep away from direct sunlight and other heat sources until small dew drops appear on the leaves. This means that the leaves have absorbed everything they could.
6. Remove the twigs and wipe off the leaves.
7. Hang the branches down with leaves to dry.

Ideas for design: Glycerin leaves can be used in all kinds of creativity. They work especially well for wreaths and garlands, as well as for table decorations, napkin rings and large dishes.

Preservation of pressed and preserved leaves

No method will allow you to use the leaves forever. Even the leaves sealed in waxed paper will dry out and crumble over time. If you want to prolong the existence of your masterpieces for a slightly longer period, use a variety of floristic preservation products.

And of course, next year there will be different leaves, and every year your skill and creativity will only develop.

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Who, if not mothers, know that our children love to remember at 21-22 pm that tomorrow they need to bring a craft made from natural materials, a bouquet of dried leaves and flowers, a herbarium, and so on. And what to do? We get together and with a flashlight we go to collect "supplies", and then all night we sculpt, glue, paint, most often without a child. And sometimes they give a task in the garden, it seems it's still light, but it's raining outside. How to collect the required material? In order to at least partially protect myself from this (it will not work completely, unfortunately), I began to collect a "collection" of natural materials, having allocated for this a small shoe box and various smaller boxes and boxes, which I put into this very box from under shoes. Well, plus various books help. So what can we prepare?

1. We dry various leaves. On the way home, pick up several leaves of different trees. The colors can also be different, which ones come across: yellow, green, red ... The main thing is to select the most beautiful ones, and not to try to gain more. After all, we still have many fine days ahead and we will have time to collect a fairly large number of leaves. But let them be the most beautiful.

At home, we revise the "loot" once again, if there are spoiled ones (they didn’t see it by accident) or you simply don’t like them, we feel free to send them to the trash can. The rest We rinse under running water, lay out on a surface covered with paper or cloth (I cover it with disposable rags from a roll), let it dry with moisture and then into a book, and the book can be put back on the shelf. And you can spread it between sheets of plain paper to press down with something heavy. And let them dry themselves, then they will come in handy.

By the way, if you need to dry the leaves very urgently, then put them between two sheets of white paper and iron them several times with a hot iron.

2. "Airplanes" or "turntables" from maple. On the way home, after the maple seeds are ripe, we cut off several brushes with the child. At home, carefully remove them from the branches, leaving them in pairs, sort out, remove the spoiled ones. Then we rinse and dry for several days on any surface covered with paper: on the table, on the windowsill, on the floor. Once dry, pour it into a box and send it to a large box or to a cabinet with materials for crafts.

3. Chestnuts and acorns. Perhaps the most popular material for crafts. And they are not always on the trees growing near the house. Therefore, it is better to stock up on them in advance, you don't need much, but a dozen or two will not hurt. By the way, I sometimes find acorns without caps and separately - caps. I also collect this, sometimes you need hats, then acorns, and sometimes whole acorns with hats.

After collecting the acorns and chestnuts, I rinse them well under running water, then dry them for several days in a cool, well-ventilated area (I usually have a small shed). After the fruits have dried, I put them in a box, always shifting them with crumpled paper (you can store them in bulk, but with paper they dry out less and "shrink"). Then I put them in the box with the rest of the natural materials.

4. Cones. The principle is the same as with acorns: collect, wash, dry. Except for some nuances. More often I collect still closed cones, they are easier to wash. And they open up later, during the drying process, from the heat. Then I remove part of it in this form, part of it I bleach. Perfect whites do not work out, of course, but they brighten. I do not bleach in bleach, in any case! (For some reason, there is a lot of information on the Internet about bleaching in bleach, I tried it, the “petals” of the cones changed their structure, became soft). How I bleach: wash well, dry. Then I put it in the "mole" or similar means for a while. I take out, rinse and dry until the cones open (they close from moisture), rinse again and dry again. Then I put it in a special solution for bleaching wood (I buy it in hardware stores), periodically drying it if the cone is closed. After a few days, I take out, rinse, dry, rinse and dry again. That's all. They say that solutions containing xylot are still good for bleaching. But I haven’t tried it, so I cannot say.

5. Various twigs and sticks... Absolutely "different-sized": both in length and in thickness, even and not very. They are also necessarily present in my box with natural materials. Well washed and dried.

6. If it is possible to get it, then be sure to put a bag with hay or straw... May come in handy too.

What else is in the box: rose hips, dried flowers, reeds, some dried flowers, pumpkin seeds, nuts, sunflower seeds. And certainly - interesting pebbles, including flat pebbles. It's so fun to color. And you can add whatever you find interesting to the box, the larger the stock, the easier it is to make crafts!

Unfortunately, I can't show my box yet, last year's stocks are over, and this year they have just begun to collect stocks.

Dried leaves, flowers and herbs can be used to create unique paintings - both exquisitely complex and completely simple, which can be done even by small children. There are several techniques for making paintings, and perhaps you yourself will come up with something new.

Collect and dry beautiful plants and enjoy creative work with children, develop imagination, accuracy and a sense of beauty.

Collect leaves, flowers and herbs for future paintings is possible from spring to autumn.

Dry they are better in old heavy reference books or magazines. Thick stems of plants do not dry well, so it is recommended to cut them in half lengthwise. Leave the plant in the book for 10-14 days.

Glue take it thick enough so that no drops form.

If according to your plan colored but transparent petals must be superimposed on a dark background and at the same time retain their original color, then first you need stick them on thin white paper , cut along the path, and then include in the composition.

So, on a fine autumn day, you got out into the park or into the forest and collected a large collection of beautiful bright leaves and plants.

Applications can be done as from freshly picked leaves and dried... If you want to preserve the leaves, there are two drying methods we recommend.

The first, well-known, way - nesting leaves between the pages of an old unnecessary book. It is better to lay each leaf on both sides with a paper napkin.

The second method is express drying of the leaves using an iron. Just remember that the leaves are not sterile, so it is better to iron them on a surface that you do not mind throwing out later, for example, on large sheets of paper. On top of the sheet before ironing, you also need to put a sheet of newsprint or paper napkin. And now for more details.

Powder drying

This method of drying flowers and leaves is not quick and easy. It will require free-flowing substances with hygroscopic properties: sifted river sand, semolina or corn grits, salt or crushed chalk.

Powder drying has its own advantage: it completely retains the shape and vibrant color of plants or inflorescences.

Heat the sand in a frying pan so that no moisture remains, and let it cool. Place 2 cm of sand in a cardboard box and place the flowers on top of it.

Gently sprinkle the top with sand until you completely cover the plants.

After two to three weeks, holes need to be made in the bottom of the box so that the sand spills out.

Shake the dried flowers lightly to remove any remaining sand.

Such flowers can be used for volumetric paintings or drawing up floristic compositions.

Drying fast-growing plants

There are also plants that wither faster than they have time to dry up (hydrangea, bulbous, heather, chicory). They need to air-dry the stems by immersing them in water.

Cut the lower part of the stem at an angle of 45 degrees and place it in a vessel with water to a height of 7.5 cm.

Hot Drying of Plants (Express Drying)

Hot drying, that is, drying with an iron is ideal when you need to dry the leaves for the herbarium for tomorrow. Also, baking can preserve the original color of cornflowers.

Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or cotton pad to remove dirt and dust. Too much wetting and rubbing is not necessary, so as not to damage the fragile surface.

Line your ironing board with clean paper and spread the leaves on top of it.

If you use newspapers, be careful, as ink can be printed both on the leaves and on the surface of the ironing board.

Cover the top with another sheet of paper.

Set the iron to the lowest temperature and check that there is no water in it. If your iron is not too high power, then you can set the temperature closer to medium, but not maximum, because too hot an iron will ruin the leaves.

Iron the leaves several times, then remove the paper and turn them over to the other side. Cover with paper again and iron.

Repeat the procedure until the leaves are completely dry.

Drying plants for garlands and crafts

Leaves and flowers that you want to use not for herbarium and paintings, but for creating garlands or other crafts, must be dried without a press.

To dry the plant, lay it out on paper and spread it gently.

Tie the flowers in bunches and hang them with inflorescences down. The room should have good air circulation and relative dryness.

Drying of plants and leaves under the press

Drying the leaves under the press is the most famous and simplest way.

Leaves and flowers are simply shifted with sheets of paper or paper towels on both sides and placed under a press, or in books and magazines.

The paper needs to be changed every day to remove any moisture that has been absorbed.

Flowers and leaves will be ready to use after a week.

If the workpieces become too fragile, immerse them in a solution of water and PVA glue (for 4 parts of water, 1 part of glue), and then dry.

Leaves dried and processed in this way are ideal exhibits for herbarium.

Drying plants on a wire rack

Some plants can be dried horizontally on a wire rack (eg ivy). Some are better not to be turned upside down (physalis).

Drying flowers in the oven

Single large flowers, whose petals are rich in liquid, such as roses or tulips, can be dried in the oven at a low temperature.

Observe the process carefully: the flowers should not turn brown.

Before starting work, cover the table with oilcloth so as not to stain it with glue. Prepare the base - a sheet of cardboard, collected or dried leaves, scissors, glue (preferably PVA), tweezers.

First you need come up with a future picture ... Then arrange it on a separate sheet. And only then begin to glue the individual leaf parts to the base. It is best to apply the glue in droplets around the edges. If you apply the glue to the entire surface of the sheet, it may warp when the applique dries.

You need a finished picture put under the press for one or two days. Don't forget to do for her frame!

Types of applications

Overhead applique.

Try to get started by coming up with pictures that do not require cutting out any details from the leaves, but rather created by overlaying the leaves. You can think of a lot of such pictures: butterflies, mushrooms, chickens and other birds ... The missing elements can be drawn with a felt-tip pen or made from other natural materials.

Once they get caught up in simple pictures, kids can start to come up with multi-tiered images. In this technique, the leaves are glued on top of each other in layers. The application will turn out to be bright and cheerful if the leaves differ in color.

Silhouette applique.

In this type of applique, the extra parts of the leaf are cut off to get exactly what the little artist intended.

Modular application (mosaic).

Using this technique, a picture is created by gluing many leaves of the same or similar shape and size (or, for example, maple seeds). So you can make the scales of a fish, a cock's tail or a firebird.

Symmetrical appliqué.

It is used to create separate images or whole pictures with a symmetrical structure, as well as to obtain two completely identical images (for example, reflection in water). To do this, you need to select similar leaves to get an image with its "reflection" or symmetrical in itself ("Butterfly", "Dragonfly", "Landscape with a lake", "Boat on the river").

Ribbon applique.

A kind of symmetrical appliqué. Its difference is that it allows you to get not one or two, but many identical images - ornaments. It turns out whole "round dances" of trees, flowers, mushrooms, butterflies, etc.

Wax autumn leaves with your own hands step by step with a photo

Natural material is an entertaining thing, but short-lived. After some time, moisture from the collected leaves evaporates, they become brittle and fragile, and lose color. How to prolong life and decorative appearance? You can make waxy autumn leaves that retain their shape and color for a long time.
Material description: the master class will be useful for senior schoolchildren, teachers, and parents.
Purpose: room decoration, decorative bouquets.
Target: creating a decorative bouquet.
Tasks:
- develop creativity
- educate accuracy, perseverance
For work we need:
1.Fresh autumn leaves.
2. Candles (the most common white candles).
3. Baking paper or foil (we will put the leaves on it to dry).
4. The pot and container for a water bath - it is better to be wide, so that your largest leaves can easily enter.
5. Stove, kitchen.

The process itself is as follows:
1. We melt candles in a water bath. (Quantity - so that you can freely dip the leaf, about 1.5-2 cm from the bottom of the container.) Once the wax has melted, reduce the heat to a minimum to maintain heat.

2. Spread baking paper or foil near the stove - the leaves will be dried on it so that they do not stick to the surface. The distance from the stove to the foil should be minimal, ideally, cover the edge of the stove, otherwise it will take a long time to scrape off the drops of wax.
3. When the wax becomes liquid, dip the leaf into it, turn it over so that the wax covers it on both sides, 5-7 seconds will be enough.

Take it out and let the beads of wax drip directly over the pot. To do this, first hold it down for 6 seconds with the tips, then, if it is dense, turn it a little to completely cut off all drops and so that no wax accumulates on the tips.

Then quickly place the sheet face up on foil or baking paper. The sheet dries quickly - in about 1 minute. After a couple of minutes, the leaves can already be used for work. Foil or baking paper should be periodically cleaned of drops of wax, or put a new one so that the drops do not stick to the leaves. When you put the leaf to dry - a small droplet may remain on the tip and go beyond it - after drying, this droplet can be easily removed by hand with a knife or fingers, but so as not to damage the entire coating of the leaf.

If a child is involved in the process, then he must be at least 7 years old, and then he can dip the leaves in wax himself, but only with a long stem and after a thorough explanation of how hot the wax is. As soon as the child is tired, let him become a spectator. But in general, this activity, although interesting, is not for kids.

Autumn crafts - we have no doubt, mothers of schoolchildren are very familiar with these words. And the feeling is also familiar when a child, having come home from school, says that dried leaves or an article made from them must be brought ... tomorrow. How to quickly dry the leaves so they are ready as soon as possible? The most convenient and affordable way for everyone is with an iron.

Yes, yes, we will iron the leaves with an iron, as if they were some kind of shirt. But, as is the case with the fabric, you must carefully set the temperature so as not to spoil. From too hot iron the sheet will lose color.

Step 1. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth - you will be surprised how much dirt accumulates on them. Especially those taken from trees growing near roads. You do not need to wet the leaves, we also do not recommend rubbing too hard.

Step 2. Place a blank sheet of paper on the ironing board, spread the leaves on it and cover them with another sheet of paper. Newspapers can also be used (they are often recommended for tips on how to dry leaves quickly), but letters and photographs from newspapers can be printed on the leaves (verified).

Step 3. We make sure that there is no water in the iron (we will dry the leaves, not steam them) and set the minimum temperature. If the iron doesn't feel hot enough, turn up the temperature a little, but don't overdo it. It is better to iron the leaves with a not very hot iron for a longer time than spoil them in one fell swoop at the maximum temperature.

Step 4. Ironing the leaves. After ironing it once, remove the top sheet of paper and check the result. Turn the leaves over, cover with paper again and iron. We do this several times until the leaves are dry and brittle.

As you can see, ironing the leaves is not that difficult. The main thing is not to make it too hot.
And at the end, we offer you examples of handicrafts made from autumn leaves found on the Internet: