Using beeswax to preserve the changing colors of leaves is one of our favorite activities during autumn. Here in Southern CA our season occurs quite late, but we are lucky to have a couple of places that we visit several times a year where we are able to experience a little bit of fall. Dipping your leaves beeswax will help to preserve the color and the leaves remain pliable for quite some time. They keep well and can be stored over multiple years. Some of the leaves in our collection are several years old and they still look great! We prefer to use beeswax but you can use any type of wax. Use clothespins to attach the leaves to a piece of twine for an easy garland or attach to an LED string light.

Materials:

– Leaves – Choose fresh leaves that are pliable and relatively flat, or you can press the leaves first. Both options work very well.
– beeswax large block / small blocks
– A heat-proof bowl placed over a sauce pan to create a double-boiler: I use either a metal enamelware bowl or a glass bowl over a larger pot.
– Parchment paper
– Twine and clothespins (optional if you are creating the garland) or an LED string light

Instructions for making the beeswax-dipped leaf garland:

Step 1: How to melt the beeswax and dip your leaves

Melt the beeswax in your bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water on low heat. Once your beeswax is liquified, you can either keep the pot on the stove or move it to a covered table. Hold the leaves by the stem and gently submerge them into the melted beeswax. Allow the excess wax to drip off for a few seconds back into the bowl or pot. You want to end up with a very thin layer of wax, so avoid dipping your leaves multiple times. If you find that your layers are too thick it is likely that your wax is not hot enough.

Step 2: How to make the leaf garland

Gently lay your leaves on the parchment paper to dry and cool. The beeswax helps to preserve the leaves and allows them to last several seasons. You can add them to your autumn table or create a garland out of them. To make the garland, clip the leaves onto the twine using small clothespins. You can also clip them onto an LED string light.

Step 3: Cleaning up

Pour the remaining wax into an empty silicone mold to save for future use. Wipe any remaining wax off with towel designated for cleaning while still warm. At the end of the season you can store your beeswax-dipped leaves between sheets of wax or parchment paper.