Golden autumn in its full swing, in the parks, the beauty is indescribable. As a family, we love to walk in the autumn forest, rustle leaves, raise whole “pillars” with our feet, arrange fireworks from them, and on the way home, collect the most beautiful ones and put them in a vase at home ... Oh, but at home all this beauty is warm so short lived. A couple of days pass and the leaves dry, wither and begin to curl up, but I really wanted to keep the bright colors of autumn and admire them in winter!
And here are the resources! Welcome to the cut to find out all the "magic", as well as for fun ideas of what leaves can do!
Save the leaves
The simplest and known way to preserve the leaves is drying under pressure. But this method is suitable if you want to make a herbarium. Just storing it in a vase or somehow decorating a room with dried leaves is not very good, because the leaves become too brittle. Therefore, if we want to decorate the room with the help of leaves, then it is better to choose a different method of “preservation”.
In order to “prolong the life” of fallen leaves, it is best to collect still “wet” (recently fallen), undamaged leaves.
Method 1 - soak in glycerin
To do this, we need a baking sheet (or a deep tray), a board (which will completely fit into a tray or baking sheet, in fact, glycerin itself (a lot)
Glycerin is the best remedy to maintain plasticity.
We make a solution - 2 parts of water and 1 part of glycerin. The solution needs so much so that our leaves can be drowned in it. The solution is poured into a tray or baking sheet, leaves are placed in one layer, and covered with a board on top so that the leaves are completely recessed. We leave it like that for 2-3 days, and then we check. If the leaves have become plastic, you can dry them, and if they are still a little brittle and “dry” to the touch, then it is better to leave them for another couple of days.
Ready-made such leaves are perfect for decorating a room - wreaths, garlands or just a bouquet.
Also, small branches can be preserved in a solution of glycerin.
How it's done:
1. Cut off small twigs with leaves and immediately immerse the stems in a container with 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 (you can add a few drops of dishwashing liquid) and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer it for 5-10 minutes over low heat.
3. Allow the solution to cool completely.
4. Remove the sprigs from the water container, and break their ends with a hammer so that a large surface can absorb the solution.
5. Put the branches in a solution with glycerin. Keep away from straight lines sun rays and other heat sources until small drops of dew appear on the leaves. This means that the leaves have absorbed all they can.
6. Remove the twigs and wipe the leaves.
7. Hang the branches upside down to dry.
Method 2 - wax paper
You will need wax paper (for baking), 2 towels, iron
We cut off a piece of wax paper and lay our leaves on it in one layer so that there is space between them. Top with the same sheet of the same waxed paper. It turned out such a "sandwich". Now it breaks up with a towel (kitchen, not thick) on top and gently iron it so as not to dislodge the leaves. NO STEAM! It is also better to put a thin towel on the surface on which we iron, so as not to stain anything with wax. Pieces of waxed paper should stick together completely. After cooling, we cut out our leaves, leaving small edges so that the paper remains “sealed”. Leaves are intact!
Method 3 - wax procedures
pic
We take paraffin wax (we took ordinary candles) and melt it over low heat. ATTENTION - we melt in the container, which is not a pity, it is not possible to wash off completely solidified wax (we have had a special bowl for these procedures for a couple of years already).
Where the leaves will then dry, we lay wax paper (again, it is better to lay it under kitchen towel) (or you can hang the leaves on a rope to dry).
We take the leaf by the handle and gently immerse it several times in melted wax.
And now for some fun ideas on what to do with leaves.
funny herbarium
pic
A figured hole punch is always useful
pic
Shall we play?
pic
Painting
pic
We draw with prints
pic
Thus, you can make postcards as a gift.
pic
And if you take craft paper (brown) and decorate it with a lot of prints, then the issue of gift wrapping will be solved!
Can you print on fabric?
pic
pic
With pencils
I note right away that the flowers in gelatin and glycerin remain the same flexible and only slightly change color. Become more faded. If you want truly magical results, don't delay. And as soon as you receive a bouquet as a gift, select a few flowers for canning. The only “but” is that too young foliage cannot be preserved with glycerin
It is better to take dense, not too young flowers. Oddly enough, too young foliage cannot be preserved with glycerin. Excess leaves should be removed immediately. Carefully consider the flower that you decided to preserve. If you see damaged petals and leaves on it, then it is better not to use such a flower. The stem must be cut obliquely, peeled or bark (if it is a twig of lilac or apple tree, for example) approximately 7 cm from the bottom and split. This is necessary in order for the solution to better penetrate the flower.
Glycerin is diluted with water in the ratio: 1 part of glycerin to 2 parts hot water. The resulting liquid is poured into a jar, vase, any other beautiful vessel to a height of about 20 cm and cleaned in a dark, cool place. Penetrating into the leaves, glycerin absorbs their liquid and the moisture evaporating from the leaves and stems is replaced by glycerin. The liquid level must be maintained, therefore, as it dries, the solution must be topped up. This only applies to open containers.
In closed vessels, the level practically does not change. Full soaking takes from two weeks to two months, depending on the size and thickness of the stems. But the result is worthy of admiration! This is why you have to be patient and wait. Plants preserved in this way retain their elasticity and flexibility and do not require special care, they can be wiped with a damp cloth from dust.
It takes from two weeks to two months to fully soak, but the result will certainly delight!
Individual leaves can also be preserved. It takes much less time from 2 to 3 weeks. But you also need to take into account some features. Fern leaves, for example, produce a milky sap when cut, which can clog moisture-conducting channels in the stem. In this case, the end of the stem should be held over the flame until it darkens.
Glycerin guarantees us only the preservation of the shape of the flower. But over the color you can "conjure" yourself.
In order to give the plants the desired color, you need to feed the plants with artificial water-soluble dyes by adding them to a solution of glycerin. You can use brilliant green, acrylic, oil, silver, colored transparent varnishes, now shops for creativity provide us with a wide range of similar products.
It happens that the plants were unsuccessfully preserved and white oxidized spots formed on them, which spoil the appearance of our plants. You can correct the situation by bleaching the plants for a couple of days in the following solution:
1. Water 500g.
2. Denatured alcohol 160g.
3. Acetone 160g.
4. Oxalic acid 50g.
5. Acetic acid 99% -10gr.
6. Sodium bisulfate 120g.
Flowers in decorative bottles.
The beauty of these decorative bottles is hard to put into words. And even a photograph cannot fully convey to you their brightness and tenderness.
To create a composition, you need a transparent bottle of a beautiful shape. It must be washed well and disinfected with boiling water. Plants can be laid immediately by splitting the stem, and pour a solution of glycerin and water in a ratio of 1: 2. For the best effect, before laying in a bottle, plants can be placed in such a solution for several days so that they are saturated with it. Then put the flowers in a bottle, carefully straighten them with chopsticks, carefully pour the solution and seal the neck hermetically. The neck can be additionally decorated with twine, ribbon or filled with sealing wax
Great for decorating bottles fresh roses or petals, dahlias, lilies, chrysanthemums, etc. At the same time, you can put shells, beads strung on a thread, small figurines, beautiful buttons in the bottle. Fresh flowers can be replaced with artificial ones.
Another reliable preservative is a strong solution of gelatin with sugar, about 1/1. You can also use a very strong saline solution.
Flowers cannot be placed tightly in a bottle or jar; they should, as it were, hang inside the vessel. Compositions inside the bottle may be different, but sometimes one flower is enough.
Salt method.
It is necessary to cut off the buds of roses that are ready to bloom in such a way that the flowers have a stalk. Salt calcined in a cast iron pan until it turns into a very fine dry powder. After that, you need to take a tin box and pour a layer of already calcined salt on the bottom. The buds must be laid on the salt, but in such a way that they in no case come into contact with each other. The buds are filled to the top with salt, after which the box must be hermetically sealed. When needed fresh flowers, roses should be taken out of the box, carefully cleaned of salt, cut the stem a little and put in water. They will come to life and blossom. You can do it in another way: pour into cardboard box calcined salt, put flowers there, fill them with the same salt, then close the lid, put the box in a plastic bag and put it in a cool place. In this case, when fresh flowers are needed, you need to get the plants out of the box and put them in a bath or bucket of warm water for 2 hours for 2 hours.
The beauty of autumn foliage is fragile and short-lived. Today it pleases us with its special aroma and iridescent colors, and after a few days only a handful of dry wind remains from the yellow-crimson petals. However, if desired, tender leaves can be saved to be used later for various decorative purposes.
Let's try to figure out how to do it.
You will need:
1. Select leaves, giving preference to whole, flat, relatively fresh and undamaged specimens. Please note that dry and heavily twisted leaves do not absorb glycerin well, which we will use as a kind of preservative, which means that they are not suitable for long-term storage.
2. In a wide flat container, dilute the glycerin in water (ratio 1:2). Dip the leaves into the solution so that they fit freely and are completely covered with the liquid. It will take several days for the leaves to absorb the glycerin. If the process goes correctly, then after a while the leaves will be saturated with a moisturizing liquid, becoming elastic and soft.
3. Place the soaked leaves on paper towels and leave to dry for 1-3 hours.
4. When the leaves are dry, they should be placed under a press to remove any remaining moisture. To do this, you can use an iron or heavy books. If you want to dry the leaves with an iron, then they should be spread out between newspaper pages and gently smoothed out by setting the device to a low temperature. The iron allows you to quickly prepare the leaves for further manipulations.
If you decide to use a book press, then the leaves must be placed on wax paper so that they are closed on both sides, and put between the volumes, leaving in this form for several days.
How to use?
Glycerine leaves can be used for a variety of decorative purposes. They retain their shape and color for a long time, so they are suitable for all kinds of fakes on the autumn theme.
Collages for children's creativity. Create funny animal collages and flora – an exciting activity, which will appeal to creative kids.
You can turn ordinary leaves into outlandish animals in just a matter of minutes. All you need for such fakes is stationery glue, scissors, landscape paper and a little inspiration.
Collages can be supplemented with small handwritten strokes that will help to play with leafy elements in an interesting way.
Crowns and bracelets. From glycerine leaves, you can make a crown for the autumn festival, which is held annually in kindergartens and schools. A spectacular headdress is assembled in the manner of a wreath or crafted using a cardboard base and double-sided tape.
By the same principle, you can make an autumn bracelet that will perfectly complement themed costume.
Another decoration option involves the creation of crowns with the image of forest animals, which are perfect for fabulous performances.
Original masks can also be made from leaves by simply painting them with a black and white marker.
Bouquets. Usually, autumn bouquets are simple compositions colorful leaves, which decorate the table setting or home interior.
However, there are more complex floral techniques that allow you to make imitations of flower buds from leaves. Such bouquets are especially expressive and suitable for decorating identical ceremonies: autumn weddings and anniversaries.
Fairy lights. By stringing the leaves on a thin thread, you will get a bright garland that will bring into the house autumn mood.
Looking for more sophisticated solutions? Apply glue to the leaves with a brush, generously sprinkle them with shiny glitter and fasten satin ribbons at the base to help strengthen the garland in right place.
Stencils. Leaves can be used as stencils to create an interesting pattern on fabric, paper or glass. There are two ways to make an autumn image. In the first case, the leaves are simply laid out on the surface, then paint is applied on top. When the coating is completely dry, the leaves should be carefully removed - unpainted areas will remain in their place.
Another method involves applying paint to the sheet itself, which is then used as a stencil. For such imprinting, you can use absolutely any paint (gouache, watercolor, acrylic, fabric paints), and the sheet itself should be painted on the side where the veins are located. It is better to press the stencil with a roller, but you can do without it by simply pressing on the sheet with your hand.
In this way, you can decorate clothes, home textiles, dishes and other household items.
www.znaikak.ru
"WE DECORATE THE HOUSE WITH DRY FLOWERSDried flowers. Preservation with glycerin. Drying in a standing position.
Stage 1. Cut and prepare the material. Evergreens can be cut for preservation at any time of the year, deciduous - in the middle of summer.
Step 2 Place the plants in the glycerin water solution. Thoroughly mix one part glycerin with two parts boiling water, immerse the plants in the solution to a depth of 7.5 cm. Keep the vessel in a cool shaded place.
Step 3. Take out the glycerinated plants. Inspect the plants every week - occasionally wipe the upper leaves on long branches with a cloth soaked in an aqueous solution of glycerin. Plants are taken out when all the leaves change color. The process takes from 1 to 8 weeks, depending on the type of plant; if necessary, a solution is poured into the vessel. Ready plants are blotted with a paper towel. Hang the plants upside down for a few days before use. Plants suitable for conservation in a standing position: Beech, camellia, rose, cotoneaster, holly, rosemary, hydrangea, cherry laurel, ferns, mountain ash, pear, goof, boxwood, oak, magnolia, broom , willow, rhododendron, eucalyptus." Link. Link
saoros.livejournal.com
In autumn, the leaves on the trees are so beautiful that you want to keep such beauty longer. The leaves of maple, vinegar tree, apricot, peach (from my observations) are especially beautiful.
A bouquet can be made simply from leaves, both with and without twigs, you can include dried flowers, bunches of berries in a bouquet, making a beautiful composition out of them. Look at the examples of bouquets below in the photo, and you will find inspiration for creating your own beautiful and unique bouquet.
You can make flowers from leaves. The photo below shows the process of making roses in step-by-step pictures. As a result, you can get an unusual bouquet of autumn roses.
Autumn is on the threshold, while the leaves on the trees are green, only on the birch in some places they peep yellow leaves, but this process is fast, in a few days everything will be in a different form. Let's prepare for the golden autumn and plan to assemble a bouquet from autumn bright fallen leaves. On the Internet you can see a master class on making roses from maple leaves, author Natalya Yakubova, teacher elementary school. Here is such a beautiful bouquet of roses from maple leaves:
To a bouquet of roses from autumn leaves pleased for a long time, you need to grease the leaves with sunflower oil before work or grease the ready-made roses with oil.
can be varnished, spray paint:
Happy autumn!
From autumn foliage you can make a luxurious bouquet of roses. Collecting leaves. Leaves can be taken different colors, sizes, but they should be clean and slightly damp. If the foliage is very dry, then twisting the leaf into a bud will not work.
We wipe the leaves with a cloth, if necessary. Dry a little if the foliage is wet. We begin to make the middle of the flower. We take a sheet and fold it in half - do not squeeze.
We twist it with a soft tube. We hold with our fingers and begin to wrap the second leaflet. By the way, the sheet may be a different shade.
We do so as many leaves as we want to get petals. We hold the bud with our fingers so that it does not fall apart. So we do, for example, five buds. We connect them together, holding them by the petioles - we collect a bouquet. Roses can be wrapped in green leaves). Cover with varnish.
info-4all.ru
Autumn bouquets are amazing compositions that can combine all the gifts of autumn: flowers, leaves, branches, berries, vegetables and fruits. Such a bouquet will decorate any interior, giving it warm and saturated colors and shades of autumn. And so that these bouquets please the eye longer, there are several secrets, using which you can extend the life of your autumn bouquet before the onset of winter.
The leaves collected for the bouquet can be smeared with sunflower oil by adding a couple of drops to it. essential oil such as an orange. Thus, you will keep your bouquet for a longer time, and its aroma will improve your mood.
Professional florists use glycerin instead of oil
In a mixture of glycerin and hot water(3:1,) Place the leaves or twigs that you are going to make a bouquet of, so that they do not wither, but remain soft. Although this method has a drawback - the color of the leaves can change unpredictably.
There is a special flower varnish that florists use to treat cut flowers. You can go to flower shop and ask you to help.
Some advise to cover the bouquet with regular hairspray.
And such amazing bouquets can be fixed with melted wax, dropping leaves or twigs into it.
After such processing, they will not lose their color and can stand for a whole year.
You can also sprinkle your bouquets with sparkles, paint with gold paint, decorate with colored ribbons, decorative fruits, cereals, everything that will give them a special autumn focus and set a new note in your interior.
In addition to the usual autumn bouquets, the house can be decorated with Japanese ikebana
To make your ikebana beautiful and harmonious, when composing a composition, follow certain rules.
prazdnichnymir.ru
woprosi.ru
The maple leaf shape is easily recognizable. It can be seen on the Canadian flag, and indeed, there are hardly any people in Russia who cannot imagine it. Maples are very beautiful in autumn: their leaves acquire beautiful colour, somehow in a special way they smell. Children and adults collect them in beautiful yellow-orange bouquets, which, perhaps, can be called symbols of golden autumn.
But Maple leaves stored in this form is not very long. How to extend their life? And what else can you do with them? In fact, there are a lot of options. First of all, you need to choose right leaves: they should be quite fresh, the process of decay should not yet begin in them. Having collected enough, you can think about how to save them. The most popular way is to iron them through sheets of newspaper. This will help remove excess moisture from the leaves and prevent rotting. But this measure can somewhat spoil their beautiful color. Another well-known way is to put maple leaves in a book for a while, it will not hurt it if you lay newspaper blanks for the herbarium. But a couple of months, in order for the result to be sure to be good, you will have to wait.
So, what can be done with dried leaves? Firstly, the same bouquet that will last much longer, especially if you cover it with a special composition used by florists. 
Secondly, they can be used for applications, herbariums and similar crafts. Some even make them beautiful roses, folding in a special way several leaves around each other. Such flowers can be covered with paint and made into beautiful Christmas decorations, especially since handmade is now very much appreciated, especially if it is such an exclusive.
In addition to the decorative function, maple leaves can play the role medicinal product, they are widely used in folk recipes. So, it is believed that they have wound healing, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties, and 
can also serve as an antiemetic, diuretic, antipyretic. There is even an opinion that the maple leaf has an analgesic effect. However, it is better not to use such funds without consulting a doctor, since only a professional can choose the right medicine for the patient.
By the way, not all maples have the same leaf shape, but there are about 160 species in this genus. The number of their shares differs, they can be round or more 
elongated. But almost all nations in one way or another revere these trees, they have a place in the famous Japanese gardens, maple leaves inspire poets and composers to create poems and songs.
In addition, this valuable wood and a beautiful honey plant. In Canada, of which it is a symbol, maple syrup has long been made from it, which is added to desserts. This is how important this tree is for a person. No matter how useful and practical maple is, it is simply beautiful, and its leaves can long resemble romantic natures about warm autumn days and the people who were around.
fb.ru
The bright colors of autumn make you want to catch and hold on longer. Leaves are just a miracle of shades that should be used to decorate an apartment as part of color therapy. 🙂 But how often, bringing home some beautiful leaf, we notice that it quickly loses color and shape, and it is useless to use it in decor.
Today is the most successful way, get water, soda, books :))
The easiest way to keep the leaves longer is to pluck them straight from the branches. Not to say that autumn leaves are very strong on the branches, but still this is a great chance to keep the bouquet in original form. Before putting the composition in a vase, cut the branches with a sharp knife and lightly split. You can add a few tablespoons of glycerin or a teaspoon of sugar and an aspirin tablet to the water. Periodically spraying the leaves with water from a spray bottle will help the bouquet retain its fresh charm.
The skeleton in the decor is a somewhat strange combination, unless we are talking about leaves and flowers. This technique allows you to make things so delicate that you can’t believe that they are of natural origin.
You need to prepare a soda solution (about 3 tablespoons per 1 liter of water) and carefully spread the leaves in the solution. Boil them over low heat from an hour to two, until the leaves darken, periodically pouring soda. Then we lay out the leaves on paper and beat them with the bristles of a toothbrush. The pulp of the leaf crumbles and a cute skeleton remains. 😉 Then the sheet needs to be dried, you can paint or leave the resulting natural shades.
Some florists prefer the dry skeletonization method: you can clean the leaf from the pulp without pre-soaking. In this case, it is better to use a natural bristle brush, and the harder the pile, the better.
To prevent the sheet from being too brittle after cleaning, you can sprinkle it with hairspray.
Simple and stylish garlands - they really decorate the veranda and the house, but in the event that the leaves remain in their original form, without losing their shape and color. Beauty can be helped by special floral sprays or acrylic lacquer, which is also sold in a spray - in construction stores.
Leaves sprinkled with this varnish look shiny and fresh, protected from damage and do not fade. Lacquer is intended for wooden furniture, plastic, glass, but it will perfectly protect the leaves 🙂
You can also use a special floral varnish for the leaves to shine the flowers. Another remedy is the usual vegetable oil, which can be applied to the leaves with a silicone brush.
For the type of décor that needs clean, crisp lines, the leaves can be dried the old-fashioned way. Spread them between the pages of the book, and then every day shift to a new page. The moisture from the leaves will be completely absorbed in about a week, for strengthening it is worth lowering them into a solution of water and PVA glue 4: 1 and dry well. And then you can already use the leaves in their original form, or paint.
Pictures of leaves sandwiched between two glasses look very stylish, and this decor lasts a very long time, the colors do not fade.
How many flowers should be in a bouquet
Almost any flower - from a fragile field rose to a luxurious garden rose, any leaf and blade of grass can become not only a part of the school herbarium, but also turn into an ikebana, a postcard for your beloved grandmother, material for decoupage, scrapbooking and a real picture that will become an excellent decor for your home . But for this you need to know how to properly dry the leaves and flowers.
There are many ways to dry plants and other natural materials to preserve their original shape and color. There is even a way to instantly prepare leaves and other raw materials for autumn crafts and herbariums. And he will help you a lot if you learned tonight that your child needs to bring this very herbarium to school tomorrow.
But sometimes you should not rush, especially if you want to create something unusual and unique from the gifts of nature. And then air or volume drying comes to the rescue, allowing you to preserve both the shape and color of beautiful delicate flowers. You just need to be patient so as not to spoil anything inadvertently.
And then real magic is born under your hands and the flowers continue to delight the eye when a blizzard sweeps with might and main outside the window.
If for hanging plants there is no suitable conditions or places, then they can be wrapped paper napkins(preferably rice) or other moisture-absorbing material, and then spread out in boxes or on top of cardboard.
Flowers usually dry out in 2-3 weeks.
This method is suitable for plants such as ammobium, periwinkle, heather, gypsophila, goldenrod, kermek (statice), lavender, echinopsis and the like.
Some plants wither very quickly, so it is difficult to dry them in their original form. Therefore, a combined method is used for them: air drying plus water.
The tips of the stems must be cut diagonally and put the plants in a vase of water, submerging no more than 4-5 centimeters.
As the water evaporates, the plants will dry out.
After the buds have puffed up a little, remove the flowers and cut off the tips of the stems that were in the water to prevent mold.
Then dry the plants by laying them horizontally on cardboard or paper.
This method is suitable for plants such as artichoke spherical, heather, carnation (after full bloom), gypsophila, hydrangea, lavender, bulbous, yarrow, chicory and the like.
Air drying is an indispensable method for large flowers and plants that are needed for crafts or winter bouquets.
For such drying, you need a dark (without direct sunlight), dry, cool room with excellent ventilation (pantry, attic, garage, attic).
Depending on the type and size of the plant, the drying process takes different amount time.
Easy to air dry ornamental grass or spikelets cereal plants(rye, wheat, barley, etc.), as well as medicinal or useful herbs(mint, St. John's wort, nettle, etc.).
Of the flowers - cornflower, hydrangea, decorative bows, poppy, rose, lilac (cut immediately after the lower flowers bloom), physalis.
CerealsHarvest the ears a couple of days before flowering or after the spikelets become light straw in color.
After harvesting, collect the ears in small bunches, placing the tops of the plants at different levels.
Tie the stems tightly, but not tight, and trim the ends of the stems to align them.
Hang the bunches spikelets down on a stretched rope or wire, at least 15 centimeters from the ceiling. The gaps between the beams are 10-15 centimeters.
You can fix bunches of flowers on hooks, paper clips or clothespins.
Leave the cereals to dry completely.
FlowersCut flowering plants as soon as the flowers open. Remove the bottom pair of leaves, or all of the leaves if you only want the flower itself.
Tie the plants at the base of the stem, 5-10 per bunch. It is better to wrap every 2-3 stems, and at the end of the whole bouquet with a tourniquet, elastic band or twine, so that the flowers do not fall apart after drying.
But do not tighten the rope too tight and do not wind it excessively so that moisture does not accumulate in the ligation points.
Hang bunches of flowers or spikelets down on a stretched rope or wire, at least 15 centimeters from the ceiling. The gaps between the beams are 10-15 centimeters. You can fix bunches of flowers on hooks, paper clips or clothespins.
In a bunch, the leaves should be well ventilated, and the flowers should not touch each other.
Leave the flowers to dry for 15-30 days. If the petals are thick and dense, or not optimal conditions, the drying time can be extended up to 40 days.
When the flowers are completely dry, the petals will be hard and brittle to the touch.
Large flowers and flowering branches should be dried one at a time (hydrangea, peony, rose, lilac).
Thorns must be removed from roses.
It is better to bind different types of plants separately, because their drying time may vary.
Absorbent cottonIn addition to powder drying using bulk substances, absorbent cotton wool can be used. In this case, the petals also retain their shape and color well.
Place all petals, including the most central ones, with pieces of cotton wool. Hang the plant by the stem on a hook or rope.
The flower head usually dries out in 5-6 days, but the cotton wool can be removed only after the stem has completely dried.
When drying flowers with toilet paper the calyx is flatter and the papery texture leaves marks on the petals, but it doesn't fall apart.
The flower is shifted with paper in the same way as with cotton wool.
Fresh flowers can be covered with paraffin, including a bouquet presented for the holiday. Almost all types of flowers can be treated with paraffin.
Dip the brush in melted paraffin, then carefully and delicately work the petals and leaves.
It is better to start from the extreme and move to the center of the bud.
After the petal is completely dry, you can move on to the next one.
The beauty of autumn foliage is fragile and short-lived. Today it pleases us with its special aroma and iridescent colors, and after a few days only a handful of dry wind remains from the yellow-crimson petals. However, if desired, tender leaves can be saved to be used later for various decorative purposes.
Let's try to figure out how to do it.
You will need:
1. Select leaves, giving preference to whole, flat, relatively fresh and undamaged specimens. Please note that dry and heavily twisted leaves do not absorb glycerin well, which we will use as a kind of preservative, which means that they are not suitable for long-term storage.
2. In a wide flat container, dilute the glycerin in water (ratio 1:2). Dip the leaves into the solution so that they fit freely and are completely covered with the liquid. It will take several days for the leaves to absorb the glycerin. If the process goes correctly, then after a while the leaves will be saturated with a moisturizing liquid, becoming elastic and soft.
3. Place the soaked leaves on paper towels and leave to dry for 1-3 hours.
4. When the leaves are dry, they should be placed under a press to remove any remaining moisture. To do this, you can use an iron or heavy books. If you want to dry the leaves with an iron, then they should be spread out between newspaper pages and gently smoothed out by setting the device to a low temperature. The iron allows you to quickly prepare the leaves for further manipulations.
If you decide to use a book press, then the leaves should be placed on waxed paper so that they are closed on both sides, and put between the volumes, leaving in this form for several days.
How to use?
Glycerine leaves can be used for a variety of decorative purposes. They retain their shape and color for a long time, so they are suitable for all kinds of fakes on the autumn theme.
Collages for children's creativity.
Creating funny collages depicting the animal and plant world is an exciting activity that will appeal to creative kids.
You can turn ordinary leaves into outlandish animals in just a matter of minutes. All you need for such fakes is stationery glue, scissors, landscape paper and a little inspiration.
Collages can be supplemented with small handwritten strokes that will help to play with leafy elements in an interesting way.
Crowns and bracelets.
From glycerine leaves, you can make a crown for the autumn festival, which is held annually in kindergartens and schools. A spectacular headdress is assembled in the manner of a wreath or crafted using a cardboard base and double-sided tape.
.jpg)
.jpg)
By the same principle, you can make an autumn bracelet that will perfectly complement the themed costume.
Another decoration option involves the creation of crowns depicting forest animals, which are perfect for fairy-tale performances.
Original masks can also be made from leaves by simply painting them with a black and white marker.
Bouquets.
As a rule, autumn bouquets are simple arrangements of colorful leaves that decorate the table setting or home interior.
However, there are more complex floral techniques that allow you to make imitations of flower buds from leaves. Such bouquets are especially expressive and suitable for decorating identical ceremonies: and anniversaries.
Fairy lights.
By stringing the leaves on a thin thread, you will get a bright garland that will bring an autumn mood into the house.
.jpg)
Looking for more sophisticated solutions? Apply glue to the leaves with a brush, generously sprinkle them with shiny glitter and fasten satin ribbons at the base to help strengthen the garland in the right place.
Stencils.
Leaves can be used as stencils to create an interesting pattern on fabric, paper or glass. There are two ways to make an autumn image. In the first case, the leaves are simply laid out on the surface, then paint is applied on top. When the coating is completely dry, the leaves should be carefully removed - unpainted areas will remain in their place.
Another method involves applying paint to the sheet itself, which is then used as a stencil. For such imprinting, you can use absolutely any paint (gouache, watercolor, acrylic, fabric paints), and the sheet itself should be painted on the side where the veins are located. It is better to press the stencil with a roller, but you can do without it by simply pressing on the sheet with your hand.
.jpg)
In this way, you can decorate clothes, home textiles, dishes and other household items.
