Beeswax Dipped Leaves

Today I'd like to share a fun and easy project that's perfect for the fall season. What I love most about this project is that it requires time spent outdoors enjoying nature. I have fond memories of doing this project several years ago with my mother-in-law, Julie, and brother-in-law, Eli. We enjoyed a morning walk through the woods collecting colorful leaves and an afternoon spent dipping them.

You may be wondering why in the world you would want to dip leaves in wax. Well, the answer is that by dipping them in wax you'll preserve them for the season. They'll retain their color and shape for several weeks and make lovely decorations for your home. As time goes on the color will start to deepen and then fade, but they're still pretty. If you keep them safely packed away, you can actually decorate with them for years! You can see how I've used some of my old leaves to decorate in this post.

What you'll need:

• Parchment Paper

• Glass or other microwave-safe bowl

• Fall leaves you've collected

• Beeswax (I like to use beeswax pastilles. You can find them at GloryBee. Check out their website www.glorybee.com. GloryBee has generously offered 15% off to Home in the Hollow readers who create an account and use the code BFD15-GB20 at checkout.)

Step 1:

Line a small microwave-safe bowl with parchment paper and fill with beeswax. Microwave at two-minute intervals until wax is thoroughly melted. Carefully remove the bowl from microwave with hot pads.

Step 2:

Make sure leaves are dry and do not have any rain or dew on them. Use a towel to gently dry them if necessary. Dip one leaf at a time into the wax making sure to submerge all but the stem. Remove the leaf from the wax and hold it above the bowl for a few seconds allowing any excess wax to drip back into the bowl.

Step 3:

Place leaves on parchment paper and allow them to dry thoroughly. Once dry, remove leaves from paper and use to decorate. I hung some of my leaves on twine with clothespins in the doorway between my living room and kitchen. I also set some randomly around the house where I can enjoy them as I go about my day.

I hope you're inspired to spend time in nature and maybe even work on some of your own projects today. If you try this project leave me a comment and let me know what you thought!

Thanks for reading,

Abby