As autumn paints the world in vibrant colors and trees bear their berries, the desire to preserve this beauty takes hold. Learning how to save autumn leaves and berries can help you create lasting decorations or simply hold onto the season’s charm for a little while longer.
In this article, we are going to share some useful tips on how to preserve autumn leaves and berries by using glycerine and water. Gather the equipment and let’s get started!
Equipment Required
Don’t worry, you won’t be needing any complicated ingredients to preserve leaves and berries. Here’s what you will need:
• Leaves, flowers, or berries (your choice)
• Baking trays, a tall jug, or roasting tins
• Glycerine (you can find it at the chemist or in the baking aisle)
• Clean water
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Step 1: Gather Leaves
The first step is to gather the leaves you want to preserve. Maple, birch, cherry, Boston ivy, cotoneaster, and many more jewel-like leaves can be used in this procedure. You can also use flowers or berries to spice things up!
Step 2: Make The Solution
The next step is to make a solution – all you have to do is simply mix one-part glycerine with two-parts water. What will happen here is that the water molecules in the cells of the leaves will be replaced with glycerine. This will prevent color loss and decay.
You can pour this solution in a large roasting tray, and you can also use jugs or roasting tins.
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Step 3: Soak The Leaves
What you have to do now is soak the leaves in the solution. Find a way to submerge all parts of the leaves. For instance, you can put a baking tray on top of the leaves (this will keep them intact).
Leave them like that for between two to four days. Once you remove them, rinse them in water briefly and dry them with your kitchen towel.
Step 4: Create Projects
Now is the time to get creative!
This easy task only takes a couple of days, but you’ll get long-lasting natural decorations for your home. You can use them to make an autumn wreath or any other decoration for that matter; or you can simply put these preserved beauties in a vase.
Don’t worry, they will last an incredibly long time – some might even last a couple of years!
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