My apologies in advance for the quality of these photos; I filmed the process in stories and forgot to take step-by-step process shots, so many of these are stills from Instagram stories. This is such a simple project however, that I think you will get the idea no matter the photos.
Collecting autumn leaves with my sons is an activity that I have done with them each year since my oldest was only one. We pull along the trusty red wagon and the selecting begins!
Truth be told, the process of collecting with them is the real treasure— the leaves themselves come second.
And what do we do with all of the leaves we collect? We typically press them and display them in this large floating frame:
This year, I wanted to test out the method of preserving the colorful leaves with Mod Podge. If you want to try it, too, you don’t need many supplies:
- Fallen leaves collected with loved ones
- Heavy books or something similar for pressing leaves
- ModPodge (any kind)
- Foam paintbrushes or chip brushes— don’t use valuable brushes
- Optional: wax or parchment paper
Step 1: Collect the prettiest leaves (with a little helper if you have one)
Step 2: Press the leaves in or under a heavy Book
Step 3: Coat the back of the leaves with a thin layer of ModPodge
If your little helper glops on the ModPodge, it’s not the end of the world: MP dries clear.
Step 4: Dry the leaves for a couple of hours until they are no longer tacky to the touch
Step 5: Flip and coat the front side with a thin layer
Step 6: Once fully dry on both sides, decide how to display them!
If you don’t have a floating frame, consider making a leaf garland to string on your mantle, add the leaves on the top of paper-wrapped gifts, or cluster in your favorite bowl or pitcher in the middle of your Thanksgiving Table.
But I can’t deny that the floating frame when leaning up against a window allows the leaves to glow in the autumn sun:
Happy collecting, dear friends!
with His love,
Adelaide
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