Mama Makes: Wax Dipped Autumn Leaves

 When the fall air turns crisp and the leaves look like a Rainbow floating through the air, my need to get crafty with my children is strong! What amazing foggy mornings and beautiful afternoon sunshine we have been experiencing this last few weeks in the southern end of the Willamette Valley! A friend of mine all the way in New Hampshire shared with me a craft she was doing with her two precious loves and I decided this was the year we would try dipping leaves in beeswax to preserve them.

As we move towards Thanksgiving I always get a little sad to put away the fun décor and long for the color explosion out my window to not dwindle. Dipping leaves in Beeswax provides a sensory experience for the young and the old to enjoy and is fairly low cost and easy to do!

Time Involved: 
Around 30 minutes to dip the leaves depending on the quantity you dip. I hope your walks, drives, or bike rides to collect leaves last much longer! Let your children pick the most beautiful and perfect leaves!

Materials Required:
An array of beautiful fall leaves
Fishing line or yarn
Beeswax pearls or pucks 
Scissors
Double Boiler 

Instructions:

• Melt your beeswax slowly in a double boiler (if you don't have a double boiler see below for a way to DIY or try the video here)
• While the wax melts, choose your very best, whole leaves and tie yarn or fishing line to the stem of each one.
• Cover the floor or surface with newspaper. Place a drying rack or another rack sort of device for the leaves to hang on (Ideas: hang them on the shower curtain rod, or pull a rope tight between two heavy objects like stacks of books or bricks.)
• Dip your leaves in the wax. Give them one good coating all the way to the stem.
• Hang to dry.
• Once the leaves are dry you can hang them in your window or link the yarn together to make a sweet garland for your mantel.​

Tips and Tricks:

Double Boiler

• Use a coffee can or something that can easily be recycled or thrown away. It saves you lots of time scrubbing.
• A glass bowl over a regular pot also works as long as the bowl sits above the water.
• ​When you finish, drain the melted wax into a jar to save for future projects.

Wax
I found little hockey puck pieces of Beeswax at Sundance Market on 24th and Hillyard. You can also find beeswax at Capella, Market of Choice, Whole Foods, Glory Bee, and Hummingbird Wholesale.

Leaf Hunting
Really, out your door and throughout your neighborhood I am certain you will find plenty. However some very beautiful places to visit this time of year include:

• Gillespie Butte
• Eugene Masonic Cemetery
• River Path
• Dorris Ranch
• Ridgeline Trail
• South University District

Enjoy creating some festive fun with your sweetie pies!

Erinmarie Langsdorf is the mama of two sweet kiddos. She is a science teacher, turned stay at home mom who would not ever dream of letting grass grow under her feet. Erin's family loves good food & all the outdoors Eugene and the surrounding area graciously gives for FREE. Watch for more from Erin as she shares awesome kid friendly meals & all she's learned & loves about cargo biking!