I recently learned of a cool way to preserve fall leaves: with Mod Podge! A link on Pinterest led me to this blog with instructions: Preserve Fall Leaves from Crafty Journal.
I've been using Mod Podge for some time and as much as I love it, I never thought to paint it on leaves. For those who aren't familiar with the product, Mod Podge can work as a glue or sealant. Depending on the type of Mod Podge you buy, you can get a glossy or matte finish.
Mod Podge is very popular with crafters, because of its many uses. I was excited to read that Mod Podge can preserve an autumn leaf's color and flexibility. I had quite a few leaves saved in their pressed form between sheets of wax paper in a dictionary, so I had all the materials I needed for this project.
I painted the Mod Podge on both sides of the leaves, careful not to snap off those brittle ends. I still snapped a few, but it was impossible not to! Some of these leaves felt ready to crumble. Here's how the Modge Podge looks as it dries clear.
Once the Mod Podge dried for about 10-15 minutes, I'd paint the other side. The end result was a stronger more flexible leaf with its color revived. You can see how crisp and shiny the leaves turned:
I was pretty happy with how this experiment turned out. Here are more of the finished leaves:
Mod Podge is amazing! I found out about the product somewhat accidentally while spending a gift certificate. It just looked cool so I added it to my cart without knowing its many uses. That was over a decade ago, and that same container is still going strong! If you also like to craft with Mod Podge or would like to learn more about it, there's a blog you'll want to check out: Mod Podge Rocks!
You can search for any topic in the little search bar at the top of that page. Of course I've searched for "Halloween" Mod Podge projects already. I found some cool stuff like a DIY severed head and decoupaged skull plate. I'm starting to think that the sky's the limit as far as Mod Podge craft projects!
Oh MY!!! This is an awesome project!!!
ReplyDeleteYou did a fabulous job!
Now I need to go on a leaf hunt :)
I bet this same method could be used with pressed flowers and ferns too! =)
Heidi ~ Thanks! :) This is one of those projects where you get a great result without having to do tons of work. I bet you're right about the flowers and ferns. I hadn't even thought of that. I'd like to give this a shot with pressed flowers. I'll have to keep an eye out for some I could flatten completely. Good luck with the leaf hunt! Hopefully there are still some fresh fallen leaves where you are. They're pretty dried up around here now.
DeleteVery nice! Mod Podge does come up pretty often in crafting projects I read. Pretty useful stuff.
ReplyDeleteMark ~ Thanks! Yeah, it's amazing how many ways Mod Podge can be used. It's pretty handy to have around. Have you tried the product?
DeleteAwesome idea. I have the Mod Podge, just need to get some leaves.
ReplyDeleteJulie ~ Yeah! Hey, you're half way there. :) What kind of leaves do you have to choose from in AZ? I'm assuming we have a different tree selection.
DeleteNot as big selection of leaves here as there might be in other states.
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