The weekly “little of this, little of that” feature here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
Finnabee and I did some leaf waxing the other day.
Every once and a while I see ideas floating around (on Pinterest or elsewhere) that demonstrate that certain folks make the leaf-waxing process more difficult than it needs to be. Now, I'm not saying that my leaves are the best. I'm just saying, as your humble, New Englander friend, that you don't have to get too complicated in order to have waxy leaves.
Step 1. Gather leaves. Being in NE certainly helps.
Step 2. Put each leaf between two sheets of wax paper and press down with a hot iron. The waxier your paper, the better. You should see the wax get melty and pool up a little, like this:
You also want to be strategic about how you use your paper up. If you start with your first leaf in the middle of a big sheet of wax paper, you are going to lose a lot of the waxiness when your iron goes down over the better part of it. Instead, use the sides of your paper and work your way around, using the middle of the paper for your later leaves. I mean, unless you're looking to burn through wax paper at an accelerated rate. The key here is that the best results come from fresh, untouched wax paper melting onto your leaves.
It doesn't bother your iron. At least, that's never been an issue with me. I grew up doing this.
Step 3. Remove your leaf and use it for any decorative/gift purposes you have in mind, or just to enjoy having its color preserved!
I have to say that, as simple and fun as this is, I seem to find that it doesn't work as well as it did when I was a kid. I recall them being shinier. Maybe my wax paper just isn't up to par.
Any secrets to add in the comments, Mom?
This week's links!
- You know how I'm interested in healthcare reform and price transparency in medicine. I was fascinated to hear, via Samaritan Ministries, about The Wedge of Healthcare Freedom, a new movement to help doctors and providers connect directly to patients and thereby sidestep the mess that our government has gotten us into.
- Lessons from a Boy About to be Canonized – just a few sentences to sum up this young man's martyrdom are all that is necessary to be deeply moved. The author provides some reflection about how we should be raising our children to follow Jose Sanchez del Rio's example.
- A light and interesting perspective on the occasional need to back off; a fun piece with some reality (from a mom with eight kids!) thrown in: Suzuki Method Uberparenting.
- Just for some fun: GIFS that demonstrate the cleverness of Japanese wood joinery.
- And, probably the top read for this week, from Public Discourse (Anthony Esolen alert!): Pronouns, Ordinary People, and the War Over Reality. I'm often reminding myself to take pride — and help others take heart — in being the type of ordinary, simple person who can go ahead and identify the emperor as naked. This piece is one of those reads that helps bolster such resolutions.
In-house news:
- Did you catch yesterday's post about Auntie Leila's latest book being now available on Kindle? God Has No Grandchildren: A Guided Reading of Pius XI's encyclical Casti Connubii, On Chaste Marriage. (If you get our posts by email, you might have only seen the version with the wrong links, grrr…. click now for corrected linkage!) As of now, it is only available as an ebook. You can read it on any device that supports a Kindle App. Only $3.99!
- And did you further read her article in Crisis Magazine this past week? If not, catch up now: A Family-Friendly Guide to Sex Education. By family-friendly, she means sex education belongs in the family. There are links to important documents in this article, especially this one: The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality. For two good articles about this document, go here and here. Please share this article far and wide — we've forgotten that this delicate responsibility of teaching children about life and love belongs in the family!
- Auntie Leila is answering questions about the topic of sex education in the comments of this post.
In the Liturgical Year:
- Today is the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church!
~We’d like to be clear that, when we direct you to a site via one of our links, we’re not necessarily endorsing the whole site, but rather just referring you to the individual post in question (unless we state otherwise).~
Mrs. B. says
A few years ago we did the waxing by melting beeswax and dipping the leaves in it: at first they were very beautiful, shiny and with vibrant colors. But they didn’t stay that way for long, or at least for as long as I expected. I can’t remember if my expectations were realistic, but we were disappointed to go through all that and have brown leaves 3 or 4 weeks later. They were still very shiny though!
This wax paper method looks easy enough (though I am nervous to go without a layer to protect the iron). I wonder if increasing the layers of wax paper and using a warmer setting would help transfer more wax and so make the leaves sturdier and shinier.
I’ll be glad to read Esolen, though I feel I’m getting more and more depressed this year, and I have to be careful not to read too much about current problems. I do think we’re fighting reality these days, on so many levels (for instance, are nations’ financial decisions anchored in reality anymore? I think not), and what an idiotic and dangerous fight that is. I believe it is very interesting that in the tale of the Emperor with no clothes, it is a child who has no qualms about uttering the pure, simple truth that adults have succeeded in clouding with lies, under the pretense of being sophisticated. It really reminds me of today’s talk about complexities, gray areas, exceptions, etc., when the simple truth is in front of our eyes.
And yes, happy feast of St. Teresa, a giant of a Saint!
Denise says
Huh this is easier than I thought. I had visions of melting wax over a stove and dipping leaves…..
I shall try it!! The leaves are changing as I speak so I better get to it! Thanks!
Suzette says
I am so excited to learn about this waxing of leaves! Pecan leaves are gorgeous but dry up and get crinkly and then, fall into teeny parts. Waxing of pecan leaves! Yay!
Leila says
This is the way I do it too. I looked and I think this is my post, on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/8_a9oflyPe/?taken-by=leilamarielawler
The main thing is, don’t let the leaves dry out in the house — wax them right away. Some leaves take the wax better than others, I think.
I have tried dipping them in paraffin wax, and it’s no better than this way!
Deirdre says
Yes, I think I had determined that that was my error; some of the leaves sat around too long before I got to them. So one really needs to gather *on that certain afternoon* when one will also have time to get the iron out!
Lisa G. says
Thank you for this! I’ve never done it, and our weatherman keeps saying how many beautiful red leaves there are this year, and it’s true.
eko says
I thought I had used glycerin one year, dipping fresh leaves and so disappointed in the leaves fading fast. Kinda like finding shiny stones on the beach only to find them to not be so lasting in their glimmer and wow-factor once home. 😊
Chris Savory says
This might be one of those times when you need the brand-name product. I haven’t waxed leaves for a few years, but I always found the store brand wax paper did not give as much gloss to the leaves. Kind of crazy – but it works.
Also – eko, your comment about stones. What might be happening is that you’re seeing the stones wet with the sunlight on them. When you get them home they are dry – and no sunlight. Disappointing, unless you find a way to keep them wet.
Chris S in Canada
Phyllis says
I think I remember my grandfather rubbing pretty stones with baby oil on them to keep them shiny.
Phyllis says
Ack. I typed that two ways while my stir crazy children screamed around me. (Rainy day.) Hence the mixed version of two sentences. Still understandable, though?
Elisa says
Painting rocks with clear nail polish may make them shiny again!