How To Preserve Magnolia Leaves To Make A Rustic Fall Wreath

Y’all will not believe how easy and inexpensive it is to make this rustic fall magnolia wreath with preserved leaves. In today’s tutorial, you will learn how to preserve magnolia leaves and assemble a fall wreath easily.

You may have noticed that I’m easily inspired by nature’s bounty of free materials to decorate for fall. My attention was captured by the golden colors of some fallen magnolia leaves in our yard; I quickly gathered a handful to begin making this fall wreath.

I also knew that the leaves would continue to dry out and that it was essential to preserve them to keep the wreath looking great for the autumn season.

So here’s the secret to preserving the leaves and making a cheap and easy wreath.

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Can You Use Real Leaves To Make A Wreath?

I think there are two ways to use real leaves when making a wreath.

One is to dry the leaves before using them.

This method works better with some leaves than others. I suggest placing your leaves in a vase or container to dry and see if you like the result. You can also hang the leaves and allow them to dry. Some will curl and dry to a beautiful color. Others not so much.

Secondly, you can preserve some leaves, such as magnolia leaves. The rule here is the same as above, and not all leaves can be preserved. Magnolia leaves have a sturdy waxing finish, making them last longer, fresh, and easier to preserve.

How Do You Preserve Magnolia Leaves?

First, gather and clean your leaves.

I don’t recommend washing, but instead, use a paper towel to remove any grit or dirt. If the leaves are damp, allow them to dry completely before beginning.

Spread a generous amount of wax paper over your table to protect.

Begin on the leaves’ backside and use a small brush to cover with mod podge completely.

Turn the leaf over and repeat. Lay the front of the leaf on the wax paper to dry.

Once dry, repeat by applying mod podge one more time.

How Do You Attach Leaves To The Wreath?

You will see several methods for attaching magnolia leaves to a wreath. However, I’ve found that hot glue works best for me.

Begin around the outer edge of the grapevine wreath and add leaves by adding hot glue to the stem and pushing the stem in and amongst the grapevine. Angle the branches in the minor direction around the entire perimeter of the wreath.

Next, add a cluster of leaves to a section of the wreath. Foam a bed like a cluster for the dried flowers to be added.

Continue to fill in with preserved leaves angling away from the clustered leaves until the entire grapevine wreath is covered.

How To Add Dried Leaves and Flowers to Fall Wreath

Once the wreath is covered with preserved leaves, you can begin to add other dried leaves and flowers to the clustered bed you created earlier.

I began with some dried nandina leaves and okra pods.

Next, add some dried flowers, such as black-eyed susans.

After adding several dried leaves, I realized the colors were so similar that the dried flowers disappeared on the wreath. Therefore, I began to add in some dried baby’s breath and tucked it under and around the other dried pieces.

Note: If your colors are similar, I recommend adding the baby’s breath first.

What Supplies Do You Need To Make A Preserved Leaf Fall Wreath?

Here are the supplies I used to make this easily preserved leaf wreath. The grapevine wreath used here was a $2.00 thrift store find. For this project, you can purchase a cheap grapevine wreath and remove the old decorations to save money.

• Freshly Fallen Magnolia Leafs
• A Grapevine Wreath 12″ (the wreath size can vary depending on your preference)
• Mod Podge
• Small Paint Brush
• Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue
• Dried Flowers and Leaves
• Dried Babies Breath
• Wax Paper

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See Video Tutorial Here

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A Fall Magnolia Wreath with Preserved Leaves

The fall wreath with preserved leaves was extremely easy to make. After the leaves were preserved, it only took about an hour to complete the wreath.

Instead of using the fall wreath on an outside door, the wreath looks beautiful on the old barn door.

The natural elements also work well with the Sweet Gum Ball stems I shared earlier for free fall decorating. You might also like this Rusted Tin Can and Dollar Store Wreath for a fall decorating option.

For more budget-friendly fall decorating ideas, see 10 Free Tips for Fall Decorating and Thrifting for Fall Decor.

I’m excited to share more budget-friendly fall decorating and DIY ideas with you this month.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

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