I couldn't resist!

Weeding the gardens outside on such a clear, blue sky bright day I had to stop to enjoy the master painter's use of brilliant colors.

Yesterday I had Dale pick up a block of wax. I need to preserve the colors until Thanksgiving if I can. To get the best leaves I need to pick them off from the trees. Next years buds are starting to set so I need to be extremely cautious.

The wax comes with 4 bricks in a box. I used one brick in an old disposable pie tin.  The heat needs to be as low as possible.

I was impatient and put the smaller leaves in first and started coating them.

They need to get entirely under the wax but not for long!

I couldn't remember if I placed them on wax paper, aluminum foil, or saran wrap to dry. I chose wax paper. Mark that off the list.

I removed the small leaves before dipping the large leaves.

Later in the day, I went out to a different tree to pick the leaves.  Obviously there are two different types of Maple trees in the yard.

The burgundy and dark green looks like a candle burning red at sunrise.

The sunrise behind me was brilliant with a large variety of colors.  

God's color pallet is awesome!

I placed the waxed leaves over and around my bouquet of dried roses to give it an autumn look.

...that and I didn't have a clean spot on the table to set a basket or cornucopia.