Help Framing an Ivy Leaf

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Dave

Dave

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Joined
Jun 11, 2004
Posts
13,355
Loc
Edwardsburg, MI
I have a customer who would like to frame an ivy leaf that came from Wrigley Field. It is still slightly green.

I've searched but couldn't find any advice. Should it be allowed to dry and then sprayed with something? I remember in grade school we took leaves and ironed them between wax paper.

Should/could it be sandwiched between two pieces of plexi?

Ivy are pretty tough leaves, but over time I'm afraid it could still disintegrate.
 
A florist will dry it out in a plastic "take out" container with silica crystals.
 
I think I like the florist idea. Only problem is I have called four independent florists and they won't touch it!

Mm-mm...

I did find a site that talks about a number of ways to preserve leaves, but...

"...No method of pressing or preserving leaves is going to allow you to keep them forever. Even the leaves pressed between waxed paper will eventually dry and crumble."


Here's the site: http://gardening.about.com/od/craftsanddecor/ss/Preserve_Leaves_7.htm

It appears the glycerin method works best or at least lasts the longest. I will warn my customer that I can't warrant the work though.
 
The old fashioned way was to bury the leaf or flower in borax which would desiccate it without oxidation, preserving the color. It would degrade after removal from the borax, but at a very slow rate.
Scan the leaf and have a print made from it, or have it bronzed, but hurry up before it disintegrates.
 
"...No method of pressing or preserving leaves is going to allow you to keep them forever. Even the leaves pressed between waxed paper will eventually dry and crumble."


If that is so, maybe this idea would work. How about encasing it into a poured acrylic resin block and then framing that. Think acrylic paper weights, probably some places you/customer could send it off to.
 
Ylva said:
Dave, what was the reason the florists won't touch it?????
Click to expand...

Probably not enough in it for them and they don't want the liability.
 
Just break open some silica pacs that they put in packaging to keep it dry. If you need more Ivy I have a bunch on the side of my house.
 
Dried flowers, and leaves, are a nice thought... but a bad idea. They dry out, fade, and crumble. No matter what you do, they will degrade. Take a picture, and frame that. Enjoy the memories, they will last longer than the leaf.
 
I'm interested in this thread because I want to frame a four-leaf clover (my wife has a gift for finding them) for a friend whose boat is named "Firklaver" - Dutch I think. From my model railroad days I remember a process using glycerine and maybe other things being used to preserve the lichen and hair fern used to represent shrubbery, tree branches etc. I don't know how well it would work on a single leaf. Seems ironic to preserve part of a plant that many are ripping out as a serious invasive species.
 
I love it when framers say take a picture and frame it.
ITs an Ivy leaf from one of the greatest MLB arenas EVER!!!!!!

Its going to get dried out and crumpled up in a drawer...... enjoy it while you can...
instead of hiding it away.

Dave...... look into something about freeze drying.....
I've done numerous wedding bouqets and they look amazing......... and YES they have leaves.
We used to have a source here in town... but they had a part break.. I know there are still some around! Good luck! and post pics when you are done!

Are you doing a brick background? That would be swweeeeeeeeeeet! :thumbsup:
 
Dave said:
I have a customer who would like to frame an ivy leaf that came from Wrigley Field. It is still slightly green.

I've searched but couldn't find any advice. Should it be allowed to dry and then sprayed with something? I remember in grade school we took leaves and ironed them between wax paper.

Should/could it be sandwiched between two pieces of plexi?

Ivy are pretty tough leaves, but over time I'm afraid it could still disintegrate.
Click to expand...

Dave, I tried something with a ivy like leaf from one of my plants and it worked surprisingly well. I sprayed it several times with clear wood finish, letting each coat dry before the next. It hardened and got stiff but didn't do anything to the leaf color. I think it will help it keep from drying out and crumbling. You may want to try it on a real leaf yourself, but it might just be your answer.
 
It would be great to be able to frame it in an IVY moulding but, alas, they went out of business years ago. Still miss their great mouldings and service.
:kaffeetrinker_2: Rick
 
Scan it - if you have a flatbed scanner which allows for imaging something that is not perfectly flat - you can get an amazing likeness and frame that -

OTOH - a friend dipped ivy leaves into paraffin which preserved them very nicely (at least long enough for her party).

I have sprayed maple leaves with multiple coats of Krylon to preserve their color.

But I would vote for scanning - several years ago there were stories about flower people using scanners to capture the best and most consistent images of their prize blooms. That raking light of the cathode ray is very uniform.
 
When I got my Print mount vac press I was trying to laminate everything I could think of, including a wonderfully red maple leaf with a touch of green still visible. Laminated it to a piece of green suede. I use no adhesive just the lamination. For years its just like the day I did it. This was over 9 years ago ...
 
mik said:
When I got my Print mount vac press I was trying to laminate everything I could think of, including a wonderfully red maple leaf with a touch of green still visible. Laminated it to a piece of green suede. I use no adhesive just the lamination. For years it just like the day I did it. This was over 9 years ago ...
Click to expand...

Not a bad idea. I have a cold roll laminator which should make it very easy. I'll propose that to the customer.

Thanks for all the great ideas!
 
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