Do not use baking soda; it is not the same thing. [3] X Research source Washing soda is also called “sodium carbonate. " You can find it in the laundry section of grocery stores and supermarkets. [4] X Research source

The water will evaporate as you simmer it. Add more water to the pot as needed so that the leaves don’t dry out. [6] X Research source

It would be even better if you work while the leaves are under cool to room-temperature water. [9] X Research source Be very gentle during this step; the leaves will be fragile. [10] X Research source

Do not rinse the leaves under running water; the force of the stream will damage them.

If you want curled or warped (natural) leaves, allow them to dry on a sheet of paper towel without anything on top. Since they won’t have anything weighing them down, the leaves will warp naturally as they dry.

This process is similar to the method above, except that you are not cooking the leaves continuously. This method is ideal for small batches or delicate leaves.

If you are adding bleach, plan on using a 1:30 bleach-to-water ratio.

If you made a lot of skeleton leaves, you may have to work in a few batches for this step. Do not overcrowd the container you are bleaching them in.

This process should take about 20 minutes. [15] X Research source

If you want flat leaves, sandwich them between paper towels, then stack books on them. If you want natural leaves, let them dry on a paper towel.

Avoid using brushes with stiff bristles; they can damage the leaf skeletons.

Don’t let the leaves dry on the spray painted paper towel, or they will stick. Use floral spray paint for even better results.

School glue or craft glue with a small tip will work the best for this. You can also paint the glue on using a thin, pointed paintbrush. Don’t use the regular kind of glitter. It will be too chunky for this project.

Add a sprinkle of extra-fine glitter to the glue for some sparkle. If you don’t have school glue, you can try craft/tacky glue or decoupage glue (ie: Mod Podge).

For a fancier touch, use a shaped hole puncher or a craft blade to use an interesting shape (ie: heart, star, moon, etc) out of the middle of the leaf. [19] X Research source You can also use the leaves to make prints instead. Paint the back with watercolor, press them against paper, then peel them away.

If you want to make the leaves keep their position on the string, tie a small knot in the string to either side of the leaf.