- Sealing Wax - I've used the wick wax kind but you can use the type you put in a glue gun or the type you melt with a spoon equally well.
- Botanicals - I've got some fresh lavender and some fresh bay leaves both snipped from my garden.
- A wax seal stamp - I have chosen a monogram design for this one because they are popular for weddings
- A tealight - I like to use this to light the sealing wax as it's easier than constantly lighting matches. Do be careful using candles, place them on a heat proof surface out of reach of children and make sure you're not wearing any baggy clothing that could catch fire on the candle.
To start, I like to close my envelope properly using the sticky strip inside. This helps it lay flat and you don't end up with any wax running where it shouldn't if the envelope flap lifts up. Then, place you flower on the envelope and trim it to the length you want.
Now you need to melt your wax. If you're using a wick wax you will need to light the wick and allow the wax to drip onto the stem of the flower and envelope. Allow a puddle to form that is about 2 cm across. When you have enough wax, press your stamp into it and allow it to cool and harden.
Try to avoid lifting it too early. The surface of the wax will lose the shine as it hardens. If the flower you have chose has a thicker stem, you might need to press down on the stamp so that the wax hardens around the flower stem properly and your design is clear.
Lift up your seal stamp when you are sure the wax has set and admire your design.
The only difference you need to be aware of for leaves is that they don't always lie flat especially the thick waxy type that I used. I had to make sure to apply some pressure when the seal stamp was pressed into the wax so that it lay flat and secured the leaf.
The final effect is very pretty and each seal is unique.
A couple of things I thought I'd mention when preparing this tutorial though. Fresh leaves/flower stems sizzle when you apply hot wax. I'm not sure why that surprised me as it makes perfect sense when you think about it. So your wax might bubble, and if the leaf is really wet, it may make the wax spit so take care and dry the surface before you put the wax on.
And when sending wax seals in the post, put them in an outer envelope to protect them. The wax that I sell is flexible and it will survive a trip via your local post office but wax and leaves and such can get snagged in sorting machinery and nobody wants to be giving the mail services a hard time so pop them in a board back or padded envelope to make sure they arrive in the best condition.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and it gave you some ideas for your next project. If you use it, please tag me in photos on instagram (@mintmakerstudio), use the hashtag #mintmaker and pin this to your pinterest board!
