DIY Gold Leaf Art

Even though my silver leaf desk still haunts me in my dreams almost a month later, I decided to try gold leafing one more time. I'm not easily deterred, and was determined to conquer this elusive little leaf creature. This time, I thought it would be best to choose something smaller than a desk, and opted for art.
Good news. Turns out gold leafing isn't all that hard. 
As long as you gold leaf something the size of a pepperoni.

I really love the gold foil prints I've been seeing everywhere, but they are usually pretty pricey. So, I decided to make my own instead. I created three different prints, two for the living room gallery wall (seen here!) and one for the bedroom.

I framed it in a Target frame that I talked myself out of buying for roughly 8 months. But then it went on clearance for $5 and my mind said no, but my body walked it straight to the checkout lane.

I think it hypnotized me.

Anyways, turns out they're a perfect pair...

You can't fight destiny.

So, here's what you'll need to make some gold leaf art of your own.

Supplies:

Gold leaf foil (I used this one.)

Stencil (This one comes with letters, numbers, and symbols.)

White cardstock (I love these heavyweight mixed paper notebooks from Target. They are only $5 and I've been using the same one for all my artwork for nearly 3 years.)

Scrapbooking glue (This one worked best for me. I tried basic Elmer's glue, but the foil kept flaking off.)

Large brush (I used a $1 makeup brush from Target.)

*All above links are affiliate links

Let's get started!

Step #1:

Place your stencil on the cardstock and apply the glue evenly inside the stencil. The scrapbooking glue had a sponge tip and a sharp tip, which worked out perfectly. You can also use a small paintbrush to spread the glue evenly if needed.

Step #2:

Carefully remove the stencil and place a sheet of gold leaf on top of the glue. 

It's super flimsy, so go easy with the manhand.

Step #3:

Let the glue dry completely. It took about an hour. I got impatient several times and totally had to start over. True story. When the glue is completely dry, lightly dust the excess leaf off with a large, soft brush. 

It's kinda fun to watch the shape appear.

And that's all there is to it...easy gold leaf art!

I can't wait to show you the other two I made. Hopefully, I'll finish the living room soon. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I'm still chasing after that turtle. 

That's all for today, friends! Thanks for stopping by! 

*Update: You can see the other two prints and living room reveal here.

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