Gold Foil Craft on Hallmark’s Home and Family

Home and Family is such a fun set to be on, so I was really excited when they asked me to come back to do a DIY for the show. I have been crazy about gold lately, and have been using gold foil to basically everything I own. When I was talking to the producers I thought that it would be fun to show how to add it to anything and everything from fabric to a butter dish. There are three different forms of adding gold depending on the medium: gold foil, gold transfer paper, and gold leaf paint.

Gold foil is great for non-porous surfaces life a vase, butter dish, etc. If you have a porous surface such as cardboard letters, you can paint it first with acrylic paint, let it dry completely, and then apply the gold foil. This is a great way to create a fun, vintage, expensive look! Here are the steps:

Gold Foil

Gold Foilsheets with the recommended adhesive and sealer

Paintbrush; one dry, one for gluing

vase, butter dish, or any hard surface

Directions

*Clean the vase (or whatever you choose) and make sure that it is completely dry

*Apply the adhesive with the paintbrush to where you would like the gold to be

*Allow the adhesive to dry slightly and becomes tacky to the touch

*Once you have the adhesive on you can carefully remove the sheet of gold foil from the package and apply it to the area you painted the adhesive on

*Do this until the entire area where the glue is applied is all covered

*If you have trouble getting the sheet of gold foil off the paper it comes on you can use a dry paint brush to brush it off and that will help; make sure your hands are clean and dry; it helps to have a damp towel near by along with a dry towel to keep hands clean if they touch the glue

*This gold foil is very fragile and will break, but don’t worry you can reuse the pieces that break off and that is what makes it look beautiful

*Use a dry paintbrush to gently press the gold onto the adhesive if you need assistance

*Once you have applied all of your gold let it dry for about 30-45 minutes

*Once it is dry brush off the excess gold with a dry paint brush

*Apply the sealer to the gold foil making sure you cover the entire thing, especially the edges, in a thin layer

*Allow to dry completely

*Place in pretty flowers!

*Once you need to wash this I recommend hand-washing it with gentle soap

If you want to apply gold onto fabric there is another form of gold foil to use. It’s called gold transfer paper, and it requires a completely different adhesive AND process than the regular gold foil. This creates a really cook brushstroke look!

Materials to use on Fabric:

Cotton/canvas tote bag

Gold transfer foil

Foil transfer adhesive

Paintbrush

Parchment paper

 Iron

Scissors; depending on what design you plan on doing

Paper plate

Instructions:

Squeeze some of the adhesive glue onto a paper plate

Brush a thin layer of glue onto your tote bag in the desired design

Let glue dry slightly for about 30 seconds

Place a sheet of the gold transfer foil on top of the adhesive, silver side down, gold facing up

Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the gold foil and iron for about 20 seconds

Let sit until completely cooled

Then, peel away the gold foil

Let gold foil set for about 72 hours before use

For a more precise, clean, and exact look I recommend gold leaf paint. This stuff is strong! Start in a well-ventilated area, work on a covered surface, and be prepared to work quickly. This stuff dries very fast, and a little goes a long way!

Gold Leaf Painted Mugs

Materials:

Gold Leaf Paint

Mug

Small rounded paintbrush for dots, or foam brush for a “brushstroke” look

Instructions:

*Work in a well-ventilated area

*Make sure the mug is clean

*With the lid securely closed on the gold foil, shake well until the paint is evenly mixed

*Make sure the mug is clean and dry

*Dip the paint brush in the gold leaf and paint desired design; a little goes a long way

*Wash the paintbrush immediately after use

*The gold leaf paint dries very fast, so if a mistake is made try to wipe it as quickly as possible

*Allow the mugs to dry for 48 hours before using

*This paint can be used on almost any surface so feel free to get creative!