Mandilicious Christmas Project 2: DIY Gold Leaf Art

By Mandi 11/27/2012

Mandilicious Christmas Budget Gift Ideas

The holiday season is here and I can guarantee that 98% of us still have people that we need to find the perfect gift for. So here is where I come in. Every day this week I am showing you a project that you can make for someone you like/love/want to blow their socks off. The projects range from simple simple to a little less simple but still really doable. Can you feel the gift giving happiness oozing from my ears? Cause it is.

So bust out your holiday cheer and lets get to work!

Gold Leaf Love Your Guts Art

 

I had a heck of a time figuring the cost of this project out. It is  completely contingent of what you have on hand. Most likely you will need to buy gold leaf and gold leaf adhesive (you can get them both at Michaels for $8.00 if you use a 40% off coupon.)  One package of gold leaf will make 12-15 pieces of art and I had everything else on hand…so I guess technically this project cost me less than $1.00 to make.

Love Your Guts Art Materials List copy

I am known to many as Love Your Guts Mandi (there are a few Mandi’s in blogland and we need to differentiate) and what better way to spread the love than with a Love Your Guts piece of art?

To make this you will need a Silhouette (I mean, you could hand cut it if you had the hands and patience of a brain surgeon…oh, and no kids around) but since that is probably not the case, make your creative life easier and get one if you don’t own one already. They are having a killer black Friday deal that is running until 11/30. Use code VINTAGE for great pricing!

Start by downloading this file. This file is for personal use ONLY.

Use your Silhouette to cut it out. If you want you can TOTALLY stop there. Sometimes though, things need a little bit of glam, especially if its something as unglamorous as guts. I transferred mine onto a piece of foam core because that is what I had on hand. You can really use anything though,  just be aware that the gold leaf adhesive doesn’t do great on fabric (so if you are putting it on canvas put down a layer of paint or mod podge.)

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When you have your vinyl down spread a THIN coat of gold leaf adhesive all over your area. I bought mine at Michaels for $5-ish. I also bought the Gold Leaf there. A package of 25 sheets is $9.99. Make sure you use a 40% off coupon!

Christmas Gift Idea DIY Love Your Guts Art @ Vintage Revivals

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Peel off the vinyl while the adhesive is still wet (if you wait you will have  better chance of damaging your foam core!)

Lay down your gold leaf. There are 2 different kinds that you can buy, a loose leaf and a stick and peel leaf. I prefer a loose leaf but they were sold out when I was shopping so I bought the stick and peel  Either one works great so don’t stress if you can only find one or the other!

Gold Leaf Art

Rub it gently and then peel back your paper. You will have excess leafing on your art. Take a soft brush and gently brush the extra off.

Gold Leaf Gift Art

Gold Leafing

Gold Leaf Love Your Guts Art

DIY Gold Leaf Art

Love Your Guts Gold Leaf Art

If you need more great gift ideas check out yesterday’s Mandilicious Christmas post!

DIY Color Pop Cord Lamp Tutorial

Love Your Guts, Mandi

20 thoughts on “Mandilicious Christmas Project 2: DIY Gold Leaf Art”

  1. Ummmmm…wouldn’t it be more appropriate to have the “hands” and “patience” of a GI surgeon? And GROSS…the nurse in me can only see the intestine- and more specifically what they are filled with- when I see your artwork…though I appreciate the puny-ness of the “Love your guts”….So Mandy

  2. Oh I so would love to do this project, but I do not have a Silhouette. Do you have this file available as an image or PDF???

  3. And if you have any left over foam core, you could always make a birdhouse! I hear foam core birdhouses are all the rage! 🙂 hee, hee! Love you Mandi!!

  4. So cute! I also do not have a Silhouette. Wish you would release a pdf or something so I can cut it out with an exacto the old fashion way!

  5. and i also dont have a silhouette.. maybe you could release a pdf for people like me? 🙂

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