Project: Gold Leafing Eggs
by Stephanie Ramey

Supplies:
- blown chicken eggs or wooden chicken eggs
- Gold Leaf Red Basecoat paint
- Gold Leaf Adhesive Size ( glue)
- Gold Leaf Sealer
- Gold Leaf imitation metal leaf (color is your choice)
- waxpaper
- paper plate
- thumbtacks
- brushes

Most hobby and craft stores carry gold leafing products. Even (most) Wal-Mart carries a gold leafing kit made by Plaid that sells for under $10.00. The products I used are called Mona Lisa Products made by Houston Art, Inc.. Visit their web site, www.houstonart.com , to find a retailer near you. The Gold Leaf imitation metal leaf comes in a variety of colors.

1. Make sure your egg is clean and already blown out.

2. Use Red Basecoat paint to paint the entire egg and let dry. You may want to use more than one coat. Let Basecoat dry between coats. Use a paper plate with three thumbtacks to rest egg on while it dries. Make sure the thumbtacks are in a small triangle pattern with pointed ends up pushed through the paper plate. I put on three coats of Red Basecoat.

3. When you think you have enough Basecoat and it is dry, move on to the Adhesive Size (glue). Try to spread the Adhesive on evenly with a brush. It will be a milky white at first. Let the Adhesive Size dry for 1 hour. The Adhesive will turn clear after an hour.



4. Now you are ready for the Gold Leaf sheet. Take a piece a wax paper that is slightly bigger than the Gold Leaf sheet and smooth the wax paper over the top of the sheet. This will allow you to be able to pick up the Gold Leaf sheet without tearing it. Now for the fun part. Take the Gold Leaf sheet (with waxpaper on the outside) and wrap it around the egg. You will see the Gold Leaf cling or stick to the egg. In places that are bare, take the excess Gold Leaf and continue to rub or press it to the egg. It is OK if some of the Red Basecoat shows through. This gives the egg an antique look. Brush off any excess Gold Leaf before sealing. I waited 24 hours before I sealed my eggs.

5. Next you will want to brush on the Sealer. The Sealer helps protect the Gold Leaf and keeps out moisture. The Gold Leaf will tarnish over time, if you do not seal the egg. Let the first coat of Sealer dry before you apply a second coat.

This is a fairly easy project. However, I would not recommend for children. The Gold Leaf eggs can be displayed in a country setting such as a basket with some red checkered cloth. Another idea for a more elegant display is to take a solid color or clear plate and place some black beans in the plate and arrange the Gold Leaf eggs. This makes a stunning display on a table.