Wednesday, November 9, 2011

DIY: gold-leaf oxfords



This project is really simple and while I've used the gold leaf to jazz-up a pair of old oxfords, you can really use it on practically anything!

You'll need: Something to gold leaf (in this case, old black faux-leather oxfords), a gold-leafing kit (really cheap at Michaels.. like $5 with a coupon!), a paintbrush and tape


1. Using the included adhesive, brush over the areas that you want covered with gold leaf. Be VERY careful not to get this on other parts of the shoe. The adhesive is really tacky, and if even the tiniest sprinkle gets where you didn't want it, trust me.. the gold leaf will find it, and stick to it.


2. Let the adhesive dry for about 30-60 minutes until it's completely clear and tacky. Now carefully lay the sheets of gold leaf over the shoe. Don't worry if a whole sheet doesn't cover the area, you can patch it together and it'll still look just fine! :)


With a *dry* brush, lightly pat the gold into place. Make sure to get all the nooks and crannies. If you miss a spot, you can add some more gold leaf and keep patting. Eventually it'll all stick where it's supposed to.



Brush away any excess gold from the parts of the shoe that aren't covered in adhesive. If you want you can finish it off with the sealant that's included in the kit, but I want mine to get a little scuffy and worn so I'm going to let them go au natural for now ;)