edenworkshops
25-08-2008, 02:43 PM
Every Easter my daughter gets excited about our Easter egg hunt.
Years ago I made a very large egg from papier mache (think party balloon size) and covered it in imitation gold leaf
Every year it gets filled with all sorts of things she needs for school plus a chocolate egg or two.
Gilding this large golden egg was quite easy, you just give the egg a coat of dark red paint and as it dries and goes "tacky" you lay sheets of imitation gold leaf all over it, imitation gold will stick to anything so this is no big deal.
To handle the gold leaf all you need do is open the pack of leaf (very cheap by the way).
Smear a little Vaseline on the back of your hand, using a pad of cotton wool apply just a little grease to the pad.
Reach over and touch the pad to the leaf, the leaf will surely be picked up by the grease.
Transfer the leaf to the egg and just tamp the leaf into place.
It takes a while to make as the papier mache has to dry properly as it is made, but what you end up with is a potential family heirloom which the kids will always remember.
If you want fuller instructions you can see the whole process on my website.
Richard
Years ago I made a very large egg from papier mache (think party balloon size) and covered it in imitation gold leaf
Every year it gets filled with all sorts of things she needs for school plus a chocolate egg or two.
Gilding this large golden egg was quite easy, you just give the egg a coat of dark red paint and as it dries and goes "tacky" you lay sheets of imitation gold leaf all over it, imitation gold will stick to anything so this is no big deal.
To handle the gold leaf all you need do is open the pack of leaf (very cheap by the way).
Smear a little Vaseline on the back of your hand, using a pad of cotton wool apply just a little grease to the pad.
Reach over and touch the pad to the leaf, the leaf will surely be picked up by the grease.
Transfer the leaf to the egg and just tamp the leaf into place.
It takes a while to make as the papier mache has to dry properly as it is made, but what you end up with is a potential family heirloom which the kids will always remember.
If you want fuller instructions you can see the whole process on my website.
Richard