Gold leaf was once reserved for the wealthy and the royal. Today it is used as an art form on everything from frames and figurines to fanciful food. That's right -- you can eat 24 karat gold, and it will make you feel like a million bucks!

The application for gold leaf on crafts is different than for food, but the effect is the same. One thing is for sure, no matter what you are dressing up in gold, it will definitely create glitz and high-impact glamour. Here's how to do it.

 

Supplies:
1 glass bowl or cake pedestal
1 jar liquid size
1 package gold leaf
Cotton balls
1 can gold leaf sealer spray
2 egg whites in a bowl
2 small craft paint brushes

Directions:
Take your glass fruit display or bowl and paint on the liquid size. It has a craft-glue consistency, so it will need about 15 minutes to dry to a tacky state. Now carefully take your gold leaf sheet and gently lay it over the tacky sizing. Take your next sheet and lay it down gently, slightly overlapping the last sheet of gold. Once you have completed the desired coverage and the sizing is all covered, take a cotton ball and gently rub it over the gold leaf in a circular motion, while gently pressing down. You want to make sure you are doing this over paper so the excess gold flakes will fall on the paper and you can then use them to reapply to the areas that may need a little touch up. Once it has completely dried -- about 1 hour -- you can go back and repeat the process in any area that my have spots where the gold did not take the first time. Let this dry for about 2 hours and then spray with gold leaf sealer. Let dry for several more hours, and you're finished.

Now for the fruit: Since we want to eat the fruit, the way to get the gold leaf to stick is by using egg whites. Brush egg white over the area of the fruit where you want to adhere the gold leaf. My advice is to not cover the fruit completely; lay it on in small pieces to give the fruit a more beautiful and old fashioned look.

It is now time to display your work. Arrange your fruit on your gold-leafed fruit display, and it makes a beautiful edible centerpiece, especially during the St. Patrick's Day holiday, when everyone is looking for that pot of gold!

Have fun and remember ...You Can Do It!
Randy