Elevate your Christmas decorations with the magic of gold leaf! Discover professional techniques for gilding nutcrackers, grapevine decor, and ornaments in this step-by-step tutorial.

You guys, I’m so excited to share these gold leaf projects with you! 

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got some holiday decorations that could use a little zhuzhing up. 

I’ve been playing around with gold leaf lately (okay, maybe obsessing a bit 😉) and wait until you see how it transforms basic Christmas decor into absolute showstoppers!

The best part? You can customize everything with different metallic finishes – we’re talking gold, silver, copper, or even champagne leaf. 

Let me show you how to give three classic pieces a gorgeous metallic makeover!

And hold onto your hot glue guns, crafty friends, because there’s even more sparkle coming your way! ✨ 

This post is part of The Handcrafted Society’s November meet-up, where we’re all sharing our favorite ways to add some serious shine with glitter, foil, or metal leafing. (Trust me, my crafting buddies have outdone themselves this time!) 

Make sure to scroll to the end of the post for enough glitzy inspiration to last you through the entire holiday season – we’re talking serious sparkle overload in the best possible way!

Now, let’s get started with these three stunning projects…

Psst: These easy Christmas craft projects make great gifts, or for an ornament swap, too!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

First Things First: Let’s Get Our Supplies Together

Materials and Supplies-

• This kit from Mona Lisa is the best way to get started, OR purchase these three individually:
• Gold leaf sheets (grab silver, copper, or champagne too if you want to mix it up!)**
• Gold leaf adhesive (trust me, don’t skip this)
• Metal leaf sealer

• A dry paintbrush (nothing fancy needed)
• Sponge brush for the adhesive
• Scissors
• Wax paper (this stuff is a lifesaver for catching excess gold leaf)
• A clean spot to work where your precious gold foil won’t blow away

**NOTES: 

• I used imitation gold leaf sheets
• gold leaf flakes, or leaf flakes in a mix of colors is fun, particularly easy for the ornaments
• I was able to substitute Mod Podge for leaf sizing for the grapevine, but not the other projects.

PRO TIP: Don’t worry about having gold leaf left over. You’ll find all kinds of non-holiday uses for it too. Like my kitchen pendant lights and this stylish tray!

For the Nutcrackers:

• These unfinished wood nutcrackers and these, these and these, or see the “Make it Your Own” suggestion after Step 4
• Wood stain, I used Howard’s Restor-A-Finish. Do NOT use a gel stain with all those little details and narrow spots.
• Liquid leaf or highly metallic paint for the fiddly little details
• Detail craft paintbrush
• Black Sharpie of paint marker, optional

For the Grapevine Decor:

• Grapevine tree or wreath
• Brush

For the Ornaments:

• Ornaments of your choice
• Florist foam or cardboard box with skewers for drying ornaments
• Paint, spray or brush-on, to match the color of your metal leaf

Gold Leafing 101: The Basics You Need to Know

Before we dive into our specific projects, let’s talk about the magic of gold leafing! 

If you’ve never worked with it before, don’t worry – I’ll walk you through the basics that apply to pretty much any gold leaf project.

The Basic Steps:

Step 1) Prep Your Surface-

 Whatever you’re gilding needs to be clean and dry. Any dust or oils will mess with your adhesion (trust me, I learned this the hard way! 😅)

Step 2) Apply the Adhesive (AKA Sizing)-

 

This is your magical sticky stuff that makes everything work. Brush it on evenly with a soft brush or foam applicator.

And now it’s wait time. The key here? Patience!

You want it to get tacky but not completely dry. Most adhesives take about 15-30 minutes to reach that perfect sticky stage. Follow your adhesive’s instructions.

This is where it gets fun! Gold leaf is super delicate (like, breathe-wrong-and-it-flies-away delicate), so work in a draft-free space. Gently lay the sheets over your tacky adhesive. Don’t stress if it crinkles or breaks – that’s totally normal and often adds beautiful texture!

Step 3) Apply the Gold Leaf- 

PRO TIP: Try to handle the leaf sheets as little as possible and with a piece of tissue to support it.

If you have a rather large, flat-ish area to apply to, it is easiest to lay a tissue with the leafing sheet on top, on a flat surface and gently place the tacky part of the object on the tissue.

PRO TIP: Move the object to the leafing, rather than moving the leafing to the object.

Step 4) Press & Secure-

Using your fingertips or a soft, dry brush, gently press the leaf onto your surface. Work from the center outward with light motions to help the leaf settle into all the little details. Don’t worry about excess pieces hanging off – we’ll deal with those later! 

Step 5) Wait, Remove Excess & Seal- 

Let your piece dry completely (I often leave mine overnight to be extra sure).

Once everything is completely dry, over a piece of wax paper, use your soft brush to gently sweep away any loose pieces. (Keep these precious bits – they’re perfect for small touch-ups!) Now’s the time to decide if you want to seal your work. For decorations that will be handled often, like nutcrackers, a clear sealer will protect your gorgeous gilding. For items that mostly stay put, like your grapevine tree, sealing is optional.

In case you’re still feeling a pinch of intimidation, I have a quick 3-minute video that I think will empower you to jump onboard with gold leafing, . . . or silver . . . . or copper, etc.

 

Quick Tips for Success

And let’s just admit it up front. Nothing looks better than gold leaf in flickering candlelight!!!!

Project #1: Give Those Plain Nutcrackers the Royal Treatment

You know those unfinished wooden nutcrackers you can find everywhere during the holidays? 

Well, get ready to turn them into absolute stunners! 

We’re talking rich wood tones meet metallic magnificence. 

Step 1) Getting Your Nutcracker Ready-

First up, let’s prep our wooden friend:

• Give it a quick sand if it’s feeling rough
• Wipe it down really well
• Stain it whatever gorgeous shade you’re feeling
• Let it dry (I know, waiting is the worst part!)

Step 2) Planning Your Gold Moments-

Here’s where you can get creative! I love adding gold to:

• The crown or hat (because every nutcracker deserves to feel fancy)
• Those epaulettes, cuffs and belt. I added some drips of gold leafing to one of mine’s epaulettes to mimic the dangling braid of old
• The sword, scepter or drum sticks
• You can add boot details that make them extra snazzy

PRO TIP: For those tiny details that make you want to pull your hair out? Liquid leaf is your BFF.

IT’s much easier to control than trying to wrangle full sheets of gold leaf! It doesn’t have the shine of leafing, but it is a great bridge between the super shiny and the matte stain.

I also like to add a bit of black accenting. It can really help the leafing stand out against the wood.

PRO TIP: For small details like the cuffs, hold a gold sheet sandwiched between tissues and cut off a narrow strip to cover the cuffs and slightly beyond. A piece of wax paper held tight to the nutcracker’s side, can help the leaf slide into tight spaces.

Step 3) Time to Get Gilded-

• Work in sections (trust me on this one)
• Brush on that adhesive
• Wait until it’s tacky (perfect time to scroll Instagram!)
• Apply your gold leaf

Step 4) Wait, Remove Excess and Seal-

• Wait for all the details to be completely dry.
• Brush off the excess with a soft, dry brush
• Seal, technically optional but highly recommend

Make it Your Own:

Do you have some brightly colored nutcrackers that are less than fabulous. It would be overwhelming to strip off all that paint. Spray them with a coat of primer and a solid coat of whatever color you love. Then add touches of a metal leaf.

Sidenote: Did you know that what I may be known best for is my Christmas stockings? True! And I’ve put together the Ultimate Christmas Stocking Guide to help you hang and style your own Christmas stocking. Just sign up below for your Free Guide — A Series of 5 emails to help you make the most of your stocking tradition:

Thanks bunches! Now back to our gold leaf projects.

Project #2: The Grapevine Tree That’ll Make Your Neighbors Jealous

Okay, this could become my favorite because nobody expects a grapevine tree to look this luxe! 

And psst – this technique works like magic on grapevine wreaths too.

Step 1) Prep Work (Super Easy, I Promise)-

• Shake out any loose bits
• Figure out where you want your gold to go
• I’m obsessed with doing a partial swiping effect following the path of the vines from top to bottom! I tried to add adhesive to the thickest of the vines.

Step 2) Getting Your Gold On-

• Take your time with the adhesive – grapevine can be tricky. I actually had better luck with Modge Podge on the grapevine. I put it on a bit thicker and let it dry a bit to the tacky stage
• Press on that gold leaf
• Use your brush with a gentle pouncing motion to adhere the metal foil.
• Let it dry overnight if your adhesive was thicker like mine.
• Brush off all the excess with a soft small brush
• Don’t stress if it’s not perfect – the rustic peek-through is part of the charm!

Project #3: Ornaments That Look Like They Cost a Fortune

These gold leaf Christmas ornaments are the perfect project for watching holiday movies – super easy but looks amazing!

Step 1) Quick Prep-

• Pop off the tops of the ornaments
• Give the ornaments a good cleaning
• If your ornaments are clear, you’ll want to paint the entire inside of the ornament any color your heart desires. Just add a generous squirt of craft paint inside, cover the top with your finger and shake and roll until the entire thing is coated. Dry upside down in an egg crate.
• Want patterns? Grab some tape and go wild!
• Paint the ornament tops to match your metal foil

Step 2) The Fun Part-

• Brush on the adhesive (you’re basically a pro by now)
• Prop them upside down on skewers stuck in foam or a cardboard box to wait for their tacky stage
• Layer on that gorgeous gold. This project is the easiest of these projects for metal flakes as well as sheets of metal leaf.

Step 3) The Finale-

• ​Once your ornaments are completely dry, brush away the excess leafing
• Seal
• Pop on the top of the ornaments
• Add a beautiful ribbon, optional

Mix It Up with Different Metals

Here’s where it gets really fun – don’t feel stuck with just gold! Try:

• Silver leaf for that ice-queen vibe
• Copper leaf if you’re feeling those warm, cozy vibes
• Champagne leaf when you can’t decide between gold and silver (been there!)
• Mixed metal flakes for a true blending, or mere indecision

Some of my favorite combos:

• Gold + copper = instant rich girl energy. Love with white, cream or sage green
• Silver + champagne = sophisticated but not trying too hard. Love with black or charcoal accents
• Mix them all because why not? You’re the boss of your decorations!

This little nutcracker fella is done with this Iridescent Bronze from Golden. It’s not as shiny as gold leave. But leaves the impression of gorgeous antique or aged brass.

Pro Tips from Someone Who’s Made All the Mistakes

• Save those excess flakes – they’re like gold dust (literally!)
• Close those windows – trust me, chasing flying gold leaf is not a fun holiday activity
• Keep your brush clean between colors (learned this one the hard way)
• Seal anything that’s going to get handled a lot
• Store your leftover sheets flat (they can be kind of drama queens about wrinkling)

Keeping Your Pretties Pretty

• Wrap ’em in tissue paper when storing
• Keep nutcrackers out of direct sun (they’ve got enough shine already!)
• Be gentle with your grapevine pieces
• Only dust with a soft brush – no wet cleaning!

Answers to Your Burning Gold Leaf Questions

Is gold leaf real gold?

Gold leaf comes in both genuine and imitation versions! Real gold leaf is made from actual gold that’s been beaten into super-thin sheets (we’re talking thinner than a human hair!). For craft projects like these, I usually use imitation gold leaf – it’s way more budget-friendly and looks just as gorgeous on holiday decor. 

What’s the difference between gold leaf and liquid leaf?

Think of liquid leaf is the paint version of metal leaf – it comes in a bottle and brushes on like paint. While it’s perfect for detailed work (like those tiny nutcracker belts!), it doesn’t give quite the same brilliant shine as regular leaf. I like using both in my projects: leaf for large areas and liquid leaf for those tricky small spots.

There are more and more metallic paints on the market. My current fave is this tube from. It still does not have the sheen of gold leaf, but it’s one of the best versions of antique brass I have found. This is what I used on this small little fella:

Help! My gold leaf is flaking off!

If your gold leaf is flaking, it usually means one of two things: either the adhesive wasn’t quite tacky enough when you applied the leaf, or it needs a good sealer. Remember that overnight drying time we talked about? Super important! And for pieces that’ll be handled often, don’t skip that sealing step.

Can I use gold leaf outdoors?

Planning to add some sparkle to outdoor decorations? You’ll definitely want to seal it really well. While gold leaf can be used outdoors, it needs extra protection from moisture and weather. For my grapevine pieces that might end up on a covered porch, I use two coats of clear outdoor sealer.

Want more holiday crafting tips? Make sure to follow me on Instagram and Fabebook where I share behind-the-scenes peeks at all my crafting adventures (and occasional mishaps! 😉)

This post contains affiliate links because a girl’s gotta fund her craft addiction somehow! 😉

So, what do you think? Ready to add a bit of glam to your holiday decor?

Remember, I’m just one of The Handcrafted Society. You really need to meet these ladies and check out their sparkles this month:

Drop a comment below and show me what you create! And definitely pin this for later because trust me, once you start gold leafing, you won’t want to stop!

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