DIY Gold Foil Pumpkins

Fall decor has a way of always looking the same. There's usually a lot of burlap, brown, and plaid involved. With gold so popular this season, I decided to create a twist on traditional fall decor by creating gold leaf pumpkins. These pumpkins are super easy to make and would make great place settings for a fall wedding or even Thanksgiving.

To make these pumpkins you will need:

- several pumpkins (big or small, but white works best!)

-gold leaf sheets

-adhesive

-sealer

-a small sponge brush

-a small bristle brush

There are also great starter kits sold online or in craft stores that contain everything you will need.

Take a damp washcloth and clean and dry your pumpkins. Let them fully dry before applying the adhesive or it won't stick. While you're waiting for your pumpkins to dry, create a workspace by laying down newspaper. I learned the hard way that gold leaf gets a bit messy! 

Apply the adhesive to your pumpkins by using the sponge brush. Let them dry for 1-2 minutes. The glue used for gold leaf is very watery. If you let it dry for a few minutes it gets a bit tacky, which helps the foil stick. 

Apply the gold foil sheets to your pumpkins. I find it works best to just use your bare hands as rubber gloves get tricky, leaving you with a big sticky mess! Try to apply the entire gold sheet at once to your pumpkin. If you try to apply in small pieces, the gold leaf tends to crumple on itself and you end up with a messy looking glob. 

Once you are happy with your gold application, use the bristle brush to gently apply sealer. Some of the gold leaf will come off at this point... but don't freak out! That's part of the charm and "look" of gold leaf. While your sealer is drying the gold will dull in color but this comes back once everything is all dry!