How to Make a Gilded Decorated Plate

You are on a budget and want to add some unique art work to your home. You have this old clear plate that can be decorated and shown off in your home. Read on to learn how to make a gilded decorated plate.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clean plate
• One large and eight small fall leaves
• Color copier
• Matte decoupage sealer
• Dutch Metal Gold Leaf
• Small scissors
• 1 inch paintbrush
• China marker
• Aluminum foil
• Alcohol
• Clean cloth

1. Find an old clear glass plate. Take soap and water and clean the plate thoroughly. After it is cleaned and dried, take a clean cloth and rub it down with alcohol to remove any remnants of dirt or dust.

2. Look in some magazines for pictures of autumn leaves, or just walk around in your back yard and pick up around eight or nine colorful leaves.

3. If you pick natural leaves from the yard, they need to be flat, put them in a piece of wax paper and put them in a book to flatten them out. Wait a day for the leaves to flatten out.

4. Go to the library and copy the leaves that you have picked up from your backyard. Go to a color copier and place your leaf flat down, put a white sheet of paper to cover the leaves and then print them out. If you choose to take a photograph of a leaf, make copies of them.

5. Cut out the paper copies leaving a small edge around the leave pattern. Put all your cut pieces in a basket next to you so that you can work easily with them.

6. Arrange your leaves on the front of the plate, take your china marker and lightly outline the placement on the plate, then remove your leaves.

7. Lay out your leaves on the aluminum foil or wax paper. One at a time brush a thin coat of sealer on the front of the leaf. Work the glue to all edges without leaving any gaps. Take your brush and add a light coat of glue to the outline on the plate.

8. Take your leaf and position it on the plate, hold the leaf in place with your fingers. Remove any air bubbles by rubbing your finger lightly across the leaf. Let the glue dry.

9. Brush glue over the back of the plate and leaves. Lay on sheets of fold Dutch Metal following the manufacturer's direction. The sheets may appear to break apart a bit, but that is normal. When the glue has dried completely flick off any loose gold leaves with a soft brush.

10. Seal the back of the plate with a coat of glue, allow the glue to dry thoroughly. Paint one coat of a dark color on the back of the plate. When the paint has dried completely you will need to add two more coats of glue. Leave to dry.

11. Clean the plate off with a paper towel; it is now ready for display.

Tips & Warnings

• Display your gilded plate on a wall or desk. It is an eye catcher and a center of attraction for your room. The gilded decorated plate will be a conversation piece for you and your friends.
• Work in well ventilated areas.