finally...a completed silver leafing DIY!

I know I said I was going to do something simple with the trash and treasure glass bottles last night...but sorry...I didn't. After reading stories about garlic infused olive oil and the risk of botulism I decided I needed to do a bit more research first...good idea right?
So...drum roll...I finished off some silver leafing instead...

I wish I could say that it was a home-grown inspiration to silver leaf some lotus pods...but alas, it was not. I got the idea when I was scrolling through the delights from the post Terri (La Dolfina) did on the Summer House store in Mill Valley. I did a double take when I got to this photo...

Ha! I have lotus pods and I have silver leafing stuff...and if I don't get something, anything, silver leafed, there will be blogger revolt! So the inspiration came from La Dolfina...and the much needed silver leafing professional advice came from my bloggy BFF and artist Kerri from Driftwood Interiors (I love that woman!) I'm sure we were separated at birth...but she got the silver leaf talent! She's doing an awesome kitchen makeover at the moment and is being a complete tease about it (still got to love her though)...here's what she's revealed so far... keep on checking in to see whether she's finished

We email a fair bit and she sent me a message that partly went like this:

" I’m assuming you’re using cotton gloves so it [the silver leaf] doesn’t stick to your hands? I’m sure you are, but you’d be amazed at the number of my students who haven’t."

Ummm....no Kerri...you give me far too much credit, and actually I wouldn't be amazed by your students at all!! They however would probably be amazed that at my age I didn't know better. Ah, yep! Then I'm thinking...cotton cloves...who in the heck has got gotten gloves lying around? These are much more my style...

My mother probably has cotton gloves but she lives 5 hours drive away and would probably like a surprise visit...but no...no time...the silver leafing aficionados are waiting...patiently...sort of. Who would have thought you could buy cotton gloves from the supermarket along with the rubber ones...sheesh...still so much to learn!

Anyway...with weapons assembled (including a blush brush...another tip from Kerri) I was on my way...

There are no progress pictures I'm sorry...it is simply not possible to silver leaf AND take photos of yourself making a huge mess at the same time. Nor is it advisable if you want to come across as all accomplished!

When I'd finished, they were a bit too shiny...so I took to them with liquid shoe polish (black) to dirty them up a bit...the one on the right is untouched, the one on the left has been 'roughed up'...

I will give them a coat of something or other to protect them tonight but I just had to show you so I thought that could wait. Hope you like them...I'm thinking they're ok...and a whole lot cheaper than the real (silver) deal!

I'd better go and vacuum up all the little silver bits flying around my house now though...

all images except the leather gloves by me; that I of course googled. Oh yeah, plus the ones by Terri and Kerri of course! How could I forget my inspiration...!

And a quick post-script: when I woke up this morning I found that the amazing Dash from The French Sampler had given me the Beautiful Blogger award! I will thank her properly soon (need to get to work now) but I am truly very happy to get this from one of my very favourite bloggers...so thank you so much Dash. Now, what will I tell you all about myself...oh the possibilities!