Silver Leaf Wooden Bowl

I saw a wooden bowl at the thrift store last week, and really liked the shape and size of it…but it needed a little make-over.

I’d been wanting to try my hand at silver leaf so this was the perfect occasion. First I gave the bowl a light sand with a little sand paper.

Then after cleaning off the dust, it was time for my fav, a little white spray paint. Doesn’t everything just look better spray painted white? After it dried, I applied a few removable round office stickers, so that when I was all done silver leafing I’d be able to remove them and have white polka dots.

To silver leaf I applied the special glue, and waited the recommended 15 min. Then it was time to apply the silver leaf. I’d seen it done a million times on TV, but this was my first attempt. It didn’t come out too pristine, but I thought it added character.

It is pretty simple. You just apply the silver leaf with the backing paper, rubbing it on to the tacky surface, and it sticks and you pull the empty backing paper away. It was a little tricky going around the edges of the bowl, but since I’d painted it first, any spots I missed just showed the white and added texture.

I do love, love, love how it turned out. I love that it’s so sparkly and still a bit rustic at the same time. Perfect for Christmas decorating, or even Christmas gift giving.

Here’s what this little baby cost me:

• bowl $2.99
• white gloss spray paint $6
• silver leaf $9 with my 50% off coupon
• silver leafing glue $10

There’s lots of paint, and the silver leaf glue left over for other projects. I did use most of the silver leaf, but there’s a few pieces left that I’m sure I can use up, especially over Christmas. And especially because I may or may not be dreaming about what else in my house “needs” to be silver leafed…let’s just say this might be my new addiction…but don’t worry spray paint and the dollar store, I still love you too.

With a pretty, shinny, polka dot silver bowl, life really is a party!

This project is linked up at Whipperberry, Tidy Mom,  Tatertots and Jello, French Country Cottage, The Vintage Farm House, House of Hepworths, Bloom, The Artsy Girl Connection, Craftberry Bush, and The 36th Avenue.