Gold Leaf:: A Scrapbooking Tutorial by Carrie Elias
Gold is all the rage right now, and using gold foil in scrapbooking has become a staple. I’d been toying with the idea of using actual gold leaf in my scrapbook projects for a while and recently decided to give it a try. In doing so, I found that it’s actually quite easy to work with. Now I’m adding gold leaf to almost all my crafts and may even prefer the texture over gold foil!
Below is a three part video series where I create a mini book using some of the lovely products from Shimelle’s new scrapbook collection. In all three videos there are examples of the simple process I use to add gold leaf in any shape to my projects.
Part one is the mini book cover, where I add gold leaf in the shape of a jeep with flourish design (which I created on my computer).
Part two is adding gold leaf letters and shapes directly onto some of the mini book pages and photos.
Part three is design and assembly of the mini book as well as a flip through of the completed project.
One of the things I like the most about this mini book is that I only use three 12×12 papers, and two embellishment packs (all from Shimelle’s collection) in the design. Of course, I also used photos, page protectors, and an album cover, but the basics are only made up of those five elements with almost no waste. I think it’s such a cool idea.
Some helpful notes/details about this project:
・I use contact paper that is sticky on only one side. Silhouette makes a double sided adhesive sheet if you don’t want to trouble with adding adhesive to the non-sticky side of the contact paper.
・ I am able to add gold leaf to any surface type (paper, wood, plastic, metal, glass, etc…), because of the adhesive I use for the backside of the contact paper. This all purpose wet adhesive is called The Ultimate.
・ Make sure that your contact paper has the sticky side facing towards you and the non-sticky side towards your background.
・ I use my Silhouette Cameo to cut out most of my shapes, but instead you can hand cut out any shape you like.
・ You can use a protective sealer over your gold leaf, but I personally haven’t found one yet that does not cover up that beautiful gold leaf texture.
・ Sometimes it is easiest to line up your cut design (if it consists of multiple pieces), by using the opposite cut as a guide. If this doesn’t make sense there is an example of this in the Part Two video when I’m working with the word “FUN”.
・ I used my typewriter for the journaling.
・ Trimming page protectors to custom sizes, and adding tabs to the smallest helps create depth, interest, and makes the pages easier to turn.
| Carrie is a YouTuber who loves to take photos and create little pieces of art with pretty paper. She enjoyed teaching scrapbook classes when she lived in San Diego, adores her family, and thinks where she now lives in the Pacific Northwest is breathtakingly beautiful. When it comes to memory keeping her imagination usually takes over and helps her see outside the box. Carrie is expecting her first child around the new year, likes having blue mermaid hair, thinks that rain smells sweet, and still has a crush on her sweetheart of 20 years. You can check out her work on her blog, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. | ![](http://www.shimelle.com/images/5659.jpg?1410774435"/) |
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16 September 2014, 11:11
Great videos! You have inspired me to get out my gold leaf and find a place to add it to my scrapbook pages. I have double sided tape sheets that will work perfectly.
16 September 2014, 11:22
I love Carrie Elias’ work!!! This is so great!!!! :)
16 September 2014, 11:53
Wow!!! Carrie, you never seize to amaze me!! I love all the gold leaf elements. It’s so neat you were able to use your moms jeep as the cover. I loved how you took photo corners and made arrows. And the best part is the minimal usage of materials! Love these tutorials.
16 September 2014, 12:12
Superb! I have a baggie of gold flakes…varying colours. Your tutorial makes me want to go play! Thank you so much! Your project was wonderful. Great videos!
16 September 2014, 12:24
Carrie’s mini book in inspiring! I am now in love with gold! Beautiful book you created, makes it look easy to do. Your nail Polish adds to the cute videos!
16 September 2014, 13:08
love this!! carrie is super talented & this makes me want to try out the gold leaf. it goes perfect with the shimelle papers!
xo
16 September 2014, 14:03
Thank you Carrie for the excellent tutorial! You make it look so easy, beautiful work!
17 September 2014, 01:23
I love your mini book! The gold leaf ideas are brilliant, and I will have to try this technique! You should do a tutorial on making custom sleeves. Very clever ideas!
17 September 2014, 04:02
The foil flakes that were everywhere a few years ago work fine with the Silhouette double sided paper although it’s easy to ‘scrubby’ too hard and take the shine off
17 September 2014, 06:18
Very fun!
18 September 2014, 12:48
I love your mini book. It is so inspirational. The way you use the gold foil really pulls your book together. I also really like how you made the mini book look original. I have to get this line of products they look like so much fun to work with.. Nice job.
18 September 2014, 19:02
Oh I love it! Well I love everything I have seen you do.The tutorial is very well put together- makes me wwant to make one!!
20 September 2014, 14:46
Carrie, this is awesome. I love your tip to “batch” prepare for mini’s. Love all that you did. Thank you for sharing with us.
21 September 2014, 01:07
So enjoyed! Great :)
21 September 2014, 02:24
Carrie, you are so creative! Your work has a sweet whimsy to it that inspires me! You make bold choices and combine your beautiful photography with a mixture of modern and vintage elements to create work that is cute and simple but also lovely, vibrant, and strong! (Plus your blue hair is fab!) Great mini, well done!
25 September 2014, 16:25
This is wonderful! I do wonder if Shimelle will be back soon. I really, really miss her.
8 October 2014, 17:01
This is so very lovely!!!!! Thanks for putting in the QR code idea, off to add it to my new mini album I am currently creating about our family summer vacation! And Gold Leafing!!!! You are killing my pocket book!!!
4 January 2015, 19:17
crazy cool carrie! i alwasy thought gold leaf was hard but you make it look so easy!
27 October 2023, 01:32
I’ve been wanting to incorporate more texture into my scrapbooking, and her step-by-step guide makes it seem so doable. Plus, her creativity and resourcefulness with materials are admirable. Can’t wait to try this technique on my own projects. Thanks, Carrie!