Gold Leaf California State Necklace

It’s time for another round of Craft Lightning, and I am super excited about this one! The theme for this round is recycled crafts, which is one of my favorites. I had a spare sheet of thin cardboard laying around from a recent package delivery, so I decided to turn it into an upcycled gold leaf California state necklace.

I started by using an Xacto knife to cut out the state shape from the cardboard sheet. I printed an image of California from my computer, placed it on top of the cardboard, and cut through both of the layers. It’s only about 1.5″ tall, so any scrap of thin cardboard will work – cereal boxes, shipping boxes, etc.

The gold leaf kit is really quick and simple to use. First, brush on a coat of adhesive size (that’s the glue), and allow it to dry for about 10-15 minutes until it has turned from white to clear, and it is extremely tacky. Lay a small piece of gold leaf on top of the cardboard, and use a stiff paintbrush (I always use my kids cheapo brushes for this) to press the gold leaf into the adhesive and brush away the excess. Easy peasy!

Poke a hole through the top of the pendant to add a jump ring, and thread your chain through the ring. Finish the necklace by adding a clasp and another jump ring to either end of the chain. It’s really that simple!

Gold leaf is a ton of fun, and it can turn almost anything from trash to treasure! It’s also highly addictive, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to add gold leaf to EVERYTHING! 😉