DIY Gold Leaf Photo Holder

A picture is worth a thousand words, but the memories are priceless.  I am all about celebrating and making memories and in today’s digital world it’s easy to instantly capture all of the fun in a photo.  The only problem is sometimes I forget to print and display the photos of all the fun we have.  This year I’ve made it a goal to print our photos and put them on display. I think this crafty DIY Gold Leaf Photo Holder will be a stylish and easy way to instantly display some of our favorite moments and memories!

My daughter got a Instax Mini camera for Christmas and has been obsessed with taking photos of everything.  She snaps photos of her friends, stuffed animals, craft projects and lots of selfies with her sister.  These little photos are scattered everywhere throughout her room, and the rest of the house.  I thought it would be fun to create a fun and inexpensive way for her to display her favorite photos and get those memories on  display.  These DIY Gold Leaf Photo Holders are not only pretty, but they are practical too.

After making these DIY Painted Copper Leaf Ornaments I have been obsessed with adding gold leaf to things.  I love the metallic sparkle and the texture it adds. I love seeing how it can transform something simple into something extraordinary with just the stroke of brush.

These lightweight photo holders are super easy to make and can be customized to match your home decor.  I used my favorite DecoArt paint colors and FloraCraft® foam blocks to create these photo holders.  You can too, here is what you’ll need.

Supplies

• FloraCraft® Make It: Fun® Foam Blocks: 12″x 12″ x 1″
• Round Metal Cookie Cutter
• FloraCraft Smooth Finish
• DecoArt Americana Craft Paint
• Copper Leaf Sheets
• Gilding Leaf Adhesive
• Paint Brushes
• Small Spatula

Step 1: 

Use the round cookie cutter to cut several circles out of the foam sheets.  Here is a tip, leave the foam sheet in the plastic wrap to minimize the mess as you cut them.

Step 2: 

Use the small spatula to spread a thick layer of the smooth finish on the round circle.  Let the smooth finish dry and then sand if necessary.

Step 3: 

Once the surface is smooth and dry paint it with your favorite color palette. Set aside and let the paint dry.

Step 4: 

Once the paint is dry take a knife and cut a slit in the top of the foam circle to hold your Instax photos.

Step 5: 

Now it’s time to add the finishing touch. Use a paint brush to paint a thin layer of gilding leaf adhesive on the foam circle.  Once the adhesive has tried to a tacky touch gently lay the copper leaf on the photo holder.  Use a dry paint brush to smooth out any wrinkles and excess copper leafing.

Add your Instax photos and proudly display them in your new photo holders.

Now my daughter has a fun and personalized way to display her favorite photos on her desk.  She can easily switch them out when she takes a new photo.