GOLD LEAF PAPER MACHE BOWLS
So, I think this might be my favorite DIY to date. It’s just so practical and pretty! A few friends and I decided we would get together once a month for an all day craft day. Just to create pretty things, simply for the sake of creating. Weather it be something we wear, or something for our homes, decorations for the holidays, or even little somethings for our babies. I tend to get wrapped up in projects for other people that I fail to do all the projects I want to do for myself! And although one day a month doesn’t sound like much, at least it is one day I can count on! Not to mention, it’s just a good excuse for girl time! This DIY was our first of many to come.
We’ve been dying to try out gold leaf for a while now. And we thought these paper mache bowls would be the perfect application. Our intent was to use them as jewelry dishes. Here is what you’ll need to create the shell…
ONE – To create your bowl forms, you’ll need to start with balloons. I bought a couple packages in different sizes, so that not all my bowls were the same. I used 5″, 9″, and 12″ balloons.
TWO - Cut up your newspaper into small strips. Using your foam brush, adhere the newspaper to your balloon using the mod podge. Be generous! The more layers, the thicker the bowl. (My first attempt was too thin so I had to go back and layer on more. Apply more than you think!)
THREE – Place your balloons upside down (or right side up, whichever way you want to look at it) inside paper cups and let them dry overnight.
FOUR – Once dry, pop your balloon and remove the latex. What you will have left is a bowl mold with imperfect edges. Just use scissors to trim it down to the depth you want. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I think the irregular shape is what makes these unique!
Paint your bowls entirely white (or any color of your choice). It may take a few coats. Let it dry.
I wanted my bowls to have a polka dot pattern within the gold leaf. If you want this look too, buy a pack of sticker dots and stick them down in a pattern on the inside of your bowl.
After your dots are adhered, brush on Gold Leaf Adhesive all over the inside, over the stickers. Make sure to use the adhesive sparingly and don’t leave puddles, otherwise the gold leaf will turn into a sticky mess!
Now for the fun part….carefully place your sheets of Gold Leaf all over the inside of the bowl, securing it to the adhesive. Overlap is fine. I used a soft paint brush to adhere the leaf and brush off any excess. This was definitely the trickiest part of the project. I found that the less adhesive I used, the smoother the finish. If you notice on the photo above, after I applied the leaf, I could still see the outlines of my sticker dots. One by one, I went through and carefully removed each dot sticker, leaving the white paint underneath to show through. The dots weren’t perfect, but the more I did, the easier it got! Last step is to seal your bowls with Gold Leaf Sealer!
I hope you all have fun with this project! Let me know if you try it out! It takes some time, but hopefully you’ll love your bowls as much as I do!
September 18th, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Amazing Kelli! I would love to try this to store some of my jewelry!
September 18th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
this is truly beautiful!! i am so excited to try this out!
September 18th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
So pretty!
September 18th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
I actually really liked them with just the newspaper too! ha! The gold is super chic as well. I’ve made jewelry dishes with air dry clay (http://www.etsy.com/listing/92302321/carry-your-heart-duo-trinket-dish-set) so this will be a good way to try a new method. plus, i’ve not yet worked with gold leaf. thanks for sharing!
September 18th, 2012 at 1:46 pm
I love these bowls! They turned out so great and would be perfect in so many homes. There is a new line at Target in the home section that this really reminds me of. Your projects always come out beautifully and they are thought out so well.
Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to see what else comes out of your once a month projects!
<3Courtney
September 18th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
These are so gorgeous. “Beautiful” doesn’t even begin to describe. Gold and polka dots? Wow! Winning combo.
September 18th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Thank you Aunt Peaches
Means a lot coming from you! xoxo
September 18th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
kelli, these are beautiful! my favourite diy of yours to date!
love kat x
September 18th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Thank you Kat!
September 18th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
These are freaking adorable!
September 18th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Amazing idea …thanks for sharing!
September 18th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Awesome! Reminds me of the bowls from Up in the Air Somewhere…
I might just have to try this! I need some bowls for my bedside table
September 19th, 2012 at 12:20 am
[...] a paper mache and gold leaf bowl how-to. And I always think, “I need to try that!” This one by Kelli Murray might be just the one to get me to make a few for myself. I do have a hunch that they might be [...]
September 19th, 2012 at 8:05 am
These are just so, SO lovely!!
Definitely going to give them a go…
xx
September 19th, 2012 at 9:01 am
[...] pin board. It has me dreaming of new ways to style my office with chic gold accents. These sweet DIY gold leaf paper mache bowls by Kelli Murrary would be a welcome addition on my desk. To complete a the look, I am considering [...]
September 19th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
[...] These bowls are so pretty and [...]
September 19th, 2012 at 11:48 pm
Wow! One of the most beautiful DIYs ever!
September 20th, 2012 at 1:31 am
These are so amazing! I am definitely going to try these. Thanks so much for sharing xoxo
September 20th, 2012 at 12:23 pm
I can’t believe how beautiful these are. Thank you so much!!!
September 20th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
I agree, the newsprint looks cool too. Maybe with the Sunday Comics or maybe I can get my hands on a Chinese newspaper?
September 21st, 2012 at 3:08 am
[...] fabulous are these DIY [...]
September 21st, 2012 at 8:51 am
[...] never tried gold leaf before, but this diy is screaming my [...]
September 21st, 2012 at 9:03 am
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September 21st, 2012 at 10:01 am
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September 21st, 2012 at 12:01 pm
[...] been wanting to attempt some craft projects involving gold leaf & Kelli’s pretty paper mache bowls are looking like a good first [...]
September 21st, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Just Beautiful. My sister in law used to make these before she past away….she did flowers, so they were finished inside and out.
I’m glad you mixed some your time & time with friends & making something beautiful all together!!
September 21st, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Never would have guessed these were paper mache… stunning!
September 22nd, 2012 at 10:14 am
Nice! I’m not needing the gold leaf right now, but you have given me a great idea. When I get around to doing and blogging it I’ll post back to this as the inspiration.
September 22nd, 2012 at 7:53 pm
[...] DIY gold paper mache bowls? A have-to-try project [...]
September 24th, 2012 at 2:28 am
This has to be one of the best diy project i’ve seen for a while! The bowls look really lovely.
September 24th, 2012 at 4:13 am
Thanks so much Trishie!
September 24th, 2012 at 5:18 am
What a great idea! It looks so pretty!
September 24th, 2012 at 10:51 am
I love these! so incredibly stylish and not impossibly hard to do
September 26th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
[...] This totally inspired me to get more crafty. [...]
September 26th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
[...] Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls- Love this project from one seriously POSH Mommy, Kelli Murray. These bowls can be used for so many different things, especially if you have a lot of loose jewelry laying around. [...]
September 28th, 2012 at 10:37 am
[...] for a weekend project? How about making some pretty little DIY paper mache bowls from Kelli Murray‘s [...]
September 28th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
I love this idea! I will definitely need to try this out with various finishes. Would a soft blush make-up brush be soft enough to finsihing the gold leaf?
September 29th, 2012 at 8:58 am
Arrived here via Oh the Lovely Things. Your bowls are so pretty – I love it when paper mache looks elegant… kind of an oxymoron actually! Can’t wait to share your diy on my FB page.
September 30th, 2012 at 8:04 am
[...] uniformly round makes them unique. This is from the talented writer, Kelli Murray, and her blog All Things Inspiring. This is a definite holiday gift project I’m going to attempt. Possible jewelry [...]
September 30th, 2012 at 7:43 pm
[...] gold polkadot bowl tutorial is simple enough to be a joint crafty project with the kid. I personally would stop at the polkadot [...]
October 1st, 2012 at 7:28 am
[...] DIY gold leaf papier mache bowls / right: DIY [...]
October 2nd, 2012 at 11:54 am
[...] / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / [...]
October 2nd, 2012 at 11:30 pm
[...] http://www.kellimurray.com/2012/09/18/gold-leaf-paper-mache-bowls/ [...]
October 5th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
I love these … they would make a great Christmas present !
October 6th, 2012 at 4:10 am
For sure Chrissi!
October 8th, 2012 at 10:52 am
[...] DIY Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls: My jewelry would love to lie in these beautiful gold leaf bowls. I just adore the polka dot accents too. [...]
October 10th, 2012 at 3:02 am
[...] Kelli Murray [...]
October 10th, 2012 at 11:00 am
[...] Anthropologie 2. Ceramic Cups 3. DIY Bowls 4. Urban Outfitters 5. Urban Outfitters 6. [...]
October 11th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
[...] We love Kelli Murray, and we also love her cute DIY for paper mache bowls – they’re perfect for jewelry… or other fancy [...]
October 13th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
[...] ed ecco che la pallini-mania travolge anche gli accessori per la casa… Photo Credits: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. [...]
October 14th, 2012 at 12:11 am
Kelli, this is THE single most beautiful craft I’ve ever seen. So much so that it’s the first I’ve duplicated for my own blog.
Kudos to you for such a creative idea…
http://practicallymartha.blogspot.com/2012/10/gold-paper-mache-bowls.html
October 14th, 2012 at 8:00 am
[...] fabulous gold leaf paper mache bowls! Project by Kelli [...]
October 14th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
[...] en papier mâché, recouverts de feuilles d’or (trouvé ici). Share this:EmailPinterestJ'aime ceci:J'aimeSoyez le premier à aimer ceci. Posted in [...]
October 15th, 2012 at 12:12 am
I LOVE this! Ive never actually used Mod Podge, but I think this will be the perfect project for me to try it for the first time. I always take off my rings by the kitchen sink when om cooking and cleaning and one of these bowls will make a pretty place for them to hang out. Thanks for sharing.
October 15th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
I am using one of my bowls just for that purpose Shavonda!
October 17th, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Oh wow- these are GORGEOUS! I can’t wait to try make one for my night stand. I would also love to link to your project if you didn’t mind.
October 18th, 2012 at 3:14 am
Of course Rachel! Thanks!
October 19th, 2012 at 5:21 am
[...] Goldleaf paper maché bowls by Kelli Murray. Loving the polka dots! Two: Gilded notebooks from Eat Sleep Cuddle. Would make [...]
October 20th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
I’m wondering, couldn’t you just paint the dots on after the gold leaf?
October 24th, 2012 at 8:07 am
[...] ONE Knitted baskets TWO Bubble Chandalier THREE Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls [...]
October 30th, 2012 at 6:02 am
[...] Noch mehr Pappmaché, diesmal in Form von kleinen goldenen Schälchen. Bonuspunkte für die [...]
November 8th, 2012 at 6:01 pm
[...] Lace Princess Crowns from thegirlinspired Flower Crowns from theardentsparrow Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls from kellimurray DIY Feathered Headband from kellimurray Glitter Reindeer from [...]
November 13th, 2012 at 6:02 am
[...] DIY gold leaf bowls via Kelly Murray. [...]
November 14th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
[...] 5. DIY gold leaf paper mache bowls by Kelli Murray [...]
November 14th, 2012 at 8:40 pm
I absolutely love this project! I plan to make several for Christmas presents. One question….how did you remove the sticker dots? Did you just pull up the side of the sticker with your finger nail or did you lift the sticker with something? Like a knife? Thanks!
November 15th, 2012 at 1:35 am
I just used my finger nail! It’s a little tricky to get a perfectly clean pull….but just do it as carefully as you can! Have fun
November 15th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
I am drooling over these! Who says DIY can’t be insanely posh-tastic?! Quick question – I’m new to metal leafing; is there a big difference between the brand you linked to and just ordering the combo Speedball set from amazon? I’d hate to waste precious crafty money…
November 15th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
This was actually my first leafing project Maegan! So I can’t say I know the difference. What I used worked great though…
November 20th, 2012 at 8:49 am
[...] Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls. Storage for all that DIY jewelry your friends are [...]
November 21st, 2012 at 11:47 am
[...] DIY Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls via Kelli Murray Previous postValley & Co.'s Market-Themed Dinner Party Next postThe 2012 [...]
November 21st, 2012 at 2:26 pm
[...] 5. DIY streamer backdrop from 100 Layer Cake – made by Heart of Light [...]
November 24th, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Thanks for the amazing DIY project! Started my balloons tonight. So excited.
Question for you, Kelli: After painting on the gold leaf finish, could the bowls benefit from a layer of glossy mod podge to protect it? Or would that ruin the effect of the gold?
Thank you!
November 25th, 2012 at 12:43 am
Hey Brooke! I think they could definitely use a protective coating….but i’m not sure if mod podge is the best as sometimes it leaves that milky finish…I can’t say I know a good one to refer to you though. I’d ask at the craft store! Good luck!
November 26th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
[...] gold leaf paper mache bowls by kelli [...]
November 28th, 2012 at 2:32 pm
[...] 5. DIY poms for favour boxes or garlands by Green Wedding Shoes created by Smitten on Paper [...]
November 29th, 2012 at 8:01 am
[...] I am loving these gold leaf paper bowls. You can check out the tutorial here [...]
November 30th, 2012 at 11:57 am
[...] 3. Gold leaf paper mache bowls – Kelli Murray’s Blog [...]
December 1st, 2012 at 6:51 am
Wow, this is fantastic, I need to try this out… Thank you.
December 3rd, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Hello! I am in love with these and making them this week. One question, did you wear gloves? Also, how did you cut the edge of golf leaf aropund rim of bowl?? Thank you so much in advance.
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Hey Stephanie…no I didn’t wear gloves. And I didn’t cut the edge of the leaf at the top. I just rubbed it on and it only stuck to where I had the adhesive.
December 5th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Kelli,
These bowls are absolutely GORGEOUS!! I was looking for something to give my mom for Christmas and this is exactly our style, plus there would be an added bonus in the fact that I personally made them!! Luckily, I found them on Pinterest! Thank you so much for sharing your brilliant and fabulous idea with everyone! I may just have to invite a few of my girlfriends over to make them with me like you did, for an excuse for a girls’ night! I love everything about these bowls!
Thanks!
Jessica
December 5th, 2012 at 4:22 pm
[...] 5. DIY Apple ginger and cranberry vodka cocktail by What Katie Ate [...]
December 5th, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Hey! I am in the middle of this project (lots of layers of newspaper and modge podge along with many coats of white paint) and my bowls are still a little flimsy. Did I do something wrong, or is this how they are supposed to feel? Thanks! Can’t wait until the final product!
December 6th, 2012 at 12:18 am
This project looks amazing! Definitely going to get a couple of great christmas gifts out of this tutorial. One question: on step four, it looks like both the inside and outside of the bowl is covered with newspaper. So after applying the newspaper to the outside of the balloon and letting it dry, do you repeat the process on the inside after popping and trimming the balloon?
December 6th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
WoW! I want to try to do it very soon, can you please let me know more details about the paint you use for the inside?
xx
December 7th, 2012 at 3:43 am
No Olivia…you just apply the newspaper to the outside. Once you pop the balloon…you’re first layer of newspaper is what you see on the inside…the balloon completely comes off.
December 7th, 2012 at 3:44 am
Keep going with layers ALyssa! You need way more than you think to get a sturdy bowl! I’m sure you’re not doing anything wrong!
December 12th, 2012 at 8:23 am
24k Gold Leaf…
[...] y the kitchen sink when om cooking and cleaning and one of these bowls will make [...]…
December 15th, 2012 at 4:34 pm
[...] Gold Leaf Paper Meche Bowls found here are so [...]
December 18th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
Love your blog!! I’m going to make the gold leaf paper mache bowls for my parents 50th Anniversary present. I lost my job in April, so I have to be creative, which is great, because I haven’t been in years. I even already have modge podge, newspaper & brushes! Thank you so much. I’m very excited!
~Kj
December 28th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Kelli, thanks for this pretty DIY! I made 4 of these bowls for gifts this Christmas. Few suggestions – Smaller strips of newspaper the better. Do at least 5 layers. Don’t use spray adhesive for the gold leaf! Use the paint on like Kelli did, and less is more. I used turquoise and black paint instead of white and those look nice too. I also gold leafed a little on the outside of the bowls, which I liked. Cheers!
December 28th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Thanks Whitney! Less is definitely more with the glue! I bet your turq and black bowls looks really pretty.
December 31st, 2012 at 6:54 am
Its simple , easy to understand!! I am excited to try this.:)
January 1st, 2013 at 2:09 am
Hi Kelli, I LOVE these and can’t wait to make them. One thing I don’t understand though… how do you remove the stickers if they’re already covered with adhesive and the gold leaf? You don’t scratch through the gold leaf to get at them, do you? Thank you so much!
Sheila in Oregon
January 1st, 2013 at 2:58 pm
[...] inspired by artist kelli murray’s diy [...]
January 2nd, 2013 at 1:57 am
You kind of do Sheila
There may be a better method, but this worked for me! You just have to be pretty careful when pulling off the adhesive dots as to not pull off any of the surrounding leaf.
January 2nd, 2013 at 2:20 am
Ok, that makes sense. I just love them! It is so kind of you to get back to me. I love your blog too!
Sheila in Oregon
January 3rd, 2013 at 7:06 pm
These are so cute, I really want to make them! And a monthly craft day sounds like a great idea, it makes me wish my friends liked crafts
Kristina
Kristina does the Internets
January 4th, 2013 at 9:20 am
[...] finding an absolutely gorgeous tutorial for cute little gold leaf paper mache bowls by the inspired Kelli Murray (if you haven’t checked out her blog before do – she is [...]
January 10th, 2013 at 6:37 pm
How gorgeous! I would love to make these.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:21 pm
[...] Favorite DIY: These gorgeous Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls [...]
January 11th, 2013 at 7:07 pm
[...] These Gold Leaf paper mache bowls [...]
January 15th, 2013 at 10:40 am
[...] 6. Gold leaf papier mache bowls by Kelli Murray: [...]
January 22nd, 2013 at 7:16 am
[...] via Kelly Muray’s blog, find her tutorial [...]
January 24th, 2013 at 2:52 am
beatifull
January 25th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
[...] 35. Gold leaf paper mache bowls from Kelli Murray: [...]
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[...] 2. Kelli Murray- Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls [...]
February 1st, 2013 at 3:30 pm
[...] via Kelli Murray Art and Design [...]
February 8th, 2013 at 4:14 pm
[...] terms of home decor – I’m much better within the confines of a Photoshop! – but these little bowls spoke to me. And look like a fun project to tackle. I pulled together an Amazon list with the components needed [...]
February 11th, 2013 at 7:48 pm
These are so great
I’ve been looking for a new project and I think I actually have all the supplies on hand! I love the poka dots with the gold… must have been tedious to get those stickers off!
February 12th, 2013 at 12:51 am
Instead of using the stickers under the gold leaf to get the white polka dots, couldn’t you use those little circle page reinforcements to paint them on top of the gold leaf with acrylic paint and then seal it using something?
February 12th, 2013 at 3:59 am
Yeah, that might work too Kalie
February 12th, 2013 at 4:03 am
Thank you (: ! What would you use to seal it?
February 12th, 2013 at 10:08 am
[...] Christmas is over (way over) I can finally share some of my projects that I gifted! I saw these bowls on Pinterest, and I thought they’d make a perfect gift for a couple of my [...]
February 12th, 2013 at 11:15 am
I didn’t seal mine….but I did a bit of searching and most people recommend it. Here is a link to some acrylic topcoats – http://www.gildedplanet.com/sealers.asp
February 15th, 2013 at 1:19 am
[...] nadšená z nápadu, který jsem našla na tomto blogu. Vyrobit si papírovou misku z novinového papíru a p?est?íkat jí bílou a potom zlatou barvou [...]
February 18th, 2013 at 8:10 am
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[...] DIY [...]
February 28th, 2013 at 5:08 am
Lovely! I like everything that’s golden. Thank you!
February 28th, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Love these!! I haven’t played with paper machier since I was a child! x
March 1st, 2013 at 5:05 pm
[...] A DIY hostess gift. [...]
March 3rd, 2013 at 7:32 pm
[...] Crafty: DIY gold leaf paper mache bowls from Kelli Murray [...]
March 14th, 2013 at 1:41 pm
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March 19th, 2013 at 9:56 am
[...] out how here. [...]
March 20th, 2013 at 4:34 am
[...] Pour voir toutes les photos de cette réalisations et le tuto original (en anglais), rendez-vous chez Kelli Murray [...]
March 21st, 2013 at 10:43 am
[...] de reciclar papel; además la textura obtenida con esta técnica está muy de moda. En el blog All things Inspiring puedes ver el tutorial completo y más fotografías, pero en resumen lo que necesitas para esta [...]
March 23rd, 2013 at 12:47 pm
That’s soo pretty
April 17th, 2013 at 10:28 am
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April 19th, 2013 at 1:00 pm
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April 27th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
what a great project
April 28th, 2013 at 4:24 am
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April 28th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
I really enjoyed reading this blog post
May 1st, 2013 at 7:56 pm
[...] And check out these beautiful Gold Leaf Paper Mache Bowls from Kelli Murray Here [...]
May 4th, 2013 at 11:47 am
[...] Paper Mache Bowl [...]
May 7th, 2013 at 12:32 pm
What kind of paint is the white paint? Can’t wait to try this.
May 7th, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Kelli, What a beautiful project!!! Your instructions are excellent and easy to follow! BTW, found my way here by way of Etsy!
Betty
May 8th, 2013 at 1:54 am
Thank you so much Betty!
May 8th, 2013 at 1:55 am
JB – i just used a white acrylic paint (Golden brand)
May 9th, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Hi–Can you please help me? I was thinking about this project for a kids two hour art workshop (ages: 8yrs to 12yr olds) for 12-15 kids. How long does the whole project take?
How long did the Modge Podge take to dry?
How many pieces of gold leaf did you use per bowl?
How much Modge Podge did you use for each bowl?
I hope you can help.
Thx
Mary
Saudi Arabia
May 9th, 2013 at 6:52 pm
This took a lot longer than two hours.
I had the mod podge dry overnight.
I used about 5-6 sheets of gold leaf per bowl.
May 9th, 2013 at 10:37 pm
What type of paint did you use to paint the bowls white?
May 9th, 2013 at 10:38 pm
…ah sorry didn’t see your earlier response.