Stenciled Copper Leaf Table

Colleen Jorgensen
by Colleen Jorgensen
I have a little problem that I don’t talk about too much – people often assume because I can draw and paint some stuff that I’m probably pretty good at most anything creative.
And they’d be wrong. Really, really wrong, believe me.
Truth be told, I have a pretty narrow repertoire in the creative fields. The thing is, after all of this time . . . ‘half a century’ sounds ridiculously ancient . . . but it’s true . . . I’ve tried and failed and tried something else and failed and tried again and achieved . . . mediocre results. Often.
I know what I’m pretty good at and I tend to stick to only those things. Except for every once in a while.
Every once in a while someone wonderful like the people at Royal Design Studio create a new product like their Stencil Size.


And I forget those 50 plus years with all of their trials and errors and limited successes, but more often complete flops, and I get as excited as an 8 year old with a new box of 64 crayons with those perfectly sharpened tips.
I decided that my brother’s poor, sorry-lookin’ table would be absolutely stunning after a fresh coat of paint and its glass top shimmering in warm copper paisleys.


Never mind that I’d completely sworn off painting furniture EVER again until I recently painted my desk with chalk paint.
Never mind that this is definitely not chalk paint but rather a sample pot I’ve had stuck away for a while, that I chose to use anyway because I couldn’t wait to get chalk paint in the right color.


I had new toys and I wanted to use them . . . now!
After cleaning both sides of the glass tabletop and allowing it to dry, I taped off the area where the wood base frames the glass. Then I positioned two of the paisleys and taped them down.
This was my second stenciled sizing, not my first. ahem.


The instructions on the size say to “apply a thin, even coat of size through a stencil. Wait 10 minutes, and then apply metal leaf or metallic foil, either with or without the stencil in place.”


They go on to say, “Use 2 coats of size first, if needed.”


Guess who didn’t see that last sentence? Seriously. I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count.
I put the copper leaf directly on top of the size, not on top of the stencil, gently pressing with my fingers and then a soft powder puff.
With a very soft brush I gently brushed away the leaf that wasn’t adhered to the size.
However the design I chose, that fabulous paisley pattern? Yes, well, that is a very intricate design with teeny tiny nooks and crannies that were best removed with tweezers.


If I pressed too hard with the brush, I’d remove some of the copper leaf and the size. No, I don’t think I let the size set up long enough. Obviously.
But you know what? Even with all of my missteps, I love the result.
LOVE!
The copper leafing has a sheen and texture like no paint I’ve ever seen. It’s rich and dimensional.
The red of the table base combined with the copper leaf complements Mom’s decor perfectly.
Trying something new is good – like stenciling copper leaf - even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly. Especially if it doesn’t turn out perfectly. It’s a reminder of what I am good at and how long it took me to accomplish that skill.


And that, my friends, is a good thing to remember.
Colleen Jorgensen
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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3 of 6 comments
  • Don Moser Don Moser on May 22, 2014
    Does the copper leaf come off easily when putting other things on the table such as lamps, books, saucers,etc .
    • Colleen Jorgensen Colleen Jorgensen on May 22, 2014
      @Don Moser The leafing is not on the top of the glass, but the bottom. However you could, and should, seal it for protection. :)
  • Fiona Pumilia Fiona Pumilia on Aug 26, 2016
    Looks gorgeous, wish I was brave enough to use leafing - I'm a bit of a chicken.....
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