The Gold Leaf Kit is recommended as an introduction to the art of gold leafing. It is easy to use and contains the adhesive sizing, two brushes, gold leaf, a burnishing cloth, and easy-to-follow instructions. All of these can be used safely by children of all ages. We first outline the letters in our manuscript that we want to illuminate. Then we carefully apply the sizing using a fine brush inside the outline. When the sizing has dried, we carefully lay the gold leaf over the design, carefully pulling and brushing away the excess.

The Gold Leaf Kit also contains a satin sealer which has health warnings. Spray paints, oil paints, pesticides, wasp spray, and many other household products contain solvents that are similarly harmful. Use the same precautions for the satin sealer that you would use for spray paint.
 
We usually do not apply the satin sealer. Teri thinks that the gold leaf looks better without the sealer. The sealer isn’t mandatory, but it helps the gold leaf last longer when exposed to wear and tear. Most of our projects don't need that level of protection and we simply omit sealing the gold leaf.

We hope these suggestions help you enjoy the gold-leafing experience with your children without undue concerns.