6. Scoop the egg out of the jar with your spoon, and gently lay it atop the drying rack. As your eggs are drying, soak up the drops of dye that pool on the floor of the drying rack with a piece of paper towel.
7. When the eggs are completely dry, move on to the messy (but fun!) part of leafing. Gently tear a single sheet of gold leaf into quarters (it’s very thin), and set aside. Holding an egg so that 1 side is facing you, use a small brush to apply a thin layer of size in small, random strokes. Take care to not cover the entire egg; leave some areas size free so that you get a marbling effect. Make straight and circular strokes, and add some dot-like dabs. Holding the egg, let it dry for a few seconds.
8. The size is very sticky, so be careful to not get any on the hand that is applying it, because with this hand, you will then pick up a quartered sheet of metal leaf and lay it on the surface of the egg facing you. Rub down with either your free hand or with the foam brush. The excess metal will fall off, while the rest becomes part of the surface of the egg.
9. Gently rub the gold leaf to achieve a random but natural and smooth marbled pattern on the egg. Repeat this process on the other side of the egg. The leaf crumbles will create a mess that’s difficult to sweep or wipe, so use a piece of masking tape for easy cleanup.
10. If you emptied out your eggs and plan to keep them for a while, it’s a good idea to apply a sealant to prevent the gold metal from oxidizing. Otherwise, your eggs are ready to display or hide for an egg hunt!
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