Video: Easy Gold Foil

Hello. In a recent video, I shared five ways to add gold foil to your projects. (You can find the post HERE.) Today’s video shares more of my favorite (and the easiest!) method in more detail.

[All supplies are linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post. Affiliate links used. To watch the video in HD on YouTube, click HERE.]

Warning: Today’s technique is addictive.

You will need two things to do this technique. First – a laser printer. I have an inexpensive laser printer that I use for my everyday printing. (It needs to be a laser printer because it uses toner. An ink jet printer will not work for this technique. If you don’t have a laser printer, you can take your images to a place like Kinkos and have them print them with toner. Just be sure to print in solid black with no greyscale.) Second – you need is a laminator. I use an inexpensive one that works great and works for many other things, too.

To get started, you need to find something to print out. There are many awesome sites out there where you can find free or inexpensive downloads (see below)… or you can create your own. All of today’s printables are from Studio Calico.

There are also many ways to manipulate the images or text in order to print – Photoshop, etc. (I usually use Photoshop.) However, in this video I wanted to show a way to do this with Word since many of us have it. Please keep in mind that this is not the ideal way to do it, but it works!

Once I printed the images on my laser printer, I cut a piece of Deco Foil and placed it over my image. I folded a piece of copy paper and placed my pieces inside to go through the laminator. The laminator applies pressure and heat on the image to create the gold transfer.

The foil comes in many beautiful colors and you could do multiple colors on one piece. The results are gorgeous and it’s so easy to do!

I turned these pieces into cards and added simple embellishments cut from DCWV foil cardstock.

I hope you give this a try…. but I must warn you again… this technique is extremely addicting. Once you start, it’s hard to stop foiling everything in sight!

DOWNLOADS

There are a TON of places you can download images to print for this technique. Heck – in the video I showed Hello Kitty valentines… which I found on the internet while searching “hello kitty valentine coloring page.” However, here are some specific places to look – some are free and some have a small charge:

OTHER FOIL INFO

Remember – there are many great ways to get gold foil on your cards… 5 of which I shared in THIS post. I am also getting a lot of questions about the Heidi Swapp Minc machine and accessories. I have heard it is awesome so I can’t wait to try it. (I am getting mine soon – it shipped!)

Also, many people mentioned that they have seen the Deco Foil on clearance at Michaels. My Michaels didn’t have any, but apparently it is the same product. However, there is one big difference! The packs on clearance at Michaels only have one sheet of foil in it. The ones I link to below have 5 sheets per pack.

If you are having trouble getting this technique to work, here are some things to look for:

  • Make sure you aren’t low on toner.
  • Make sure you are printing in FULL black – not grey scale.
  • Try printing at high quality.
  • Make sure your laminator is hot. I sometimes wait 15 minutes to be sure.

SUPPLIES

Below are the products featured above. Affiliate and product disclosure can be found here. Click on the letters below each picture to go to a favorite store: Simon Says Stamp (SSS), Ellen Hutson (EH), Thermoweb (TW), Amazon (AZ), Studio Calico (SC), etc.

 

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( SSS | TW )

 

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( SSS | TW )

 

 

CLICK A SHOP:
(SSS | EH | AZ)

 

CLICK A SHOP:
(SSS | EH | AZ)

 

CLICK A SHOP:
( SSS | AZ )

 

CLICK A SHOP:
( SSS )

 

CLICK A SHOP:
( SSS )

 

 

 

CLICK A SHOP:
(SSS | EH | AZ)

 

CLICK A SHOP:
( SSS | EH )

 

 

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102 thoughts on “Video: Easy Gold Foil”

  1. Beautiful technique Jennifer. I won’t be purchasing a printer or laminater and foils for this though. I loved watching it as I love watching all your videos.

  2. Jennifer…I love love love the video and step by step directions you provided for us to follow. I had just gotten a new Samsung color laser printer but tried and tried to print on cardstock. After a huge headache, much wasted time and cardstock I followed the link and purchased the laser printer you use so I can finally have a pass thru that will print on cardstock. I have ordered loads of foils and the laminator that you used too. I will be ready to to this next week the right way with no headaches….I am so excited! Many blessings for all you do to help us. It was so easy to find the right materials with all the sweet links in your blog post.
    Amber Shaw

  3. This is the best example of this technique I’ve ever seen! Absolutely flawless! I only hope to get the same result. Quick question…does the paper you print on affect the finish? I’m thinking of printing on an uncoated card stock with a slight watercolour paper type texture. Thanks for sharing

    1. Just following up. I tried your technique exactly to your instructions and the results were AMAZING! I’m pretty sure I let out a squeal of delight when the first print went through! Thanks for the great tutorial. You can see my finished prints here http://instagram.com/p/09YXnxyKZ5/ take care!

  4. Thank you so much for sharing this video. I purchased the printer and the laminator that you have. You are so right foiling is very addictive. Thanks again.

  5. I usually consider myself pretty computer savvy. But when I go to transfer the picture to Word, I get an empty box that says “cannot display image”. I’m downloading the same image you did from Calico Studio. I thought maybe I had out of date programs but tried at work with same results. Any suggestion on what I could be doing wrong? Thank you

  6. I tried using my Purple Cow 12″ laminator along with the Heidi Swapp Minc foil and Minc tags. Some images turned out splotchy. I’m wondering if some laminators get hotter or have more even heat than others. Wasn’t impressed wth my Purple Cow. I did let it heat up about 15 minutes. It laminates fine though.

  7. Why can’t I transfer pic to Word? I download same printable from CS and when I follow the steps it says Image cannot display? Have any suggestion on what I’m doing wrong?
    Thanks

  8. Thanks for another great video. Your instructions are nice and clear. I have a laser printer and now just need a laminator so I can give this a try. One idea for using rubber stamped images. Based on the information you provided, I think you should be able to stamp an image with black ink, scan it, and then print it on a laser printer. This might be easier than using glue on your stamps and might produce a better foiled image regardless of the type of stamp used. I haven’t tried it but theoretically it should work. Just an idea. 🙂 Thanks again for the video!

  9. Wow! What an amazing video – I can’t wait to try this. I’m new to your blog and videos but I will certainly become a follower. Thanks for such a high quality tutorial.

  10. Hi Jennifer, First, I wanted to say thanks so much for all the hard work you put into sharing such amazing ideas with us. Second, I hoped you might be able give me some foiling advice. 🙂 I bought a brother printer & the laminator you suggest and the exact foil, but for some reason I’m getting a lot of black specks in my foiling. I tried running it through twice and it’s printed on the highest setting on the laser printer. I just wondered if you’d heard of anyone else having this problem and had any ideas on what it might be? I’m using laser paper, but maybe I should try another variety? Or could it be that my new laser printer is a colour one not black and white? Any thoughts you have would be appreciated, and if I discover the problem I’ll come back & let you know. Thanks again, Mel

  11. Hi, You always offer great videos and tips! Thank you!! I’m running into the problem of the foil adhering not only to the printed image but also to the unprinted portion of the paper. The printed/foiled image looks great though. Thanks for any help, Debbi

  12. I had interesting results with this technique. I had very good quality foil transfer when using a small personal at-home printer and with the “self serve” printer at office max. But the foil transfer was very splotchy when using the high quality printers behind the counter (and I even went to two different stores!). Unfortunately my card stock kept getting jammed in my neighbor’s printer, which is why I tried office max. Bottom line, the “best” printers didn’t give me the best results! Go to the self serve printers!

  13. This looks like a great technique. I’m interested in the laser printer you are using. I see that you use cardstock in the printer….I was wondering what eight card stock do you use? I use 100lb card stock…..would that work in the laser printer?

  14. Hi Jennifer,
    I luv all your videos especially the foil ones….I went out and bought me a cheap Lazer Printer and the Laminator and plenty of foil….But I don’t have the Word Software or Photoshop what do I use now. I am all geared up and at a crossroad….HELP

  15. Hello Jennifer,
    I have a few questions for you. What weight cardstock do you print on for this technique? Unfortunately, our Staples here does not allow us to use anything other than their laser copy paper, which I think would be too thin for this–do you use laser copy paper popped up onto a heavyweight cardstock base? Just wondering what is the highest weight paper your Brother can print onto without a jam happening.
    Thanks for the great video, Shelley

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  17. Hi Jennifer. Do you have a technique for touch up on small spots where the foil doesn’t stick? Running it through the laminator again doesn’t seem to do the trick, and takes the shine out of the foil.
    Thanks!

  18. Hello,

    I’m using photoshop to open up images, to print for the minc machine, would you be filming a video on how to set up to print up the images?

    Thank you vet much.

  19. Hi, I want to make my wedding invitations with gold foil. The whole invitation is printed using serigraphy, and on top I can print with laser my fiancee name and my name, so when I put it in the laminator only the gold stays on the names. What happens to the rest?? Can I do this,?? What do you recommend for this? let me know ASAP!!

  20. I am so happy that I found this video. My husband has a laser printer in his office (I have an ink jet) and I ordered the Royal Sovereign laminator. My foil came on Monday and before I could use it I ended up in the hospital. Was discharged yesterday and today I finally had a chance to try the technique. It is FABULOUS! Everything works just great. I want to foil everything! I used images I downloaded from the internet. Free ones. Thank you for figuring this out and sharing. I didn’t want to spend $60 to $100 for a foiling “system” and now using something we already had and a $25 laminator I can make beautiful foiled cards.

  21. I bought an inexpensive laser printer and printed it at the highest quality possible. I have a very good laminator. However, the foil did not stick just to the toner on the paper, it’s stuck to everything. Please advise. Thank you!

  22. Wow, great! Am into printing and will like to add this to my work, how do I get this foils in Nigeria. Will be glad to hear from you. Thanks

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