20 Gorgeous Gold Leaf Housewares to DIY This Weekend

We’ve always been big fans of metallics, but 2014 is their year to shine (literally) in home decor. Copper is trending like whoa, disco balls are even making their way into living rooms and you know what that means? There’s never a better time to find all the best gold-leafing DIYs out in Internetland and bring them to your screen.

1. Gold Leaf Vases: You went to the trouble of going out and picking flowers from your neighbor’s garden, so you might as well give those buds the spotlight that they deserve. (via By Wilma)

2. DIY Cement Pots: Also hot this year, concrete hacks. Yup, things are getting industrial up in here. (via Ruffled)

3. Flower Pots: Just a touch of gold leaf, and blamo! Plain Jane terra cotta pots are suddenly the talk of the garden. (via Brit + Co.)

4. Wooden Bowls: From rustic to fancy times with the stroke of a paint brush. (via This Heart of Mine)

5. Candle Holders: Go to the thrift store. Buy a ton of ugly candlestick holders. Paint them white. Gild them. Then remember how expensive taper candles are. Bah! (via Brit + Co.)

6. Milk Bottles: Because… why not? (via This Heart of Mine)

7. Ceramic Animal Sculpture: We heart Mandy Pellegrin of Fabric Paper Glue for a reason. Well actually, we love her for lots of reasons, but in this case, it’s because she turned an ugly plastic toy into this safari statement piece. (via Fabric Paper Glue)

8. Agate Coaster: Listen up, Liberace lovers. We’ve found a DIY that you need to complete to put the finishing touch on your baroque mansion. (via Hi Sugarplum)

9. Gold Monogram Vintage Plates: It’s off to the flea market we go, and this time, we’re on a mission… a mission for vintage plates. (via The Sweet Escape)

10. Adventures in Gold Leafing: Really, you can put this stuff on anything… bowls… cake plates… your dog… we kid! No letters to the editor, please! (via A Beautiful Mess)

11. Confetti Dish: Did someone say confetti? Oh, you know we’re so in. (via Vitamini Handmade)

12. Pinecone Garland: Pinecones, they’re not just for Christmas anymore. (via The Sweetest Occasion)

13. Gold Leaf Pumpkin: And while we’re smashing all your seasonal misconceptions, go ahead and gold leaf a pumpkin… yes, in April. (via Julep)

14. Ikea Desk Hack: If you’re anything like the creators of this tutorial, get ready: It’s going to be your favorite project EVER. (via Style Me Pretty Living)

15. The Studio: We like the idea of gold leafing lots of items in a room to tie it all together. In this studio, not only was a table given the golden treatment, but the owner also chose to glam out little details, like the handles on the cabinet. (via The Handmade Home)

16. Pastel Gold Leaf Art: Because you can never have enough wall art… but seriously… really… you can’t. (via Glitter and Goat Cheese)

17. A Collection of Shimmery Stuff: Our most recent discovery: One Kings Lane has some pretty bad ass tutorials. We’re especially digging these darts and chair projects. Props. (via One Kings Lane)

18. Papier Mache Giraffe Rings Dish: What’s with everyone wanting to turn giraffes into gold? Not that we’re against it. (via Delightfully DIY)

19. Tortoise Shell: Don’t worry… no real shells were harmed in the making of this art. It’s a falsie. (via Shore Society)

20. Gold Patterned Cactus Planters: Forget dusty southwestern style. Cacti go glam with just one touch from that totally marvelous Mr. Midas. (via Brit + Co.)

What are you giving the Fort Knox treatment to? Let us know in the comments below!

Millions of people are painfully aware of the struggles that come with being an adult in today's economy (hello, cost of eggs?!).

The average salary in the United States is just over $66,600, according to data from the Social Security Administration. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are still above 6%, and food prices have risen a whopping 31% since 2019.

Being able to afford outings like date nights or brand-name clothing, let alone going on family vacations or buying a home, has become a privilege. But, for people who grew up in affluent households that didn't have to worry about finances, privilege can be an invisible force that shapes their lives in ways they don't even realize.

When you grow up surrounded by other individuals just like you, it's easy to assume that everyone has the same opportunities. However, once you venture outside your "bubble," you might experience a wake-up call or a defining moment that opens your eyes to the disparities that exist beyond your own upbringing.

So, people who grew up wealthy recently took to Reddit to share their own personal wake-up calls, which made them realize just how privileged they were compared to others. Here are 10 of the most intriguing revelations.

Scroll to see the wake-up calls that made these wealthy people finally see the real world...

1. Not everyone's parents can put them through college. 

"My parents are wealthy, but I grew up in a place where many of my peers' parents were super, duper, crazy wealthy, so I had a skewed understanding of wealth," shared one user.

"It was really eye-opening for me when I went to college. I didn't have to take out student loans; my parents were able to just pay for it. But I had friends who, even with financial aid, had to work their [behinds] off year-round to cover the cost of school. I realized pretty quickly just how privileged I was and that I did, in fact, grow up with wealth."

2. Country clubs aren't the only kind of "clubs" out there. 

"When I was confused about people on Maury complaining their spouse was at 'the club,' and I couldn't figure out what type of country club would let people like that through the front security gate," admitted another user.

3. Not everyone views their parents as good role models. 

"Becoming an adult and realizing that I have extremely good role models as parents because when they have disagreements, they talk them out, and I have never, ever, heard them argue or badmouth each other," one user revealed.

"I also realized that as a kid, my parents got me mental health help that I needed even though it was expensive and continued that care for as long as I have needed it," they added.

"A third [wake-up call] that doesn't seem like much but has had a huge impact was being taught financial literacy from a young age; to budget my money and only buy the things I really, really want."

4. Many people have never left the country.  

"My parents loved to travel. By the time I was 16, I had been to every continent aside from Antarctica. I didn't realize that this was privileged behavior until I went to university, and most of the guys I met had never left the country," a user shared.

"In fact, I grew up thinking I was less privileged because everyone at my school was just obscenely rich. Like, all their stuff was high-end designer stuff while I was in Converse."

5. Some families cannot afford to have pets. 

"My dad was an engineer, so professional wealth, but... probably hearing about a kid whose family had to give his dog away due to the cost in elementary school," another user remembered.

"Giving away our dog wasn't on the radar or even on the table. But it was only out of the question because my parents had the money for it to be out of the question."

6. Owning multiple properties is not the norm. 

"When I learned that not everyone has a summer cottage or trust fund, and not all grandparents have weekend and summer homes," a user noted.

7. Exposure to cultural education isn't a given. 

"I didn't think I grew up in a wealthy family, but when I started high school, I was part of a group of girls who became close friends with me. Apparently, they thought it was very weird that I knew things that I considered cultural knowledge, like the history of some important building in the city or the fact that I actually knew about art and went to museums quite often," detailed a user.

"All this because my parents made me go to museums and theaters my whole life growing up. Apparently, that's not a normal thing for normal parents to do with their kids, and asking your parents if they can take you to the ballet is not something a teenager would normally ask."

8. Some people have never been able to fill up their tanks at the gas station. 

"In college, I went on a road trip with friends, and one asked how much money he should put in the gas tank. I told him to fill it up," recalled a user.

"He kept asking, 'Okay, how much should I pay?' and I kept saying, 'Fill it up!' It turned out he had only ever put $10 to $15 at a time, and it had never occurred to me that some people never fill their gas tanks to the top."

9. Seeing how families abroad make do.

"I realized how privileged I was when I spent a summer with my great-grandmother in a small village in rural Hungary. No indoor running water, the only phone was at the church, and everyone came out to touch the rental car we drove there in. This was in the late 1980s," recalled a user.

10. Learning that not everyone takes their first flight as a child.

"I have been flying around the world since I was 4 months old. When I was 16, my friend told me she'd fly for the first time in an airplane, and I was shocked," said another user.

"I told my dad that I couldn't believe it took her 16 years to fly! I got a stern talk after; my dad is very humble despite it all."

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Sydney Sweeneyis reportedly in the middle of an extended hotel stay. After postponing her wedding to fiancé Jonathan Davino at the end of February, Sydney turned heads when she stepped out in Barbie pink at the Vanity Fair Oscars party — and now according to a few sources, the Euphoria actress has been flying solo. And it's sparked major breakup rumors.

Keep reading for everything you need to know about those Jonathan Davino & Sydney Sweeney breakup rumors.

Sydney Sweeney has reportedly been staying on her own for the last few weeks.

According to TMZ sources, Sydney Sweeney has been having a solo stay at the Beverly Hills Hotel since "around the middle of February." Apparently she hasn't been joined by Jonathan Davino throughout her time, instead sticking with some friends and one of her bodyguards.

We don't have official news on a breakup just yet, but while The Housemaid actress' decision to postpone her wedding definitely made headlines, Sydney's always maintained that she's been too busy with work to rush to the altar. "I am so busy working!" she told Entertainment Tonight when asked about the wedding. "I'm a workaholic and I love it, I love it."

Sydney Sweeney also revealed why she keeps her relationships private.

Sydney Sweeney and Jonathan Davino have kept their relationship pretty low-key since they were first linked in 2018. And in 2023 she revealed why she keeps those details close to her chest.

“Everyone is always so curious about who I’m with and what’s that like, but I think it’s important to have something for me,” Sydney toldGlamour UK. “I’m very open [otherwise]. I talk about so much, and sometimes, it gets me in trouble, but I do try to keep something for me.”

“I’ve been in a steady relationship for a really long time, which is not normal in this industry and not normal for my age,” she continued. “What I’ve noticed about the idea of celebrity is people really love to build someone up and then tear them down.”

Here's Your First Look At Sydney Sweeney As "Incredible" Christy Martin. Read all about it!

Just like green cocktails, shamrock-inspired treats, and incorporating Baileys and Guinness into just about any dish, serving corned beef recipes on St. Patrick's Day is part of Irish-American tradition. But just because it's expected doesn't mean it has to be boring.

Here are 18 brand new ways to eat corned beef that you've probably never tasted before!

Corned Beef Brisket

Brit + Co

To get you started with these corned beef recipes, here's our guide to cooking the ultimate St. Patrick's Day feast. You can use this to inform the rest of recipes, or stick to the basics! The brine features ingredients like salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and ginger. As good as it is fresh, dressing up the leftover sandwich however you see fit might just be the best (and most unique) part. (via Brit + Co)

Guinness BBQ Corned Beef & White Cheddar Sliders

Dixie Chik Cooks

When you want to make an American dish even more American, you barbecue it! This beer-based BBQ sauce has to be tasted to be believed. (via Dixie Chik Cooks)

Corned Beef Tacos with Beer-Battered Fries

Half Baked Harvest

This Mexican-American-inspired riff on the original is epic. And the creamy Greek-yogurt cabbage slaw is like nectar of the gods. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Cheesy Naan Reuben Pizzas with Thousand Island Drizzle

The Curious Plate

It was only a matter of time before some enterprising American chef took the humble reuben and turned it into a pizza. TBH, we'll eat anything with naan in it. (via The Curious Plate)

Reuben Poppers

The Beach House Kitchen

This crazy-good concept takes the grilled Reuben and whips it up, popper style. These make perfect food for snacking. (via The Beach House Kitchen)

Irish Nacos with Beer Sauce

The Salty Marshmallow

If you're looking for some over-the-top pub food, check out these Irish nachos. Instead of tortilla chips, it calls for thinly sliced potatoes and the queso is a homemade cheddar-beer sauce! (via The Salty Marshmallow)

Reuben Stuffed Potato Skins

Cooks With Cocktails

This one's for the gluten-free folks in the house. What better vehicle for all those yummy reuben stuffings than a crisp potato jacket that's simply oozing melted cheese. (via Cooks With Cocktails)

Corned Beef Grilled Cheese

Spicy Southern Kitchen

If you like emphasis on cheese, this one's for you. This sammie is spilling over with thinly sliced corned beef, caramelized onions, and oodles of melty Fontina cheese. What's not to love? (via Spicy Southern Kitchen)

Reuben Po’ Boys

The Cooking Bride

The original Louisiana po' boys were stuffed with either fried seafood or thinly-sliced beef, so this sammy is an American original in more ways than one. Stuffed with bourbon glazed corned beef, this corned beef sandwich is topped with a vinegar-based cabbage slaw that really pops. (via The Cooking Bride)

Spicy Reuben Chowder with Brown Butter Rye Croutons

The Curious Plate

If there's such a thing as *leftover* corned beef at your house, lucky you! For the rest of us, a cabbage chowder like this one topped with just a pinch of corned beef crumbles totally satisfies the craving. Pro tip: if you really have zero St. Paddy's leftovers, bacon crumbles will taste just as good and no one at the table will be the wiser. (via The Curious Plate)

Reuben Eggs Benedict

Crunch Time Kitchen

Those new to cooking will love that this is a beginner-style eggs Bennie. Corn the beef yourself (click through for the recipe) — or you could just pile on some corned beef and sauerkraut from your local deli and it will be just as good. (via Crunch Time Kitchen)

Corned Beef Breakfast Hash

Fed & Fit

This one's for all the clean eaters in the house. This corned beef hash is made with all wholesome ingredients — as if you needed a second reason to celebrate! (via Fed & Fit)

St. Paddy’s Corned Beef Burgers with Irish Cheddar Cheese

The Curious Plate

These burgers made of a combo of ground beef and corned beef mixed with Guinness are practically worthy of Irish-American sainthood. To be sure, even St. Patrick himself would give 'em three clovers up. (via The Curious Plate)

Reuben Waffle Fries

Melanie Makes

This version of a Reuben casserole takes it up a notch with crispy waffle fries. The cast iron skillet ensures that the fries stay crunchy while the cheese melts into every crevice. (via Melanie Makes)

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage Sliders with Guinness Mustard

The Cookie Rookie

The meat for these sliders comes together easy peasy in your slow cooker or crockpot. This is one dinner tray that's guaranteed to come back to the kitchen licked clean. (via The Cookie Rookie)

Hot Reuben Dip

Culinary Hill

Anyone in your family who loves Reuben sandwiches will love this dip. You'd best make two and place one at each end of your dinner table — to avoid the inevitable traffic jam when everyone lines up behind this. (via Culinary Hill)

Reuben Sliders

Countryside Cravings

These hearty sliders on ciabatta bread are sure to be a fave, but why wait? They'd be equally great at your next family dinner, movie night, or an evening flying solo. (via Countryside Cravings)

Corned Beef Hash, Cajun Style

Chili Pepper Madness

The good thing about slow cooking your own corned beef is you might just have enough left over the next day to make hash for breakfast. This version takes it to the next level, with spicy peppers, Cajun seasonings, and hot sauce that runneth over. (via Chili Pepper Madness)

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This post has been updated.