I've used gold leaf before and as someone else said, it's not easy to work with and it's very fragile. Don't breathe too hard! If you are VERY patient it's doable! I've never used the paint and that might be a lot easier.
The best way I found to brush off the excess was a soft makeup brush. Always work over a sheet of white paper so you can collect the flakes that fall off and reuse them.
I would experiment with gold and brass. The gold will be very shiny and the brass will be more 'antique' looking. The brass leaf might actually give you more of the look you want. And since you will seal it to preserve the appearance, the brass won't oxidize.
Post pictures!
Last edited by Patty55; 02-07-2013 at 12:23 PM.