Upcycling A Thrifted Book With Paint & A Dollar Tree Rub On Transfer

Dollar Tree now has rub on transfers too!

I had an idea for this fashion themed page of transfers.

(When you click on the bold Amazon, Old Sign Stencils or Dixie Belle Paint Company affiliate links you will be taken to the products I use for this project. If you order it does not change the price or service at all. As an Amazon Affiliate, Old Sign Stencils Affiliate or Dixie Belle Paint Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

I purchased a 25 cent book at the thrift shop. I like the kind that have a linen or cloth type cover.

I painted a thin line around the inside of one cover of the book using Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint in Black and a sponge brush.

I stuck my painter's tape roll inside the cover to hold it open until the paint was dry.

I then painted one side of the spine and one outside cover with the black paint.

I brushed on two coats of Dixie Belle Chalk Finish Paint in Vintage Duck Egg.

I wet distressed the edges of the book shortly after the paint dried using a wet tee shirt rag. The chalk paint came off on my rag but the black acrylic base coat did not.

I then cut the bottom off of my rub on transfer, taking caution not to cut off the bottom of the "Y" in style.

The rub on transfer is just the right width for the top of the book.

I took the paper backing off of my transfer and carefully placed it in place on the book. (Don't press down until it's in place.)

I then ran my hand across the transfer to stick it down. The directions on the package basically state you can stick the transfers down with just your hands.

But I used my wooden tool from my Redesign With Prima decor transfers. (You can also use a popsicle stick, but I like the flatter end of the Redesign one.)

I started rubbing in one corner, and slowly pulled up the top plastic sheet. IF, the transfer is still sticking to the plastic sheet, lay it back down and rub some more.

When the transfer is stuck down, you can tell the lettering underneath the plastic gets lighter in color.

Applying these transfers is not hard, but it does take some patience. If you are careful, you can do it without any mistakes.

Many times I lifted the plastic sheet up a bit and saw the transfer has not adhered properly, but I was able to lay the plastic back down and rub the transfer in place. (Even if it appeared ripped or torn)

Here is the finished book top.

I took the two transfers that I cut off the bottom of the sheet for the spine, and rubbed them down too.

I sprayed my book and transfers with Dixie Belle Easy Peasy Spray Wax and wiped it with a rag. (You could use other chalk paint waxes to protect the paint and transfers)

Then I pulled out these kraft tags from Dollar General.

I cut the rose perfume transfer off of this sheet of transfers, also from Dollar Tree.

I added the transfer to my tag, along with a piece of jute. I cut a little bit (about a half inch) off the bottom of the tag so it wasn't quite so long.

The tag is the book mark in my fake fashion book.