There is something about handwritten text that is so classic. Add a foreign language like French and it is just romantic and utterly irresistible. 

I searched etsy several years ago for some antique French letters and stumbled upon a few priced upwards of $20 each. I was never willing to spring for one.

In Tongeren, Belgium where I visited the Flea Market in December, I brought home a stack of ephemera about four inches thick. I really didn’t know what I was buying at the time. When I got home Michelle Black and I sat around my kitchen table oohing and aahing over the awesome documents. 

One of the pieces was a French Geometry book published in 1915. Every page looked handwritten.

I scanned one of the pages and sent the file to be printed so that I could transfer the text onto a desk. 

I just love how perfectly worn the book pages were…and discolored along the sides. I wanted to replicate that same look on the desk. The bottom received a coat of Graphite Chalk Paint® and I painted Old Ochre on top, which is creamier and richer than Old White.

I transferred the image and used straight dark wax to discolor the top of the desk.

I was going for that worn and erratic parchment paper look.

I think I pulled it off.

I ordered extra engineering prints of this image and they are for sale in the shop. The large 36×48 prints are $24 and the smaller 24×36 prints are $18 each (We can ship them, too). They are reversed and ready to be transferred. You can also order your own digital files of the images for just $2.50 each. Just send a facebook message or e-mail if you are interested and we will send off a paypal invoice and then e-mail the file directly to you. 

I have more great images to transfer onto furniture. I’m just awaiting the perfect pieces!