Today I’m sharing a surprisingly simple way to get images off paper and on to your project with this easy laser printer transfer method. This simple method was used to make these vintage Christmas bread boards and these pretty french country clay pots.
For years I shied away from transferring images because I thought to do so I would need some sort of fancy transfer paper and it would be a long complicated process. Then I learned about this easy laser printer image transfer method and it was game on!
For this project I decided to transfer some vintage-inspired Christmas images on to bread boards. These bread boards with holiday image transfers were on my list to make and are the perfect addition for my holiday vintage booth.
Supplies Needed for this Project:
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- Bread board (Similar)
- Laser printer (This is the model I have)
- Copy paper
- Free black and white graphic (see resources below)
- Mod Podge
- Krylon sealer (optional)
- Kitchen sponge
- Paint brush
- Scissors
- Ribbon
The boards:
I found these bread boards at a local surplus store at a really great price. They are made of wood, already cutout, sanded and have a poly finish to them. They did not have a hole in the handle so my husband used a 3/8″ drill bit to drill a hole. There were 3 different styles so I bought two of each to have 6 options in my booth.
The images:
To find the images I simply googled ” Free black and white vintage Santa image” and picked from there. I then did the same for the Christmas tree and wreath. A great place to find fabulous free images in from Karen at The Graphics Fairy. Another spot to find beautiful paid for images is on Etsy. You can also do a search on Pinterest!
Note: What I look for are images that are black and white and have very clear lines. These seem to transfer best.
The printer:
For this easy laser printer image transfer project I used my laser printer with general copy paper. This is what I love about this process, no special paper, not trips to a copy center – I can do this right from my home.
It is very important to note that if your image has text on it, like the wreath image I used for this project, you have to reverse it or it will appear backwards on the bread board. As you will see below you are going to flip the paper with the image onto the bread board which not switching to the mirror image would result in backwards text…not good! Here’s an article on how to make mirror images. It’s actually very easy to do on an iphone which is how I flip images.
Note: I had originally read that this application only works with a laser printer, however I have since learned you may use an ink inject printer as well.
Preparing the images:
Once the images are printed, using scissors I simply cut out the excess paper around the image.
Applying the image to the bread board:
For this easy transferring method I take Mod Podge and a paint brush (or sponge brush) and “paint” the Mod Podge liberally over the image. Once the image is covered, I flip it and center it on the bread board. I then use my fingers to flatten the print and work out any bubbles. The goal is to have the full image in contact with the surface of the board. I then let the print dry on the bread board overnight.
Removing the paper:
But what about the paper you ask? Not a problem! You simply take a kitchen sponge like this one and wet the sponge. Then press the wet sponge on the back of the image to soak. As you soak the image will be clearer.
After the image is soaked, flip your sponge to the scrub side and lightly and I mean LIGHTLY run the sponge over the paper. You will find that the paper comes off in tiny rolls while the image stays. Be very careful to not push too hard or the image may lift with the paper. You can also use a dry paper towel or just your fingers to roll the paper off.
Note: I would be remiss if I didn’t once again emphasize rubbing lightly. I suggest starting out with a light rub, you can always adjust the pressure as you go. Feel free to rub back and forth or in circles. If the sponge seems too coarse, move to a dry paper towel or your fingers.
You can repeat the wet/rub process again if need be.
Tie it up in a bow!
These bread boards are for decorative purposes so I added a variety of different ribbon to the handles. I simply slipped the ribbon through the hole and tied a slip knot.
Sealing the transfer:
For extra protection I decided to seal the transfer with Krylon spray Sealer in clear (this step is optional). I did a quick sweep over the transfer, waited for it to dry (approx 30 minutes) then did a second coat. I was sure to mark these bread boards – For decorative purposes only – not food safe – since the can does not say the sealer is food grade/food safe.
Decorating with bread boards:
So many fun ways to decorate with Bread boards, here are a few:
- Place them against the backsplash of your kitchen counter.
- Stack a collection of bread boards against your backsplash.
- Style kitchen shelves with bread boards.
- Use them as risers to hold a vase or plants.
- Display them on a wall.
- Hang then from hooks, as shown below on the end of my kitchen island.
For those who follow me on instagram, this process may seem familiar as it is the same process I followed when transferring these french inspired prints onto these chalk painted clay pots. You can watch the process here.
Pin it for later:
I hope you found this easy laser printer image transfer post helpful and easy to follow. If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below. Be sure to check out my White and Green Christmas home tour for more holiday inspiration!
