Painting on cardboardy stuff

[nymphalumina.livejournal.com]

Checked the memories and had no luck.

I have two blank notebooks to decorate. Their covers are kind of like cardboard, but harder, sturdier, and leaning towards having that fluffy texture, but not really. I'd like to paint them and then seal them with an acrylic spray. Do you think this would work? Any ideas as to what else I could put on these covers? They are spiral-like-bound notebooks, medium size.