Hey there, sticker enthusiasts! Want to try printing your own stickers? We’re going to walk you through step-by-step how to print regular or foiled stickers using your home printer!
I personally have been a sticker enthusiast since my elementary years and have finally learned to actually use them instead of hoarding them in my trapper keeper! It helps to know I can just print more! Stickers are useful for organizing and labeling but also just for fun! Providing your opportunity to show off your love of sarcastic cats or joyful dolphins. Remember how we talked about planners a little while back in a previous post and how you can use stickers to customize them? Well, today we’re back with a fantastic tutorial on how to print your own stickers for those planners or anything else that deserves a little personality. Grab your creative spirit and let’s get started!
Why Laser Printers for Stickers?
Laser printers are an excellent choice for printing both foiled and regular stickers due to their precise and high-quality output. They’re versatile and can handle various sticker types with ease. You can use an inkjet printer for stickers but not if you want foiled beautiful shiny metallic details. For that you’d need a laser printer because of the way the toner allows the metallic foil transfer sheets to stick to the paper.
Materials You’ll Need for Foiled:
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A laser printer
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Foil transfer sheets
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Sticker paper (my personal favorite is from OnlineLabels.com)
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A computer or tablet with design software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Canva)
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A laminator or heat press (My laminator is just an Amazon basics model)
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A laminator carrier (or thick coated paper)
Materials You’ll Need for Regular Unfoiled:
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A laser printer or inkjet printer (for inkjet-compatible sticker paper)
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Sticker paper (again, favorite is the weatherproof matte inkjet from OnlineLabels.com)
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A computer or tablet with design software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, Canva)
Now, let’s dive into the steps for both foiled and regular stickers.
Step 1: Design Your Stickers
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Open your design software and create a new project with the dimensions you want for your stickers. For calendar stickers, a standard square shape is often a great choice. Depending on the style of planner you use, you may need different dimensions. Do a quick search to find the exact dimensions for your planner if you want perfectly sized.
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Add your designs, text, and any other elements you want on your stickers. Be creative! For planners, you can create stickers for appointments, laundry day, birthdays, etc!
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Remember to leave some space between the stickers you design to ensure easy cutting.
Now, here’s a list of resources for fun sticker designs:
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Canva: Canva is an excellent online design platform with a vast library of templates, illustrations, and graphics to create your own sticker designs.There is a paid version but you can do a lot with the free option.
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Adobe Illustrator: For more advanced users, Adobe Illustrator provides powerful tools for designing custom stickers from scratch.
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Adobe Procreate: If you have an iPad and an apple pencil, try out Procreate for making your own doodles into beautiful stickers!
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Pinterest and Instagram: These platforms are great for finding inspiration and discovering talented sticker designers. Search for free sticker downloads and you will be surprised at how much is available!
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Etsy: Etsy is a treasure trove of sticker shops, and browsing through various shops can spark your creative juices. There are a lot of sticker designs for digital download for you to print as well.
Step 2: Set Up Your Printer for Foiled Stickers
If you’re printing foiled stickers, you’ll want to ensure your laser printer is clean and in good working condition. Load your sticker paper into the printer’s paper tray. Be sure to use paper that’s compatible with your laser printer to prevent jams.
Step 2: Set Up Your Printer for Regular Stickers
For regular stickers, ensure you have either a laser printer or inkjet printer, depending on the type of sticker paper you’re using. Load the sticker paper according to your printer’s instructions.
Step 3: Print Your Stickers
For both foiled and regular stickers, set your printer to the highest quality settings for printing. Run the sticker paper with your designs through the printer, following your printer’s guidelines.
Step 4: Prepare the Foiling Transfer Process (for regular unfoiled stickers, continue to Step 8.)
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Cut a piece of foil transfer sheet that’s slightly larger than your sticker paper.
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Place the foil transfer sheet, shiny side up, on top of your sticker paper. Ensure it covers all the stickers you want to foil.
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Place the sticker paper with the foil transfer sheet into a laminating carrier pouch designed for foiling. You can use two thick sheets of paper that will serve as an envelope to prevent the foiled pieces from moving but depending on the paper you use, you may have to put through the laminator a couple times to make sure the foil adheres.
Step 5: Use the Laminator for Foiling
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Turn on your laminator and set it to the foiling temperature (usually between 250-300°F or 120-150°C).
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Insert the laminating carrier pouch with your sticker paper and foil transfer sheet into the laminator. The heat from the laminator will activate the foil transfer, adhering it to the toner on your sticker paper.
Step 6: Let It Cool
Allow the printed stickers to cool for a few minutes. This helps the foil set properly on the paper.
Step 7: Peel Off the Foil
Gently peel off the foil transfer sheet from the sticker paper. You’ll see your designs beautifully foiled in the areas where you had toner printed on the page.
Step 8: Cut Your Stickers
Using scissors or a paper cutter, carefully cut out your stickers along the lines you designed. Be precise to achieve clean and professional-looking stickers.
Step 9: Optional Lamination
If you want to give your regular stickers extra protection and a glossy finish, you can run them through a laminator using a laminating pouch. Or they sell these amazing holographic sheets you can lay over your sticker sheets before cutting for extra pizazz.
Step 10: Admire Your Stickers
You’ve successfully created your own stickers! Admire your stickers and let your creativity shine on your planners or any other crafty projects.
