Paper crafting is so much fun! There are endless ways to be creative with paper, and so many interesting techniques to try. Making stickers is a simple way to dip a toe in the water of paper crafting, and these two ways to create colorful stickers are both great techniques to keep in your back pocket. Use these colorful stickers with a free download to decorate your planners, gifts, projects, and more! They’re perfect for both kids and grownups alike.

What You’ll Need

Equipment / Tools

• Scissors
• Printer
• Cricut cutting machine (Optional)
• Cricut cutting mat (Optional)
• Cricut Design Space software (Optional)

Materials

• Printable sticker paper
• Downloadable sticker file

Instructions

1. Download Sticker FileStart by downloading the Printable Sticker File. You can click here to download. This file contains five different sticker designs, repeated in various sizes, so that the entire sheet will yield you 20 stickers.There are two ways that you can choose from to create these stickers. First, if you don’t have access to a cutting machine, you can hand-cut the stickers with a white border to create a fun, vintage-looking vibe. Second, if you have access to a cutting machine like the Cricut and want to machine-cut the stickers, you can cut with the Cricut to get a more detailed border around each sticker.
2. Print the Sticker FileNo matter which method you plan on using, you’ll first need to print the sticker file onto your sticker paper. To ensure proper sizing and cutting, make sure that you print at 100%. If you resize the stickers and try to cut using a cutting machine, the alignment will be off.Make sure that you’re placing the sticker paper in your printer so that the ink will be printed onto the sticker side, rather than the backing.
3. How to Hand-Cut StickersNow that your stickers are printed, you can choose your method of cutting. If you are planning to hand-cut your stickers, simply use a pair of sharp crafting scissors to cut around each sticker. Try to leave an equal amount of white area around all sides of each sticker. Using this method, you can cut a bit more free-form, and not have to worry about cutting out details (such as all of the rays of the sun on the sun sticker).
4. Place your DIY StickersUse your hand-cut stickers in your journal, planner, papers, and in other fun places!
5. How to Machine-Cut Stickers with a CricutIf you have access to a cutting machine like a Cricut, it can save you lots of time and cutting! Start by uploading the sticker file into Cricut Design Space. Select “Basic Image” and remove all areas outside of the stickers, along with the inner areas of each rainbow sticker. Then select “Cut-Only Image.” Insert this image into a new project in Cricut Design Space.Once inserted, resize the image to be 8.5″x11″. Center the image so that the right border is on the 10″ mark on the grid and the lower border is on the 11.5″ mark. Lock the spacing so that the design remains in this location.
6. Cricut Settings for Cutting StickersApply your printed sticker sheet, ink side up, to a Cricut cutting mat (light or standard grip). Align the sheet as you did your digital copy in Design Space, so that the right border is on the 10″ mark on the grid and the lower border is on the 11.5″ mark. It’s important to get the alignment right so that the stickers cut correctly.Set your pressure wheel to Custom, and click Make It on Design Space. In Design Space, custom select Sticker Paper by searching in the materials list.
7. Cut Your StickersInsert the cutting mat into the machine and press the Go button. Allow the machine to cut all stickers.
8. Test StickersOnce cutting is done, release the cutting mat from the Cricut machine and test your stickers. If you see that the borders don’t quite line up, you can print and cut again, adjusting for any error. Or if you like the look of your stickers to be a little organic (as these were designed to be), you’re all done!
9. Stick them Everywhere!These would be so fun for kid or teacher gifts, or just to use in your own books, journals, and projects! Stick them on your planners, calendars, gift wrap, and lots more.