This is one DIY project I enjoyed making a couple of times now and inspired by the beautiful hues from the watercolor Boku-Undo set included in the June Stationery Selection subscription box I decided to create some again and share a quick & easy tutorial on these home made, colorful, stamped stickers :)
My first encounter with these was when my penpal Sanna sent me some she made herself and has helped me with her advice to make my own for the first time. :)
So let's get started with the supplies you'll need to make your own stickers and quick tips on how to make them :)
I have to mention, the supplies and the process itself can vary a lot! You're free to choose different mediums, especially for the color part and use them in many different ways, but I'll name the supplies I used in this particular case and the way I played with them, just to get you started :)
1. Sticker sheet
I used round label stickers here, but you can use a whole, blank sticker sheet and cut the stickers out later, differenly shaped labels or just any kind of paper you can make into a sticker later, using glue.
2. Watercolors for the background color
I decided to go with the watercolor set from the June subscription box becuse I wanted those colors on my stickers but you can use whatever watercolors you like, just keep in mind not to soak the paper with water or else it will warp.
And don't be afraid to go a little wild! :D
Plop that color around and try making little splashes here and there - it will add dimension to your background :)
Besides the watercolors, you can use stamping inks with a dauber to add a hue to the background and maybe make it even more intricate using a stencil. :)
I haven't tried, but I think using Distress Stains could be lovely! Anybody tried that? :)
3. Stamp stamp stamp!
As the title states - stamp your heart out! :D
Whatever kind of stamps you have available works just fine! :) You can go with a theme - for example use only botanical stamps or only tickets, animals, abstract ones... Or you can just go wild and use everything you like!
Less stamping, more stamping, stamps on top of each other - every variation has it's charms. Experiment! :) Just be sure the watercolors are completely dry before working on them further.
I chose a dark ink for these stickers, but you can get amazing effect using different colors of ink and stamping in layers so I definitely suggest trying that style also :)
4. Clean up!
If you're going to be using label stickers like me, the part in between the actual stickers is going to get dirty and they won't look as nice. Don't worry, clean up is easy! But be sure to wait a couple of minutes for the ink to dry, just to be on the safe side.
I used a cotton pad and lightly swiped the yellow part of the sticker sheet to wipe of the watercolor and ink stains - it's easily removable because the underlying paper is somewhat glossy and non absorbant ;)
5. Have fun! :)
And now it's time to enjoy your creation! :)
Stickers are such a versatile product - they so easily add some fun and a pop of color to any page or make an excellent addition to some happy mail so I'm sure you'll find many ways to utilize and enjoy them :)
Please feel free to share your creations and any other tips & tricks you might have learned along the way on The Stationery Selection Facebook page or on Instagram! :)
I would really love to hear your experiences, see your lovely handmade stickers and how you use them! :)
Until next time!
xoxo,
Petra @mnemekix
Brilliant idea! Could not wait to try it last night. Love the result, and feeling accomplished without the anxiety. Need to find more sticker labels to make them for several of my stationery-loving girlfriends. Thank you for sharing. Cheers
I love it !! I got some round white stikers made with Japanies paper that a frind gave me from her visiting Japan and I did the same thing and it turend up so nice with this delicate rice looking paper. I recommend to add gold waterclor here and there and see what happend 😊