Let’s get this out of the way early: I did not wake up one day knowing how to make good stickers.
If anything, I woke up knowing how to waste ink, ruin laminate, misalign cuts, and convince myself that maybe this was all a terrible idea and I should simply lie down forever.
Making stickers at home has been… a process.
It Took Me Longer Than I’d Like to Admit
I want to be very clear about something: the stickers you see now are the result of a lot of trial and error. And by trial and error, I mean error first. Repeatedly. Over and over again.
I’ve gone through:
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colours printing wrong
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printing on the wrong side of paper (who knew that was a thing??)
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cuts being slightly (or very) off
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the cutter absolutely eating the paper, AND the mat??????? hello???
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finishes bubbling for no discernible reason
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designs I was sure were finished… until they absolutely were not
I still take around two weeks to draw a new design. I’ve been putting off certain sticker sheets for over a year because they’re complicated and my brain refuses to cooperate. And I have a whole plan for limited edition foiled prints on hammered card that is currently on pause because my printer simply will not align properly, no matter how nicely I ask.
This is not a “look how effortlessly talented I am” story.
It’s a “wow, that took longer than expected” one.
What “Making Stickers at Home” Actually Looks Like
When people hear “handmade,” they sometimes imagine a seamless, romantic process where the maker sits by a window gazing outside at a lake embroidering, like they're in some Tudor period movie.
In reality, making stickers at home means:
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drawing and redrawing designs until they finally feel right
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testing finishes that almost work and sometimes never do
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adjusting settings by tiny increments and hoping for the best
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accepting that today is not a cutting-accuracy day
It’s slow. It’s occasionally frustrating. And it requires an unreasonable amount of patience for something that sticks to things (have you ever caught your sleeve on a door handle, because that's the type of rage I feel sometimes).
But all of that matters - because the materials and finish determine how a sticker actually lives in the real world.
Why Materials and Finish Matter More Than People Realise
Not all stickers are built the same and I learned that the hard way.
Early on, I learned very quickly that:
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paper stickers don’t survive daily life
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poor lamination shows wear almost immediately
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finishes change how a design feels, not just how it looks
If a sticker is meant to live on a laptop, water bottle, or planner, it needs to move through the world the way adults do: being handled, travelled with, and occasionally knocked around.
That’s why I care so much about durability and finish — even if it means more testing, more tweaking, and more mistakes along the way.
I’m Still Learning (And Probably Always Will Be)
I don’t consider myself “done.” I don’t think I’m particularly fast. And I definitely don’t think I’ve mastered everything.
I’m still:
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learning new ways to improve consistency
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trying to make more complex sticker sheets work
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experimenting with finishes I haven’t nailed yet
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failing publicly and quietly fixing things later
And honestly? That’s fine.
Blood & Blossom exists because I didn’t stop when things were messy. It exists because I kept trying, even when progress felt slow and imperfect.
Trial, Error, Repeat (And Repeat Again)
If you’re thinking about making stickers at home or starting any creative project, this is your permission slip to not be good immediately.
You’re allowed to:
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take longer than expected
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make things that don’t work
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shelve ideas until you’re ready
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come back better than before
Everything I make now is built on versions that didn’t quite make it.
Why It Still Matters to Me
Even with all the hiccups, I care deeply about how my products are made. Not because they’re perfect but because they’re intentional.
Each sticker represents:
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time spent learning
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mistakes corrected
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materials chosen thoughtfully
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and the decision to keep going anyway
That’s what makes them feel meaningful to me. And hopefully, that care comes through when they end up out in the world with you.
If There’s a Point to All This…
It’s this: creativity is not a straight line.
Making things at home is messy, slow, occasionally ridiculous — and deeply rewarding if you let it be. You don’t have to be flawless. You just have to keep going long enough to get better.
I’m still getting there.
And that’s kind of the point.
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