How to Create Your Own Stickers in Canva (No Cricut Needed!)

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• Stop Buying Stickers - Just Make Them Yourself!

If you’ve ever scrolled through art journal sticker packs wishing they were more affordable or fit your aesthetic more, then here’s the good news:

You can make your own stickers in Canva in just a few minutes.

You don’t need any expensive equipment. No Cricut machine. All you need is Canva, a printer, and some sticker paper.

In this post, I’m breaking down my exact process for creating beautiful, personalized sticker sheets that you can print at home.

Whether you’re a complete beginner to digital design or you’re just looking for a faster, cheaper way to get custom stickers, this method is for you.

• Watch the Video

• Why Make Your Own Stickers?

Before we dive into the “how to”, let’s talk about the why:

To save money – No expensive equipment or subscriptions needed
Create exactly what you want – Custom designs that match your journal aesthetic perfectly
Quick and easy – You can have a finished sticker sheet in under an hour
Complete creative control – Choose colors, sizes, and styles that work for your art journaling aesthetic

• What You'll Need

Digital:

A Canva account (free version works!)
Your computer or device

Physical Supplies:

Sticker Paper (this is the brand I recommend)
A home printer (or access to professional printing)
Scissors (to cut individual stickers)

• How to Create Stickers in Canva: Step by Step Tutorial

• Step 1: Open Canva and Create a New Design

Go to Canva.com and log into your account
Click Create a design and select Custom size
Set your dimensions to standard sticker sheet size (A5 or 8.5″ x 11″ works great for home printing)
Give your project a name like “Sticker Sheet.”

• Step 2: Set Up Your Sticker Sheet

Change the background color to something other than white so your white outlined stickers are clearly visible
In the top left, go to “File,” click on “Settings.”
Click on “Show Print Bleed.” This will leave a border around your page so your designs are not too close to the margins and get cut off while printing.

• Step 3: Search for Sticker Designs

In the left sidebar, click Elements
Use the search bar to find designs you want to turn into stickers
Search for categories like:
- Specific themes (like spring, flowers, stars, quotes, etc.)
- “Stickers” (pre-made sticker designs)
- “Icons” (simple, clean designs)
Browse and select designs you like, dragging them onto your canvas
The designs with the “crown” are Paid elements. Avoid using them if you’re using the Free version of Canva. There are plenty of cute designs that are available for free.

Pro tip: If you don’t want to add a white outline to your stickers, look for designs with clean lines and minimal detail, as these tend to print better.

• Step 4: Add a White Outline

This is the key step that transforms regular designs into stickers!

Click on your individual sticker
In the top toolbar, click on the “Edit” button.
In the left sidebar, scroll down to “Shadows.”
Click on “See All,” then click on “Outline.”
Adjust the “Size” and “Intensity” to create a visible border
Select the color as “White.”

The white outline helps define each sticker and makes it easier to cut them out later.

• Step 5: Repeat This For Every Design

Here’s a simple hack to repeat this same process for every design:

Click on the design with the white outline you just created.
In the top toolbar, click on “Style,” then “Copy basic style.” The cursor will become a paint roller.
Now, go to the new design you want to add the outline to, and click on it. The white border will appear.
Do this to every design on your sheet.

• Step 6: Arrange Your Designs Into a Sticker Sheet

Resize and position your designs across the canvas to maximize your space
Leave a little space between designs so you can cut them out cleanly
Mix and match different sizes for visual interest
Aim to fill most of the page

Organization tip: You can create different sheets by theme (florals, quotes, seasonal) or mix them all together, whatever matches your journaling style!

• Step 7: Download Your Design

Click the Share button in the top right
Click on”Download.”
Choose the file type as “PDF Print.” (This gives you the best quality for printing)
Click Download

• Printing Your Stickers at Home

• Printer Settings for Best Results

Open the PDF file on your computer and click on Print
The printer settings will vary depending on which program and printer you’re using.
For best results, go to the most advanced settings available to you. I select the option that says “Print using system dialog box”, which takes me to the most advanced settings.
I chose the following settings –
- Document size: A5 or Letter (8.5″ x 11″)
- Orientation: Portrait
- Color mode: Full color
- Paper type: Photo stickers or glossy paper (whichever is the best available setting for sticker paper)
- Quality: High or Best quality
Select print to print on your sticker paper

The result should be vibrant, crisp stickers ready to use in your journal!

• Sticker Paper I Recommend:

I recommend this sticker paper because:

The adhesive is strong but removable
Colors print vibrantly and true
It holds up well in journals
It’s affordable for bulk use

I have the Epson Ecotank at home, and it gives me the best quality photos & stickers that I’ve seen in a home printer. I’ve been using it for years, and I absolutely LOVE it. Check it out here.

• Alternative Printing Options

Don’t have a home printer? No problem! Here are your options:

Option 1: Print Through Canva

Stay in your Canva design
Click Share and look for the Print with Canva option
Choose your settings so Canva can print and ship to you directly
It has great quality, but takes a few days and costs more per sheet.

Option 2: Other Online Printing Services

Upload your PDF to services like Printful, Vista Print, or similar
Choose the sticker paper option
They’ll print and ship to you
Great if you want to order in bulk

Option 3: Local Print Shops

Download your PDF and take it to a local print shop, or you can also look for same-day local pickup at stores like CVS or Walgreens through their website.
Ask them to print on sticker paper
Usually ready in 1-2 hours
Cost varies by location, but is often competitive with home printing

• Tips for Perfect Sticker Sheets

Keep designs simple: Less detailed prints look cleaner
Test print first: Print one sheet to check colors and quality before printing a bunch
White outlines are not essential: If you want a clean, crisp border that looks good when pasted in your journal, you can skip the white outline. But this means that you’ll have to choose a simple design that is easy to cut by hand. It’s your call, whatever works best for you.
Mix sizes: A variety of sticker sizes on one sheet is more visually interesting
Leave space for cutting: Don’t crowd designs too close together

• How to Use Your Stickers for Art Journaling

Once you’ve made your sticker sheets, the possibilities are endless! If art journaling is your main focus, here are unique and creative ways to use custom stickers to elevate your practice:

In your art journal: Decorate journal pages, frame important entries, or create themed spreads
Match your aesthetic: Create stickers in your journal’s color palette for a cohesive look
Create seasonal collections: Make spring florals, summer themes, fall designs, and winter stickers
Personalize everything: Add your name, initials, or meaningful quotes to your pages
Mix and match styles: Combine different design styles on one sheet to match your mood or journal section
Gift ideas: Make custom sticker sheets for friends and family
Decorate planners: Use them to mark important dates or add visual interest to your planner

Here are some detailed ways to use them while creative journaling –

1. Design Elements & Page Structure

Create borders and frames – Use stickers to frame journal entries, quotes, or important reflections
Build page backgrounds – Arrange stickers across an entire page as a cohesive background design, then add journaling on top
Design visual dividers – Separate different sections of your journal with decorative sticker lines or clusters
Layer with mixed media – Combine stickers with paint, collage, and hand-lettering for depth and texture

2. Journaling Prompts & Habit Tracking

Emotion tracking pages – Create mood wheels or emotion scales using custom stickers to represent different feelings
Timeline spreads – Use stickers to mark milestones, important dates, or life events across a timeline
Habit or goal trackers – Design sticker-based systems to track daily habits, water intake, or personal goals
Monthly reflection pages – Create themed sticker sheets for each month with specific images that represent your intentions

3. Creative Storytelling

Visual narratives – Tell a story across multiple pages using a series of related sticker designs
Before & after pages – Use stickers to document personal growth, changes, or transformations
Seasonal or themed spreads – Create cohesive journal sections with coordinating sticker collections (self-care, creativity, mindfulness, etc.)
Memory pages – Combine photos, stickers, and writing to preserve and celebrate meaningful moments

4. Artistic Techniques

Color blocking – Arrange stickers strategically to create color harmony and visual interest on a page
Repetition for impact – Repeat the same sticker design multiple times to create a bold, unified look
Negative space – Use stickers intentionally with lots of white space for a clean, minimalist journal aesthetic
Mixed sizing – Combine different sizes of the same sticker design to create movement and flow

5. Consistency & Personal Aesthetics

Create a signature style – Develop recurring sticker designs that appear throughout your journal, making it uniquely yours
Color palette coordination – Design stickers that match your journal’s overall color scheme for a polished, intentional look
Personal symbols – Create stickers that represent important themes in your life (self-care, family, creativity, growth) and use them throughout

The key is treating stickers as design elements rather than just decorations, they can define the entire look and feel of your journal pages.

• Other Creative Uses for Your Stickers

You can use stickers for so much more than just art journaling. Here are some of my favorite ways to use stickers –

1. Daily Journaling & Planning:

Decorate your daily journal pages and spreads
Mark dates and events in your planner
Create habit trackers and progress charts
Design custom labels for your journal categories

2. Personal Items & Gifts

Personalize water bottles, laptops, or phone cases
Decorate mirrors, light switches, or bedroom walls
Create custom sticker packs to gift friends
Add stickers to gift wrapping and cards

3. Creative Projects

Decorate scrapbook pages and memory books
Embellish handwritten letters and snail mail
Create custom packaging for handmade crafts or gifts
Make vision boards or manifestation boards
Design DIY vision planners or mood boards

4. Organizational Uses

Label containers, storage boxes, or jars
Mark seasonal decorations or storage items
Create custom address labels or return labels
Design reward charts for kids or personal goals

5. Selling & Sharing

Create sticker sheets to sell online (Etsy, local markets)
Build a unique brand with custom stickers
Package sticker sets as digital or printable products
Create freebies for your email list or social media
Create freebies to hand out at concerts or sporting events

The real advantage is that you can design stickers for exactly what you need, whenever you need them – whether that’s personalization, organization, gifting, or business!

• Show me what you made!

Have you made stickers before?
What would you put on your first sticker sheet?
Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear what designs you’d create!

And if you try this method, please share your results! Seeing your custom stickers in your journals is the best part of this whole process.

Don’t forget to:

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Happy sticker making! 🎨