xyron sticker machine

I've blogged about my sticker machine before, but I thought maybe its time to do a review for those of you who are wondering if it is a worthy investment of time and $$$! Mine is a Xyron 150, which makes stickers that can be up to 1.5" or 3.5 cm; they come in a variety of colors and sizes, so you can pick your favorite. You can pick one up at practically any craft store for $5-$10, and refills are around the same or cheaper. There are two types of refills; permanent and removable, meaning stickers can either be stuck forever wherever you first stick them or repositionable. Although the refill cartridges are supposed to just pull out and drop in, I found them a bit tricky (my dad had no trouble at all... go figure).

The machine works without any batteries; its pretty simple. Just stick whatever you want into the top part of the machine, pull on the tape on the bottom, and your sticker will be made by being sandwiched between a thin sheet that protects your sticker temporarily and another sheet that deposits stickiness on the back of your sticker... the front part of your sticker isn't covered or laminated so it is still susceptible to water or wear and tear damage.

I found stickers I make are great as little extras in my packages; just make sure you use the right materials to create your stickers. Because the stickiness is deposited on whatever you put into the machine, you want to make sure you use things that are heavier weight than normal printer or copier paper; this way your stickers will last and last. For example, I typically use cardstock or even index cards to make my designs; my favorite stickers are cut from blind boxes and cute lightweight cardboard, like the milk stickers in my picture. When making my own stickers, I use colored sharpies, but you can use whatever medium you want... keep in mind the stickers you make aren't the same as commercial stickers.

The hardest and longest part is cutting the stickers out; you can keep it pretty simple by just cutting out squares or circles (but I think a small white outline or flush to the shape is reallly cute). As you can see, the end result is well worth it... it's really great to make little things that you can give to people you appreciate! Therefore, I give the Xyron 150 a 10 out of 10 rating; excellent price, excellent availability of supplies, excellent ease of use, and finally excellent finished product!