Behind the Stickers with Steph: The Heart of our Designs
At Moonbow, design is not just part of the process. It is the heart of everything we do.
Every sticker sheet, every pack, every collection begins with an idea and a feeling we want to share. We obsess over the details. We ponder. We refine. Sometimes, if I am completely honest, we may even over engineer things just a little.
And there's so much more than meets the eye. At the core of all this creativity are people. Real people with different tastes, backgrounds, skills, and ways of seeing the world. Each person brings their own lens, their own life experience, and their own creative instincts and taste. That blend of perspectives is what gives our designs depth, character, and originality. I always feel there's a persons history in every design.
So here is a little look behind the curtain at how we move from concept to finished sticker sheet and a look at how our life can shape our approach to design choices.
Every sticker sheet, every pack, every collection begins with an idea and a feeling we want to share. We obsess over the details. We ponder. We refine. Sometimes, if I am completely honest, we may even over engineer things just a little.
And there's so much more than meets the eye. At the core of all this creativity are people. Real people with different tastes, backgrounds, skills, and ways of seeing the world. Each person brings their own lens, their own life experience, and their own creative instincts and taste. That blend of perspectives is what gives our designs depth, character, and originality. I always feel there's a persons history in every design.
So here is a little look behind the curtain at how we move from concept to finished sticker sheet and a look at how our life can shape our approach to design choices.
Planning Ahead, Way Ahead
If we start with some of the more practical things, executing a pack takes a lot of planning. Rinse, sticker and repeat. We plan our sticker packs six to eight months in advance. It is creative, but it is also strategic.
That runway gives us space to dream, refine, forecast volumes, and manage logistics properly. We manufacture about two months before release so we are ready for sticker lovers without sitting on too much stock.
We use spreadsheets and use project management software to track progress of the design and production cycle. There's many moving parts and as one batch of stickers is released, another is being scoped, another is being designed and another is production.
That runway gives us space to dream, refine, forecast volumes, and manage logistics properly. We manufacture about two months before release so we are ready for sticker lovers without sitting on too much stock.
We use spreadsheets and use project management software to track progress of the design and production cycle. There's many moving parts and as one batch of stickers is released, another is being scoped, another is being designed and another is production.
How Our Design Direction Works
Nadia leads our design direction and has a great deal of creative freedom, especially with her Designer Sticker Pack each month. Typically she presents her ideas and, more often than not, I green light them. Occasionally I will veto something if I feel it may not resonate with our global audience. That said, I have a real soft spot for offbeat concepts, and Nadia is truly the queen of those.
For our Studio Pack, we draw from an evolving list of concepts that come from our own brains, customer requests (which we absolutely love), Abby's kids, and even Ben (who says he is not creative!), and ideas we have been quietly collecting alone the way. Once a year we let designers choose whatever they want to create with complete creative freedom.
We work within a budget, so Nadia assesses how complex a design can be and allocates it to the designer best suited to execute it. From there she briefs the artist and the magic begins.
We no longer lock ourselves into strict monthly themes. We found that structure too restrictive and it limited our ability to create designs we genuinely loved. Instead, we allow ideas to stand on their own and add seasonal sheets when it feels natural rather than forced.
We also don't cater to just kids or just adults, but we aim to balance different age groups for who they may appeal to. It's a reason why we have the My Curate pack as well, just pick what you like!
For our Studio Pack, we draw from an evolving list of concepts that come from our own brains, customer requests (which we absolutely love), Abby's kids, and even Ben (who says he is not creative!), and ideas we have been quietly collecting alone the way. Once a year we let designers choose whatever they want to create with complete creative freedom.
We work within a budget, so Nadia assesses how complex a design can be and allocates it to the designer best suited to execute it. From there she briefs the artist and the magic begins.
We no longer lock ourselves into strict monthly themes. We found that structure too restrictive and it limited our ability to create designs we genuinely loved. Instead, we allow ideas to stand on their own and add seasonal sheets when it feels natural rather than forced.
We also don't cater to just kids or just adults, but we aim to balance different age groups for who they may appeal to. It's a reason why we have the My Curate pack as well, just pick what you like!
Creative Freedom
I prefer our designers to have real freedom in their execution. Every designer on our team has a unique style, and Nadia carefully matches concepts with artists whose vision aligns. When a designer is genuinely excited about a concept, you can feel it in the final artwork. We want every sticker to carry that joy.
Of course, sometimes a design turns out differently than we imagined. That is part of the beauty of creative collaboration. You truly never know what will resonate wildly with customers and what will land to silence. It keeps us curious.
Of course, sometimes a design turns out differently than we imagined. That is part of the beauty of creative collaboration. You truly never know what will resonate wildly with customers and what will land to silence. It keeps us curious.
The Sticker Sheet as a Work of Art
I will admit I am a little pedantic about sticker sheet layouts. I have always wanted each sheet to feel like a miniature standalone piece of art.
So much work goes into every design that I want the final presentation to feel special. One day I will hand that responsibility over, but for now it is something I genuinely love doing.
So much work goes into every design that I want the final presentation to feel special. One day I will hand that responsibility over, but for now it is something I genuinely love doing.
Where the Ideas Come From
A lot of my inspiration comes from things I find genuinely funny, art in all its forms, nostalgic moments from childhood, my family, or unexpected juxtapositions of ideas.
For example, I was once sent what looked like a slightly questionable 1980s advertisement featuring cats dressed as robot dinosaurs. Completely bizarre. Completely brilliant. My thought was, this needs to be a sticker sheet!
Not every idea is universally appealing, and that is kind of the point. Our quirky ideas are part of our DNA. Of course not every wildly imaginative concept makes it to production.
And I don't always have the skills to make some of the more exceptionally detailed designs come to life, but that is why we have an incredible team of artists to refine, shape, and create the strongest ideas into something cohesive and joyful. And support my endless request for cat stickers...
For example, I was once sent what looked like a slightly questionable 1980s advertisement featuring cats dressed as robot dinosaurs. Completely bizarre. Completely brilliant. My thought was, this needs to be a sticker sheet!
Not every idea is universally appealing, and that is kind of the point. Our quirky ideas are part of our DNA. Of course not every wildly imaginative concept makes it to production.
And I don't always have the skills to make some of the more exceptionally detailed designs come to life, but that is why we have an incredible team of artists to refine, shape, and create the strongest ideas into something cohesive and joyful. And support my endless request for cat stickers...
The 70/30 Rule
One piece of business advice that has always stayed with me is to aim for seventy percent of what the market wants and thirty percent of what you want.
If we reversed that ratio, we probably would not sell a thing!
We do not chase trends simply because they are trending but rather because it resonates with us. But we absolutely pay attention to what resonates. We are very data driven in how we operate, and those insights help guide our decisions.
If we reversed that ratio, we probably would not sell a thing!
We do not chase trends simply because they are trending but rather because it resonates with us. But we absolutely pay attention to what resonates. We are very data driven in how we operate, and those insights help guide our decisions.
That said, creativity is not purely mathematical. Food themed stickers were once widely panned by our customers. Now they are loving them. Tastes evolve. Timing shifts. You cannot always predict what will land.
We also know we are in an time where sticker lovers of the 80s are collecting again, and this helps shape product decisions to drive forward that nostalgic love. For instance, sticker roll boxes were a hit in the 80s and were bringing them back to life in our own way!
We also know we are in an time where sticker lovers of the 80s are collecting again, and this helps shape product decisions to drive forward that nostalgic love. For instance, sticker roll boxes were a hit in the 80s and were bringing them back to life in our own way!
Designing for Two Countries
Being an Australian and US business adds another interesting layer. Preferences between the two markets can differ quite dramatically.
Right now our Australian customers (birthplace of Moonbow!) seem drawn to textured, whimsical styles. The US is our biggest customer base and often lean toward a more classic sticker aesthetic. Navigating that balance challenges us in the best possible way. It forces us to stay adaptable and thoughtful rather than defaulting to one narrow lane.
Right now our Australian customers (birthplace of Moonbow!) seem drawn to textured, whimsical styles. The US is our biggest customer base and often lean toward a more classic sticker aesthetic. Navigating that balance challenges us in the best possible way. It forces us to stay adaptable and thoughtful rather than defaulting to one narrow lane.
The Influence of My Mum
Another enormous influence in my creative life has been my mum. She has the most wonderfully eclectic taste. Pattern, color, Scandinavian art, folk art, fine art, knitting, abstract art. Over the years she has explored paper tole, gilding, decoupage, woodwork, quilling and more.
If we are out somewhere and she spots an interesting texture or color combination, she insists I take a photo. My phone is filled with beautifully random snapshots because of her. "Steph, aren't those colors wonderful, take a photo!" "Steph, look at those marvelous shapes, take a photo!"
I have absolutely inherited her love of color and pattern. Those two elements still shape so much of what we create. I even studied textile design at university thinking it would be the career for me!
But if you ever seen an exploration of Nordic art, abstract designs, something that shouldn't really be a sticker, you can blame me. When Nadia uses unusual material to make a design, my heart sings!
But if you ever seen an exploration of Nordic art, abstract designs, something that shouldn't really be a sticker, you can blame me. When Nadia uses unusual material to make a design, my heart sings!
The Heart of It All
Since 2019 a lot has changed. We started as a place for Aussie kids to find the joy in unique stickers and give adults a create outlet for expression. Our brand name changed. Our HQ moved from Sydney to the US.
But the heart of the ideas, the curiosity, the humor, the offbeat combinations, the love of color, remains deeply personal and the same from day one.
What I once thought was unusual taste is actually the thread that runs through everything we do.
While I have somewhat retired from designing sticker sheets myself, I am still deeply involved in our design process. The ideas. The direction. The storytelling. The balance between creative instinct and commercial reality. That part still lights me up.
And I truly believe that is what keeps our work feeling fresh, joyful, and entirely our own.
We're in a big period of AI and we don't judge what other brands do.
We just know that when it comes to our art, we can hold our heads high knowing that is all comes from our minds, hands and hearts with pure intention.
But the heart of the ideas, the curiosity, the humor, the offbeat combinations, the love of color, remains deeply personal and the same from day one.
What I once thought was unusual taste is actually the thread that runs through everything we do.
While I have somewhat retired from designing sticker sheets myself, I am still deeply involved in our design process. The ideas. The direction. The storytelling. The balance between creative instinct and commercial reality. That part still lights me up.
And I truly believe that is what keeps our work feeling fresh, joyful, and entirely our own.
We're in a big period of AI and we don't judge what other brands do.
We just know that when it comes to our art, we can hold our heads high knowing that is all comes from our minds, hands and hearts with pure intention.
Written by Moonbow Creative
