Sticker by Number Books
The puzzle book with numbered sticker pieces - like the coffee cup shown below. Started doing these 2 years ago for a crafter who loved unique puzzles. Now we print them for families, teachers, and gift-givers.
See How It Works - Real Example
Step 1: Placement Guide
60 numbered shapes showing where each sticker piece goes. This is what you build on.
Step 2: Sticker Sheet
60 kiss-cut sticker pieces, each numbered. Peel and stick them on the corresponding numbers from Step 1.
Step 3: Finished Result
When complete, you've got custom artwork you can display, frame, or use (like these branded coffee cups).
How Sticker-by-Number Works
See the three images above? That's exactly what you get. The placement guide shows 60 geometric shapes with numbers. The sticker sheet has 60 matching kiss-cut pieces. You peel piece #1, stick it on spot #1 on the guide, and keep going. 30-60 minutes later you've built something cool - like those "Spellbinding Sips" branded coffee cups shown.
It's basically like paint-by-numbers, but with stickers instead of paint. Really satisfying when you finish - you can frame it, use it for branding (like the coffee cups), or give it as a gift.
Why People Love These
- Great gift: Grandparents love giving these. Way more personal than buying something off Amazon.
- Family activity: Do it together on game night or rainy Sunday. Kids age 6+ can handle most designs.
- Screen-free time: Keeps kids (and adults) occupied without a device.
- You can customize it: We've done family photos, pet portraits, favorite characters, you name it.
- Actually achievable: Unlike a 1,000-piece jigsaw that sits half-done for months.
- Makes something displayable: When finished, it looks like art you'd buy at a craft fair.
What is Kiss Cutting? (And Why It Matters)
Look at the coffee cup sticker pieces shown above - notice how each one is individually cut to its exact shape? That's called "kiss cutting."
How kiss cutting works: We print your design on vinyl sticker material, then use a cutting plotter to cut through the top sticker layer but NOT through the backing paper. Think of it like cookie cutters - you're cutting through the dough but not the counter underneath.
This means each sticker piece peels off individually while staying organized on the backing sheet. You're not dealing with 56 loose pieces floating around in a bag. They stay put until you're ready to use them.
Why Kiss Cutting is Better Than Regular Stickers
- ✓ Pieces stay organized - Nothing gets lost before you use it
- ✓ Easy to peel - Each piece has a little edge you can grab
- ✓ No scissors needed - It's already cut to the exact shape
- ✓ Professional look - Clean edges, no white borders
- ✓ Kid-friendly - 6-year-olds can handle this no problem
The alternative would be printing it on regular sticker sheets and having you cut each piece out with scissors. That sounds terrible and nobody wants to do that.
Gift Ideas & When to Use These
Unique Christmas Presents
This is the perfect "I actually put thought into this" gift. Way more memorable than another Amazon gift card. We've printed:
- • Family photo from last summer (everyone gets the same puzzle to complete)
- • Pet portraits - golden retrievers, cats, even someone's bearded dragon
- • Grandkids' school photos turned into 30-piece puzzles
- • Christmas scenes (one lady did a photo of her decorated tree)
- • Inside family jokes that only your relatives would get
Popular order: 10-20 copies of the same design (one for each family member). Everyone does their puzzle on Christmas Day and texts photos of their progress. Becomes a fun family tradition.
Birthday Presents
Personal + fun + keeps them busy = perfect gift. Popular ones:
- • Favorite cartoon character
- • Sports team logos
- • Their own photo (kids think this is hilarious)
- • Inside jokes or family references
Family Activity Nights
Beats another board game argument. Works great for:
- • Rainy day activities
- • Road trip entertainment (if kid doesn't get carsick)
- • After-dinner wind-down
- • Vacation cabin downtime
Corporate Promotional Items & Conference Swag
Branded tchotchkes that people actually keep. Like the "Spellbinding Sips" coffee cups shown above - perfect for:
- • Conference booth giveaways (stands out from the usual pens/notebooks)
- • Direct mail campaigns (fits in a standard envelope, gets opened because it's weird)
- • Client appreciation gifts (way more memorable than a fruit basket)
- • Product launch activities (interactive brand engagement)
- • Trade show handouts (people stop to look, ask questions)
Why it works: It's interactive. Recipients actually DO something with it rather than tossing it. Your logo/brand is visible for the 30-60 minutes they're building it. Then they display it on their desk/wall. Way more brand exposure than a stress ball.
Why Companies Use These for Marketing
The Direct Mail Secret Weapon
Most direct mail gets tossed within 5 seconds. These? People actually open them because they can feel there's something interesting inside. Then they spend 30-60 minutes building your branded puzzle. That's way more engagement than a postcard ever got.
What Makes This Work:
- ✓ Fits in #10 envelope - Standard direct mail, reasonable postage
- ✓ Gets opened - Feels like something substantial, not junk mail
- ✓ Takes time - 30-60 minutes with your brand in their hands
- ✓ Gets displayed - They show coworkers, put it on their desk, take it home
- ✓ Starts conversations - "What's that?" leads to talking about your brand
Real Example (Spellbinding Sips):
Coffee company sent these to event planners and corporate clients. 250-piece mail campaign.
- • Open rate: ~65% (they could track it via QR code on the guide)
- • Completion rate: ~40% actually built the puzzle
- • Social shares: 30+ Instagram/LinkedIn posts from recipients
- • Result: 12 new corporate accounts, 3 conference bookings
- • Cost per acquisition: Way cheaper than traditional B2B marketing
Open rate for direct mail with puzzle vs. 5-10% for standard postcards
Time spent actively engaging with your brand while building the puzzle
Per unit cost at volume (500-2,000 copies) including printing and basic envelope
Size Options & Pricing
Standard Letter Size (8.5" x 11")
Good For:
- • Kids ages 6-10
- • Simple designs (20-30 pieces)
- • Stocking stuffers
- • Classroom rewards
Volume Pricing:
- • 50 copies: ~$15 each
- • 100 copies: ~$12 each
- • 250+ copies: ~$8 each
- • Fits in standard frame
Medium (16" x 20")
Good For:
- • Family photos
- • Pet portraits
- • More complex designs (40-60 pieces)
- • Christmas/birthday gifts
Volume Pricing:
- • 50 copies: ~$30 each
- • 100 copies: ~$23 each
- • 250+ copies: ~$18 each
- • Nice size for framing/display
Poster Size (24" x 36")
Good For:
- • Really detailed photos
- • Group family activity (do it together)
- • Complex designs (80-100+ pieces)
- • Wall art when finished
Volume Pricing:
- • 50 copies: ~$60 each
- • 100 copies: ~$48 each
- • 250+ copies: ~$38 each
- • Statement piece when done
Our Manufacturing Process
Design & File Preparation
You send us the photo or artwork. Our design team converts it into numbered puzzle pieces using specialized software. We create the main page layout (with numbered outlines) and prepare the sticker sheet layout. Usually takes 2-3 design iterations to get it right.
Printing
We print the main pages on heavy paper stock (70-100#) and the stickers on vinyl material. Everything runs through our HP Indigo digital press. This is where quantity starts to matter - small runs have higher per-unit costs because of the setup time.
Kiss-Cutting the Stickers
The printed sticker sheets go through our cutting plotter which kiss-cuts each piece to its exact shape. This takes the longest - complex designs with 80-100 pieces can take 15-20 minutes per sheet to cut.
Binding & Assembly
If it's a multi-page book, we send the pages to our partner bindery for stitching (saddle-stitch for thinner books, perfect binding for thicker ones). Single-sheet puzzles just get paired with their sticker sheet.
Packaging & Tooling
We package each book with its sticker sheet. For volume orders, we can do custom packaging, shrink-wrapping, or specialty finishing. Smaller runs typically go in standard clear sleeves.
Small Runs vs. Volume Orders
We can do small runs (10-50 books), but honestly the per-unit cost is pretty high because of the setup involved. Volume pricing gets way better at 100+ books. If you're considering a smaller quantity, call me and we'll talk through whether it makes sense for your budget.
Educational Applications & Uses
Classroom Activities
Good for individual work, group activities, and educational centers that reinforce lesson concepts.
- • Morning warm-up activities
- • Math center rotations
- • Reward system activities
- • Indoor recess options
Homeschool Resources
Engaging supplements to traditional curriculum that make learning fun and interactive for homeschooling families.
- • Concept reinforcement
- • Independent learning time
- • Skill practice activities
- • Progress tracking tools
Tutoring & Therapy
Excellent tools for tutors and therapists working on specific skills or providing engaging practice activities.
- • Fine motor skill development
- • Attention and focus training
- • Skill remediation
- • Motivation and engagement
Educational Publishing
Add value to educational product lines with custom sticker by number books that complement existing curricula.
- • Curriculum supplements
- • Workbook enhancements
- • Assessment tools
- • Interactive learning aids
What Educators Say
"Made one of my golden retriever for my daughter's birthday. She loved it and actually finished the whole thing in one sitting (took her about 45 minutes). Now it's framed in her room. Way more personal than anything I could've bought at Target."
- Jennifer M., Milwaukee
"Ordered 30 of these (family photo) as Christmas gifts for extended family. Everyone loved them. My mom did hers on Christmas Day and sent me like 10 progress photos. Definitely doing this again next year."
- Rebecca J., Chicago
Frequently Asked Questions
What age can handle these?
Kids age 6+ usually do fine with the standard complexity (30-50 pieces). Younger kids (4-5) can do simpler ones with like 15-20 pieces. Adults enjoy the complex ones (80-100 pieces) - surprisingly relaxing.
Can you use any photo?
Pretty much. Works best with photos that have good contrast/clear subjects. Blurry photos or really dark/light photos don't convert well. We'll tell you if your image won't work before we print it.
How long does one take to complete?
Letter size (20-30 pieces): 20-30 minutes. 16x20 (40-60 pieces): 45-60 minutes. Poster size (80-100 pieces): 1-2 hours. Depends on the person though - some people fly through them, others take their time.
Can you mess it up and need to start over?
The stickers are permanent once you stick them down. BUT they're forgiving for about 5-10 seconds where you can peel and reposition if you caught a mistake quickly. Once they're down for good, they're down.