Sticker Designer Mom on the Street: Sarah Elliott

Stickers can bring a lot of joy to one’s life. Especially for Sticker Designer Mom on the Street, who has shaped her business around designing fun stickers that highlight tons of fun destinations in the United States and a life of adventure! Read on to see how this creative sticker designer mom started up her business and brings happiness to her family, friends, and customers daily.

Meet Sarah

I’m the designer/artist and owner of The Desert Sticker Company. I create wanderlust stickers for those who love to explore the world. I seek to inspire you to cultivate curiosity. My family and I love the outdoors, especially our National Parks, and we love to share all of that with you through my stickers.

Sticker Designer Beginnings

Have you always enjoyed designing and art? 

I have always loved making, creating, and crafting. Truthfully, as a child, I never thought I was good at art because I could not draw people. I was a stick figure queen. Lol. Eventually, my love of creating drove me to learn more about digital art, and I found that I had a knack for that. In true full-circle fashion, that took me back to learning painting. (Watercolor and acrylic). 

When did you first start up your sticker business?

Technically, we started a few weeks before the pandemic shut down in early 2020. I had this crazy idea that I could turn my designs into stickers and sell them. I posted a few on Facebook, and people bought them. It was really that simple. I knew nothing about business, but I jumped into the deep end and figured it out. At that time, it was something of a hobby. It wasn’t until May of 2021 that I really took it to what I would consider a small business level. Now it’s my full-time job! 

What is the inspiration behind your work? 

I absolutely love to explore, travel and see new places. When I was young, my Grandpa would take me out hiking, fishing, or driving, and we would just take an old dirt road and see where we ended up. I have such great memories of those times. IThatcontributed a lot to my love of travel as an adult.

So when I started making stickers and art prints, I tapped into that love. A lot of our designs are for specific places. For example, we have a lot of national parks, a lot of state stickers, etc. I also love the idea of having something that commemorates a memory. So a sticker is super easy to do that with. I think that’s where the combination of my inspiration comes from. 

Sticker Designer Challenges, Rewards, and Family Support

What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of being a business owner?

The most challenging thing is, by far, juggling all the hats. I’m a homeschooling mama of 3 too, so I am constantly juggling. But as a business owner, I am the owner and CEO, but I am also the stocker, order filler, website updater, artist, printer, and social media person,…I mean, the list goes on and on. It’s hard to keep it all straight at times.

But I will say, I have been actively involved in a group called The Society for Creative Founders, owned by Kristen Wilson, and it has been the best investment in myself as a business owner. I have learned so much and developed so much for my business in a really short amount of time.

The most rewarding, well, there are several things. I get to do what I love, which is amazing. How many people run into a Monday so happy to work? But I get to do that every week. I also get to be a very active part of my kids’ lives because I can adjust my schedule around. And truthfully, I love love love it when people tell me our stickers make them happy, or every time they see it, it reminds them of a special trip. That never gets old! 

Do your husband, kids, and friends support you as a business owner and designer?

 If so, how do they help you in your endeavors? I am so blessed! My husband and kids are all in for this business. My husband has worked markets for me, built displays, painted displays in stores, helped with logistics, and I can’t even count how many times he has made dinner so I could finish a design. (And he works full time too!)

My kids have just had the best attitudes and been so great. They have helped set up for events and been with us for restocking stores. They are amazing. But when we started this, we had a family meeting. I shared what I wanted to do and asked them if they would be supportive. They were all in. So I am very lucky! My mom is also always cheering me on, and my dear friend Kristina and her husband Josh have really been in our corner as well.

Sticker Designer Business

What have you enjoyed painting the most? What is your favorite sticker design?

As far as actually painting, I have an acrylic painting that I did hanging in my home on Camelback Mountain at sunset. Camelback is a famous local mountain in Phoenix, where I live. It is special to me because it was one of the pieces that helped me see myself as an artist. As for sticker designs, I really love a lot of them! I love the Grand Tetons and Saguaro National Parks.

I also really love the state series I am working on. I call it the “Iconic Things” collection. Each sticker is cut to the shape of that state and has various things the state is known for. I have to admit. Those are really fun to make. But truthfully…my favorites are probably still to come. I am always designing new things! 

What is your best-selling product/ sticker design? 

Our mini collection is super popular. We sell tons of them! It includes various animals and flowers and things like that. I created it initially for kids, but honestly, everyone loves them! And we will be bringing out more. I love animals, so I am excited to continue to grow this collection. Also, because we live in Arizona and are more known there – our Arizona or cactus-themed stickers are all best sellers!

What are some other things you sell?

I sell art prints, greeting cards, and keychains. The greeting cards are relatively new. We started last Christmas with a couple and just had them out at our winter markets. The cactus covered in Christmas lights was a real crowd pleaser! (And my favorite since we have adopted Arizona as home!) 

Desert Sticker Company Goals

What are some of your goals and design ideas for the future?

For design ideas, I want to keep working on our national parks and states. We want to have them available for every state and National Park. But I have a lot of things up my sleeve! Goal-wise, that list is big! I am a dream big kind of person. I want to be in stores in every single state across the nation. And there are a lot more products I would like to create! So yeah, there are a lot of goals, but we might have to save them for another day! 🙂 

Where can people find you online or on social media?

Our website is the #1 way to shop with us at thedesertstickercompany.com. We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @thedesertstickercompany. 

Sticker Designer Style

Which three words best describe your style?

Happy, eclectic, colorful.

What are your favorite places to shop?

I love to shop at small businesses. So I have a lot of local places that I turn to. I have a friend who makes fabulous T-shirts. Her company is Desert Ave. I grab her t-shirts before I ever shop anywhere else. I have another friend in North Carolina who makes amazing home decor signs. Her company, Little Beautiful Mess, has some of my favorites. And the list goes on and on. I have so many great small business owner friends, and I love to shop with them. The Phoenix area is a great area for supporting local.

We have a store called The Merchantile in Old Town Scottsdale, it sells our stickers, but it also has tons of other small businesses that we enjoy shopping from. We even took our kids there last Christmas to do their Christmas shopping. They had so much fun, and we are teaching them the value of shopping with small business owners. The Painted Tree in Scottsdale and Sweet Creek Boutique that just opened up in Queen Creek (a suburb of Phoenix) also promote small businesses. 

Who’s your favorite style icon? 

I don’t know that I really have one. 

What’s your best style advice?

Be comfortable and be you! 

What article of clothing/accessory would you not want to live without?

I am a comfort kind of girl. So I need a good pair of leggings for around the house. I need a great pair of jeans for going out and a classic tee that has a saying on it. Oh, and sandals! 

Which trend would you want to see make a comeback?

Are Birkenstocks still a thing? I love them. Like I said, I like comfort, so this would be the thing for me. 

What should NEVER make a comeback? 

Ummmm….that list might be too long to name, but those peasant dresses I have seen at Target…umm, no. Especially for those of us who are curvy, like that is just not flattering at all! lol

What fashion/style did you love at the time but now cringe when you see old photos? 

Huge bangs! lol

What’s your best style secret?

My best style secret is to be confident in who I am. Nothing goes so far as confidence and a smile. 
Stilettos or flats? Flats 100% – comfort! 

Sticker Designer Family

What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family? 

We love to play board games, video games, swim, hike, and explore. So we have indoor and outdoor hobbies. We do a weekly family fun night, and sometimes we play a game, sometimes it’s a movie, and other times we go out and have an adventure. 

What’s been your best family vacation?

Gosh, that’s so hard to choose. We’ve been lucky and had a lot of great ones. I think my favorite ones are when we have gone camping. We spent two weeks camping on Prince Edward Island, Canada, right on the bay. It was amazing and beautiful. In times like that, we have just had so much fun and bonded as a family. So those are my favorites. 

Best parenting advice:

Be present. Put down your device and talk to your kids. Be proactive to create times together. Be intentional. Great families don’t just happen; they take a lot of work and deliberate thinking from the parents. Time spent together connecting is the most important thing you can give your kids. 

Parenting true confession: 

When I mess up, I apologize to my kids. I let them know I was wrong. (You can’t expect your kids to do something you aren’t willing to lead the way on. They need to know you aren’t perfect and that you don’t expect them to be). 

What’s your go-to family dinner?

Oh, this is awful, but pizza. Lol. But also simple things like chicken and rice/pasta. Or sloppy joe. Things that are easy! However, both my husband and I are good cooks. So we do mix things up quite a bit, but these are go-tos when life gets crazy busy, which it does. 

What’s your favorite family restaurant?

I am not sure we have a favorite as a family. We all like different things. We can all eat at each other’s favorites, but as a family, I don’t think we have one place we all love together. 

Sticker Designer Life

What’s your favorite show to binge-watch?

When Calls the Heart, When Hope Calls, Mystery 101, The Big Bang Theory.

If you could pick anyone to star as you in a movie based on your life, who would it be?

Oooo, good question! I think I would pick Jill Wagner. She’s so down-to-earth and fun. 

What’s your favorite beach read?

Moments Like This, by Anna Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha (There is a sequel coming out this fall too) 

What song would you dance to when nobody’s watching?

Ok, you want a true confession…I love music. But I am that person who sings in the shower, in the car, I dance around my house, my office, and sing a lot of the time. So a couple of favorites right now are – Hey Child by Korbee, Better When I’m Dancin’ by Meghan Trainor, and about any good country song! But I also like soulful stuff that makes you feel deep, too..like Eva Cassady. And I like spiritual things like Maverick City. 

If you could go shopping with anyone from history, living or deceased, who would it be? 

If I could talk to anyone from history, I think I would want to grab a coffee and sit and chat. I love history. Always have. Which really connects with travel. There is so much to learn about life in various places by learning the history. But if we are shopping, I think Candace Cameron Bure would be my first pick. Love her casual and fun style. 

What’s at the top of your travel bucket list?

Right now – Greece is probably at the top. It’s been on there for many years. Within the USA, I would say Alaska is up at the top too. 

What’s your favorite way to unwind at the end of a long day?

 I like to sit on my porch and watch the sunset. Arizona is great for this because most of the year, the weather is good enough to do that. I also love to read, especially fiction. Cozy mysteries are a favorite of mine. So after the kids are in bed, I often spend a little bit of time reading. It is so relaxing and clears your head from all the things that come with owning a business and being a mom.

Sticker Designer Business Love

We love Sticker Designer Mom, Sarah’s joyful, adventurous take on life and her business. Her love of creativity and small businesses inspires us to pursue our passions and share them with others. We can’t wait to see her business grow!

Be sure to check out Desert Sticker Co on Instagram to view more of her art and FamilyApp’s Mom on the Street page for more fun and stylish moms.