photocard · 1:1
01 · the card
A photocard
The card you want to show off. Sleeve it first so it stays protected inside the toploader. Not sure which? See our Sleeve Guide →
✦ start here
deco 101.
Deco is the art of decorating a toploader — stickers, ribbons, deco cream and little embellishments — to turn a plain card into something unmistakably yours.
Our Colour Pop Kits are colour-matched sets designed in-house for exactly this. Right now we're focused on polco — sticker-led deco — so that's what this guide covers. First time or hundredth, the rules are simple: pick a theme, choose what you love, have fun.
deco hero shot · 1:1
✦ start here
find your starting point.
Not sure where to begin? Three taps — mood, fullness, experience — and we'll match you to a Colour Pop Kit and a starter layout.
from the decorator
blaine
Blaine · Kkumi's resident decorator
Hi! (´ ▽ `) My favourite step is placing a ribbon sticker right on my bias — it's the last thing I add to almost every deco. Don't overthink your first one; mine were total chaos and I still love them.
✦ supplies
what you'll need.
Just a few things to bring your vision to life.
toploader · 1:1
02 · the loader
A toploader
Your workspace. The card stays safe inside while you decorate the toploader itself — never the card.
stickers · 1:1
03 · the deco
Adornments
Stickers and embellishments. Our Colour Pop Kits come colour-matched so nothing clashes. Sourcing your own? Look for matched sheets.
tools · 1:1
04 · the tools
Basic tools
Scissors to trim overhang, tweezers to place the tiny pieces. Both optional — both handy.
✦ preparations
before you start.
A few things to do before the stickers hit the plastic.
sleeving · 4:3
01
Sleeve first
Sleeve your card before it goes near the toploader. The sleeve guards against scuffs sliding in and out, shields it from the PVC, and keeps it pristine.
planning · 4:3
02
Plan it out
Slide the sleeved card into the loader and look before you peel a thing. This shows exactly what stays visible, so you can plan around the face and any signature.
peeling film · 4:3
03
Check for film
Many loaders ship with a thin protective film. Peel it first so stickers grip the loader, not the film. Our Prism Toploaders are film-free; Standloaders include one for transit.
✦ the process
how to decorate.
Step through the method and watch a deco come together, piece by piece. Go at your own pace.
✦ beyond the basics
tips & techniques.
Little tricks to layer, frame and finish your designs.
anchor · 3:2
tip 01
Anchor it
Start with your biggest piece — the anchor. Place it slightly off-centre, then build everything else around it.
clusters · 3:2
tip 02
Odd numbers feel natural
Cluster filler in threes and fives, not pairs. Odd groupings read more organic and keep the eye moving.
lettering · 3:2
tip 03
Work backwards with letters
Spelling a word? Place the last letter first and work right-to-left. The ending always lands where you wanted it.
letters as filler · 3:2
tip 04
Letters aren't just for words
Use them as emoticons, or drop the small ones into negative space as filler between bigger stickers.
overhang · 3:2
tip 05
Let it overhang
Stickers that bleed off the edge look intentional and finish the perimeter. Flip the loader and trim the excess with scissors.
repositioning · 3:2
tip 06
Peel slow if you miss
Wrong spot? Peel back slowly at a low angle. Fast or straight up tears the sticker; slow gives you a clean reposition.
from the decorator
blaine
Blaine · Kkumi's resident decorator
psst — every mistake on the next list? I've made it at least twice. Peel slow, plan once, and you'll skip the tears. Promise.
✦ we all mess up
common mistakes.
The usual slip-ups — and how to dodge them.
film · 3:2
mistake 01the fixPeel the film off first. Always.
Stickering the film
Decorating before peeling the loader's protective film — your work lifts away the moment you remove it.
covered face · 3:2
mistake 02the fixPlan around the visible window before you peel.
Burying your bias
Covering the face or signature in the rush to fill space — the one bit you wanted to show.
pressed down · 3:2
mistake 03the fixTack it lightly, check, then burnish down.
Committing too fast
Pressing a sticker down hard before you're sure it's in the right place.
torn sticker · 3:2
mistake 04the fixPeel slow, low angle, every time.
Ripping on removal
Yanking a misplaced sticker straight up and tearing it in half.
no structure · 3:2
mistake 05the fixAnchor with your biggest pieces first.
Starting with the small stuff
Placing tiny stickers first, so there's no structure to build the rest of the look on.
card not loader · 3:2
mistake 06the fixDeco the loader; the card stays sleeved inside.
Decorating the card
Putting stickers on the photocard itself instead of the toploader around it.
✦ the long term
living with your deco.
Display it, refresh it, and keep it looking great.
on display · 3:2
Display
A Prism Standloader is the natural home for a decorated toploader — on a desk, a shelf, wherever your collection lives. A little poster tack works in a pinch too.
refresh · 3:2
Refresh
Done with a look? Peel the stickers slowly — they can't be reused, but the loader can. Wipe residue with isopropyl on a microfibre cloth (spray the cloth, not the loader).
care · 3:2
Care
Keep deco out of direct sun and away from heat — UV fades stickers, heat softens adhesive. Handle by the edges to keep fingerprints off your design.
✦ done?
that's a deco.
However it turned out, it's one of a kind — and the only opinion that matters is yours. Show it off, then start the next one.