Atascadero resident Brandy Miller may be far from her hometown in the Midwest, but she’s not so removed from 1980s childhood fascination.
“We would go to these Bible bookstores, and they would have all these stickers on rolls, just like, a whole wall of rolls of stickers,” she said. “You could just take them off and I remember hearts and unicorns. Honestly, I really do still have some.”
As an adult, Miller is surrounded by binders upon binders of meticulously organized stickers, some dating back to 1984. Admittedly it was an obsession, she told New Times, noting thather sticker count is in the thousands.
Miller translated that passion into a line of work: stickers for adults under the brand name Disco Paper Party. The inspiration behind the name is a 20-inch disco ball she scored at Goodwill for $4.99.
“My whole world eventually just revolved around this disco ball,” she said with a laugh. “I like the way that a disco ball reflects all the colors. You know, we accept everyone as they are, and we are for everyone, and all that jazz.”
Going for $4 each, Disco Paper Party’s stickers are 3-inch vinyl paper creations that feature nostalgia, a heavy dose of puns, and a rainbow of colors.
Take the purple Care Bears sticker bearing Prince’s purple symbol, or one of a Queen-inspired lineup of cats saying, “He’s just a purr boy from a purr family,” and another sticker of colorful vagina bearing the words “big bang theory.”
It’s evident most of these stickers aren’t for children.
“Lots of stickers are for kids, but these ones are for grown-ups,” Miller said. “Whenever I see kids running toward my table, I always step up and say, ‘Hey mom and dad, I make stickers for grown-ups.’ I have a little 4-foot table that has blank sticker paper, and the kids can make their own stickers while the parents are shopping.”
Miller makes her stickers using online art libraries like Deal Jumbo and Creative Fabrica to find non-AI generated artwork. Once she has the base art, she’ll design the rest on Canva before printing the stickers out from one of her four printers.
She’s against using generative AI to produce art and told New Times she likes to support other artists. Even if a company thinks they couldn’t afford to work with her, she said there are other ways.
‘Just trade for a spot in your show, trade for a ticket, trade for some time at whatever the event is instead of just making an AI poster.’
—Brandy Miller, Disco Paper Party owner
“Trade for it, you know,” Miller said. “Just trade for a spot in your show, trade for a ticket, trade for some time at whatever the event is instead of just making an AI poster.”
Currently, she’s helping rebrand the Central Coast Craft Fair that’s been around since 1979. Miller is working on their new logo in exchange for a spot at the craft show at the SLO Vets Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 27 and 28.
Her graphic design skills have also caught the eyes of a local Christmas tree business and a senior living community. Interested businesses and artists can connect with Miller by emailing brandy@discopaperparty.com.
“I use other people’s art, … and I’ve had a couple people reach out and [ask], ‘Can you help me with my logo?’” she said. “They get a black and white logo, the color, the outlines, whatever format they need their artwork in because maybe they want to put it on a T-shirt or hat or something.”
Find her at the Nov. 7 holiday boutique from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Atascadero Lake and on Nov. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North County Craft Fair at Templeton’s American Legion Hall.
As the only sticker maker at these shows, she’s happy when curious visitors walk up to her table. In fact, it’s one of her favorite parts of the job.
“I absolutely love hearing the groups of women. ‘Oh! What do you sell?’” Miller recalled. “Then they start looking and laugh so hard. It’s hysterical and it is the best thing. It just makes my show every time.”
Fast fact
• Whiz Kids, the San Luis Obispo toy store that’s been a staple since 1987, is switching hands. Customer-turned-book-buyer Lan Alcorn will take ownership of the independent store from founder Lesa Smith, who’s ready for retirement. Still woman-owned, Whiz Kids will now be AAPI-owned for the first time. Alcorn hopes her first holiday season as owner will include letters to Santa Claus from kids and a visit from him too. ∆
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Nov 5-12, 2026.
