Custom Holiday Portrait Cards by Rifle Paper Co. {See them at the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Show this weekend!}

Ahhhh, the pressures of the annual holiday card...
Each year I send what I {hope} to be a cute and whimsical card, only to be ousted {mentally, of course} by the tres-cuter tidings from my wittier and craftier friends. Yes, I know it's Type A. Yes, I know I'm a perfectionist. Yes, I know it's silly. But no, I'm not going to let it happen again this year.
This year I've entrusted in Rifle. And I think you're going to love them.
Anna Bond and her husband, Nathan, are the artistic geniuses behind Rifle Paper Co., the Winter Park, Florida based stationery company that has recently set the design world on fire. As a stationery contributor for the Martha Stewart Weddings blog and master of DIY on OnceWed, Anna's whimsical designs evoke nostalgia, joy, and happiness. Instantly.
Rifle Paper Co. has expanded their custom design offerings for the holidays with the cutest card I have ever seen. It's a simple three step process: You send your image file to Rifle, they draw up your custom portrait, then you receive your absolutely adorable, custom, just-for-you holiday card. I scooped mine up right at Thanksgiving, and asked Anna to document the process for our readers... Take a peek!

An assortment of photos I sent to Anna. Much to Mike's {feigned} dismay, I couldn't help but include the princess of our household, Heidi.

Anna sketched this whimsical design for the outside of our card, complete with my requisite headband, Mike's fave holiday shirt, and a little dose of holly for Heidi, too.

Voila! Our cute card is complete, and being shipped to our home as we speak. {And just in case any of our friends had the same - might I say, *quite* crafty - idea, Heidi's wreath cameo is doubling as a custom Zazzle stamp}.

Aren't these cards adorable? I thought you might like them, so I asked Anna to share a little bit more about Rifle with you...

What inspired you to develop Rifle? What was missing in the market that your stationery offers?
I've always loved illustrating and I studied graphic design in college so stationery just seemed like a perfect fit. I think that we offer something a little different with our hand-painted designs. Our cards are whimsical, colorful, and a little nostalgic which seems to resonate with a variety of people.

When did you decide to begin your company? Where do you draw everyday inspiration from?
I first got into stationery by creating custom wedding invitations for friends. I loved it so much that I decided to launch a full line of stationery. I love that I get to illustrate and develop different products. It's so fun to be a part of the process from the idea to the final packaged product.
I'm inspired by all sorts of things from vintage children's books to architecture to fashion. I try to take everything in and always have a sense of curiosity.How did you get started? Where is Rifle located and sold now?
The company started out of my bedroom in my apartment and now we work out of a studio in Winter Park, Florida. Our products are sold in over 300 stores around the world.
You can check out all of our products along with our store list & press at our website. You can also find me on my blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

Why should we tell readers to check out Rifle Paper Co.?
We're a boutique stationery company that truly cares about creating quality products. We print locally in the U.S. using FSC certified papers and assemble all of our products in our studio. Most importantly though, we hope that people will resonate with our designs and buy them because they bring a little something special to their lives!
Want to see some pretty Rifle Paper up close and personal? We'll you're in luck! Anna and Nathan will be showing their adorable wares at the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Sale tomorrow, along with dozens of other artisans and crafters, including many Martha Stewart employees! Swing by the Starrett-Lehigh building for the very best in Rifle, as well as handmade items like scarves, jewelry and homemade jams.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Holiday Craft Sale
Saturday, December 4, 12 - 6 PM
Starrett-Lehigh Building
601 W. 26th Street, between 11th and 12th Avenues
9th Floor
New York, New York 10001

*Most sellers will be set up for cash sales only
*Free to get in!

All product photos courtesy of Rifle Paper Co. Personal photos courtesy of my nifty point and shoot.