field trip: rifle paper co.

Rifle Paper Co. is one of the most charming and popular stationery companies in the world. You've seen their ultra feminine designs literally everywhere -- cards, wallpaper, books, cell phone cases, prints. And then there are the collaborations -- tote bags with Le Sportsac, sweet tops and dresses for Paper Crown, a range of pieces with style icon Garance Doré, and classic novels for Penguin Books. Rifle Paper Co. is slowly taking over the world, one cheery print at a time.

What few people know is that this powerhouse company is based here in Orlando. In a modern little storefront, on a tree-lined street in the charming little neighborhood of Winter Park sits the modest headquarters for this internationally renowned brand. In addition to a design studio, there's a storefront filled with treasures. #orlandodoesntsuck indeed!

I love visiting their shop any time of year, but the very best time is when they're holding one of their sidewalk sales. They serve up piles of cards, calendars, notebooks and more at a fraction of the regular prices. This weekend happened to be one of those famous sales, so I thought I'd share a peek inside...

The overall vibe of the shop is very much that of walking into a home -- the coziest, cheeriest home you've ever been in. This begins in the entryway, an elegant little space with overstuffed chairs, fresh flowers, and the bold pop of Rifle Paper Co. wallpaper.

The retail shop feels homey as well -- you'll find a collection of tables, bookshelves, and little nooks that are perfectly merchandized with products. The aesthetic here is definitely more is more, and suddenly you feel like maybe your life would be much better is you had piles of adorable notepads, stacks of books, and plenty of chocolate handy -- the much maligned Mast Bros chocolate bars are for sale, though they are attractively packaged (in Rifle prints?).

The store mostly focuses on it's own products, but you will find a selection of jewelry, books, cocktail fixings, and other items that dovetail nicely with the Rifle lifestyle.

A wall of cards for every occasion imaginable (seriously, they have cards that say "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?")

The sidewalk sale attracted quite a crowd -- with everyone snacking on the sugar cookies and
lemonade laid out for shoppers, it felt a bit like a house party.

The sale itself didn't disappoint. They opened up their studio space so there was plenty of room for goodies. There were tables and tables of calendars, prints, notebooks, and planners at very discounted prices (notebooks and journals were $2-5, calendars, prints, and larger items were $6-15).

A lovely touch of just about every sidewalk sale is a little freebie -- a fun party favor from a thoughtful hostess. This year they offered a gilded 8x10 poster, screen printed right in the studio.

source

For me, the absolute highlight was the enormous table loaded with greeting cards. Most were single cards with envelopes, spanning every holiday and occasion imaginable, priced at $1 each. The crazy thing is that most of these cards are the same ones for sale over in the storefront (and online, in Anthropologie, etc) for $5-8.

You can't even buy a card in Target for a buck, and I like to keep a supply of great cards on hand to avoid last-minute greeting disasters, so I stocked up. And bought 25. (While I was standing in line I was going through my pile and decided to put one back. Because 26 is obviously too many).

So go ahead, loved ones: get married, have millions of babies, get older, do nice things for me. You will be congratulated, celebrated, and thanked in the most charming and twee way imaginable!

Overall, my haul was impressive. In addition the cards I picked up a calendar, some notebooks, a few prints, and other assorted goodies. I even picked up a few stocking stuffers to stash away in my gift closet. This funny little zebra is sitting on my desk right now...

If you love stationery, whimsical design, and Pinterest-worthy shopping experiences, you should definitely make a pilgrimage to Rifle Paper Co. And if you're in the market for a few dozen cards, keep an eye on their social media for announcements of upcoming sidewalk sales (usually in spring, summer, and around the holidays).