<p><iframe allow="autoplay *; encrypted-media *; fullscreen *; clipboard-write" frameborder="0" height="175" style="width:100%;max-width:660px;overflow:hidden;border-radius:10px;" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anna-bond-of-rifle-paper-co/id1517156345?i=1000710552079"></iframe></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In 2009, freelance illustrator Anna Bond and her musician husband Nathan debuted <a href="https://riflepaperco.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rifle Paper Co.</a> to the trade in a double booth buried deep in the back aisles of the National Stationery Show. They were but one of dozens upon dozens of small (often forgotten) stationery brands showing there, but in Rifle&#8217;s case, a stationery, gift and lifestyle star was born those five days in May.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Rifle-2025.021270-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018640" style="width:770px;height:auto"/></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Rifle&#8217;s dizzying trajectory into the collective American design unconscious was singularly dramatic, with Anna&#8217;s signature hand-painted artwork and vibrant color palette having headlining collaborations over the years with Keds, Target and Pottery Barn Kids, among seemingly countless other high-profile brands. Meanwhile, every stationery maker setting up shop dreams of a similar ascent.</p>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Still, at the core of every Rifle offering remains the brand&#8217;s tagline, &#8216;We create moments of unexpected beauty in the real world.&#8217; So when I was given the real-world opportunity to interview Anna — now Rifle CEO — ;of course I had questions!</p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-33320" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-33320 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="33320" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-8951 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-invitations tag-leslie-sabella tag-prints tag-sarah-schwartz tag-t-shirts tag-thank-you-stationery tag-the-paper-chronicles tag-true-spirit-art" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/true-spirit-art/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=293%2C293&;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=75%2C75&;ssl=1 75w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=390%2C390&;ssl=1 390w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=585%2C585&;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Feathers-e1425990240694.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/true-spirit-art/">True Spirit Art</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2015-03-10T13:06:51+00:00">March 10, 2015</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="8951"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In this, part one of two, we discuss Rifle&#8217;s humble origins, how Anna differentiated it from the very start, dealt with imitators over the years, and grew the brand alongside Nathan as they simultaneously grew their own family. With five young children and an ever-growing brand and body of work, Anna&#8217;s strategy of success may surprise you as much as it did me!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/AnnaBondPainting-PatrickMichaelChin.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10018643"/></figure>

Anna Bond of Rifle Paper Co.
