As the years I’ve been out on my own post-college have grown, I’ve forced myself to grow up a bit and be a bit more responsible in reaching out to people more often.  One of those ways is through sending holiday cards at the end of the year.

Initially, that meant going to Stop & Shop and buying a big box of cards. More recently, however, I’ve attempted to make instances like this a bit more special. I began seeking out more creative Christmas cards, both to play on my more recent career and to just make it a bit more fun overall.

Last year, I came across an article by Charles Apple that led me to the Red Letter Paper Company, a project created by Stephanie Hinderer, who worked for publications such as the New York Metro.  Awesome cards by a fellow visual journalist? The concept is great, the execution greater.

Last year I ordered the “not sent from my iPhone” cards seen above, as well as a second set featuring a Christmas colors-lit Empire State Building, which I sent to some people as a nod to my working in New York City.  The quality of both the card designs and the card stock were incredible, and I therefore had no hesitation returning this year to purchase another set.  I won’t talk about them, because I don’t want to spoil the surprise when they arrive in the mail!

Stephanie does more than just Christmas cards; there’s cards for plenty of other occasions, as well as some art prints.  The artwork is modern, clean and creative, which strongly drew me in.  For those who like a bit of a Christian message in your cards, many of her cards include bible quotes and references, and most of them are done with a modern twist visually, which is really cool.

I encourage all of you to check out Stephanie’s efforts, and if you like what you see, place an order on her Etsy store!