First Class

Paper Goods from the Vail Valley with Love

In the (boring) world of Vail Valley postcards, Mountain Girl Paper Company offers a fresh take on mountain living through a local's lens.

By Kirsten Dobroth March 25, 2017

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Mountain Girl Paper Company uses local photographers to provide fresh visions of the Vail Valley.

The only problem with Mountain Girl Paper Company's postcards is that they'll probably never make it to the friends and family they were originally destined for, and no, it's not a postage issue. Chic, modern, and featuring stunning shots of the area, the keepsakes will probably end up finding spots as permanent home decor fixtures (we floated the idea of stringing them together and using them as a wall hanging because of their aesthetic appeal), but that's not a problem for the company's founders Allie Gilliland and Becca Reitz, whose mission behind the photographic mementos is to offer a fresh take on the Vail Valley using striking photos and sleek modern design-- and feature some up and coming local photographers along the way. 

"A lot of the postcards feel really outdated, and the experience in Vail has changed so much," explains Gilliland, "If you come to Vail, most likely you’re not going to just be sitting in the Village, you’re going to go to Piney and you’re going to explore, or you’re going to do a 14er, or go into the Holy Cross Wilderness."

"It’s all things that haven’t been showcased before," adds Reitz.

Showcased images range from visions of Piney Lake to snapshots of the Gore Range, all provided by local photographers who have been eager to work with the duo since they announced the company and its products in January.

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The cards might be meant for friends and family, but have a visual appeal that is sure to make them sought-after home decor fixtures, too.

"We reached out to a couple photographers, and a few photographers reached out to us," says Reitz, "And since we announced the company, a lot of people have approached us about using their pictures."

Each card is labeled with the location -- and photographer -- associated with nine images that are available so far, although the two have plans to switch things up on a seasonal basis, and to release limited edition holiday postcards next winter. Their plan doesn't stop there either; the co-founders (Gilliland has a retail background, and Reitz is the designer) have already started drawing up plans for more stationary products.

"We want to take over the world," they laugh.

Jokes aside, after filling mailboxes around the globe with their custom creations, they might actually reach their goal.

 Mountain Girl Paper Company postcards are available at the Bookworm of Edwards (295 Main Street C101, Edwards; 970-926-7323).

 

 

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