Local Trunk Show

This past weekend Chris and I were apart of a holiday

trunk show, located at one of my favorite downtown

boutiques, Stripe.  It was great exposure, and even 

better getting to know other local designers within

our community.  

In case you missed the show...

Our latest business cards, magnified.

The Alibi had chalkboards, shadow boxes, picture frames, succulent boxes, and more- 

all for sale at the trunk show for a wholesale price.  We still have a few pieces left 

in stock if you're looking for the perfect {and creatively crafted local} gift!

The star of the show and the only star in my sky...
Christopher Curtis.
~ xxo

Great art, amazing crafts, innovative ideas, good people, fabulous conversations, support for our local community, holiday cheer, hot coco, spiced cider... this was truly an event you didn't want to miss!  

But if you did, I hope you enjoyed the photos, and make sure to come next year.  

Until then, The Alibi will continue to 

grow expand cultivate develop sprout flourish strengthen...

Holidays at Terrace

Tis' the season.
I've posted a few pictures of the holiday decorations
Chris and I put up the other night.  Maybe it'll inspire
some festive interior creations of your own!

There is nothing like stockings hanging

over the fireplace to bring Christmas

into your home ...and I'm a huge sucker 

for the old-fashioned-from-a-magazine look :)

The letters are from Pottery Barn and the lace was 

a vintage little touch~

We had left over glass ornaments that I couldn't bring myself to packing away, 

so I filled up old mason jars and placed them on our mantel for some added decoration.

The perfect string of adornment for our tree was a gift I received in the mail
from a friend in San Francisco.  Ten foot tiny little map cutouts for our tree
{my wanderlust is always surfacing somehow}!

Our finished driftmas tree!  

This year we wanted to create something instead of buying a tree, 

and were inspired by an image found.  We felt so proud of the turnout!  

We leave the lights on all day and all night to enjoy every last bit of our tree~

Collections

Weekends are for collecting...

And our flea market finds from this weekend

sent me into a happy daze:

We found he most beautiful dark teal antique ball jars

and

A piece I've been coveting for some time now,

an antique Mexican sarape- I'm in  l  o  v  e  e  e  !

Shout out to Figaro, my main subject of the photo.  Mew.

Forever extending my collection of seaglass, I always stop to stoop 

over the sand of the south side beaches when Chris and I take Olive for runs.  

These were the treasures I found.  Hard to see the color, but I was SO excited 

to uncover a rare piece of RED seaglass, shown in the middle left side of the image.

My seaglass in a bottle sits on our windowsill and collects sunlight, 

bringing in colorful light greens and browns to our home.

Beginnings of a Bowerbird

For my birthday Chris bought me the most

brilliant and inspiring book-  

"The Life of a Bowerbird" by Sibella Court

illustrates how to create beautiful interiors

with the things you collect ...and needless

to say, I've recently been motivated to start

collections of my own.  What better place

to start gathering items than an estate sale?!

Friday morning Chris and I adventured up 

to Bonny Doon...below are a few amusing

photos of what I picked up~ 

x P

P.S.- look up the definition of Bowerbird

if you're curious :)  They're quite the thrifty birds.

I love love geodes.  

Their juxtaposition is simple: 

a bare, unattractive exterior balances a dazzling 

and luminous interior... exemplifying the phrase 'beauty is on the inside.' 

Too true.

This huge metal pot is perfect for Chris's tomato and squash soups

he's always cooking up this time of year.  And I was so attracted to

its chartreuse color, a retro piece perfect for our rustic retro house!

These watercolors captivated me.  They are originals by 

Anne Harding, who is a well known artist here in Santa Cruz.  

These were a must have- their color and detail completely enchanted me.

Forever a collector of succulents.

Chris and I just love these little cactus creatures.

Especially when they're nestled in rusty rustic tin cans.

We have a collection of them planted out in our yard, as well as inside the house.

Interior Inspiration:

I clothesline clipped these monotype prints in our window.  

My mom took a class and played around with our logo "The Alibi"

and "Interior Creations" along with images that represented our newly 

established business.  They're so sweet and I love that my mom is the artist behind them.  

My collection of art and everything I love has begun!  

What collections do you have that inspire your soul...hmmm?

Rainy Day Love

Today is Saturday and it hasn't stopped raining

since I woke up at 6.30am.  Which is fine, I'm

completely enjoying the sound of it on my

windows, the fresh smell of the redwood tree, 

and bundling up in a down vest and rain boots.

Rainy days are some of my best craft and creation

days... 

And since it plans to rain all day, Chris and I made a  

l o v e  headboard using reclaimed fence boards 

and a pretty teal paint for the cursive lettering.  

I'm so happy with the way it turned out! 

Pretty poppies on my windowsill help warm up the rain and wind and incoming winter.



































I love bringing in fresh
flowers with warm colors
during the autumn season.
It helps lighten my mood-
especially when its so
cold I don't want to get
out of bed :(

In the Valley of Carmel

Carmel Valley's best kept secret:

Georis Wine Tasting Courtyard & Garden.

Okay, now its not a secret, and you must 

put it on your To-Do List.  This vintage, 

eclectic, European inspired, New Mexican 

designed outdoor experience is one of

extreme exclusivity and distinctiveness. 

Plus they serve an amazing flight of wine.

Various long forgotten doors provide portals throughout the garden, 

bringing you from one romantic story to the next. 

Our beautiful wine extraordinaire,

Molly, is brilliant when it comes to wine

and designs.  She has a major hand in the start-up 

of a tasting room that is planned to go in just next door to Georis. 

No scheduled opening date, but I'll be the first to celebrate with them!

I've a fondness for Pinot Noirs... this one was outstanding.

 The most remarkable stone wall I've come across; 

a fusion of brick, abalone shells, pebbles, plates, rocks, ceramic, 

and more more more inspiration inspiring inspired. 

Wine bottle fountain, one of the garden's grand entrances.

Be still, my heart.  

Yesterday was our two year anniversary -

I loved every moment of it, and every day that lead up to it.

The garden is so parisian and so dreamy and so romantic!

A window and its shutters frame the old tricycle, its loot is my favorite :)

The dinner scene behind me was one of my favorite moment's- 

the prayer flags and string lights were suspended over a long table for ten, 

and the canopy of wisteria and grape vines made for the most perfect setting.

Chris and I digested a whole heap of inspiration for our home...

We've been drawing out plans and sketches for our next project {or five}.

The doors below are one of the design elements we'd like to integrate at Terrace.

Once at Georis, I felt like we had traveled much further than Carmel Valley ...And more like Paris.  

In the Autumn.  At a cafe, people watching.  Drinking French wine while the sun sets. 

I'm telling you: take a one-day holiday to this place!

Molly the photographer, wine connoisseur, 

inventor of amazing designs and ideas, and down home beauty,

is a good friend to have.  Here is a photo of her and a new office window

that had just been installed.  Not to mention her brilliant colored sweater, perfect for autumn!

Georis Winery

4 Pilot Road

Carmel Valley

Raining on Sunday

Just a sweet little Sunday morning image for you :)

Picture this: COLD rainy morning, hot coconut 

tea, and a fresh pastry, all tucked up in a blanket on 

the couch.  And Ben Harper playing.  The best.

Super 35

Ever heard of a Lomokino camera?  These mini Lomography

{analog} movie cameras shoot short, spunky clips on 35mm 

film.  You can string the still images together to create a movie.  

It might be the most creative way to catch moments, that I've 

seen.  And they're the simplest to use-  They have a small 

crank that winds and clicks, every time you take a scene.  

I was playing with the Lomokino on the beach at sunset, 

while Chris surfed.  Creative evenings...

Below is a short film Chris experimented 

with when we first bought the camera.

The movie is titled, "The Park."

Enjoy!

xxo

P is for Pie

Pumpkins are for pie, as far as I'm concerned.

And this October, I threw a small Autumn party

with a few friends to celebrate the wearing of scarves,

boots, and beanies.  Guess what the event of the night was...?

Pretty Kate used my brand new {antique} hand held egg beater.

I found it at a garage sale for $1- let me tell you, it worked better than the electric beater!

The pumpkin pie recipe was an easy one to follow-

It called for eggs, butter, condensed milk, pumpkin, and all the

warmest spices on my spice rack: cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. 

{Our impression of fifties housewives}

During the evening we enjoyed wine, a fireside, homemade baking, dressing cozy and 

warm, chocolate, and the most important of all- each other's good company~

October Sky

Ahhhhh October is here and I am happy to 

feel autumn in my bones.  Its interesting how 

the word 'fall' truly depicts what takes place 

during the season; the falling of the leaves,

falling of the rain, of snow, falling in love...  

I snapped a couple photos while on a solitary 

beach walk the other day.  What a lovely 

time to be alone and reflect on all my blessings~

xxo p

Pumpkin pie...

 The beaches have been littered with seaglass during the recent swells.  

This is what I picked up in just ten minutes- now the colorful pieces 

are trapped in an old apothecary jar on our windowsill.  

We the Free

The other day I was perusing Free People online
and found the most beautiful body jewelry pieces.
It was a Friday and I had no plans, so I went to a
couple local bead stores and picked up what I
needed to be able to make my own.  I liked the
idea of creating my own jewelry, and choosing
my own materials.  I'm happy with the way they
turned out and wanted to share a few pictures.
Such a fun way to spend a Friday night in!

I am a hippy at heart~

I love the way these body pieces make me feel-

creative, romantic, happy and free ~

Autumn Air

Summer has officially melted into the cool air of autumn.  

Get ready for hot tea, cold mornings, pumpkin pie, 

scarves, boots, colorful leaves, and cozy nights by the fire!

Chris and I had the day off together and while he surfed

{the first swell of winter} I took a bike ride along the 

coastline of Pleasure Point, stopping to admire one of my 

favorite wild flowers- poppies.  

Completely enjoying the new season!  xxo P

Interior Projects for the Home

Chris and I have been putting in a ton of time to the 

interior of the house lately, my favorite thing to do 

in our free time.  I was inspired by an image I saw 

on Pinterest, and thus manifested our new 

headboard!  The word  l o v e  has yet to be painted 

on the wood, which will complete it.

This is our new inspiration wall in the dinning room.

All the  photos are taken by Chris, and the frames 

are made by us as well.  The driftwood clock was a fun 

project we did last winter.  I have a few framed 

polaroid shots from  my camera my 

sister got me as a gift for graduation.   

  

Old keys are my favorite things to collect.  

This giant one is from a friend's old woodshed- a found piece of happiness!