Simply Splendid Gift Baskets Blog

Launched: Beach Grass Cottage
Date: April 2009

LaunchHER says: There is just something so fresh and clean about beach style! We love what Shari Curtiss is doing to bring the ocean into the home with chic simplicity.

The HER behind it: Shari Curtiss

In HER words:
I admit it-- I am a self-proclaimed beach girl and shore lover! It probably started growing up on a lake in Michigan, being less than a hours drive to the pristine beaches of Lake Michigan. Lots of trips to the beach with friends!

Then, something happened that cemented my love of the sea. My family began vacationing on Anna Maria Island, on Florida's Gulf Coast, and I was officially hooked! My parents bought a condo there and became snowbirds, and I began yearning for my already frequent visits to the shores of AMI. Crossing those bridges was like coming home; still is today.

My mom and I fell into the crazy habit of getting up in the early am, before the sunrise, and getting to the beach to "get the big ones" before the other beachcombers arose. My family just shook their heads. Often, our diligence was rewarded, bringing home a bounty of gorgeous shells, sea glass, and prizes washed in to the shore. Every day was fueled by the thrill of the hunt! I was hooked on seashells and the sea forever!

Professionally, I have extensive experience in the gift industry, first owning a corporate gift company, then moving on to Beach Grass Cottage. What better way to follow my passions than to use my God given gifts creating beautiful things from the bounty of the ocean! To be able to do something you truly love, and to have the talent for it to actually survive at it, is such a blessing!! Beach Grass Cottage truly was a dream realized through many prayers.

Beach Grass Cottage is located in Michigan, near the pristine beaches and resort communities of Lake Michigan, home of obsessively devoted beach dwellers, killer sand dunes, casual lakeshore living and the most gorgeous sunsets on the planet!

Pacifica Perfumes

Mar. 1, 2010

I’m in love with these small perfumes from Pacifica. I first picked one up at Central Market in Austin the summer my baby nephew Elliot was born, and it quickly became my go-to fragrance. In the past couple of years, I’ve seen Pacifica perfumes here and there and have grabbed a couple of other scents whenever I had twenty bucks in my pocket. Naturally, because of their small size and compatible fragrances, I began layering them—coming up with different combinations as I saw fit. And that’s exactly how Pacifica perfumes are meant to be used.

Here are some of the scents I love:

 
Hawaiian Ruby Guava: Fruity and yummy.

 
 
Lotus Garden: Perfumey and lovely.

 
 
Malibu Lemon Blossom: Citrusy and fresh.

 
 
Bali Lime Papaya: Rich and delicious.

 
 
Brazilian Mango Grapefruit: Out of this world, and one of my favorites—Tuscan Blood Orange.

 
 
The bottles are lovely and petite, and don’t even come with pesky caps you have to keep track of. I like their simplicity. You just leave as many bottles as you want out on the counter…and just spritz and spray to your heart’s content.

 
 
I love the idea of layering scents to create your own unique perfume. If you have two or three of these—or more—the possibilities are endless. I did a Guava-and-Lemon combo last night, and I loved the complexity of the scent. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I’d taken a walk on the wild side and added some Mango. The Heavens would have opened!

 
 
Pacifica perfumes are all natural, made only with good, sustainable ingredients. And they have several different categories of scents:

Floral:
French Lilac
Lotus Garden
Malibu Lemon Blossom
Nerola Orange Blossom
Tahitian Gardenia
Tunisian Jasmine
Waikiki Pikake

Fruit:
Bali Lime Papaya
Brazilian Mango Grapefruit
Hawaiian Ruby Guava
Mediterranean Fig
Tuscan Blood Orange

Herbal & Spice:
Bourbon Island Vanilla
Egyptian Bergamot Rose
Madagascar Spice
Mexican Cocoa
Thai Lemongrass
Vanilla Vera Cruz
Zanzibar Cinnamon Almond

Wood:
Avalon Juniper
Russian Fir
Sandalwood
Spanish Amber
Tibetan Mountain Temple

I’ve never seen all of these in one place—Sephora carries the scents I show above—but my idea of paradise is having a dressing table with all of the above individual scents sitting on small, pretty plates or platters here and there. And then a tray of food is carried to bedroom and served to me while soft music plays overhead…and then someone rubs my feet and does all my laundry.

Oh well…a girl can dream.

Check these out if you see them sometime. They’re lovely!

Pacifica Natural Spray Perfumes