Shop the Guide: 1 Buffalo Check Quilted Vest 2 Buffalo Check Mug 3 Perfect Plaid Bowtie 4 Ferme A Papier Card 5 Plaid Trouser Socks 6 Lambswool Plaid Scarf 7 Stewart Wool Throw 8 Pretty Smitten iPhone Case 9 Plaid Cocktail Napkins

It’s officially gift guide season! My absolute favorite time of year. To kick things off I’m starting with a fun collection of goodies in one of my favorite prints. Plaid! We all have someone in our life who loves a preppy plaid whether they disguise it with a layer of socks or flaunt it with a festive phone cover. Spoil your loved ones with a fabulous Faribualt throw or simply brighten their day with a heart felt note. Dress up your cocktail party with these pretties or cozy up on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa. No matter how you wear your plaid, these items are sure to add a little festive flair to someone’s life this holiday season!

Clockwise From Top Left: Samode Coral / Bohemian Wool Pillow / Herringbone Swedish Blue / Beckham Stripe Denim / Lucy Moss / Catamaran Stripe Sprout / Tattersall Blue / Nordic Star Indigo

It’s no secret that I’ve long been a fan of Dash & Albert. My adoration started four years ago with a small 2×3 striped rug and has grown exponentially ever since. This love has recently become more apparent during our remodel where I’ve tried to fit Dash & Albert in anywhere I can. “But what about doing a stair runner in Dash & Albert stripes instead of carpet?”.  “Do you think I could cover the ottoman in a Dash & Albert plaid?”. While our stairs will not be striped and our ottoman will not maybe be plaid, I’ve also turned to this wonderful company for my larger rug needs. We’re building our house with a large family in mind. Muddy dogs, grassy kids and plenty of entertaining (i.e. red wine and food spills) to come over the next decade. Now that it has come time to invest in a few rugs, I’m having a hard time justifying an overly spendy formal number that will surely not stand the test of time. Lucky for me Dash & Albert has exactly what I want and need. They offer a happy (and I mean truly happy!) selection of wool, cotton, indoor/outdoor and blended rugs in a variety of gorgeous colors and patterns. These rugs truly stand up to traffic, spills and even the occasional wash. I’m having so much fun mixing patterns and utilizing materials where they’re most practical. Softer wool in the living room, indoor/outdoor in high traffic areas and woven cotton under the dinging room table. Throw in a couple of fabulous pillows like this gem and #deppahaven is becoming one bright happy place!

So tell me, how do you add color to your home?

From Top Left, Clockwise: Eye Will / Voir / Eye Do / See / Love

Holiday gift guides are just starting to pop up  (gulp!) meaning the time for present shopping is near! Anyone who follows Brass Tacks knows this is my favorite time of year. While I scour the globe for my favorite finds I always give special extra attention to products that fall into one of two categories. Those that are made locally (Hello MN!) and those that benefit a greater cause. To kick off the 2014 giving season I couldn’t be more excited to highlight an amazing product that falls into the latter. Meet Eye Will Artistry! Eye Will Artistry is the brain child of my talented and charitable mom, Jeanne Aufmuth. At first glance you’ll find an eclectic assortment of bright and colorful pillows. But these aren’t just any pillows….they’re pillows with a purpose. Since her thirties, my mom has lived with a unique eye disorder called Retinitis Pigmentosa. RP is a degenerative retinal disease that slowly eats away at your vision, resulting in peripheral vision loss and ultimately, complete blindness. While most people afflicted with this disorder would wallow in the frustrating effects, my mom as admirably tackled the obstacles she’s faced with a mixture of hope, grace and good humor. Now, she is combining her passion for art with her passion for helping others by raising awareness (and dollars) for those dealing with loss of sight. Eye Will offers a limited edition of her pillow art with all proceeds benefitting RP research. These pillows won’t last long…so take a look and consider gifting with a purpose this year!

Clockwise from top left: Cedar & Moss Alto Sconce / Emily Ley Memory Box / Rifle Paper Peonies Yellow Wallpaper / Amber Interiors Fiona Pillow / Anchor Marquee Light / Bouvardia Crewelwork Rug / Schoolhouse Electric Jack Chair / Gray Malin Summertime Swimmers

With redecorating on the brain, I’m all about fun bright accents this summer (and always). How fab is Gray Malin’s new Aqua Glam series? I love just about every piece but can’t stop thinking about this, this and this. I’ve begun my hunt for the perfect fun powder room wall paper and am smitten with Rifle Paper’s new line. This beauty is sure to bring happiness to a home throughout the year. Bright florals will also be likely found in a rug or pillow in my house in the near future. Since I’m clearly going pattern crazy why not add a touch of gingham?This chair is so fab and only rivaled by the image of myself reading the paper and sipping a latte on this bench…heaven! While I’ve yet to dive into the wonderful word of lighting (I’m already frightened by the number of lighting decisions I’m going to need to make) I’m leaning towards gold and brass accents and this beauty may need to make an appearance. Of course I’ll also need some serious organization tools to keep things looking tidy. How preppy and fun are Emily Ley’s memory boxes? Lastly, what is a lake home without an anchor…to mix things up I’ll gladly opt for this funky marquee version.

What decor is catching your attention this summer? Do tell!

Happy 1st Birthday to Brass Tacks! What a wonderful year it’s been. While this is naturally the time of year to reflect back on 2013 (and personally it was a great one), it’s also a time for me to celebrate the success of one year in business!

To say I’ve learned a lot in this past year is an understatement. Starting your own business takes focus, patience, passion and the strength to weather the ups and downs. With that comes immense rewards. The thrilling feeling of your very first client, the “pinch me” moments while working on incredible projects and the awe as the community begins to recognize your name. With clients from California to Chicago (and many places in-between) to projects that span the planning of luxury dream vacations to the nitty gritty of daily errands (and many unique requests in-between)- this year has brought many rewarding challenges, wonderful new friendships and a drive to continue to grow and enhance Brass Tacks.

While we’re only one week into the start of a New Year, there are already some exciting new changes on the horizon for Brass Tacks. The first is a new and improved website! I couldn’t be more excited for this project and can’t wait to share the finished product with you in the coming months. It will include fresh imagery, easy navigation and a cleaner and more contemporary aesthetic. In addition, there will be a new and improved blog which will allow me to offer more regular (and pretty) blog content! I have so many ideas for this space, I can’t wait to start sharing consistent and relevant content with my lovely followers.

From a service perspective, I continue to offer a wide array of services from travel itinerary planning to organization and errand assistance to specific one-off requests. 2013 proved that everyone has their own definition of what they can’t make time for. Because of this I continue to cater to a variety of needs and enhance my offerings based on your important feedback. 2013 also proved that everyone needs a little help during the holidays- from wrapping to shopping to planning for out of town trips- Brass Tacks kept busy! While my holiday offering will continue in 2014, expect to see some fun new offers and a wider array of Holiday Gift Guides!

Reflecting back on 2013 has left me feeling grateful. Grateful for my growing business, my wonderful clients and the ability to do something I truly enjoy. My goal is always to bring simplicity to your busy lives and I am excited to continue to do so in 2014.

So…thank you for your support this past year and cheers to the start of an extraordinary second year!

xo Perris

Cheers to a wonderful day spent with those you love!

If you’re struggling to find time for the gym or have a hard time committing to a regular workout schedule due to a busy job, constant travel or regularly running after your tots- we have your solution.

YogaTailor.com is instant gratification yoga- where you want it, when you need it. Customize your workouts to your lifestyle. Do you have back pain? Did you just give birth? Do you have 5 minutes before jetting off to your next appointment? Yoga Tailer creates and streams personalized video’s based on your skill level and lifestyle needs that you can follow along with from anywhere you choose.

Best of all, the site knows that the same workout day after day can get monotonous. Not only can you adjust your difficulty and time levels but the site ensures variety by providing a different workout each time you log in and adapts as you learn and make progress. With real life instructors!

Something this fabulous and easy isn’t always free but at least the first two weeks are! Try it out for a few weeks and if you’re hooked you can buy a monthly subscription for only $7.99 a month. I don’t know about you but that seems way more worth it than a gym membership you’ll never have the time to use.

Namaste and enjoy!

Valentine’s day is quickly approaching and is the perfect opportunity to show the ones you love how much they mean to you. If you’re buckling under the pressure to plan a special evening, follow these simple steps to ensure a romantic Valentine’s Day.

1. Be Creative- Every girl loves the standard roses and chocolates but there is a lot to be said for a more personalized gesture.
2. Plan Ahead- Valentine’s day is extremely busy for most restaurants, hotels and concert venues so plan make reservations and arrangements as far ahead as possible (book now!).
3. Play up the element of surprise– Make sure your date knows your planning something but let the rest be a surprise- flowers at work, a weekend away, you name it.
4. Have a gift– A Valentine’s Day gift doesn’t need to be expensive or huge. A heartfelt card and breakfast in bed will please almost anyone.
5. Arrange for transportation- Rather than calling a cab, arrange for a limo or town car to make the night feel extra special. It’s not as expensive as you may think.

Don’t forget to check out these great local vendors for all of your Valentine’s Day needs:

• Room No. 3– For amazing lingerie and fabulously comfy loungewear (for your lucky lady or to treat yourself), stop by this divine Edina boutique.
• Uber– Wanting to book a town car without the extra cost? Download the Uber app and have a town car at your door within 15 minutes for nearly the same rate as a cab.
• Paperista– Stop by this paper haven at 50th and France to pick up the perfect card and small little something.
• Chez Bloom– Delivering to the twin cities and surrounding suburbs, Chez Bloom creates unique and affordable floral designs.
• Sweet Retreat– Surprise your date with scrumptious cupcakes from this delicious 50th and France cupcake boutique.

If planning still seems a bit overwhelming, contact Brass Tacks to make all of your arrangements for you. We’ll find you a dinner reservation, arrange for transportation, order your flowers and even shop for your gifts and wrap them to Valentine’s Day perfection.

It is chilly in Minnesota and by chilly I mean temperatures below zero. Yes, it’s that time of year when most people are thinking up a way to leave the state for vacation or perhaps for a few months of sunshine at a second home. While planning an extended time away can be fabulous, the pesky Minnesota winter requires you to take some necessary precautions for your home. If you’re away when the mercury dips well below zero make sure you protect your pipes:

• A trickle of hot and cold water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Have Brass Tacks check on your home weekly and run your faucets.
• Keep your thermostat set at the same temperature during both day and night. Have Brass Tacks check your home regularly to ensure it is warm enough to prevent freezing.