Holly Recommends...

Book Giveaway! Win a free copy of my novel Coached!

hollyrecommends — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:42:05 +0000

I am giving away a paperback copy of my novel Coached!

Coached by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Coached, called “Fizzy and fun” by best selling author Jacquelyn Mitchard, is the story of twenty-five year old Rowen Walverstein’s quest for self-improvement. From her frumpy wardrobe and dead end job to her boring social life, Rowen’s twenties are turning out to be quite the letdown. When her boyfriend Sherman abruptly moves away, Rowen begins to wonder if there is any hope of happiness in her future. As luck (or destiny?) would have it, Rowen sees an advertisement in her local newspaper for some tough love life-coaching by the sophisticated and stylish Ms. Crystal Class. It could prove to be exactly what Rowen needs to get out of her rut.

Coached is also available as a NOOK Book from Barnes and Noble for just $3.99.

To enter the contest, comment on this post, sharing your feelings (good or bad) about the quest for self-improvement.

A winner will be announced at the end of March.

Crocheted Blanket Update!

hollyrecommends — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 02:25:01 +0000

My crocheted blanket is coming along great! Here are some photos of its progress:

When the blanket was only a spark in my imagination

Fancy yarn for a fancy blanket

A little progress...

Where I am at with my blanket now. This photo and the three above it by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Rustic Modern Design

hollyrecommends — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:23:49 +0000

What is rustic modern design? Well, now that it has a name, people will probably stop liking it. But I love it! It’s a pared down mix of old and new. Recycled wood flooring and natural elements. Long lasting construction materials that get better with age: Brick and stone in place of vinyl siding. Bronze railings in place of plastic. Humble yet sophisticated. Less clutter, less fuss, and a blending of indoors with the natural world outside. It’s a clarity that brightens cabins and takes the cutesiness out of cottages while keeping their magic and character.

Rustic Modern design incorporates antiques and cherished flea market finds along with new, handmade artisan purchases. The less-is-more attitude encourages mixing and matching a few favorite pieces of furniture and homewares instead of trying to be perfectly decorated and matched. It may sound a little pretentious, but the longevity and greenness of it is really very down to earth.

Photo courtesy of www.blog.rustic-lighting.com

Photo courtesy of www.bolt.farmhousemodern.com

This photo and the two above it courtesy of www.todayyouinspiredme.blogspot.com

This photo and the photo above it courtesy of www.fopple.com/modern-eco-friendly-old-house-remodeling

Photo courtesy of www.farmhousemodern.com

The Secret to Crocheting Quickly. It’s actually kind of obvious.

hollyrecommends — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:08:49 +0000

I am approximately twenty percent done with a blanket I have been crocheting since 2010. As you can imagine, I am really losing my motivation. A few days ago, while visiting my favorite place in all the world, the Anthropologie sale room, I ventured out into the non-salefloor and was admiring some of their $200 crocheted blankets. I was thinking “I love these. I want these. These are reasonably priced, considering they take a decade to make.” I promptly decided I was done (at least for now) with my life-sentence blanket and I was going to start making a new, better, faster blanket. So tonight after work I went to the craft store and I bought the thickest, chunkiest yarns I could find and the world’s hugest crochet hook. I stayed with a muted pallet of grays, browns, beiges, and creams to make up for the texture overload. Here are my fabulous yarns, which were almost all on sale (extra exciting):

Photo by Holly Tierney-Bedord

Photo by Holly Tierney-Bedord

The bulkiness of the yarns and the oversized crochet hook are making it easy to fly along. I already have several rows done of what is going to be a large throw for the living room. The bulky yarns and large hook are giving my blanket the rustic, casual look I wanted. Any small mistakes are hidden, which is a big relief. There is nothing more annoying when you’re crocheting than realizing that waaaay back you made a mistake.

The size and lightness of the hook makes it really comfortable to work with. Just as writing with a pencil for a couple of hours can get irritating, so goes it with a small metal hook. After working my way through The Bachelor (Ben was CRAZY to get rid of Kasey, by the way) I have not a whisper of carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, or sloping shoulder and am ready to work on it some more.

Pictures of my progress coming soon!

Incredible tiny houses

hollyrecommends — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 22:02:23 +0000

Reblogged from :

I am completely amazed and fascinated by these homes. A very simple concept, yet one that would be hard to adjust to (especially for a person such as myself who fantasizes about having a closet the size of one of these little guys). But in all seriousness, this is brilliant! Not only are they cheap, they are also mobile. I love seeing all the clever and inventive ways that things are stored. A smart and under-rated idea that a lot of people could totaly make work -not to say that it wouldn’t be a major …

These amazing tiny houses are from Canadian artist Megan Dyck’s blog ‘Trappings: An Archive of Artistic Inspiration.’

Handmade soaps by Charlene Simon of Bathhouse Soapery in Hot Springs, AR

hollyrecommends — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:11:24 +0000

From Charlene’s Etsy site: “Bathhouse Soapery is a handmade bath & body company, making everything in our quaint boutique on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs, AR. Our specialty is handmade soap but you’ll find complimenting essentials for your entire body.”

I want to try everything!

Photo courtesy of Charlene Simon's Etsy shop Bathhouse Soapery

Photo courtesy of Charlene Simon's Etsy shop Bathhouse Soapery

Photo courtesy of Charlene Simon's Etsy shop Bathhouse Soapery

Photo courtesy of Charlene Simon's Etsy shop Bathhouse Soapery

Campomaggi Leathergoods

hollyrecommends — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:27:14 +0000

As a vegetarian and animal lover, I have a love-hate relationship with leather. Prior to visiting the markets in Florence many years ago, it was more of a hate relationship. After that, I was doomed to forever adore a great leather bag, belt, or pair of shoes. I especially love brown leather, and the way it seems to personalize itself to its owner. A great brown leather bag could accompany someone on adventures throughout their whole life, just getting better with age. For the best selection of men’s and women’s bags, wallets, belts, and more, visit the Campomaggi website: www.campomaggi.it

Photo courtesy of www.campomaggi.it

Anthropologie Tabletop Design Tool

hollyrecommends — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:33:35 +0000

How amazing is this? The Anthropologie Tabletop Design Tool allows you to mix and match plates, bowls, and silverware with different backgrounds, to create your ideal table setting. Click the link below to try it yourself:

Anthropologie Tabletop Design Tool

Photo courtesy of www.anthropologie.com

Pretty Wallpaper

hollyrecommends — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:15:59 +0000

There are so many great wallpaper patterns to choose from. My favorite rooms to be wallpapered are smaller rooms and spaces like nurseries, foyers, and powder rooms (not bathrooms, since the steam does not agree with wallpaper). Here are some beautiful choices:

Photo courtesy of www.frankie.com.au

Photo courtesy of www.anthropologie.com

Photo courtesy of www.anthropologie.com

Photo courtesy of www.anthropologie.com

Photo courtesy of www.thisnext.com

More and More Miniatures… Cute, weird, ridiculous!

hollyrecommends — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:29:18 +0000

If you have always loved dollhouses like I have, you will appreciate these miniatures, all available on etsy. As you can see, there is as much variety out there to choose from in the world of miniatures as there is in decorating your own house or self. My featured item is this shadow box bathroom. Be sure to click on it for the inspirational story from artist Elephant Joe of San Diego:

This is truly a work of art. Photo courtesy of Elephant Joe's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Margie Kocina's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

This photo and the three above it courtesy of Hea Kyung Lee's shop Dollhouse Ara on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Nuthatch Cache's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

This photo and the photo above it courtesy of Kiva Ford's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Ana Novo's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of SisterRose's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Val Harper's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Witchescottage's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Dorothy Smith's etsy shop: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Kaleidoskopic Romance's shop on Etsy: www.etsy.com

Photo courtesy of Altered Art Supplies on Etsy: www.etsy.com