An Interview with Holly from 504 Main!

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Our guest the week is from California, USA

Today, our guest star is Holly from 504Main.  Holly is another one of those sunkissed Californians. My buddy Tom Selleck and his mustache have already gone through his closet and picked out two of his favorite Hawaiian shirts and is currently holding them up in front of the mirror trying to decide which one to wear.

He heard that Holly is a TV buff and he’s dying to know what she thought of Magnum P.I. I told him that most likely she’s too young to even know what Magnum P.I. was.

He’s currently not speaking to me.

Which is fine, because Lindsey Lohan is here today in my Green Room due to an overflow in the Tonight Show’s Green Room.  And unless you have been under a rock for the past couple of years, you are probably familiar with Lindsey’s escapades. Unfortunately, I did not know she was coming and left out my library of National Enquirers. (Which are quite valuable, mind you. Dated all the way back to June of 1979).

Try not to be too envious.

And as luck would have it, she is on almost all the covers for last year. So, she has been going through them one by one and fussing at me about the lies and why do I read this? And don’t I have something better to do? And why don’t I get a life?

And I don’t really mind because, well, how often does Lindsey Lohan show up in the Green Room? It might be years before she gets released again from whatever jail/rehab/place of ill repute. So I smile sweetly and pass her the plate of sushi (made in Holly’s honor because she is from California and isn’t that what they eat?).

So let’s take a few moments and spend some time with Holly.

Suzy: Tell me a little about yourself, your family, your other hobbies…
Holly: In a life a long, long time ago, I was a fashion designer. Then, all my girlfriends started getting married and the wedding bug totally bit me…so now I am a former-ish wedding planner {for the moment, I write about weddings more than plan them}. I am always diving into new things – lots of eye rolls from the hubby and the same question…”How much is this going to cost me?” One day someone asked if I could write a book…I said “Sure,” and since then I have become an accidental author of several wedding related books…and one fashion book. I actually love writing – never would have imagined that at all!

Holly: My biggest job is to be a mom to two of the cutest, most precocious little turkeys around, Joe, and Jules …I am married too, but hubby does not ever want to see a photo of himself on the blog and no stories about him. I comply because he doesn’t ask for much really. I used to hate cooking, but now I enjoy it…well, I really love to bake. Of course I craft (and make a mess), and I write. I do love being outdoors playing with the kids and keep thinking I will join an adult volleyball league or something.

Suzy: When and why did you start blogging, and where would you like your blogging to lead?
Holly: When I was asked to write The Everything Wedding Etiquette Book with my new agent, she told me to “get a blog.” I did and I sat on it for over a year. I totally did not understand this world of blogging and quite frankly thought it was stupid. Then In late 2009, I finally decided to begin…I took the plunge and it has been fast forward ever since.

Holly: I do not expect to dethrone Martha, but I would love to write more books and continue on with my blog. I am not concerned about making money from my blog. I view it as an avenue to other endeavors (maybe I am stupid, maybe I am naive, but that is where I am going with it).

That said, I never say never…I also never thought I would be a writer…it was a fluke, I went with it and now I have 6+ books published. I hope this blogging will lead to other ventures, but for now, this blog is my place to manage as I see fit.

Holly: I am also hoping the blog helps me gain more confidence as a writer and find my voice…I think because I did not start on that path, and never expected to, there is an evil little voice in my head telling me I am a fraud, and I have to prove it wrong! When it really comes down to managing it all…I have to remember that I blog for myself. I have had ranking widgets and other similar things on my blog, but I have removed them…when I pay too much attention to those numbers, blogging becomes a chore, and I feel like must blog and it loses is appeal. I try not to get caught up in numbers…I blog because I like it, because I want to.

Suzy: Can you tell us a few things that most folks don’t know about you?
Holly:-While I LOVE reality TV…I adore serial killer shows. My hubby tells everyone if he disappears, to look at me first.

-I was a hockey groupie (I actually have a post in draft about that)…and I almost went to my prom with a Professional hockey player (he was young too – not one of the older guys)…he was traded and it did not work out…so I went to prom and had to ask someone to take me (so sad…)

-With my wedding planning I have been on a few TV shows. I would have loved to pursue an acting career when I was younger, but did not…and am not sure how I feel about that, honestly.

Suzy: Since I’m kinda a crafty blog, I have to ask. Are there any particular crafts that you enjoy the most?

Holly: I enjoy unique projects. I LOVE repurposed crafting and creating. I usually do not do knock offs {I do not even get the pottery barn catalog, nor would I have time to look at it}…I don’t have anything against knock offs, there are just other people already doing a great job at showing us how to knock something off.

I prefer to use unusual materials to create beautiful projects, like my screen wreath, or my biscuit table. The crazier, the more unexpected, the older, the odder, the more beat up something is, the more likely I am to be inspired by it.

Holly: I also like to try new things with expected mediums. I’ll mix paints and finishes together and put it on an unexpected piece and see where it leads. Sometimes is is right, right away and other times I have to walk away for a week (or day) and let the inspiration hit me again.

I LOVE to experiment. It does not always go up on the blog though.

Holly: Not well, actually. I am about 99% sure I have adult ADD…I bounce around from thing to thing….truth is that schedules and I have never gotten along, but when I really enjoy something I make room for it. I stay up very late – I always have – but now I am blogging away…do not be surprised to see a time stamp of 2 am on a post or comment.

Holly: Ultimately it all depends on the day…and the current project. I usually have 2-3 major projects happening…and depending on when all of those deadlines fall, will depend on how much time I have to blog. I have somehow managed to get Tickled Pink up most weeks – that keeps me on schedule! I also seem to instinctually know how much time it takes me to complete a project and I am able to prioritize. Prioritizing is key to managing the craziness.

Suzy: This bloggy community is full of wonderful folks. Can you tell me what blogs inspire you?
Holly: I seriously do not know if I have any I could name…I do love yours (and I am not kissing up). You create some of the most amazing and unique projects. My real life friend Jenn at Rook No. 17 rocks…she has an amazing sense of style and is an inspiration…and she gives me an honest opinion on many projects…and we sometimes collaborate.

I often find the best inspiration in some of the smaller blogs – people just starting. I want to see different things. I am not looking for the same old been-there done that thing…so whoever has that on any particular day (Big or small) I am all over it. I could give you a list, but it would be like 100 blogs long!