The End

I recently published my first edited book,  Labor of Love: A Literary Mama Staff Anthology ,  with  Small Harbor Publishing . It's an anthology of writing from  Literary Mama  staff over the past 20 years. It's a beautiful collection and I am proud of the writers and proud to share the book.  It seems a fitting moment, as I pondered sharing about the book here on the blog, to reflect on my life as a blogger, and acknowledge that it is time to officially end this blog.   I started blogging in about 2007, when my baby was learning to toddle, when I was learning how to be a mother and stepmother, when I was just starting to see my way as a writer. I needed it back then. I craved it. I had a variety of blog iterations--family, art, creativity, writing things I delved into. There's a freedom in blogging, a casualness, an easy familiarity that's lacking (for me anyway) in other kinds of writing. I loved blogging and the words came pouring out.  Over the years since then, some
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Childhood Dollhouse- The Finale

It all started with a book and a Facebook post from a friend. Now, several months later, my first dollhouse is complete. 



It turns out I love miniatures. I love building mini houses, decorating them, and filling them them with mini things. I learned some new skills, including how to use a Dremel. I stocked up on glue and paint and random bits of plastic from the ReUse store. 


Though I made so many things from balsa wood and scrap items, I did discover the joy of Etsy. And OMG so many people selling minis. Now I even have a favorite Etsy shop, which includes a mini thrift store!


I loved imagining the story of the person who lives here. It gave the house purpose and life. It gave me something to work toward.


Working on the house has been a great escape from the pandemic, winter, politics (both local and national), writing and publishing. It's given me something to put my energy into that is unmarred and unfettered by the real world: it is pure creation, pure fun. 


Along the way, I realized there is a whole big world of minis that I knew nothing about. So, I began to explore. I joined Instagram to follow the million miniaturists sharing their work (no clue how to use Insta, btw). 

I found the Greenleaf dollhouse company in upstate NY, which offers a wide range of dollhouses to buy and build yourself. Greenleaf hosts an amazing Forum for miniaturists that contains 20 years worth of conversations about dollhouses and everything related. I joined up and have been asking questions and learning. 


I also discovered Facebook Marketplace. Did you know there are about a billion dollhouses and dollhouse-related items for sale on any given day? 


I also remembered Pinterest. And wouldn't you know it, a trillion people use that platform to post and save dollhouse pictures. Now I'm one of them. 


There are a few more things to work on in this house: a lamp for the bedroom, and globe for the library, a ridge cap for the roof. But all in all, I have marked this house as complete, as I look forward to spring. 



My dollhouse story isn't over. I've been scouring the interwebs for my next project(s), and I've found (more than) a few. I'm ready to take on a full house. One with stairs and windows. One with someone else's lapsed childhood dreams lurking in the shadows, ready to see sunlight again. This house, full of verve and love from my childhood and brought into today, is just the beginning. 

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