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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Dollhouse Rehab, Stage 3

With the dollhouse new construction finished, it was time to gut and strip down the rest. The wallpaper that we used when I was a kid has stood the test of time, and was securely attached to every wall. So I got out the sand paper and started to scrub. 




The place looked quite like a full-size house renovation, and acted like one too, with unexpected problems arising when you least expect it. I sanded and stripped as much as I could, but when I set the first coat of primer on the walls, the remaining paper puckered and swelled with the dampness. I was able to peel off most of the old paper, and finally able to put on a full coat of primer throughout the house. 

Then came time for flooring and walls. Sometimes a blank canvas can be overwhelming and after some Internet searching, it took me a trip around Lowe's looking at free flooring samples, digging through my mom's fabric stash, and buying a booklet of crafting paper to find the right style for each room.

The greenhouse was the easiest. A simple canvas-type covering for the floor and cream walls. The plants will be the main event here. 


The kitchen/dining room will be light and bright with polka dot linoleum and bright white walls. 

The two-story library has a soft, dark carpet and gold walls to create a cozy, reader-friendly atmosphere. 


The living room has a hardwood floor and amazing bird wallpaper. This room is my absolute favorite so far!


The bathroom will cheer everyone each day with pink tile and vibrant yellow walls.


And finally, the attic bedroom has teal and brown walls, with a stylish and subtle linoleum to keep the upstairs cool in these hot New York summers. 


It's inspiring how different this house looks now, and how much fun I'm having in every step of the process!

Comments

Andrea said…
I love it! The polka dot kitchen floor and bird wallpaper are my favorite!
December 17, 2020 at 1:01 PM
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