Giveaway Alerts - Doll Diaries!

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Doll Diaries is sponsoring two FABULOUS giveaways!

Today, August 22 is the last day to enter to win A Girl for All Time, Amelia, and her book! So go to Doll Diaries to check out the details and enter (if you haven't already). Amelia is gorgeous! Some research is required. So head over A Girl for All Time to read about Amelia and the Victorian Era. What did you find was most interesting? [No copying comments from the person before you - that voids your entry.] Can you guess what our most interesting fact is? (No fair if you look at our comment at Doll Diaries.)

Monday, August 25 is the last day to enter the A Year of American Girl Wardrobe giveaway. You have one guaranteed entry, then for more...this giveaway includes a blog hop where you get additional entries by following the blogs of the other sponsors. Check Doll Diaries for all the details.

Best wishes to all who enter!


#dolldiariesgiveaways

Mini Adventure #9

A Fun Find

Felicity, Rebecca

What's in the Box?

Caramelotta, what did you find?

Yip
What is it, Felicity?
Oh, Rebecca, come and help.

Yikes.

(panting, tail wagging) Yip, yip.
The box says her name is Holly.

Would you mind helping me out of here?
Oh, sure. hang on.
That's better.

I'm Felicity and...
I'm Rebecca.
Nice to meet you. I'm Holly.
You have a lovely outfit.
(spinning) Thank you.

Cute shoes. May I try them on.
Sure.
They look cute on you.
Thanks!

Do you like tea?
You bet.

We'll be great friends!

Unboxing

This is Holly in her box. There is no plastic window.

The back has the blurb.

Close up of Holly. She has a lovely face. Pretty green eyes.

Here you can see the bands that hold her in place.

Out of the box.

Her hair will need to be brushed. (But later.) She does have the enlongated neck that many have, but not too bad. Thankfully her legs are the same length.

Who do you think Holly will belong to?

Best wishes,

Goschenhoppen 2014 Part 7

Lanie's Story Concludes

Lanie, Haley, Kaya, Kirsten, Melody, 2 or more, Xyra

The Grand Finale

Potato Candy

This is one of the most popular stops at the festival.

So you did get over to potato candy and try some, right?
You bet! It was awesome!

And you asked about the recipe?
Yes.
Cool!
Spill!
Okay. First, some call this "mashed potato candy" and that isn't quite right. Because you can't make this with leftover mashed potatoes.
Yeah. I remember Xyra tried once and stopped because she didn't want to waste her sugar.
Makes sense.

Start with a potato that has been boiled or roasted and peeled.
In a large bowl, squish the potato until it resembles mashed. Do NOT add milk or water! Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Stir in a little powdered or 10x sugar. Then keep stirring in sugar until the mixture resembles a paste or icing. Then abandon your spoon and add in more powdered sugar until the batter is the consistency of play-dough.

Then you break of some and roll it into small balls.

You need lots and lots of powdered sugar for this.
Wow! Sounds easy and difficult at the same time.

Recap

Ingredients:

• 1 large baked, boiled, or roasted potato - cooled and peeled
• 1 TBSP Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 lb+ Powdered (10x) sugar

Instructions above.


We hope you enjoyed Lanie's Goschenhoppen Folk Festival adventure. Who do you think should go next year? Feel free to comment of ask questions.

Best wishes,



#goaschenhoppenfolkfestival
#goschenhoppenhistorians
#padutchpotatocandy

Goschenhoppen 2014 Part 6

Lanie's Story Continues

Lanie, Haley, Kaya, Kirsten, Melody, 2 or more, Xyra

19th Century Foods

Did you see any 19th century food demonstrations?
Just a couple.
Which ones?
Well, first was sauerkraut.
Yum!
The girl was shredding the cabbage - you can see it in the bowl on the right - and went to get me and another woman samples of the finished product.

Did she say how to make it?
Yes. After the cabbage is shredded it is sprinkled with salt. Then the mixture is put into a crock or jar. They press it down with a wooden spoon and add some water. Then the crock or jar is sealed and let sit for 2 - 3 weeks.
Wow! Two weeks!
So the sample wasn't made at the festival.
I didn't ask, but I would guess it was prepared ahead of time.

Did you like it?
Of course.
How did it taste?
Like the sauerkraut we have at New Years.
Cool!
What else did you see?
Over here they were drying foods for winter storage.
What did they dry?
A lot of things! You can see she is preparing peaches.

Yum!
This is dried corn.

And there are apples in the drier.

Cool!
Why did they dry foods?
Unlike us, they could only get fresh food if it was in season. So they would plant and gather as much as possible. Some would be cooked and served fresh, but the rest was either canned, dried, or pickled for use during the winter when nothing was growing.
That's neat.
Definitely.

Bake Sale

On the way back to the 18th century side of the road, I had to visit the bake sale.
Nice!
What did they have for sale?
These are Shoo Fly Pies. 

Behind me are Funny Cakes and Lemon Sponge. On the side are loaves of white and rye bread.

Sounds lovely.
And you can't see them but across from the bread are the sticky and crumb buns.
Oooo.
All was sold out at the end of the day!
That's good.
Yes it is.

The next post will be the grand finale for this year's Goschenhoppen Folk Festival report. Feel free to leave questions or comments below.

Best wishes,



#goschenhoppenfolkfestival
#goschenhoppenhistorians
#PADutchfoods

Goschenhoppen 2014 Part 5

Lanie's Story Continues

Lanie, Haley, Kaya, Kirsten, Melody, 2 or more, Xyra

Animals

So, did you go visit the animals?
Yes! One of the girls there asked about you.
Cool.
I told her you said, "Hi."
Thank you.
This one didn't come out too well, but I first saw the cow. 
How now, Brown Cow? (giggles)

She was really pretty, but didn't want to be still for a photo.
What did  you learn about the animals?
Ah, well, a lot of people had a cow and maybe a bull. The cattle offered ways to earn money. They'd make butter and cheese from the milk and send it with the market man. The money earned would buy provisions during winter. 
That's neat.
The sheep were sheared. Their wool was made into thread and yarn.
Sewing.
Knitting.
Weaving into fabric for clothes or blankets.

Yes, all of those. The wool could be used for the family or sold.
Nice.
Those sheep look like they are talking to each other.
I wonder what they are saying?
Probably, "Who is that trying to get into our house?"
Or "I hope she doesn't steal our fleece."
(giggling)
Geese and chickens and ducks and other fowl would lay eggs. The eggs could be sold for extra money.

Geese look very important.

Honk!
(laughing)

Leather

The animals are on the 19th century side of the Folk Festival grounds. There are lots of interesting demonstrations there.
Like what?
The wheelwright is there and threshing and cigar rolling and broom making.
Any pictures?
No, had to leave something for next year.
(laughing)
Actually, there were a lot of people around those demonstrations already and I didn't want to interrupt.
Good idea.
But I did get pictures at the leather worker.

Wow! Cool! Look at all the neat goodies!
Almost everything was for sale too! I hope they sold out.

Are those mugs?
Yes, they are stitched together and the seams sealed with birch pitch.
I love the pouches.
And the books. Cool!

Come back again to hear more of Lanie's adventure at the 48th Annual Goschenhoppen Folk Festival. Feel free to leave comments and questions.

Best wishes,



#goschenhoppenfolkfestival
#goschenhoppenhistorians