Hail thee, festival day!

Hail thee, festival day!

Blest day that art hallowed forever;

day wherein Christ arose,

breaking the kingdom of death.

Inspiring imagination

Momma and I are proud to reveal Momma's contribution for the upcoming Dolls for a Cause auction benefitting Kids Need to Read.  

(Please forgive the quality of the photographs, but Momma was in a terrible rush.)

Founded by Nathan Fillion, Kids Need to Read works to create a culture of reading for children by providing inspiring books to underfunded schools, libraries, and literacy programs across the United States, especially those serving disadvantaged children.

The inspiration for Momma's donation came from one of Momma's favorite books. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published on May 17, 1900, it has been described as the original American fairy tale.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has since been reprinted many times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of the well-known 1939 moving picture.

"Dorothy had only one other dress, but that happened to be clean and was hanging on a peg beside her bed. It was gingham, with checks of white and blue; and although the blue was somewhat faded with many washings, it was still a pretty frock. The girl washed herself carefully, dressed herself in the clean gingham, and tied her pink sunbonnet on her head. She took a little basket and filled it with bread from the cupboard, laying a white cloth over the top. Then she looked down at her feet and noticed how old and worn her shoes were. 

"At that moment Dorothy saw lying on the table the silver shoes that had belonged to the Witch of the East. 

"She took off her old leather shoes and tried on the silver ones, which fitted her as well as if they had been made for her."

Based upon the original book description and illustrations, this auction includes:

• Dorothy's faded blue gingham dress
• white petticoat
• pink sunbonnet
• silver shoes  (purchased)
• mini basket and and a white cloth
• loaf of bread (by Pippaloo)
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz paperback (purchased)
• miniature copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by American Girl
• Susan Winget red poppies storage box (purchased)
• Toto, too!
• buttons and bookmarks from Kids Need to Read

A pair of ruby shoes (purchased) is also included to honor the 75th anniversary of the epic 1939 movie!

Everything will be carefully packed in a collectable red poppy box before being packed inside another box for mailing.

The auction starts on Nov. 9, 2014 and ends Nov. 16, 2014.

Happy bidding!

Hail thee, festival day!

Express Your Peepsonality

What a glorious day.

Momma made the first of our  matching Peeps outfits and Pippaloo's Peeps arrived in the mail!

I'm a bit indignant that Momma made Clementine's first, but she told me not to be greedy.

Harumph.

And then, Pippaloo's gift Peeps arrived with a note saying, "Tell Addie to share!"

Honestly. What kind of Vinyl American do people think I am?

Momma told me not to look a gift Peep in the mouth, but really.

There's only so much a doll can bear.

Hanging with my Peeps

Pippaloo

Momma has gone into Nostalgic Overdrive with the two newest offerings by Pippaloo and Mini Me Dolly Divas.

Peeps!

Ahem.

Mini Me Dolly Divas

Momma has loved Peeps ever since she was a child and her grandfather brought her a box of yellow chick Peeps and a 64-count box of Crayola Crayons.

So she nearly squee-ed today when she saw Dacia's newest T-shirt idea and Teresa's March food offering.

Peeps!

I don't think she will ever recover from this.

Unshriven

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pippaloo

Momma is in mourning today because it's Shrove Tuesday and she has to work, so no church pancake supper tonight for her.

Shrove Tuesday is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. (Shrove Tuesday is a moveable feast which is determined by Easter.)

Pancakes are associated with Shrove Tuesday because they were a way to use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar. The liturgical fasting of the 40 days of Lent emphasizes eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: in many cultures, this means no meat, dairy products, or eggs.

The word shrove is the past tense of the English verb shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of Confession and doing penance. Thus Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the custom for Christians to be "shriven" before the start of Lent. 

Shrove Tuesday is also the last day of "shrovetide," such as Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and the Carnival tradition that developed in Latin Europe and Latin America.

Are you going to Renaissance Fair?

I am whipped - and I don't mean by the Whipmaster Adam Whip.

I want one of these parasols but they won't give me one without a subscription - even though we've had one for 39 years!

I love all the colors at the Renaissance Festival!

We have been buying perfumes and incense from The Perfumed Dragon for at least 20 years!

Yummm, chocolate samples from The Chocolate Maker!

They're correct, these Sky Chairs really do fit about everyone!

Ooh, I found one of the Wee Folk!

One of the things I love about the Ren Fest is all the sellers of snoods.

I love this booth! He has brass keychains just for Me! Decisions, decisions....

I love these tiny Under the Mango Tree journals.

My Steampunkin and I visit Isher Creations and his mummified fairies.

Resting under my Big Sister's VERY stout parasol while watching Adam Crack perform.

I make a friend with a one-eyed armored Dragon Pet.

Visiting Madison at the Storybook Castle.

At last! My very own catapult from Siege the Day!

This guy at the Queen's Kitchen didn't want to give me (Me!) a Turkey Leg! Ooh, Pippaloo....

To be continued!

Gobble Tov!

Happy Thanksgivukkah! 

Thanksgivukkah is a holiday name given to the convergence of the American holiday of Thanksgiving and the first day of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013.

Pippaloo

It is a result of a rare coincidence between the Hebrew calendar and the Gregorian calendar. Because the calendars are not calculated the same way, Chanukah appears at a different time each year on the Gregorian calendar.

Thanksgiving Day has fallen during Hanukkah at least twice between 1863 (when Thanksgiving was proclaimed a U.S. federal holiday by President Abraham Lincoln) and 2013.

In 1888 Thanksgiving was the first day of Hanukkah, and in 1899 it was the fourth day. Thanksgiving occurred later in 1888 and 1899 than is possible under current U.S. law: as a result of changes between 1939 and 1941, Thanksgiving is always held on the fourth Thursday in November.

The last time Hanukkah overlapped with the fourth Thursday of November was in 1861, before Thanksgiving existed. As a result of this confusion, some media reports have mistakenly claimed that Thanksgivukkah had never occurred prior to 2013.

The next Thanksgivukkah? The year 77,094.

Cupcake cutie pie

Pippaloo

Ooh, my aching sweet tooth.

My Big Sister wanted a cupcake cake for Sunday's birthday party, and cupcakes for her class today.

The first mention of the cupcake can be traced as far back as 1796, when a recipe notation of "a cake to be baked in small cups" was written in American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. 

The earliest documentation of the term cupcake was in "Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats" in 1828 in Eliza Leslie's Receipts cookbook.

Nowadays, some bakers arrange cupcakes in a pattern and frost them to create a large design, such as a rainbow. These can be called either cupcake cakes or cupcake pull-aparts. (My Big Sister likes these since she only likes the icing and she gets more this way.)

I am stuffed.

The devil's food cake made me do it

Pippaloo

Did you know today, May 19, is National Devil's Food Cake Day?

It is!

Do you also remember last month how Pippaloo asked if angel food cake was my favorite and I said that devil's food cake was?

Devil's Food cake is a moist, airy, rich chocolate layer cake considered to be a counterpart to Angel Food cake. 

Devil's food cake has a unique light and moist texture, which sets it apart from other chocolate cakes. The recipe calls for quite a bit of baking soda, and boiling water instead of milk. Both of these ingredients contribute to the fluffiness of this confection. 

Just in time for my Big Sister's birthday tomorrow!

Let's do the twist

Pippaloo

Happy National Pretzel Day!

(I almost forgot, but a post at Doll Diaries reminded me.)

Most accounts agree that pretzels have Christian backgrounds and were invented by monks, with references dating back to 610 A.D. 

German and Swiss German immigrants (who became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch) introduced the pretzel to North America in the 19th century.

Soft pretzels became extremely popular in other regions of the United States in the 20th century, and cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York became renowned for their soft pretzels.

They particularly became iconic with Philadelphia and was established as a cuisine of Philadelphia for snacking at school, work, or home, and considered by most to be a quick meal.

The average Philadelphian today consumes about 12 times as many pretzels as the national average - and the average American consumes about 1.5 pounds of pretzels per year!

In fact, Philadelphia opened a soft pretzel museum in 1993, and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared April 26, 2003 National Pretzel Day to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state's history and economy.

Yikes! As a proud Philadelphian, I better order more pretzels from Pippaloo!

Good enough to eat

Pippaloo

Momma asked my favorite food stylist, Pippaloo, if she could make me some Hot Cross Buns and Angel Food cake.

Pippaloo just sent Momma this photo of the Hot Cross Buns. Aren't they scrumptious?!

(Talk about a Pavlovian reaction!)

Pippaloo's going to attempt the Angel Food cake next, but is uncertain if she can capture its light, airy texture.

Angel Food cake is a type of North American sponge cake that first became popular in the United States in the late 19th Century. Its airy lightness was said to be the "food of the angels."

Pippaloo asked Momma if Angel Food cake is my favorite.

Silly Pippaloo. Devil's Food cake is my favorite!

(Devil's Food cake is a moist, airy, rich chocolate layer cake considered to be a counterpart to Angel Food cake.)

Mwa ha ha!

 

The Best Blogger Award

Aww, my dear friend Reese over at Reese's Pieces of Life just nominated me for The Best Blogger Award.

As I told her, I am (deservedly) humbled and grateful. 

For the first part of the award, I shall answer these five questions:

1. What is your favorite post that you've ever created? So many to choose from (729!), but I think my all-time favorite is Bring Out Yer Dead.
2. What is your favorite photostory that you have ever taken part in? Hmm, again so many choices but I think it was my series of adventures with Sam, Ruth, Josefina Ester at the St. Louis World Fair. Or (finally!) meeting Super Inky! It showed me how much I like to share my adventures with other dolls.
3. Why do you blog? I guess it's in my blood stuffing. Momma's family has been writers, printers, and journalists since at least 1883.
4. How many followers do you have? Not enough (of course) but I know of 57, and counting....
5. Do you like being nominated for awards? Who doesn't?!

I now get to nominate five other blogs which haven't been nominated yet - darn it! So I, Steampunk Addie, hereby nominate:

1. Just for Fun: Momma's friend Jenn can crochet anything and have fun doing it.
2. Pippaloo: I hope she hasn't been nominated yet because Teresa provides the tastiest doll food, ever! 
3. Angry Words from Angry Jess: Who doesn't like a doll with an attitude?
4. Doll Diaries: The latest scoop on anything doll related, and Char likes me.
5. Dolls Behaving Badly: Charlie's dolls aren't as badly behaved as she thinks, but there's always room for improvement. 

I shall now ceremoniously add My latest Major Award to my cyber awards shelf.

 

It's Girl Scout cookie time

Pippaloo

Say kids, what time is it?

 

It's time for Silly Songs with Addie!

 

(Sung to the tune of Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay.)

 

It's Girl Scout cookie time!
It's Girl Scout cookie time!
Thin Mints and Do-Si-Dos™
Say howdy-do to you.
Let's give a rousing cheer,
Cause Tagalongs® are here,
It's time to start to eat,
So kids let's go!

No disrespect meant to Howdy Doody, Girl Scouts, Samoas®, Trefoils, or Lemon Chalet Cremes™.

 

 

A day of Thanksgiving and Praise

turkey by Pippaloo

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Piece of cake

chocolate cake by Pippaloo

Momma was sorting her recipe file box this morning (which my Big Sister dumped out several years ago) and came across this chocolate cake recipe she says is "an old family recipe from the Civil War."

Silly Momma. Doesn't she know that the Civil War is going on right now?

What she says is unusual about the recipe is the use of vinegar and baking soda to create a leavening agent, a substance used in doughs and batters that causes a foaming action which lightens and softens the finished product.

Early chemical leavening was accomplished by activating baking soda in the presence of liquid(s) and an acid such as sour milk, vinegar, lemon juice, or cream of tartar. These acidulants all react with baking soda quickly, meaning that retention of gas bubbles was dependent on batter viscosity and that it was critical for the batter to be baked before the gas escaped.

The development of baking powder created a system where the gas-producing reactions could be delayed until needed. Baking powder works by releasing carbon dioxide gas into a batter or dough through an acid-base reaction, causing bubbles in the wet mixture to expand and thus leavening the mixture.

While various baking powders (sold in separate packets) were sold in the first half of the 19th century, your modern varieties were discovered in 1843 by Alfred Bird.

Joseph and Cornelius Hoagland developed a baking powder after the American Civil War that became known as Royal Baking Powder. The small company eventually moved to New York in the 1890s and became the largest manufacturer of baking powder.

Eben Norton Horsford began his studies on baking powder in 1856 and by 1869 Horsford began the manufacture of a baking powder he named in honor of Count Rumford.

(Rumford Baking Powder was designated an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark in 2006 in recognition of its significance for making baking "easier, quicker, and more reliable.")

Enough science. Here's the recipe for Momma's prize-winning chocolate cake.

Momma's Civil War Cake

• ½ C. shortening 
• 1½ C. sugar 
• 1 C. sour milk 
• 2 C. sifted flour 
• 2 squares baking chocolate (or 4 T. unsweetened cocoa mixed into a paste with water) 
• ½ t. salt 
• 1 t. vanilla 
• 1 T. vinegar 
• 1 t. baking soda 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream shortening, add sugar, mix. Add one egg, unbeaten, then the other. Beat two minutes. Sift salt and flour together, add alternately with sour milk, then melted chocolate or cocoa paste; last add baking soda dissolved in vinegar (kids love this part!), mix well. Put mixture in a greased or wax-paper lined 9"x13" pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Let it cool, frost, and serve!

(Doesn't "Baking soda and vinegar!" make a magnificent expletive?!) And it's very descriptive, too.

Uneeda chocolate sandwich cookie?

Chocolate sandwich cookie by Pippaloo

Happy 100th birthday Oreo cookies!

The Oreo cookie was developed and produced by Nabisco (originally known as the National Biscuit Company) in March 1912. They sold in the United States for 25 cents a pound in novelty cans with clear glass tops.

The Oreo was originally called the Oreo Biscuit. ("Biscuit" is a British and early American term for cracker products.) The name was later changed to the Oreo Sandwich in 1921. In 1948, the name was changed again to the Oreo Creme Sandwich, and finally became the Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookie in 1974.

Incidentally, Nabisco's 1,800,000-square-foot production facility is the largest bakery in the world.

It's cookie time!

Have you supported your local Girl Scouts yet?

cookies by Pippaloo

The first Girl Scout cookie sales was by the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma in December 1917. In 1922, the Girl Scout magazine The American Girl suggested cookie sales as a fund-raiser and provided recipes. In 1933, Girl Scouts in Philadelphia organized the first official sale, selling homemade cookies at the windows of local utility companies.

The first Girl Scout cookie recipe was a sugar cookie. In 1936 the national organization began licensing commercial bakers to produce cookies.

According to my good friend Molly McIntire, Girl Scouts sold calendars during World War II in addition to cookies, because of shortages of flour, sugar, and butter. Customers were limited to two boxes during some war years. By 1943 Girl Scouts also collected fat in cans with Girl Scout labels to aid the war effort and sold War Bonds at no profit.

Girls who participate can earn prizes for their efforts. There are also unit incentives if the unit as a whole does well. As of 2007, sales were estimated at about 200 million boxes per year.

That's a lot of cookie dough.

Cookies will be on sale in Arizona through March 11.

Let the good times roll

Have you eaten your pancakes tonight? Ma chère amie Cécile and I have! 

pancakes by Pippaloo

Mardi Gras (also known as Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday, and Fat Tuesday) is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Since Mardi Gras is linked to Easter, its date changes yearly.

In most traditions the day is known for the eating of pancakes before the start of Lent. Pancakes are eaten as they are made out of sugar, fat, flour and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the ritual fasting associated with Lent.

Mardi Gras was first celebrated in Louisiana on March 3, 1699 by early French settlers.

In New Orleans it is a season of parades, balls (some of them masquerade balls), and king cake parties. It has traditionally been part of the winter social season; at one time "coming out" parties for young women at débutante balls were timed for this season.

Mardi Gras has expanded to the point that it became strongly associated with New Orleans in popular perception, and Mardi Gras celebrations are part of the basis of the slogan, Laissez les bons temps rouler, (Let the good times roll) and the nickname "The Big Easy."

Steaming up the kitchen

Winner: http://www.thecakemamas.com

Momma and I got to see an exciting episode of the Food Network's Cupcake Wars this week where four cupcake bakers battled for a place at the Los Angeles opening of the hit Broadway musical "Wicked."

I, of course, loved this episode with its use of green, absinthe, and even some gears! 

So that started me on a search for steampunk-related food items and I found two winners.

First of all, these Copper Steampunk Cookie Cutters from Frenzy Universe.They're so cute it makes me wish they were either in my scale or I was large enough to eat the cookies made from these.

(Hmm, I wonder if Momma could make me a cake from them?)

Secondly, these gear-shaped organic chocolates from Andie 's Specialty Sweets on Etsy.

Gosh. These goodies make me wish I could open my vinyl mouth and eat. 

I guess I'll have to remain satisfied with Pippaloo's award-winning creations for dolls.

For now....