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I love play dough!  I love to play with play dough.  I just couldn’t wait until Emily was old enough that I could buy tons of different colors and sit at the kitchen table with her for hours.  I have to admit that one of my favorite things about play dough is the smell.  Doesn’t it make you want to eat it?  Can we blame our kids for putting in their mouths?

We found this great article from Family Fun that has 10 different edible play dough recipes!  Jello, Kool Aid, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal - all play dough, all edible.

The article states that this play dough is great for kids who are in pre-school and tempted to eat their art supplies.  But since I am um…. quite a bit older than pre-school and I have been tempted to eat my art supplies I would say these recipes are great for everyone.  Emily and I are certainly going to experiment with these.  She is just getting interested in cooking so these will be so fun to do together when we can both enjoy the results (and I can enjoy my secret desire to eat my play dough.)

Here at Emily Rose we get lots of questions about cleaning your American Girl Doll.  The vinyl arms and legs of your doll require special care and you don’t want to scar her for life.  So what do you do if you get pen on your American Girl Doll?  Or even worse magic marker?  What do you do if the greasy fingers holding that french fries reach for her best friend without first reaching foe her napkin?  Maria at Just Magic Dolls wrote a great article all about basic cleaning of your American Girl.  Or should we call the article Vinyl Cleaning 101

So next time you are looking for ways to clean your American Girl Doll, or perhaps you are trying to restore that fabulous original you found at the neighbourhood yard sale, visit Maria and she can help.  By the way, Just Magic Dolls has tons of other great information as well.  You can see reviews of all of the other 18 inch soft body dolls that are available, read articles on how to care for the American Girl Doll hair, and more.  Have fun!

Here is another review from Emily’s book collection.

Title: Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman

Storyline: Professor Ueno has a dog named Hachi, who always waits for him at the train station to come home from work.  But one day the Professor dies, but Hachi, of course, doesn’t know.  Hachi waits for the Professor for 10 years without stop.  People feed him of course.  But he keeps waiting. 

Favorite Character: Hachi, this loyal dog waits TEN years for a master that never even shows up..

What you most liked: When Yasuo, a little boy, and his family offer to take care of poor Hachi when Professor Ueno’s heart stops beating.

What you least liked: When the Professor dies and Hachi waits and waits and waits, but he never, ever comes back.

Why you would recommend it to a friend: This book is great for dog lovers of all ages and loyal Hachi will amaze you to the bone.

Hot on the heels of announcing a marquee store in Boston, American Girl has said that they will also be opening a store in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.  It is scheduled to open around the same time as the Boston store in the November time frame.  This will make it seven AG stores around the country: joining Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Atlanta.  Like its counterparts, the new store will offer the full range of AG products and accessories and, most importantly, the “experiential” activities of the AG stores: hair salon, bistro, party rooms, etc.

Although the Mall of America has been feeling its age lately, the AG store will be part of an extensive development program to modernize and revitalize the Mall.  This development is part of a plan to make the Mall more family oriented and this addition will, I’m sure, prove extremely beneficial.  For those that know the Mall, it will be located near Nickelodeon Universe in the retail space formerly occupied by Stampede Steakhouse and will occupy two levels. 

Stand by for the openings of Boston and Mall of America later this year and reviews of the stores as they open.

I was walking round my kitchen the other day wondering what to make for dinner when my mind wandered back to a great holiday we had in Spain a few years ago.  Part of the enjoyment of that trip was the eating and drinking (isn’t every holiday full of that) especially the little gems you get at the Tapas Bars.  Part of the Tapas menu is always a Spanish Tortilla.  Having talked to several Spanish friends and experimented on some occasions I think I’ve discovered how to make it.  Its actually very easy as long as you choose good ingredients.  Anyway here it is so have a go.  And Viva Espana.

Ingredients:

6 potatoes
1 small sweet onion
4 eggs
Half cup of milk
Olive oil
1 clove garlic
a pinch oregano
a pinch thyme
Salt to taste

1. Heat 1 cup of olive oil in a wide sauce pan.  Slice the potatoes thinly and evenly and place them carefully, so as not to splash the oil, into the pan.
2. Chop up the onion and add to the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.  Try to turn the potatoes as they cook so as not brown them too much.
3. Beat the eggs together with the milk and spices in a wide bowl. 
4. Take the potatoes out of the pan with a draining ladle and set them aside to cool.
5. Then mix the potatoes together with the egg blend int he bowl. 
6. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in the wide sauce pan then pour in the mixture.  Swirl the pan a bit to ensure that the egg mix starts to set evenly.  Cook on a low gas for 8-10 minutes.
7. This is the tricky bit.  Turn off the gas, allow to cool then flip the tortilla over onto a plate.  Put the upside down tortilla back in the pan and cook for a further couple of minutes to ensure that tortilla gets fully cooked.  
8. Put the totilla on a plate and let cool.  They say the best tortillas are eaten the next day.  Enjoy.
    

I hear that American Girl has just announced that the next American Girl store is to be in lovely Boston.  I’ve always liked Boston as a city and love to stroll around Quincy market and Faneuil Hall on a Summers afternoon.  The store will be in the Natick Collection.  Although I’m not sure exactly where that is, the mall is purported to be the largest in New England.  American Girl call the store an experiential retail store I guess because they are trying (with success) to make the visit on where customers get more than just products.  They get the whole AG experience surrounding them, including Mom/daughter events and other interactive activities.  This store will have a doll salon and bistro just like the others and I think will be as big as the marquee stores in New York and Chicago.  Its due to be up and running in November this year so we’ll be sure to post a review once it opens.

We have just got in some really great new doll furniture for your American Girl Doll or other 18 inch doll.  We are very pleased with both the quality and the style of these new pieces. 

The Mahogany Doll Bed is a very classy little bed and your American Girl would love it.  It even comes with a pretty purple three piece bedding set.  We are still looking for a new supplier for the 18 inch Brass Bed (remember if you want one to order now as we are on our last batch).  Hopefully we will find another brass bed but if we don’t I think this Mahogany Bed is a great deal.

We also love the new wooden 18 inch doll trunk.  It reminds us of the old steamer trunks our great-grandmothers used to take with them when she sailed around the world.  OK - so my great grandmother didn’t sail around the world, the most she sailed was the channel from Ireland to England when she was sold in to service at 11 years old… but you get the idea.  The best feature is the removable hanging rods.  You can decide if you want the space for your American girl doll to ride along, or if you just want to fill the trunk with doll clothes. 

The “Queen Anne” dining room set for your doll is very classy.  The table has a real drop leaf so you can tuck it away in a corner when your dolls have finished their dinner.  The doll chairs are very stylish and have padded satin seats.

We continue to search for new and exciting doll furniture options for your American Girl Doll.  We are very conscious about the prices so sometimes it may take us a little longer to find products that we can offer at a price we think is reasonable.  As always please let us know if you are looking for something in particular and we will add it to our search.

How about a pizza for the your 4th of July American celebration - but with a twist.  This is a pizza pie the shows the right colors: red, white and blue.  But the best part is that made of fruit and cream!  Its easy and fun and your American girl can have her own American celebration.

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:
1 pint Strawberries, hulled and halved
1 pint Blueberries
1 tablespoon Sugar,
1 teaspoon Sugar, divided
4 Pizza Crusts (6″ size), homemade or store-bought
1 1/2 cup Whipped topping, thawed

Here’s what you do:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine strawberries, blueberries, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the brandy. Sprinkle pizza crust with the remaining sugar.

Bake 6-8 minutes on baking sheet; cool slightly. Fill with crust with strawberries. Serve with a big dollop of whipped topping.

Well its finally here: Kit Kittredge was launched in movie theaters around the country today.  As a special departure from her routine, Emily gives her review of the movie having just returned from seeing it with her Mom.

Title: Kit Kittredge - An American Girl

Storyline: Kit lives with her Mom and Dad in Cincinnati and they are struggling during the Great Depression.  Kit is inquisitive, eager and hardy, and always prepared to get involved in an adventure.  She also wants to be a cub reporter and writes a story about a local hobo camp.  When there are robberies in the area and the hobos are blamed Kit needs to get with her friends to solve the mystery.

Favorite Character: It has to be Kit who is very sweet and caring.  She is also spunky and ready to take on any story and adventure.

What you most liked: When Kit forms the Tree House Club with her friends and makes best friends with Ruthie Smithens.

What you least liked: I was sad when Kit’s Dad lost his job and everyone around them lose their houses.  It must have been a very difficult time to grow up.

Why you would recommend it to a friend: This is a great movies for all American Girl lovers.  It has adventure and mystery.  All the characters are interesting especially Kit and her family.  It is a story of determination and grit and one that takes place is a very tough time in history.  This film is very well made and is good for parents too.

See a fuller review from Emily of the movie at dolldiaries.com

The adventures of Sophie and Marisol…

Kit Kettredge film review later today!!