GOAL! I need 3 more committed people!

set a goal for our August Good Deed, I am very goal oriented and it makes it a challenge to me and all of you out there! I want 15 committed people to participate in our August Good Deed! I have seven already, that is including myself, thank you all who are committed!! I am trying to get some family members to participate as well but we still have almost the whole month of August to get only 3 more people!! We can do it!!!! If you have a mother, sister, aunt, friend etc. that is participating as well, and they do not have a blog, please post a comment and tell me how many people you have committed!

I NEED YOUR HELP! August Good Deed

I have decided to start once a monthers; meaning: once a month I will be hosting a giveaway, a great find, a special recipe and most importantly a GOOD DEED!


This was supposed to start for the month of August but since it is July 24th, I figure I can get a head start and post our good deed early!


I came across this organization called Make A Child Smile (MACS) homepage and it truly touched my heart.


Here is some information about the organization:


Founded in May of 1998, by Alexandra Bakker, the Make A Child Smile Organization, also known as MACS, has been a source of support to children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and their families. Emotional support is provided by creating the opportunity for people to visit the MACS website and learn about the children and their illnesses. Each month, new children are featured. A picture and biography describing the child and information about their family is published on the website. Hundreds of 'net surfers, schools, service organizations, girls/boys scouts and church groups use the MACS website as a philanthropic project where they can send cards, letters and small gifts to the featured children and their siblings through postal mail.In December of 2000, MACS was granted tax-exempt status so that it could expand its mission to include fundraising efforts in order to provide financial assistance to qualifying families for help with medical, funeral expenses or other costs associated with the child's illness.

HERE IS YOUR JOB:
If you are a reader of the justalittlescribble blog then I am asking for your help!
I have chosen a little girl by the name of Abbie. Abbie is 16 and resides very close to where I am now living. She was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma (to read more about the disease please click the link).

If your heart is leading you to help Abbie please post a comment that you would like to help.(*very important, if you are unable to post a comment please email me at zagorianosg@yahoo.com). I will send you my address where you can send the following items:

-a homemade card/store bought to make Abbie smile (sign your name and maybe include a picture of yourself if you'd like)

- something small that a 16 year old girl will like (book, makeup, candy etc.)

-(optional) $1.00 bill to be donated to the MACS organization

DEADLINE FOR YOUR ENVELOPE TO BE POSTMARKED IS AUGUST 25TH. I WILL BE SENDING OUT THE PACKAGE TO ABBIE FROM THE JUSTALITTLESCRIBBLE READERS BY SEPTEMBER 1ST.

If we can do a good deed once a month that is a step in a positive direction for us all, just think in a year we would have accomplished 12 good deeds!! Please join me!

Yummy Art Work

Cake decorating can be way-intimidating (have you ever attempted to wield a piping bag?)—and staring at a blank sheet cake makes my head spin with the possibilities. I love love love this idea from Bakerella—when you are in need of inspiration, take it from your kids. Lay wax paper over your child's drawing and use candy writers as markers to trace their doodles and designs. Place the tray of cake ornaments in the freezer to harden, and voila! Insta-masterpiece. Totally amazing. Totally genius.

Thanks, goodyblog, for the link!
(and p.s...Love the blue sky cake tier. Brilliant touch!)

The Anne Boleyn Knitted Doll

As I was surfing the net I came upon this extraordinary doll knitted by hand of Anne Boleyn, 2nd wife of King Henry VIII. I have always been interested in her tragic story, especially after reading the story The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance by author Phillippa Gregory. I even ran out and bought the movie the day it came out, and not to my surprise I wasn't at all impressed...the book is always better. Well anyways, this doll is so cute, it even does a really cool trick check it out below.................

Since Sylvia's the knitter in the family I would like this doll added to your list! Her head comes off!!! Does this explain the end of the book and/or movie?????

Book Review

THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY

BY: ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH

The No. 1 Ladies' Dectective Agency written by Alexander Mccall Smith was given 3 stars out of five. The story started out a bit slow for me, I really didn't start enjoying it until about the third chapter. I liked this book because it continued to keep you guessing, almost if you were playing the part of the detective, but I like a bit more romance in a book.

The setting of this story takes place in Africa, which I was very surprised about when I began reading this story. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith is the first book in a series of mysteries about Mma. Precious Ramotswe. This book describes the opening of the agency by Mma Precious Ramotswe and first of many mysteries she solves. This book also really paints a good picture of what life is like in Africa through Precious' eyes. If you like this book there are more in the series to keep you interested!

I posted this book on paperbackswap.com so if you are interested in reading it sign up and request this book!

Next book on my list........A Bride Most Begrudging By: Deeanne Gist

Fry Pie Recipe

Fry Pies

Dough:

2 1/4 qt. (9 C.) cake flour

3 C. shortening

1 T. salt

2 T. white sugar

1 pt. cold water

Glaze:

8 lb. powdered sugar

1/2 C. cornstarch

1/3 C. Carnation milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 C. hot water

Mix dough ingredients with hands like pie dough. Roll out thin and fill with pie filling. Fry at deep fry temperature until golden brown. We use same kind of shortening to fry them that we use in dough. I usually don't put in quite as much water.

This is enough glaze for 4 batches of fry pies. Mix all together and glaze.

**For a wonderful Amish Apple Fritters recipe click on the link

Amish Country

My sister and her family came to Ohio to visit over the past week. We did some great things, one of those things was visiting Amish Country in Holmes County Ohio. We had a great time! We had the opportunity to visit an Amish home, their barn, a schoolhouse, and even rode in an Amish buggy! It was really neat! We then went and shopped of course, and ate some yummy food at an Amish restaurant. I really give the Amish a lot of credit, their lifestyle is far greater than mine and I have more (materialistic). The best part of the trip was when we ate homemade "fry pies"!! They were out of this world. I will post the recipe in my next posting! I had an apple filled pie. Here are some pics from our adventure.

My Travel Swap!

I received my travel swap package last week and I was soooo pleased! It had such wonderful items put together by Michelle! My trip was to Italy my dream vacation!!!!! In my package was a set of handmade cards, a handmade recipe book with real Italian family recipes ( I love this!!), a handmade photo album, an Italian snack called Taralli yum yum, my hubby loved these! and a picture that is called Napoli. Many, many thanks to Michelle!!!! I loved it all!

Italian Love Cake

Italian Love Cake

Ingredients

1(18 ounce) box cake mix (any flavor, recommend marble)

1 3/4 lbs ricotta cheese

Topping

1 (6 ounce) box instant pudding mix (flavor depending on cake choice)

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups milk

12 ounces Cool Whip

Directions

1. Mix cake according to direction

2. Pour into 9X13 inch pan

3. Mix ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

4. Pour over uncooked cake

5. Bake at 350 about an hour, checking center to determine if done

6. Cool and frost with topping

7. Topping: Mix pudding mix, milk and Cool Whip and spread on cooled cake.

Fourth of July!

My family's fourth of July was filled with fun, laughter and moments some of us will never forget. The best part of all was that my sister, Sylvia and her family, flew up from Florida to visit us for a week! I was so happy to see her and the kids, but you wait for that time and it seems to fly by before you know it! On the fourth of July we ate some really good food; ribs, chicken, hamburgers, fila (Greek stuffed grape leaves), potatoes and my favorite dessert!! For dessert my cousin Jenny made an Italian Love Cake. It was out of this world!! The recipe will be posted on my next post. It has ricotta in it and ohhh my! You have to try it. Sylvia and I had the same idea about posting it on our blogs so we raced to the cake to see who got it first. Well she actually took the picture first; I couldn't find my camera but.......little does she know I am blogging it before her hahaha. Anyways, this is what we sisters do....Love you Syl!

A SWAP Package for me! YAY!

I received my swap package from my Favorite Things swap today! Yay! Thank you Jennifer http://allthingsjohnson.blogspot.com/ for such a great package. When I opened the box the items were covered with package peanuts and some of the items were wrapped with brown wrapping paper. Each item had a little tag attached to explain why the items were part of Jennifer's favorite things. Here is the box:

Included in the package was a box of Magic Erasers, A Target gift card, a package of M&Ms Yum!, a homemade Thank You card, and the book Twilight by: Stephenie Meyer! I am so excited to get started reading the book.

v