Red, White and Sky, Easy as Pie!

I think this is my favorite card I 've made so far for this release: Aren't these colors just so fresh and sparkling?! You know I love red, but all the white added it to gives it such a nautical look! I wanted to make the bear floating in the water, and I realized I could take my design a step further to show where he just came from using my new beach scene from the new "Free with Three" set "You are my Sunshine"(don't you love these greetings?!)! Hopefully you can see his big ol' footprints I colored leading to the water's edge! :) The shadow under the umbrella gave the scene so much more dimension than before I added it(took my lighter brown copic I used for the sand and picked up color from the tip of my darker brown Copic to produce this deeper shade) Everything got so much brighter when I dared to go a little darker in that area!


The red and white striped SU! ribbon was just what I need to accent this card, I should probably get a few more rolls of it! The texture of it to just makes you think of canvas awnings and the pattern of beach towels, plus the narrow stripes set off the red mats perfectly! I cut out some matching flip flops and stuck them on a dimensional for the finishing touch(I love flip flops, so exicted to have a little stamo now that I can stick little rhinestones and flowers to for girly flops!) It may be hard to see in the pic, but I highlighted all the water with a clear Copic Spica, the glitter is SO fine and completely clear, you will love it!! (although I don't see them online in her store YET, I believe Gina K is adding these shortly, you'll want one!) I am going to from here on out refer to it as my "beloved Spica" in future posts... :)


Now here's how to make the innertube! Punch your oval first in your cardstock, an then punch the key tag around it, with the oval closer to the top (holding it upside down to see where you're punching) That's it! Now cut out your bear, and plunk his big bottom in the punched oval! I cut a wavy slit about 1/2" down from the top of the water with my hobby blade and inserted the inner tube just below the surface so it looks like he's bobbing along(refer back to card).
Now, here's a fabulous red and white pie, perfect for your Memorial Day weekend! It's so cool and refreshing to eat, and the red berries look dazzling on the table(and the hint of almond flavoring in the cream cheese is heavenly)!

Recipe to follow, but here are pics to show pie assembly(I just anted to show the finished pie first to tempt you into reading further and actually wanting to make it!) First make and bake your pie crust. (You can buy ready-made(boooo!) or use our coveted family recipe...(but I have to go ask Mom if that's okay to share first)
Then fill with the whipped cream cheese mixture.
Last add your berry mixture(see top pic), and chill! Let me know how you and your guests like it! By the way, rent "Waitress" and watch while you eat! "baby, dontcha cry, gonna make a pie, ..." I love that movie!

Strawberry Pie

for the Strawberry Glaze:

4 T cornstarch

3/4 C sugar

7 oz. 7-Up(or other lemon lime carbonated beverage)

3 oz. package Strawberry Jello

Cook and stir the first three ingredients until thick. Add 1/2 of the package of jello, and stir until dissolved. Add a few drops of red food coloring if desired to make it extra red! Cool.

Add 1 quart of strawberries(rinsed and chopped) to the glaze and mix.

Whip 1 packaged cream cheese, softened with a few drops of milk, and 1/4 tsp almond extract until fluffy. Spread in baked pie shell before adding the berry mixture. Chill. Serve. Eat! (and moan over how good it is!)

Easy as pie!! (you know it was easy if I made it!! and it came out looking like this!)

Have great day!