easy summer raspberry pie

ah, an alabama summer pie this was - just as i went outside to photograph it, the thunderstorms rolled in. i like to think that it makes the pie look moody.

on world baking day a week or so ago, i was craving to make something pretty. you bakers/cooks/food people know how that feels - sometimes it isn't the taste, but the visual experience, you crave. i wanted something sugary, bubbly and bright in my kitchen, so a pie with fresh raspberries is the first thing i thought of.

i kind of threw this pie together with what i had. it's definitely on the tart side, so if you like a sweeter pie, add more sugar to taste or cut back on the orange juice. this pie is ooey, gooey, sweet and delicious! perfect for an (already messy) bbq or a weekend baking project.

easy summer raspberry pie

makes 1 9-inch pie.

• 1-2 pie crusts, pre-made or homemade (additional crust for topping optional)
• 1 egg, whisked
• 2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
• 4-5 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4ish (little less) cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

preheat your oven to 350 degrees. in a bowl, combine raspberries, corn syrup, sugar, oj and vanilla. mix together. assemble your pie crust in a 9-inch pan, and use a fork to make indentions in the bottom of the crust. scoop the mixture into the crust.

you can bake the pie this way, OR use another pie crust to slice thick, long shapes to make a lattice design. you can also use a cookie cutter to create different shapes to top the pie with. if you're using pie crust on top, whisk 1 egg and then brush on crust before baking to help crust brown. sprinkle top with sugar.

serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. enjoy!

get gorgeous tea: placebo effect?

i'll admit it: i like gimmicky things. you know what i'm talking about. the mascara that supposedly makes your eyeballs appear 500% larger, whiter and brighter. the waist cincher that renders you breathless but makes you "lose 10 pounds". i'm willing to suspend my belief for the fun of it all, and maybe that's telling about myself that i find this sort of notion fun, but hey, i live for guilty pleasures.

i've suffered with crap skin for years. unfortunately, i got a bad genetic lot, and there isn't much short of accutane that i've tried to remedy it. i take exceptional care of it, moisturize, never sleep in my makeup, etc. - doesn't matter, it's all purely hormonal for me. so obviously, i'm willing to try anything that says it has skin clearing properties. what do i actually have to lose?

get gorgeous skin detox tea even sounds like a super gimmicky thing, right? of course. i went in with zero expectations. hey, maybe the tea will taste good.

well, it does taste good! this tea's primary flavor is rooibos, which i hadn't tried before, and i ended up really enjoying it. it's fruity, rich and slightly nutty, but very unique. as far as the skin benefits go, call me crazy, but... i have noticed a change. when it comes to clearing up active acne, i can't say i notice a huge difference - but it does seem to make my skin smoother, brighter and healthier looking when i drink a cup a day for at least a few days in a row. if i drink it consistently, i feel my skin appears fuller, better moisturized.

i've repurchased this tea twice now because i enjoy the taste and i think it actually has some skin benefits. bottom line, though? it makes me feel good because i feel like i'm "doing something" for my skin, and it's actually prompted me to get really into tea!

what are your favorite gimmicky products? have you tried a tea with crazy claims?

3 ways to get the most of social media scheduling

a while ago, i wrote a post on the pros and cons of scheduling social media vs. organic posting. while i believe both are integral to social media success, it's worthwhile to strongly consider how you're utilizing your scheduled posts to represent you when you're not sitting there tweeting.

by using tools like hootsuite and buffer, you can plan your posts for facebook and twitter ahead of time, leaving you free write, work, explore... and not think much about tweeting up a storm. of course, you should always monitor your accounts, continue to post organically and reply/favorite/like on a daily basis, but the ability to schedule a bulk of your voice makes a huge difference.

add scheduling to your post writing routine

once you hit "publish" or "schedule", do a little more than jumping on twitter to link your post. as soon as your post is ready, go to your social media scheduler of choice and add some posts for the future - one for tomorrow ("catch my post yesterday?"), a week from now, a month from now and even six months from now. this way, you have a steady promotion of all your content - not just new posts. it's always fun to prompt your readers to look back into your archives. do this for every post you write as a part of your writing routine, and you've got promotion down the line you won't ever have to think twice about.

 

utilize holidays, special occasions & events

think outside the box for times when your post would be relevant. is it a quick, simple recipe? schedule posts around lunchtime during the week to catch the eyes of parents and college students looking for a simple dinner. is it a how-to post? schedule your tweets or facebook posts for sunday nights when people are shopping and planning their weekly activities.

don't forget holidays! there's a holiday for everything these days, so if you've made donuts, it's worth it to google and see when national donut day is (june 5th, by the way!) and set up your post to be promoted heavily on that day.

 

schedule for odd times

you may not be up reading blog posts at 3am, but someone surely is, right? consider the rest of the world and the different time zones, too. think of an audience in another country you may be missing because you only post when you're awake.

do you have any social media scheduling tips?

birmingham fashion week 2015

i was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to attend birmingham fashion week 2015! started in 2011, birmingham fashion week has grown into a fixture in the community for creativity, opportunity and a showcase of talent. so yes, birmingham has a fashion week, and yes, it is fabulous!

i attended on thursday and saturday nights and was so, so impressed. above are some of my favorite looks from thursday night's rising/emerging design stars, who are talented highschool/college students showcasing their work. on saturday night, alabama grad shan latris was crowed the winner of the emerging design stars, which made me so happy to see. there were tons of alabama students showcasing their work - but pssst, don't tell anyone, but my favorite emerging design star collection was from kayla sherman of auburn.

i also felt like this was the sort of occasion that required a selfie stick. i've recently been gifted one of these things and y'know, they aren't half bad. everyone stares when you use it, but i feel like they'll be fairly commonplace before long - whether the world likes it or not. i felt silly. but uh, hey, it's a nice selfie, i guess. not exactly an item i'll be toting around on the daily, but... you never know.

on saturday night, after shows from tribe kelley and fab'rik, the show i looked forward to most was heidi elnora, and it did not disappoint! what started as a soft, gentle bridal medley set to violin exploded into a rock n' roll party with guns n' roses and fist pumping in wedding gowns. the finale brought a beautiful gold gown and stunning gold foil makeup - a definite photoworthy moment for everyone in the crowd.

 

after the show, heidi expressed her gratitude and talked about her small town upbringing. it was inspiring to see how far she has come and what her brand has grown into! in case you didn't know, heidi has her own show in tlc, bride by design, and has enjoyed great success. it's awesome to have her representing alabama in the fashion world.

i had a wonderful time at fashion week - i can't wait to go again!