P. Kelly Smith
Welcome to Freebie Friday! To say we have a lot going on right now would be understatement. In the last two weeks we’ve released our special issue Card Creations, Volume 7, announced the Top 20 in our Gallery Idol contest and welcomed six new Go-to Gals to our Paper Crafts family. Like I said, it’s been a busy couple of weeks!
And it’s only going to heat up from here. Good thing we all have this upcoming weekend to recharge our batteries and enjoy all the patriotic festivities that accompany the Fourth of July. For all of our international readers, please indulge this American girl with this red, white and blue post.
I’ve always been a fan of the Fourth of July. I guess for me it really signifies that summer is finally here. I love all the Main Street parades. I love the backyard barbecues, the dripping snow cones, the fireflies at dusk, and of course, the fireworks that light up the midnight sky. All of these traditions remind me of what a lucky girl I am to live in this blessed nation where freedom is celebrated each and every day.
Here’s one of my favorite Fourth of July memories. My family was up in beautiful McCall, Idaho in 2006 and we snapped this photo in front of this gorgeous backdrop.
Another tradition I follow is I make a delicious flag cake every Fourth of the July. I love fresh berries (apparently all of you do too!) and they’re even better on top of a moist, yellow cake with whip cream frosting!
This is my "take" on the traditional Fourth of July flag cake. Not nearly as pretty, but I swear it tastes just as good! My secret ingredient: dust the top with cinnamon!
While I can’t make all of you a yummy cake for the Fourth, I can give away some red, white and blue product! Leave a comment telling me your favorite Fourth of July tradition. I’ll pick four winners to win some paper and stamps from Imaginisce’s Teacher’s Pet collection. All comments must be received by midnight (MST) on Sunday, July 5.
Four lucky winners will each win this prize package from Imaginisce.
However you spend Independence Day, I hope it’s a memorable one!
Kelly
P.S. Make sure to check back here at noon on Monday when voting begins for Round 1 of Gallery Idol. Come support our Top 20 as they show off their wedding-themed cards. Who will get your vote?
we live in a cul-de-sac and the 4 houses at the end have a big bbq with our family and friends – there’s at least 100 people – then after we’re all full and it starts to get dark we bring out TONS of fireworks and enjoy the show for about an hour – it’s so much fun and my kids love it as much as Christmas!
unfortunately, fireworks are not all that during 4th of july since we live right by disneyland and we can see it almost everynight at around 9:30…….
we do enjoy getting together with family and having a picnic and sharing different dishes.
My fav 4th of July tradition was going to the Rodeo grounds for the fire works display. We were told the louder that we scream the higher the fire works would go. We would scream till we were horsed. What fun!
We can see the fireworks from the sidewalk in front of our house…so that’s where we’ll be (with friends) tomorrow night. We’ll be serving vanilla ice cream with strawberries and blueberries (red, white, and blue!)…BERRY YUMMY!
My family’s 4th of July traditions is just like many others. Go to our local parade, family cookout and the watch the firework live. Alot to pack in one day. But my kids really enjoy all the activities.
I’m Australian, so I don’t have any 4th July traditions, but I wanted to wish you a very Happy 4th July!
My husband and two little girls and I always go strawberry picking on the 4th of July–and then enjoy fresh strawberry pie while we watch the fireworks. Yum!
Happy 4th to all!
Happy 4th of July! Since it’s usually hot here on the 4th, we host a friends and family swimming/barbeque party. The kids also shoot off some fireworks, then we all head to town to watch the local fireworks display. It’s a great way to celebrate our country’s freedoms.
I love to have a cookout! Nothing like hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill!
Robbie
I’m from Finland so I can’t really comment, but want to play anyway!
what’s a celebration without fireworks gotta love em
Happy 4th. Our family is separated by distance, so we make sure and invite our neighbors and friends to a big barbeque, the kids swim and play until dark. All the families pool together their fireworks for one awesome display. It has become quite a fun tradition in our little corner of the country.
Love the brats- we don’t eat them often, but it is a 4th must!!
Our whole neighborhood buys fireworks. We kind of go crazy. Each home spends at least $50 (although that may not be the case this year!), and we have this giant fireworks show in the middle of our cul-de-sac. Our city puts on a fireworks show, but our neighborhood one has it beat, I believe! Of course, I get everyone’s pics later and scrapbook them!
I’m from BC and this year I went to work on our nation’s birthday but my boys went to our communities free lunch BBQ and free swim at the community center.
I am a sucker for traditions, I feel it is really important for my kids to have all those memories! When my husband and I got married we moved an hour away from our home town. So every Fourth of July instead of staying in the city (big city for us) we drive back home to watch their big show! It isn’t a huge show but it is great to see all of our friends and family!
Our 4th of July tradition is going downtown to the park. Many bands are playing and we get together with another couple and their children. The kids have a blast dancing to the music, eating snowcones and popcorn and then we top the evening off with Fireworks.
Although we are in Canada. July the 1st is Canada Day and my Mom’s birthday. We always have a family get together at the cottage.
Thanks for thinking of us! And Happy Independence Day! We are hanging out and enjoying the great weather! And I’m NOT cooking! LOL!
it’s my mom’s birthday so we always celebrate double on the 4th
My husband’s family has a big BBQ every year with tons of guests. They also put on a big “illegal” fireworks show…oops!
The BBQ has got to be my all time fave 4th of July tradition. Sometimes it’s big – lots of people, big grill. Other times, it’s just the main family and a small grill. But the smoky veggies and meat can’t be beat.
July 1st (Canada Day) is celebrated with a BBQ and fireworks!
Definitely family cookout and fireworks!!!!
We usually stay at home, take the dog for a walk, relax, and then watch fireworks from our patio at night with a mug of cocoa! I love this paper!
We are just winding down from our usual fourth of july festivities! we gather in a big ol’ group, have us a potluck BBQ, give the kids some water toys (this year we went all out and rented an inflatable water slide! new tradition.) go out front and fill the air with fireworks. sooo fun!
In Switzerland, our 4th July is in fact the 1st August. On that day, we go on the montains and we start a hugh fire when the night comes. It’s beautiful to see all the fires on the other mountains all around us. We also watch some fireworks too !
As long as I can remember I watch fireworks either on television or live in person.
Fireworks at the NC State Fairgrounds. We pack a picnic dinner and play games in the back of the car until the fireworks begin.
We celebrate Australia Day here on the 26th January.
It’s a very special day for our family as it is also my son’s birthday.
After a day of celebrating that, it is finished off with an amazing fireworks display.
Happy 4th of July to you all
I can never get enough of the fireworks! I love to spend the day around the pool, cooking out and just enjoying my family!
Lori
We usually go to a potluck cookout at the home of longtime friends and then watch the fireworks at night.
I love all the bbq fun on the 4th of July holiday weekends…good food and good friends!!
I love getting together with my family, having a cookout, playing in the pool, and watching the fireworks! Great times! Have a fabulous 4th of July weekend!
It’s all about the fireworks! Of course, I do offer up thanks to the 3 great (5 “greats” I believe) grandfathers I never knew who fought in the Revolutionary War to help make this country free!
~Heather
My favorite thing about 4th of July is the fireworks that mark the end of the day ….but there to never forget what we are celebrating….
My favorite tradition is …..
“Ever since we moved to our new home five years ago we have a big family cookout. Our whole family is invited, and we BBQ, for lunch, and then everyone brings a dish for dinner. We play pool games and create silly games like this year for example we had a “Pool Olympics” Its a blast. Then we all change into our regular clothes and head over to this park by my house where they have a fantastic fire work show. This year my grandma had the strength to make it out too, and we sat on the grass in an open field away from all the crowds, and shared a night that I dont think any of us will forget. This 2009 4th of July was the best one ever, one I will never forget. We started a new tradition though, of a group picture during the fireworks.
My favorite tradition on the 4th of July is going on my parent’s pontoon and enjoying one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes! Follow that up with a bbq and you have a great holiday tradition!
fireworks fireworks. also remembering and not taking for granted what this day really all about.
We don’t really have any traditions except to pig out!
We love to get together with family and friends, bbq and watch the fireworks!
-Cher
BOy does that cake look yummy……..I always see some kind of fireworks on July 4th and BBQ.
Fireworks and a cookout!! Love the fireworks in Colorado, but miss the parade
in Ohio.
Well I’m not American so I don’t celebrate July 4th, but July 1st is a great day for us Canadians! My husband and I moved recently so we went and checked out a local festival we’d never been to before. There was live music, a big salmon bbq, and lots of red & white! The theme is this year was the upcoming Olympics in 2010 in Vancouver – where we live!
Thanks for the chance to win some blog candy!
I love the BBQ and the sparklers. Mostly, just love being with my family.
favorite tradition, getting together with the family and playing volleyball against each other, soo funny to see when they are sore losers! lol
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