Working in batches, purée strawberries with enough water to make a medium-consistency purée. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, discard solids. Stir in lime juice. 

To serve, mix equal parts strawberry/lime mixture with sparkling water over ice. Sweeten to individual taste with vanilla simple syrup; add vodka if you'd like.

​Note: to make simple syrup, bring equal parts sugar and water to a low simmer, stirring constantly, until sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat, cool, and store in any container. For this drink, 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract was added. Try using brown or unrefined sugar for a deeper taste.