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Friday, June 17, 2011

Recipe Friday: Italian Flank Steak with Roma Tomatoes



Mix the marinade before work, and when you come home, light the grill, toss a salad, and set the table--presto!

Makes 4 servings

1⁄4 cup water or low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1⁄4 pounds flank steak, trimmed of all visible fat
8 Roma tomatoes, halved crosswise

Combine the water or broth, vinegar, garlic, basil, thyme, mustard powder, and pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add the steak and seal the bag.

Marinate the steak in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (but no longer than 12), turning the steak occasionally.

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler.

Lightly coat the grill rack with olive oil cooking spray. Position the rack 4" to 6" from the heat source.

Remove the steak from the marinade.

Drain and blot the meat to remove excess marinade.

Place the steak and tomatoes on the grill rack or broiler pan.

Grill or broil until browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for the steak and about 3 minutes on each side for the tomatoes. Watch the steak carefully, as the balsamic vinegar can cause it to burn if not properly blotted.

Check the steak for doneness by cutting into the meat.

Let it stand for 5 minutes on a cutting board.

Cut the meat across the grain into very thin slices.

Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 260 calories, 33 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates (9 g sugars), 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 45 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 120 mg sodium

Happy Friday!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

BESTeam Weekly Feature - DesignsbyMayanna

Come check out this week's BESTeam featured Etsy site DesignsbyMayanna.

 

DesignsbyMayanna is a hand crafted jewelry shop that features beautifully designed necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and pendants. What started out as a business idea for 10 year old Ayanna (her interest lasted 3 weeks) turned into a business venture (and passion) for mom Patrice. In Patrices own words “Making jewelry was, at first, just a hobby –– it soothed my mind and allowed me to put the pressures of daily life aside for a while. As my skills improved, however, I began to buy more and more beads and findings and books and beads and ribbon and chain and… well, you get the picture.

Here are a few of the items that caught my eye in DesignbyMayanna’s shop.

Spring Mix Necklace




24" Triple strand necklace features Czech glass pearls and Celestial Crystals in hues of pink, blue, turquoise, peridot and white and echoes the delicate colors of spring.

Multi-Mixer Earrings




Agate and jasper charms dangle from three golden chains in these fun to wear earrings.

Champagne On Ice Necklace




22" Double Strand Champagne Pearl necklace is made of quality Czech glass. Two sizes of pearls combined with golden Italian confetti glass gives a new twist to a classic favorite.

Black and White Beaded Wristwatch




Black, white and antique silver bead wrist watch, fashion jewelry, plus sized, ladies Great with womens' business clothes! 

Accented with rhinestones this simple and elegant watch goes from day to evening with ease. Made with black tourmaline and white quartz beads this watch goes anywhere with anything!

These are only a few of the wonderful items available. Please check out the rest of this beautiful collection at DesignsbyMayanna Etsy shop and don’t forget to check out the DesignsbyMayanna blog.

The Creativity Bugs love the opportunity to promote other artisans including the fellow Estians but especially the BESTeam group. These friendly, talented, and very hardworking individuals work together to promote their shops and help others with marketing, advertising, and tips and tricks for running an online business. If you are a seller on Etsy, have a blog, and either FB or twitter, then you might be interested in joinging the BESTeam. You can find information about the team, as well as apply for membership HERE!

Happy Shopping!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Tuesday Tutorial: Ideas found in blogland

It is Tuesday and I don't have a tutorial ready to post. But have no fear as I have included some great ideas with links to their tutorials found on blogs that I currently follow.

Get ready for the 4th of July with this fantastic Red Hots and Blue Fourth of July Rocket wreath created by Tatertots and Jello. I love how Jen used Dollar Store materials to create festive wreath for under $4.


Looking for a welcoming wreath for your front door? Jen at Tatertots and Jello does it again with this innovative Burlap Wreath. I love the mixture of burlap and Amy Butler fabric.


Want to dress up the refrigerator or a magnetic board? Why not make your own magnets. Coffee Girl Crafts has a great tutorial on how to make Bubble Word Magnets. All you need are some glass pebbles, epoxy glue, strong magnets, and scrap papers.


Want to make more magnets? Coffee Girl Crafts has another great tutorial on how to make Bottle Cap Magnets. Not only is this a great way to recycle bottle caps, but it is a fun project for kids and scout troops.


If you make any of these great projects using the tutorials, please make sure to post a link in the comment section so that we can see your finished work.

Happy Crafting!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Monday, June 13, 2011

Featured Freebies for the Week of June 13th

Hello and Happy Monday to everyone!

Here are this week's featured freebie digital images, stamps, and clip arts that we have found on websites and blogs or that were share with us by friends and followers.

Creative Mamma has a great Spring Mini Kit that includes a to do list, shopping list, and printable grocery list

Another great freebie from Creative Mamma includes the Summer Reading Kit for Kids which features a reading log, reading notes (for mini book reports), bookmarks, and book labels.

Lotta Bruhn features printable stickers including spaceman and everyday animals

Don't miss Lotta Bruhn's current digital freebie Victoria and Daniel paper dolls

Squigglefly has an assortment of digital freebies to try before you buy including a journal frame, speech bubbles, turtle, and hummingbird. Just click on the pictures from the Squigglefly site and they instantly download.

Amanda Parker shares a wonderful Summer Shindig party printable freebie kit

Hope you enjoy this week's freebie goodies. Happy Crafting!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Friday, June 10, 2011

Recipe Friday: Turkey Mushroom Burgers

Looking for something that is healthy but also tasty?! Well, look no further because today’s recipe is for a burger that even the most pickiest eater will enjoy.

Turkey Mushroom Burgers


Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey breast
½ cup diced onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
¼ cups chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and separate into 4 equal –size patties. Grill patties on George Foreman grill, outdoor grill, or in a skillet with a little olive oil. Cook for 12 minutes (flipping half way through) or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F and the meat is no longer pink

Serve on a bun along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and your favorite condiments.

For variety:
* Add a diced chili or Serrano pepper to the ground turkey mixture before grilling to give the burger a Southwestern spicy taste. Serve with fresh slices of avocado.
* Substitute 1 ½ tablespoon barbecue sauce in place of the Worcestershire sauce for a sloppy Joe tasting burger.

Happy Grilling!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Thursday, June 9, 2011

So Close to Summer Craft and Vendor Fair





Looking for something to do this Saturday June 11th? The Friends of the Round Lake Area Library is sponsoring a “So Close To Summer Crafts and Vendor” show at the library.  The show is to be held at the Round Lake Area Public Library, 906 Hart Road, Round Lake, IL., 60073,  from 9am to 3 pm.


The Creativity Bugs have purchased a table to sell make your own bookmarks (in honor of the summer reading program), cards, decorative pencils, coasters, tea light flower favors, favor bags, and a whole lot more.

There will be also 40+ other vendors including handmade items such as quilts, stained glass, jewelry, baked goods, ceramics, cat and dog beds, floral arrangements, princess and hero capes, totes and purses, hair accessories, scarves, henna temporary tattoos, candles, stationary, paintings, wood crafts, homemade candy, garden art, cigar box amplifier, wind chimes, birdhouses, fleece blankets and more!

Participating vendors are Scentsy, Pampered Chef, Wildtree Natural Healthy Foods, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Lia Sophia Jewelry, Tastefully Simple, Midwest Fiber and Folk Art, Homemade Gourmet, Tupperware, Windy City Spinners, Reliv International, Mary Kay, and Ice Cream from Handmade Specialties. 

As a special treat, face painting artists from Abundant Life Church will also be participating.

Hope to see you there!
Creativity Bugs ~ Sandy and Sue

BESTeam Weekly Feature - Off the Wall Expressions

Come check out this week's BESTeam featured Etsy site Off the Wall Expressions, a vinyl lettering and wall art design company. 

Off the Wall Expressions is owned and operated by a husband and wife design team specializing in high quality vinyl graphics. They do their own unique designs and order production,  as well as local installation.

Vinyl designs are quick and easy to apply, instantly transforming your space into something special. You can use vinyl to decorate, make a statement, motivate, inspire, amuse, and organize any area. Vinyl can be applied to any smooth surface such as walls, windows, wood, glass, refrigerators, plastic, bathtubs, picture frames, and many more.



The 'Family Tree with Photos' vinyl decal is a unique way to display your favorite pictures. It measures 74"w X 73"h when applied as shown.  Apply photos to the 'frames' with photo corners or double stick tape. Swap pictures as often as you like!

Girl - Sweetness with Attitude



"Girl, Sweetness with Attitude" definition.This vinyl decal measures 22.5"w by 6.5"h. Perfect for any girls room over the bed, above a desk, or on a bare wall.

Chalk Thoughts



Use  "Chalk Thoughts" vinyl decals so everyone can 'read' your mind. Each 'chalk thought' sticker measures 12" X 10", and you will receive two!

Use regular chalk (we include a piece with every order!) to write on your "Chalk Thoughts" bubble, and simply erase with an eraser when you change your mind! 

These are only a few of the wonderful items available. Please check out the rest of this beautiful collection at the Off the Wall Expression Etsy shop and also take the time to view the Off the Wall Expressions blog.

The Creativity Bugs love the opportunity to promote other artisans including the fellow Estians but especially the BESTeam group. These friendly, talented, and very hardworking individuals work together to promote their shops and help others with marketing, advertising, and tips and tricks for running an online business. If you are a seller on Etsy, have a blog, and either FB or twitter, then you might be interested in joinging the BESTeam. You can find information about the team, as well as apply for membership HERE!

Happy Shopping!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue