Design Team Calls

Have you ever wanted to be a designer for a design team? Then check out the latest calls from:

Momenta

Momenta Design Team Call – accepting applications through December 15, 2011. Click here for all the details.

Delightful Challenges

Delightful Challenges Design Team Call – accepting applications through November 30 , 2011. Click here for all the details.

Flying Unicorn

Flying Unicorn Design Team Call – accepting applications through December 31 , 2011. Click here for all the details.

Stamp School

Stamp School Design Team Call - accepting applications through December 9 , 2011. Click here for all the details.

Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker

Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker Design Team Call - accepting applications through December 28, 2011. Click here for all the details.

Good luck!

Creativity Bug - Sue

Recipe Friday: Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

Tired of serving traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving? Consider a new holiday tradition by making these scrumptious spiced pumpkin cupcakes for your guests.

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients:

½ cup finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons sugar

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

½ cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In heavy 8-inch nonstick skillet, cook pecans and 2 tablespoons of the sugar over low heat about 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted. Spoon and spread pecans onto sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar; toss.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
• Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Frost cupcakes with frosting. Sprinkle edge of frosted cupcakes with pecans; press lightly into frosting. Store loosely covered.

Enjoy!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of November 14th

Here are this week's free digital images or printables found on websites, blogs, or submitted to us from friends and followers:

The Paper Squirrel shares a Mod Christmas Tree digital image

Little Scraps of Heaven shares an Indian Summer digital image

Edrian Thomidis shares a free coloring page of an elephant and ghost

Lost in Paper Scraps shares 2 octopus digital images and an owl.

That’s all for this week!  Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes

In honor of Veteran’s Day, make your special GI Joe (or Jane) a hearty meal with this recipe for Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes.

Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 (16 ounce) jars salsa

3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (8 oz.)

1 ½ cups shredded carrots (3 medium)

1 ½ cups finely chopped red and/or green sweet pepper

1/3 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 – 8 Kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Directions: 

• In a skillet cook beef over medium heat until brown, stirring to break meat in pieces. Drain fat.
• In 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker stir together beef and remaining ingredients (except rolls).
• Cover; cook on high-heat setting 4 to 5 hours or low-heat setting 8 to 10 hours. 

Happy Eating!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

BESTeam Etsy Finds: November 11, 2011

Are you starting your holiday shopping yet? Why bundle up in your heavy winter coats and go to a jammed mall when you can purchase gifts in your pj’s all from the comfort of your own home?

Come look at some of the great products we found on Etsy this week presented by the Boosting Etsy Shops Team that would make wonderful holiday gifts.

Mixed Bracelet from BeaderBubbe

A perfect gift for a teenage girl, mom, aunt, or special female in your life.

This bracelet is made with memory wire. It wraps around any wrist and consists of tiger's eye beads, silver spacers, green glass beads and black glass beads. It is very unusual and one of a kind.

Handmade Crochet Lace Flowers and Ribbon Christmas Ornament from GMaEllen Crochet Gifts

Image a holiday tree decorated with handmade ornaments. 

This beautiful 3 inch satin ball ornament is adorned with lace, flowers and ribbon whose beauty will last forever and  surely become a family heirloom!

Flower necklace with stones from RioRita

Calling all husbands!! Show the woman that you love just how special she is this year by purchasing this beautiful flower necklace with stones.

This necklace is combined of 12 three-dimensional flowers with 5 petals each.  The flowers are connected to one another with stylized links and small flat rings. On one of the flowers is a soldered 4mm Citrin cabochon stone and a 4mm Iolite cabochon stone; on three more flowers are soldered small pieces of 9ct Gold. Size of each handmade silver jewelry item flower is about 0.9" x 0.8".  Length of the necklace : 19.6"

The Creativity Bugs love the opportunity to promote other artisans including their 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: Boosting Etsy Shops Team or the Etsy team page. You can find information about the team, as well as apply for membership HERE!

Happy Shopping!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue  

Veteran's Day 2011

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

The Veterans Day National Ceremony begins at 11:00 am ET on November 11, 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery  and includes a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This annual ceremony is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces.

We want to personally say thank you to all the men and women who serve, have served, and have died protecting the United States and its people. God bless you all!

Creativity Bugs ~ Sandy and Sue

BESTeam Etsy Finds: November 3, 2011

Get ready for holiday shopping!  Come look at some of the great products we found on Etsy this week presented by the Boosting Etsy Shops Team.

True Blood Purple Fascinator from MsFormaldehyde Couture

True Blood Purple Fascinator, Vampire fascinator, NOLA, Wedding couture fascinator
Length is 7.5 inches with purple Ostrich feather, purple bionet feather, purple Peacock feather curled, and purple ranunculus flower. Comes on a sawtooth clip great for thick or thin hair.

Purple Shell Bracelet from Absolutely Kismet

This beautiful dyed purple shell bracelet (likely mother-of-pearl) is great for medium sized wrists. The total length of the bracelet is 8.5 inches (21.5cm), however, because of the size of the beads, the interior circumference is 7" (17.78cm), making it perfect for a wrist between 6.25-6.75", depending on how much wiggle room you prefer.

Handmade Fluorite Heart Pendant and Gemstone Necklace from Jewelry by Jaynemarie

Show her that your love is ENORMOUS by treating her to this vibrant heart-shaped crystal of genuine Fluorite!  This multicolored 2" (5cm) heart is suspended from green, purple and blue Fluorite Crystals. A sterling silver chain with a sterling silver lobster claw clasp finishes the necklace. This necklace is 17 1/2" (#cm) long, a perfect length for your heart to nestle by her heart! 

Austrian Crystal Oil Lamp Personal Sized Vintage from Redemption Art

Perfect for the holidays, as a gift..imagine "You light up my life"..as the caption on the card enclosed! Whatever you choose to do with it will be pleasurable, it really is an adorable and unique find.  The lamp measures 10" tall and 2" wide at its base. In very good vintage condition, It works perfectly and is ready to give someone another generation of beautiful light!

The Creativity Bugs love the opportunity to promote other artisans including their 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: Boosting Etsy Shops Team or the Etsy team page. You can find information about the team, as well as apply for membership HERE!

Happy Shopping!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue