Summer CHA 2011 Sneak Peaks

The Summer CHA 2011 is now underway here in Chicago. Here are a few sneak peaks of products to be hitting local crafting stores soon.

Nikki Sivils

Gingerbread Land Collection

Get Well Collection

School is Cool Collection

SEI

Promise Me Collection

Silver Valley Collection

My Little Shoebox

Pretty Little Things Collection

Destination Collection

Audrey Collection

Anyone else getting excited about all the new products?!

Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of July 18th

Here are this week’s links to fabulous freebie images, printables, and digital stamps that we found on the web, on blogs, or were sent to us from our friends and followers.

Beccy from Beccy’s Place shares with us a bunch of great digital printables including: apple basket, bumble bee, ice cream cone, and berry branch

Bugaboo Stamps is kicking off its Christmas in July event with a free Christmas digital stamp

Pink Gem Designs is also in the Christmas in July spirit and shares her Reindeer in Boxers digital stamp

Sew Many Cards shares a link to a love tree digital image

Melonheadz Illustrating has been busy this week sharing a new collection of printables including: little family, tennis boy, gymnast, squirrel, and broken arm Kella

That’s all for this week we have for you this week.

Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Arts and Crafts Examiner: Weekly Wrap-up July 17, 2011

Today starts the third week of my new adventure as a freelance writer for the Arlington Heights Arts and Crafts Examiner.  It has been fun creating projects, interviewing local businesses, and attending many local arts and craft events.

Here are a few of last week’s articles that may be of interest:

Trash to Treasures Crafting: Cloche

July 2011 Arts and Craft Events in Illinois

Dollar Store Crafts: Wall Decor

Decorating for Less: Decorative Candles

The 10^th Annual Buffalo Grove Invitational  Fine Arts Festival

Hope you enjoyed a look at this week’s articles and will check again next week for more arts, crafts, and events!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Pasta Bolognese

I never met a bowl of pasta that I didn’t love and my hips can prove that. Today’s recipe is from Prevention magazine and is for a healthy version of pasta Bolognese. It is a delicious alternative to the heavy fat content of the original, substituting turkey and lean sirloin for the veal and beef of the traditional version. Trust me when I say this dish is phenomenal and you won’t notice that it is lower in calories and fat.

Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

6 oz ground turkey

6 oz ground pork

6 oz ground sirloin

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth

1 cup milk

2 bay leaves

salt and black pepper to taste

1 package fresh or 1 lb dried fettuccine

Parmesan, grated

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the garlic, carrot, celery, and onion and saute until the vegetables are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add the turkey, pork, and ground sirloin and stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink.

Drain any accumulated fat from the bottom of the pan and add the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, milk, and bay leaves.

Turn the heat down and simmer for at least 30 minutes (and up to 2 hours), until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and toss with hot sauce. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

Nutritional Facts:

CALORIES	507.6 CAL
FAT	11.9 G
SATURATED FAT	4.3 G
SODIUM	463.9 MG
CARBOHYDRATES	67.7 G
TOTAL SUGARS	10.6 G
DIETARY FIBER	4.5 G
PROTEIN	32 G

Happy Eating!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

BESTeam Weekly Feature - Ardent Reverie

This week’s BESTeam Etsy featured shop is Ardent Reverie.

Ardent Reverie is “two crazy sisters working like crazy in their tiny room to create unique handmade items”. 

These ladies love creating new things that inspire them and enjoy sharing them with others even more.

The Ardent Reverie collection includes accessories, hair accessories, hats, scarves, and solid perfumes. Some are our favorites are:

Mahogany Feather Clip

A radiant mix of feathers placed on a 1 ¾” hairclip

Ariel Necklace

A mixture of beads and Swarovski crystals adorned with a stone pendant, this necklace is sure to brighten up any outfit.

Holly Shawl

Lightweight and cozy, this hand crochet shawl will wrap around you with elegance and will be a great outfit topper that transitions well from day to night.

Whimsical Darling Necklace

A beautiful vintage look but with a little modern twist. Made with a lovely pendant and elegant beads all strewn on antique brass and copper chain.

These are only a few of the wonderful items available. Please check out the rest of this beautiful collection at the Ardent Reverie Etsy shop.

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 

Shameless Plug: Arlington Heights Arts and Crafts Examiner

As many of you know, I am not only a crafter but I love to write. Give me a topic and I will research it, summarize it, and share what I have learned. Now I get to do two of my favorite things at once; craft and write. I am officially the new Arts and Crafts writer for the Arlington Heights Examiner.

With this new adventure, I am going to be reporting to the Arlington Heights community and surrounding areas such things as art and craft events, local festivals, spotlights on local stores, crafts and hobbies to try, trash to treasure ideas, and things to make for little money.

If you live in Illinois and would like to share with me a few of your favorite places to shop for crafting items, places to take crafting classes, or crafting events in the area to attend, please contact me here or post links in the comment section below.

If you don't live in Illinois, but know of blogs or websites that you would love to share with me for article ideas or tutorials, please contact me here or post links in the comment section below.

I will keep you posted on my new adventure and include a weekly link on the blog to articles that may be on interest.

Happy Crafting,
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of July 11th

Hello and Happy Monday!

Here are this week’s wonderful paper crafting freebies, digital images, and printables that we found on the web, from blogs, and received from friends and followers.

GTC Crafty Corner features a Dotty about Flower series with part 1 and part 2

Spyders Corner features a hand drawn Mia the Mermaid image

Sandi’s Samples has a half dozen digital freebies including a truck,  hummingbird, and teacup

Whoopsi Daisy Designs is offering a free digital image of a dancing girl

MelonHeadz Illustrating is offering a few freebies from each of their collections including  a princess,  a camel, and a tube of lipstick

MelonHeadz Illustrating also created a special angle in rememberance of Caylee

DigiStamp Boutique offers a freebie of swimming Molly and Tom

Pop “N” Stick are offering a girl and love heart image collection

That is all for this week. Have fun crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue