BESTeam Weekly Feature - HeadpinWear

Come check out this week's BESTeam featured Etsy site HeadpinWear

HeadpinWear is owned by Cathy from Benicia, California. She started designing jewelry a few years ago and  really just wanted to make jewelry for herself that would be unique and would complement her apparel. In creating and designing, she has found that she has to be "In the Mood"! Cathy is not one who can just sits down and makes something, for the sake of making it. She is thoughtful and meticulous in the complete design from start to finish. Sometimes it may take days to finish a piece, and then sometimes it’s simple and easy, but that’s rare. Although she calls her jewelry simplistic, Cathy can assure you that it is all quality work.

At HeadpinWear you will find classic and retro designed jewelry with Gemstones, Swarovski Crystals, and other varieties to flatter you, and your own style! Cathy believes that jewelry is an accessory. It is not meant to be center stage or steal the show. Jewelry is meant to enhance your being, inside and out, and complete your sense of style. It is the cherry on top of your sundae"!

Here are just a few of the items that caught my eye while browsing Cathy’s HeadpinWear Etsty shop.

Raspberry and Key Lime colored Czech Glass Bead Earrings on Vintaj Brass

A romantic sorbet of Key Lime and Raspberry make up this delightful combination in these Czech Glass Earrings. A juicy Raspberry Drop dangles from the bottom of a two tone translucent round Czech Glass Bead. The edges of this two toned round are exquisite in their Picasso finish. Above this center Bead is a Melon Bead which mixes the flavors of Key Lime and Raspberry thoroughly. In appearance these two colors are now a swirl! To complete this flavorful combination the Melon Bead is capped sweetly, with a Vintaj Brass Flower Bead Cap. 

Orange Chalcedony, Fire Opal, Carnelian Gemstones and Thai Sterling Silver Bracelet

A luscious and lovely combination of striking Orange’s and Rust’s are combined in this bright Bracelet! Each Gemstone is separated either by a Thai Sterling Silver Rondelle Spacer Bead with an engraved Flower Motif, or by an AB Carnelian Rondelle. The Gemstones consist of orange sorbet Chalcedony Rondelles, Fire Opal Nuggets, and Faceted Carnelian Rondelles.This Bracelet closes with a Bali Style Sun Burst Toggle.

White Starfish mixed with Pearls, Larimar, Sterling Silver, and Brass Set

A distinctive White Patina Starfish set amongst sparkling and complementing shades of our coastal waters completes this stunning necklace. Wire wrapped on Vintaj Brass Wire, between double strands of Solid Brass Hand Antiqued Chain are light sage Freshwater Pearls, Larimar Gemstones, Swarovski Crystals topped with Vintaj Brass Bead Caps, and a Pewter Clamshell Bead. An Antiqued Brass Ball and Socket Clasp close this necklace.

For the earrings, three sparkling Swarovski Crystals in shades of Indian Sapphire dangle from Antiqued Brass Chain and are connected by a loop to a bold and captivating Swarovski Indian Sapphire AB Crystal. An elaborate Vintaj Brass Bead Cap adds more detail to this already gorgeous bead! This ensemble hangs directly from Handmade Vintaj Brass Ear Wires. 

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

Featured Freebies for the Week of June 27th

Hello and Happy Monday!

Here are this week’s freebie downloads, digital images, and stamps that we found on websites and blogs or sent to us from friends and followers.

The Crafty Journal shares a digital image of hugging frogs

The Broken Box Store shares a wheelbarrow, mom and kids, and stacked house digital stamps

The Broken Box Store also shares a pansy tattoo, Wendy doodles font, and just in time for the 4th of July is America Toodle

Debbie from Arty Crafty shares a bit of everything digital images

Lilly's Night Garden shares a few flower digital images images including fuchsia, lily, and gerberas

Sliekje Digi Stampss shares a hamster with flowers, a garden kitten, a baby with balloons, and little angel

That's all for this week. Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Summertime Chicken

I found this recipe from the Family Circle website and knew I had to try it.

Ingredients

  Chicken:

1   container (8 ounces) low-fat plain yogurt

3 tablespoons  balsamic vinegar

8   thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (bout 1-1/2 pounds total)

  Tomato-Mozzarella Topping:

1 tablespoon  olive oil

1 medium-size  onion, cut into 16 wedges

1/4 cup  balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons  water

1 pound  plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, chopped (about 4 cups)

1 teaspoon  salt

1/2 teaspoon  black pepper

1   piece (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 cup  loosely packed basil leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Chicken: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and the 3 tablespoons vinegar until well blended. In a plastic food-storage bag, combine the chicken and yogurt mixture; seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate 20 minutes to marinate.

2. Meanwhile, heat a broiler, or prepare an outdoor grill with medium-hot coals, or heat a gas grill to medium-hot.

3. Tomato-Mozzarella Topping: In large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion; saute for 5 minutes or until slightly softened; the wedges will fall apart into pieces. Add the 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and the water. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook until the liquid has reduced to a sauce and onion is tender, about 7 minutes.

4. Increase heat to medium-high. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; let cool 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in mozzarella and chopped basil.

5. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Gently rinse chicken and pat dry.

6. Broil or grill chicken about 4 inches from heat 3 to 4 minutes per side or until internal temperature registers 170 degrees F on instant-read thermometer. Place chicken on large platter. Scoop 1/4 cup topping on each chicken piece. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 224, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 68 mg, Sodium 527 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 24 g.

Happy Friday!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

BESTeam Weekly Feature - Jewelry by Jaynemarie

Come check out this week's BESTeam featured Etsy site Jewelry by Jaynemarie

Jaynemarie started making jewelry when her daughters were small. She would make them clothes and accessories and soon discovered that she really enjoyed designing and making jewelry. Jaynemarie would always receive many compliments and questions about her jewelry and because of that she decided to design and make jewelry for sale.

We can see why Jaynemarie received all the compliments after view just a few of the many pieces she has available in her Etsy shop including:

The Blushing Bride's Pearls and Rose Quartz Heart Necklace

A rose quartz heart highlights this pearl and rose quartz necklace. This is 18” (46cm) of gem quality white freshwater pearls with rose quartz rondelles and a lovely rose quartz heart briolette as its finishing touch.

Handmade Sterling Silver Carved Onyx Necklace

Striking necklace made with beautiful hand-carved onyx knots and sterling silver filigree diamonds. This necklace is 16" (41cm) and is adjustable to 19" (48cm). 

Handmade Carved Onyx and Sterling Silver Earrings

Beautiful hand-carved onyx knot beads finished with sterling silver teardrops make a striking pair of earrings. 

Romantic Pearl Necklace, Bracelet and Earrings

Elegant collection of necklace, bracelet & earrings have graceful curves of sterling silver, each curve tipped with white freshwater pearls. 

These are only a few of the wonderful items available. Please check out the rest of this beautiful collection Jewelry by Jaynemarie Etsy shop and don’t forget to check out the Jewelry by Jaynemarie 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 Tutorial: Trash to Treasure Goodies

These past few weeks have been a bear and I haven’t had a chance to do any crafting. I have been spending my time job hunting, interviewing, and getting my house fixed up inside. With all this going on, I feel like I have been neglecting our Etsy shop and not really put in 100% to the Creativity Bug blog.

So as not to disappoint our friends and followers, this week’s tutorial is really a listing of a few craft projects I have been wanting to try my hand at along with links to their how-to tutorials. My hopes is that next week I will have at least one of the projects completed with pictures and everything!

The first project is for a cheese dome turned into a cloche. My sister Sandy sent me a link from The House of Hepworth showing how you can turn a simple cheese plate/dome and candle stick (both found at thriftstores) into a beautiful cloche.

Once complete, it can be used as a display in the kitchen and anywhere around the house. I already have all the materials on hand and am just waiting for a sunny day to spray paint my plate and candle stick outside.

I love making things from recycled or old things, so when I saw wind chimes made from utensils and other kitchen items at a craft fair, it was one project I knew I wanted to learn to make. While doing a search on Google, I came across the ButterNugett Creations blog where they made a stunning wind chime using an old teapot, hemp, keys, and bells.

I can’t wait for my next garage sale and thrift store spree, as I will be looking for old keys, utensils, and bells to create a wind chime for my backyard. I even have the perfect tree to hang it from.

I am forever looking for a pen and paper to jot down things to buy at the store. Soon the paper gets lost or I have a few dozen sticky notes in several different places. I decided that I wanted a noteboard or chalkboard to hang in the kitchen, but as usual wanted something shabby to match with my kitchen. After doing a Google search, I came across the Crafty Girl blog where she had a brief tutorial on how to make a chalkboard frame.

Can I say, it was love at first sight! I have the chalkboard paint and spray paint already on hand along with the measurement of the cabinet that I want the frame to hang from. Now all I need to do is find the perfect sized ornate frame.

That’s it for this week! If anyone has made any of these projects or has any trash to treasure projects to share, please include a link in the comment section.

Happy Crafting!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of June 20th

Hello and Happy Monday!

Here are the freebie digital images and stamps that have been found on blogs and websites,  or shared with us by friends and followers.

Create with TLC shares five different ice cream sundae digital papers that would be great for scrapbooking and card making.

A little late for Father’s Day, but we have a love you to pieces sentiment and word download also from Create with TLC

GTC Crafty Corner is offering a 5 part Bird Spotting Freebie series; bird spotting 1, bird spotting 2, bird spotting 3, bird spotting 4, and bird spotting 5

Disguised as a Grownup shares a hillarious digital stamp about marriage

Ginger’s House shares a free sentiment that would be great on a card or framed

That’s all for this week. Have fun crafting!

Creatitivity Bug ~ Sue

Happy Father's Day

What Makes a Dad ~ author unknown

God took the strength of a mountain,

The Majesty of a tree,

The warmth of th a summer sun,

The calm of a quiet sea,

The generous soul of nature,

The comforting arm of night,

The wisdom of the ages,

The power of the easle’s flight,

The joy of a morning in spring,

The faith of a mustard seed,

The patience of eternity,

The depth of a family need,

Then God combined these qualities,

When there was nothing more to add,

He knew his masterpiece was complete,

And so he called it ….. DAD

We love you DAD!!

Creativity Bugs ~ Sandy and Sue

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 

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 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

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

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

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