New Etsy Items

Come stop by the Creativity Bugs Etsy shop to check out some of the new items added to the shop. Here are a few sneak peaks.

Happy Birthday Elephant Card

Happy Birthday Turtle Card

Firefly Flower Card

Thanks for stopping by!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of March 14

Here are this week's freebies found on blog and websites, or sent to us by friends.

Over at the Beccy's Place blog there is a link to a cupcake with candles

Tip Junkie has a ton of new printables including St. Patrick's Day bingo card,  recipe cards, home management worksheets, and cupcake wrappers

Living Locurto has a few new printables including these rainbow cupcake toppers, menu planning lists, and congratulations card

From JGoodeDesigns.com comes an adorable penguin memory match up game

Found on the Creature Comfort blog are these lacy printable label tags

That's it for this week. If you have any free printables to share, please feel to include the link in the comment section below or email us.

Have a great Monday!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Cheesy Penne Floretine

Wednesday started the Lenten season which means for the next few Fridays, I can't have meat. Last year I ate a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Don't get me wrong, I love them both but I really need to eat more healthy.

Anyway, I found a terrific recipe that I wanted to try only to find out one of the ingredients was chicken. So, last night I got into my kitchen with recipe in hand and tweaked it a bit so that it can be enjoyed with or without meat and also healthified it a bit with more veggies and lower fat cheeses.

Here is the modified recipe:

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray
4 cups thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion diced
1 medium red pepper chopped
3 cups fresh spinach, lightly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 oz) carton of low-fat cottage cheese
4 cups cooked whole-wheat penne pasta
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced fat blend of cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, colby jack), divided
1/4 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup skim milk
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil cooking spray and turn on heat to medium high.
3. Add mushrooms, onion, and pepper. Saute until tender; about 4 minute.
4. Add spinach, oregano, and pepper. Saute another 3 minutes or until spinach wilts.
5. In a food processor or blender, add cottage cheese and process until smooth.
6. In a large bowl, combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, 3/4 cup cheese blend, milk, and soup.
7. Spoon mixture into 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray.
8. Sprinkle the top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese blend and Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly brown and bubbly

*** if you are making this recipe with meat, use cream of chicken soup in place of cream of mushroom and add 2 cups shredded chicken breast in step 6. ***

I suggest serving with a large veggie filled side salad dressed with a low-cal balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Enjoy!
Creativity Bug ~ Sue

BESTeam Weekly Feature - Blue & White Jewelry Wear

Come check out this week's BESTeam featured site Blue & White Jewelry Wear  on Etsy. 

The shop owner is originally from NY, has been living in Bangkok, and just recently moved with her husband to Santiago, Chile. Her shop, Blue & White Jewelry Wear,  creates jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, earrings) with an oriental touch! A modern version of East meets West. It is unique jewelry for unique women.

When first entering the shop, I was mesmerized with the Amazing Amethyst Necklace. This stunning purple necklace has a double strand of varying amethyst stones and freshwaters pearls. Amethyst is February’s birthstone and is the stone of spirituality and contentment. It promotes calming qualities for meditation.

  

The next eye catching piece of jewelry is the Oriental Fan Necklace. This monochromatic antique gold/bronze necklace features a light weight oriental fan with Chinese characters. It is attached to a bronze colored chain with smoky quartz beads

 The shop also features bracelets such as the Chained Hearts Bracelet. The bracelet contains a  single puffed heart charm, a double heart charm, and a turquoise nugget that have been attached to a heavy duty silver chain. This a perfect gift for a special person on their birthday, as bridal party thank you, or even an anniversary present. It comes packaged in a pretty taffeta bag.

Don’t forget to also check out the Blue&White Wear blog to see more great jewelry items, pictures of Santiago, and other great features.

 

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featured Freebies for the Week of March 7

Check out the latest freebie items we found on blogs and websites or links sent to us from friends.

Limited Runs Stamps posted a St. Patrick's Day digital set

Sliekje Digi Stamps has posted an adorable puppy with mouse digital

Tip Junkie has posted a link to a printable Spring Kit (to do list),  Get Well Soon gift tags, and a Ta-Da to do list.

DZ Doodles shares two cute puppies

Spyder's Corner has an adorable Ewe downloadable

Ellephantastic has a chick and a few bear downloadables

If I Could posted a link to a St.Patrick's Day Subway Art downloadable

Catch My Party posted a download to some fantastic St. Patrick's Day printables

Maddycakes Muse posted a link to St. Patrick's Day downloadables

If you have any papercrafting downloadables or links to share, please post the link in the comments below or send us an email.

Enjoy!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Featuring Wayfaring Magnolia

Come join us in welcoming our featured Etsy shop owner Amanda and her eclectic shop Wayfaring Magnolia.

Before showing you some of the great products at Wayfaring Magnolia, I want to introduce you to Amanda. She describes herself as someone who "loves x 3" art, music, and fashion. She is intrigued and inspired by the "fashion of our past". Amanda studied history at Michigan State University where vintage fashion and history caught her eye.

In July 2010, Amanda opened the Etsy shop Wayfaring Magnolia. It  is a wonderful place to find vintage treasures from around the world. Who doesn't love vintage?!

Not only does she feature fashions such as this whimsy black and white polka dot shift dress

this Vintage Hoquy French Beret

and these vintage pretty in pink peep toes

but also some gorgeous vintage jewelry like this monarch butterfly broach

Please stop on by Amanda's shop Wayfaring Magnolia to see these items and so much more!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue

Recipe Friday: Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

The weather outside is still chilly here in the Midwest, so nothing could be better than a nice warm crockpot or slower cooker meal. This recipe can easily be reduced in calories by using reduced or fat free sour cream and by using reduced or fat free cream of mushroom soup.

Serve it on top of noodles, rice, dumplings, or my favorite spaetzle. Add a fresh green salad on the side.

Easy CrockPot Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs lean beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 lb fresh slice mushrooms or 1 (8 oz) can mushrooms drained
• 1 cup sour cream (may use regular, reduced fat, or fat free)
• 1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup (may use regular, reduced fat, or fat free)
• 1 cup water
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except sour cream into slow cooker/crockpot.
2. Stir to combine ingredients and cover.
3. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours
4. Stir in sour cream.
5. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes.
6. Serve over egg noodles, rice, dumplings, or spaetzle.

Have a wonderful Friday!

Creativity Bug ~ Sue