A Dozen Dazzling DIYs ~ creative features from the {what's shakin'} link party

There is just something about getting out paint, a glue gun, a wreath form and pretty paper that makes this girl's heart skip a beat!  Whether it is making something personalized for a party, putting together a pretty mantle, spending time with your kiddos or creating seasonal home decor ... today I am featuring a dozen dazzling DIYs from the {what's shakin'} link party!

These twelve awesome ideas are sure to get your creative juices flowing, so check out ...

Easy Chalkboard Tags at Alderberry Hill

Creek Side Farms Sign at The Vintage Estate

Mini Spring Wreath at Silo Hill Farm

Spring Glitter Blocks at Crafting in the Rain

Plastic Plate Wall at One Project Closer

Mouse Trap Gallery Wall at Tried & True

Terrarium Gardens at Paula Parrish

Green Spring Mantel at Lemon Tree Dwelling

Chocolate Mint Lip Balm at The Go To Mum

Animal Bean Bags at Tried & True

Paper Butterfly Wreath at Blue Skies Ahead

Knit Flower Hair Accessories at Night Owl Corner

Thank you for sharing your talent each week with us - please grab a button and post it proudly!  Please head to the original post if you want to pin one of these amazing DIY ideas!  I've got one more feature post up my sleeve so link up if you haven't!  Happy Easter, friends!!

8 Last Minute Easter Ideas ~ features from the {what's shakin'} link party

Are you in a bunny bind?  Need a quick chick?  An egg-cellent decorating idea at the last minute?  You are in luck!  Today, I am featuring 8 last minute Easter ideas that you can put together even now!  From sweet treats to Easter basket fillers to quick home decor, there is still time to get creative and celebrate!

Since we are in a time crunch, take a look at these quick and cute easy Easter ideas!!

Easy Bunny Cupcakes in a Jar at Bubbly Nature Creations

Easter Subway Art at Sweet Yarns

Easter S'Mores Toffee at Lemons for Lulu

Free Printable Easter Cupcake Toppers at Cupcake Diaries

Spring M&M Double Chocolate Cookies at Jedi Craft Girl

Paper Easter Egg Garland at Practically Functional

Peeps S'Mores at Dreamsicle Sisters

Bath Pouf Chick at Crafty Journal

Thanks so much to everyone who linked up this weekend and last weekend - you have made the {what's shakin'} link party a one-stop-shop for all things inspiring!!  If you were featured above, please grab a button if you would like one! I'll post another round of features tomorrow so please go ahead and link up to this week's party if you haven't already!

{what's shakin'} link party #53

Friday already?!  Our family has been on Spring Break and I can't believe it's coming to an end!  Later this week I'll share our pictures and our family's favorite places on Dauphin Island.  I planned to share features all weekend long, but our Internet connection was spotty at best.  SO this week I'll combine both parties and share all of your hard work this weekend!!

Just in case you missed it - I was able to post a few things:

• Need something quick and yummy for Easter morning breakfast?  How about cinnamon roll monkey bread?
• Pretty Spring fabrics are perfect for an easy no-sew Spring fabric banner!
• I tweaked one of our favorite appetizers and made it a hearty entree with Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken!  Try our cheesy spinach artichoke chicken bake!

Now, enough about about me!  I want to see what's shakin' at your place!

Welcome to the {what's shakin'} link party #53!!

I would love it if you would grab a button and add it to your post or party page ... and a text link works just fine, too! It's not required, but it would make me super happy!!

Here is the plan:

• Link up your latest and greatest recipes, projects, crafts, tutorials, tips & tricks, parties you hosted, DIY, makeovers, upcycles ... basically anything other than your blog's main page, other link parties or businesses.
• We all gush, pin, stumble, share and marvel at your awesomeness!  Please pin your favorite things from the original source :)
• Party faves and fantastic features go up on Sunday with a second bonus feature post sometime during the week, too!

{taste this} Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake ~ #MealsTogether with Tyson

It is officially Spring Break in the Bassett household and this year, we took our first full on, week long family vacation!  There is a full kitchen at the beach house, so before we left, I spent some time looking for easy delicious recipes for family meals to make that will feed a crowd!  I found an Alfredo Chicken and Broccoli dinner idea while browsing the Tyson website.  Since our family is obsessed with spinach artichoke dip, I was inspired to tweak this recipe to make a hearty entree: cheesy spinach artichoke chicken bake!

We headed to the Walmart to grab everything we needed for vacation - including all of the ingredients to make this amazing dinner!

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Chicken Bake
Yield:  One 9x13 and one 8x10 baking dish

• 3 bags of Tyson Grilled & Ready^® Fully Cooked Refrigerated Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast (Reduce to 2 bags if you only want one 9x13 pan)
• 1 lb. of pasta - I used rotini but ziti or elbows would also work well
• 2 jars (15 oz.) of your favorite Alfredo sauce 
• 1/2 of a 15 oz. container of part skim ricotta cheese
• One 14 oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• One 9 oz. box frozen spinach, thawed and pressed well to remove the liquid
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (more or less to taste)
• 1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  In a large bowl, combine the garlic, Alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese and 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese.  Stir in cooked pasta, chicken, artichoke hearts and spinach.  Pour into baking pans prepared with non-stick cooking spray.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese and bake at 375* until the cheese is melted and the dish is hot and bubbly.  


This easy dinner is a great way to sneak some veggies into a baked pasta dish stuffed full of cheesy goodness - just take a look at all the spinach and artichokes - and has a serious YUM factor!!

Our take on a popular appetizer is a hearty entree thanks to the addition of Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken!  It made dinner preparation after a long day sight seeing and sunning on the beach SO easy since the chicken was pre-cooked!  We paired it with garlic bread and a salad for an amazing dinner!

Stay in touch with all of the great products and recipes by connecting with Tyson on their Facebook page and on Twitter! 

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Tyson. #cbias #SocialFabric #MealsTogether

This post was shared with the blogs on my Link page!

{create this} Spring fabric garland - an easy no-sew project

While I am definitely not a seamstress, the craft hoarder dedicated crafter in me loves pretty fabric!  So occasionally, from time to time, I might pick up a few yards here and there.  Since I am in the process of decorating for Spring, I knew a pretty fabric garland would be the perfect way to add color, texture and interest to the space!  And the idea for this easy no-sew Spring fabric garland was hatched!!  

Want to make a Spring no-sew fabric garland?  (I made a similar garland for my mom's vintage love bird themed wedding shower,too!) Here are the supplies I used:

Believe it or not, the fabric for this banner was found at Walmart!  I picked up three fat quarters in several bright, Spring time prints, snipped the fabric at inch intervals and ripped the fabric into strips.  If you prefer cleaner edges, you can cut the lengths entirely with scissors, but I happen to like a little shabby chic :)  I found the felt flowers at Michaels or Joanns but you could easily make your own, grabbed some jute twine and got to work tying the fabric onto the twine:

Fold each fabric strip in half.  Lay the twine on top of the folded strip about one inch down.  Slip the two tails through the loop created by the fold and pull them through, creating a knot of sorts.  Tighten the fabric around the twine and repeat, alternating fabric patterns.  Add a felt flower to each end (I used basic craft glue) and hang it up!

Here are a few more Spring things you may enjoy:

Mini Spring tree with ornaments

Spring frames trio

Easter critters from restaurant coasters

This post was shared with the blogs on my Link page!

{taste this} cinnamon roll monkey bread ~ an Easter breakfast treat

Maybe this isn't a "new to you" recipe, but until recently, I had never made monkey bread.  Can you believe it?  I've made pizza roll ups with crescent rolls and chocolate nutella popovers with refrigerated biscuits and waffles from refrigerated cinnamon rolls ... I am the queen of refrigerated dough!  But no monkey bread.  Until now!

So, in case you may not be versed on all things monkey bread, it is traditionally made with refrigerated biscuits cut in quarters, dipped in melted butter, rolled in cinnamon sugar and piled in a Bundt pan to bake.  It's pretty much one of the yummiest things ever.  And then ... I decided to make it with cinnamon rolls.

Yep, that is cream cheese icing drizzled over the ridiculous deliciousness of baked cinnamon roll monkey bread.  This could save the world ... or at least breakfast!

cinnamon roll monkey bread
Yield:  One 9x13 pan of crazy good

2 cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls (8 count each) with cream cheese icing
About 1 cup of cinnamon sugar - I usually mix 3 parts granulated sugar to 1 part cinnamon

Cut the cinnamon rolls in quarters and break apart slightly.  Set the cream cheese icing aside for later.  Roll the quartered cinnamon rolls in the cinnamon sugar and pile into a 9x13 baking dish (or large Bundt pan) sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  I didn't use melted butter and the cinnamon sugar stuck just fine - so you can save the calories if you want.  Bake at 375* until the rolls are baked through.  Drizzle cream cheese icing on while warm.

Everyone who tried this LOVED it and it couldn't be easier.  I mean, what could be better than cinnamon rolls with caramelized cinnamon sugar and warm cream cheese icing?!  Pot luck?  YES!  Easter morning breakfast?  YES!  Just because?  Definitely YES!

Need more easy cinnamon roll recipes?  (The answer to that question is also YES!)

Cinnamon roll waffles

Cinnamon rolls from refrigerated biscuits

Easy caramel apple cinnamon rolls

This post was shared with the blogs on my Link page!

{what's shakin'} link party #52!!

I'm not sure if I can even believe I am typing this, but the {what's shakin'} link party has been inspiring us for one whole year!!  And it's only because of your bright ideas, amazing parties, terrific tutorials, cute crafts, delicious desserts, mouth watering main dishes, tips & tricks and all around awesomeness that this party is still here and growing each week!  So .... THANK YOU!!  From the bottom of my hot glue lovin', sugar coated heart!

Before we get this party started, did you miss anything this week?

• I featured 12 of your Spring & Easter DIYs!
• My bunny tails {muddy buddies popcorn} is the perfect sweet & salty Easter treat!
• I used plain white cups to make the cutest little bunny treat cups!
• There is a DecoArt mixed media goody box up for grabs - don't forget to enter the giveaway!
• Yesterday, I shared 15 of your delightful Spring recipes!

I would beyond love it if we could make this the biggest party EVER!  So if you want, share the party on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest!  I'll do features posts this Saturday and Sunday to celebrate our milestone achievement!

Now, enough about about me!  I want to see what's shakin' at your place!

Welcome to the {what's shakin'} link party #52!!

I would love it if you would grab a button and add it to your post or party page ... and a text link works just fine, too! It's not required, but it would make me super happy!!

Here is the plan:

• Link up your latest and greatest recipes, projects, crafts, tutorials, tips & tricks, parties you hosted, DIY, makeovers, upcycles ... basically anything other than your blog's main page, other link parties or businesses.
• We all gush, pin, stumble, share and marvel at your awesomeness!  Please pin your favorite things from the original source :)
• Party faves and fantastic features go up on Sunday with a second bonus feature post sometime during the week, too!

15 delightful Spring desserts ~ tasty features from the {what's shakin'} link party

There is no better way to end a meal (or start a day!) than with a sweet treat!  Decadent chocolate brownies, tart citrus pie, ultimate chocolate chip cookies, cute little cake pops ... you guessed it!  The features today are 15 delightful Spring desserts from this week's {what's shakin'} link party!

Your sweet tooth will be very happy when you feast your eyes on the pretty Spring desserts below!

Lemon Raspberry Ice Box Pie with Oreo Cookie Crust from Crumbs and Chaos

Almond Tassies with Mixed Berry Curd from Lemons for Lulu

Fruit Salsa Yogurt Cups from Inside BruCrew Life

Key Lime Tartlets from Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Cookie Dough Cheesecake Pie from The Pink Flour

Macaroon Nests from Lemon Tree Dwelling

Ultimate Brownie Pie from It Bakes Me Happy

Chocolate Chip Cookies from bear & lion

Reese's Pieces Pastel Egg Cookies from Cupcake Diaries

Banana Cream Fudge from Inside BruCrew Life

Carrot Cake Pops from The Partiologist

Samoas {Caramel DeLite} Chex Mix from i heart eating

Key Lime Pound Cake from Chocolate, Chocolate and More

Blueberry Almond Delight Bites from Jazzy Gourmet Cooking Studio

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie from From My Perspective

Please pin all of your favorites by clicking over to the original post!  If your yummy recipe was featured above, please grab a button if you'd like!  Another party goes live tomorrow morning and I'd love for you to link up your latest and greatest posts from your blog!  Have a great day!