Annie Lang's Blog!

While cleaning out my craft supply closet I found both new and used stretched canvases saved from former painting sessions.  Since I try to repurpose as often as possible, giving the art a "makeover" while decluttering my storage closet seemed like a very practical solution.  I covered over 2 older canvases ( used for teaching demonstration paintings )  with fabric from my crafting stash.  I then painted a new blank stretched canvas with black craft paint and adhered them together to create a dimensional wall art home accent to hang and enjoy all season.  By simply changing the fabrics, I can also make wall art suitable to any season or room theme I choose.  I still have quite a few used canvases to use up and plenty of fabrics tucked away on my shelves for future wall art projects.  Cost for the finished sample project shown above was under $10 after hitting a 1/2 off Spoonflower sale for the fat quarters and already having the canvas on hand.  You can also purchase new stre

  I've made numerous attempts to successfully hand paint scenics on plastic cups and dinnerware to make them both safe and durable to use.  In most cases, the paint faded quickly or gradually chipped off even though it was sealed.  Unlike glass paint, you can't bake the paint on in the oven!  I then discovered how to preserve the art and make it dishwasher safe by using several coats of Mod Podge as a sealer.  Not only does it do an exceptional job, but the sealed colors remain as bright and vibrant as the day they were originally painted despite time and heavy use.  I recently cleaned out my summer stash of plastic drinkware to get ready for the season ahead.  Several glasses and cups were just a bit scratched but not cracked so I decided to try painting them for a fresh new look.  Here's my tropical plastic stemware step-by-step project and I hope you'll give it a try!  The scenes were painted "freestyle" without a pattern but you can use a light pencil to d

I've always been an avid book reader which explains why my bookworm characters are so very near and dear to my heart.  In 2014, these endearing little characters appeared in my very first published children's book title " Bookworms Know Stuff " and were later translated into fabric prints, clipart collections, pattern books, merchandise and more.  But even more rewarding is being asked to introduce my characters in a classroom book reading setting where energetic and enthusiastic children are totally captivated by the story and illustrations presented to them.  Kids are totally engaged when it comes to storytelling adventures and watching their imaginations soar is nothing short of priceless!  It still amazes me that our young children very much enjoy the experience of group book reading sessions as they discover the magic with each and every page they turn.  It really is true that when you share a book, you'll make a friend and a new little bookworm will pass it

I hadn't stocked up my home supply of greeting cards for almost a year and it really irked me to purchase 3 cards from my local department store while shopping for groceries.  The cost of the cards was twice the amount I normally pay for my own designer cards and they were smaller, printed on thin cardstock and the inside verses were rather trite.  So I went home, checked my events calendar and remaining card stash, sat down to my computer with a cup of coffee and ordered enough cards to see me through a year of upcoming events.  Best of all, I could personalize the inside verses and many of the card fronts for free.  Since I ordered a quantity of cards, shipping was free and I took advantage of card pricing.  Not only are the 5"x7" card printed on high quality card stock with a glossy finish, they are also perfect for framing and crafting.  You'll often find discount promo codes on sites like RetailMeNot for additional savings that can be applied at the checkout.  My

It's National Quilt Month and 15  brand new fabric prints have just been added to Annie Lang's Spoonflower Shop .  From Bubble Trouble to Frolicking Zebras to Tropical coordinates, you'll have a hard time choosing a favorite! When you visit my Annie Things Possible Spoonflower Store...Just Click the "NEW" button to see them all!

You can make a homespun potholder without fabric or a sewing machine when you DIY your own with this delightfully fun papercraft potholder greeting card!  To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY! 

Life is sweet and so are Annie Lang's whimsical Gingerbread characters!  Make your own fun with Annie's FREE Ginger Sweet Notes that can be used for mini signs, tags, labels, memos and so much more.  To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY! 

Black and white stripes are all the rage and Annie Lang's whimsical zebra characters are wearing them in style!  You'll find a whole herd of happy zebras on this FREE paper clip sheet to make DIY magnets, stickers, tags, pokes, envelope seals and more. To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY!

Whether you're planning a Hollywood themed party, a movie night gathering or a home video showing, this is the perfect printable for you.  So grab a seat and a bowl of popcorn and let the fun begin! To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY!

It's time for a hug and Annie Lang's whimsical bunny is waiting for you!  Page includes a Bunny Hug image, lined note page and 2 embellishment images to use for stickers, magnets, envelope seals or whatever!  So let's make something fun today and give yourself a Bunny Hug!  To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY!

Here's Annie Lang's free Peek-A-Boo Bear dimensional card project you can personalize any way you'd like.  So go ahead and make something fun today  and surprise someone you love with a happy greeting!  To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY!

Share some smiles today with Annie's FREE downloadable papercraft mini card and envelope.  This printable project features everything you need to make a busy crafting bee sharing his heart! To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer. So go ahead, bee happy and share some handcrafted smiles today!    

If you've got Cabin Fever, you are in the right place because for the next week, you'll find a fun FREE downloadable project to warm you up and chase away those winter blahs!  So let's make something fun today by starting out with this Winter Break dimensional card project.  To download the full page project sheet, simply right click the image below and save to your computer.  ENJOY!

Whether it's a holiday celebration or just a quiet night at home entertaining a few friends, you can serve your guests in style by making your own wooden charcuterie tray.  After pricing numerous trays both in stores and online, I decided to make my own food safe tray and it was surprising easy to do and the cost was less than a trip to McDonalds!  I was tempted to paint a design on the tray, but I fought the urge and made this a simple serving tray to use for any occasion.   I bought all my supplies at our local home improvement store.  It took about 4 hours to complete from start to finish and much of that time was spent sanding.  Since this was a new wood board, I applied 3 coats of wax following the manufacturer's directions.  There are numerous finishing products available to make your serving tray both waterproof and 100% food safe.  Many products need to cure before use which is why I chose to go with the Walrus Oil Wood Wax .   It's easy to use and I can apply it t

It's a gloomy day.  It's too cold for outdoor activities.  You're bored and restless. You head to your craft supply shelves.  You discover a stash of scrap fabrics.  You also notice that wire frame you picked up from the Dollar Store.  You grab a pair of scissors and head for the table with your coffee and supplies and turn on your favorite music playlist.  Before you know it, you have made a whimsical wreath.  Hope you'll try out this traditional craft and experience the joy of creating a handmade treasure! 

  One of my favorite Autumn themes are harvest time Scarecrows and gatherings from the pumpkin patch.  Not only do scarecrows stand guard over our gardens, but they do a marvelous job of displaying a wide array of colorfully repurposed clothing!  Best of all, the theme carries through from the first days of autumn until the Thanksgiving harvest celebration concludes.   I decorate my home and outdoor living spaces with all the incredible colors and textures of the season, from leaves, acorns, woodsy animals, happy scarecrows, leaf wrapped lanterns, apples and pumpkins galore and bows of calico and plaids.  So fire up your imagination, gather up the harvest and let's simply Fall into Autumn smiles!   Need some fabrics for seasonal inspiration?  You'll find my fabric, wallpapers, home decor items and more in my Spoonflower Shop!  The above image features  Starecrows Scarecrows print, Brush Stroked in Ivory print,  Pumpkin Patch Scarecrows print, Naturally Brown Burlap print, 

Annie Lang now offers downloadable printable paper sets so you'll never run out of decorative pattern prints for all your creative papercrafting projects.  Each themed publication has 12 delightful full size color mix and match pages that you can print and use for your handcrafted adventures.  They are .pdf formatted and you can print as many as you'd like which makes them ideal for groups, classrooms, craft party gatherings and more.  Can be used to create scrapping page backgrounds, papercrafts, wrappers, cardmaking, frames, Mod Podge projects, notebook dividers, office accessories accents or anything else you can think of.  Royalty Free Usage allows unlimited printing usage for personal projects and handcrafted items you can resell.  However, the data files cannot be resold/shared or used for commercially printed merchandise retail products. Download your paper collections from the Activity Crafts page at Annie Things Possible right now and you can start your creative proje

I must confess that I have a rocky relationship when it comes to my sewing machine!  Though I've owned one all of my adult life, I've mostly put it to use for hemming curtains, altering and repairing my clothing and for crafting small project.  I am however, a passionate fabriholic and my heart skips a beat any time I walk through the fabric aisles, captivated by the colors, textures and irresistible urge to buy something!  As a textile designer, I find great joy in creating repeat patterns, experimenting with color combinations and the simple challenge of creating something fun that can be used for future projects keeps me creatively motivated.  While recently organizing my craft shelves, I decided it was time to pull my scraps out of the bins and put them to everyday use.  Since a making a quilt is well beyond my skill level, I did an internet search to see what more talented experts were doing.  Here are a few of the projects I came up with that I wanted to share with my fel

Here's a fun and easy way to brighten up both your world and your day with painted wooden Flower Swags!  You don't need to be a decorative painter to make these fun little flowers in only a few hours or less.  All you need are some craft paints, brushes and glue and then use the finished painted items to decorate and embellish all kinds of items for your home or friends.  Enjoy this step by step tutorial along with a few ideas to get you inspired.  Happy Crafting!

Whether it's pirate treasures, house cats, Halloween fun, bright and cheery summer prints or light and airy flutterings for your creative projects, you'll find 20 delightfully new fabric inspirations by Annie Lang now available!  Visit Annie's home website fabric page , select a swatch and see all available designer products at Spoonflower !    Need Free Sewing Patterns and Ideas?  Check out the Spoonflower BLOG page right here!