Annie Lang's Blog!

While unpacking my autumn decorations, my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter stumbled upon some paper mache pumpkins I painted several years ago and immediately fell in love with them.  So off to the patio we went, armed with 2 painted pumpkins, a drill for me and a stub handled Phillips-Head screwdriver for her.  It was the perfect late summer day project for us as we chatted about the seasonal changes that were coming in the days ahead.  I drilled the holes and she poked the screwdriver into each one to even out the edges.  Little did she know that I was enjoying spending some quality time with her while she was working on fine motor skills as she concentrated on completing her task. The creative payoff extends far beyond the finished rewards of making fun usable items with your kids, grandkids or students.  They not only learn to focus as they complete the task at hand as you talk about things like shapes, color and imaginative uses for repurposing items, but it's always a thrill wh

Digitally design before you paint by using your image editing program.   I use Adobe Photoshop.   Use a tape measure to get the height and width measurements to size your digital canvas Create a white layer over the background and a duplicate layer of your background image   I chose a blue color overlay but you can change this to anything you'd like to suit your design I always save a copy of each design layer I may want to use for future projects! I also created a cardinal and a Santa design before deciding to use this scenic for my project Digital designing allows you to group elements so you easily position them any way you'd like. I prefer to use my line art as a guide, but you can transfer directly onto your prepped surface. Make sure you remove any dirt or rust areas with steel wool before priming with your basecoat. I'll most likely be using this finished project as a small centerpiece filled with holiday greens.  However, I also

Here's 3 fun little Springtime egg characters guaranteed to make you smile! They also make great basket stuffers,  Baby Shower decorations and Mother's Day gifts. Feel free to share this page link with your friends and family so they can get creatively inspired, too.  To download the patterns at the bottom of this page, right click and save image to your computer. Supplies: 4 1/2" paper mache egg for each featured character sponge brush for basecoating assorted brushes and liner brush 3"x3" scrap of white watercolor paper for bunny ears adhesive to attach bunny ears to the egg transfer paper Assorted Acrylic Craft Paints   as follows... Funny Bunny Hatchling:  white, black, baby blue, true blue, pink, burgundy, spring green, true green Happy Chick Hatchling:  bright yellow, light yellow, orange, burgundy, white, lavender, dark purple, pink, spring green, true green, black Peeper Hatchling:  bright yellow, light yellow, orange, pink, burgundy, white,

  You don't have to spend a lot of money to brighten up your outdoor spaces when you find new uses for items you don't want to throw away!  Here's some great ideas for you to try...

Looking for fun Baby Shower ideas?  Here's a few ideas you may want to try... The theme of this shower was Nature after the new Mom-To-Be chose to decorate the nursery with a deer and dandelion design she discovered on a crib bedding set.  Invitations/Thank You cards were handcrafted with yellows, white, soft greys and natural brown colors with a mom and baby deer modeled after the bedding design.  Tabletop creations were made with a birch paper covered pot with a beaded tree branch and paper cutout deer ornaments. Simple silk flowers, vases of baby's breath and jars filled with rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon and lime slices added an inviting fragrance to each tabletop setting. Chairbacks were decorated with wide burlap ribbon and sprigs of "naturals" lending a light and airy ambiance to the room for guests to enjoy. In lieu of gift package bows, the hostess (aka my sister-in-law!) requested guests bring a book for the baby to get a good head start on early rea

I purchased this pair of old shutters and with a few on hand supplies, turned them into a unique wall décor item.  The original shutters had a distressed look that didn't suit my home décor so I lightly sanded and then painted over the finish. I could have put a mirror, glass or textured fabric behind the scrolled opening to add more interest, but chose instead to leave it as is.  A pair of hinges holds the two shutter panels together to create a single item.  Hangers were placed on the back and it's now on display over my buffet server.  Hanging It Up I've always had a little trouble when it comes to hanging home dec items evenly on the wall but here's a tip you might find helpful when it comes to spacing the wall hooks so they match the hangers.  Once you've placed the painter's tape as desired, use a level to make sure it's even before you start poking holes in the wall! 

When it comes to getting the growing season started, there's nothing better than a trip to the local garden center to get yourself inspired!  This Mother's Day, my daughter-in-law treated me to an afternoon at a nearby Herb Farm.  Heavenly Scent Herb Farm is tucked along a scenic back road and fills you with inspiration the minute you step out of the car!  Scenic pathways, creative displays, beautiful statuaries and quiet places to explore eventually lead you to the gift shop and green house areas that are simply filled to capacity with nature's delights!  Here are just a few snaps I took of some of the displays that caught my eye (and eventually my pocketbook!)  If you're ever in the Fenton, MI area, you should plan a trip to this beautiful farm.  

A simply elegant Autumn Harvest Buffet My Sister-in-Law recently hosted an Autumn Anniversary Gathering at her home and I just had to share a few details about the event with you!  Nearly two dozen guests were in attendance so Linda's "Simple but Elegant" setting was absolutely ideal for a large indoor crowd. Small pumpkins, silk autumn foliage and strategically placed candles served as the perfect backdrop for our Italian themed dinner.   Homemade lasagna, garden salad, and breadsticks were served buffet style followed by a harvest layered gelatin, assorted  individual cheesecakes and coffee for dessert.  It was an absolutely perfect dinner event and a great example of how to celebrate an event with style.           

Fun ideas to make a Shabby Chic Baby Shower memorable   We have a little Grandbaby on the way!  My sister-in-laws recently threw a fantastic baby shower to welcome little Maryann to the family and I thought I'd share a few of their decorating ideas with you in hopes you'll be inspired when coming up with new ideas for your next hosted gathering.  I   digitally scrapped this collage page of  some of the photos I took of the event and hope to add it to our Granddaughter's scrapbook once she safely arrives.   Decorating in "Shabby Chic" style allows the hostess greater flexibility when it comes to working with a theme. One simply needs to gather up some on-hand materials  

October is here and that can mean only one thing around here...it's PUMPKIN TIME!  Here's 12 fun ideas you can use to add a little creative fun to your Pumpkin Days...so whether it's Halloween, Octoberfest or Thanksgiving, I'm sure you'll find something here to brighten up your Autumn Season. E njoy...