Annie Lang's Blog!

Today I'm getting ready to mail out this year's greeting cards to friends and family.  I thought this would be the perfect time to reshare this " 15 fun things you can make with recycled greeting cards " project ideas post for you just for fun.  Wondering what to do with all those wonderful greeting cards you've been saving up?  Here are 15 fun DIY ideas anyone can try and I hope you'll share this fun video with your creative friends and family.   All the pictured sample crafts were created with 5" x 7" cards printed on heavy cardstock with a gloss finish.  I'm sure many of these ideas can be easily adapted for use on  cards of various sizes, so go ahead and enjoy your creatively recycled cards!

If you enjoyed my  Wishing Witch project, here's a few more ideas as to what you can make for Halloween with basic craft items you may already have on hand.  All the projects shown here were originally published in magazines nearly 20 years ago and the directions/patterns are no longer available but with the character project ideas are timeless.  Hope you enjoy...and don't forget to share this link! This Candy Holder was made with painted flower pots.  The cape can also be made with a black plastic table covering or black felt. This project is just as easy as can be...just sponge paint a canning jar and add the face with a black permanent marker if you don't want to hand paint the details. My Peek-A-Boo Pumpkin character pattern can be found in Annie Lang's Scarecrows in the Pumpkin Patch line art design book and you can download the pdf from my Annie Things Possible website!    These pumpkin characters were painted on gourds, but you can appl

Spring will be here soon so now is the perfect time to get ready for the return of our fine feathered friends!  I made my first gourd birdhouse in 2017 and it's time to replace it with a newer model.  I'm pleased it held up this long under the harsh winter and summer weather events we've experienced here in Michigan over the past few years and I expect it will be the same for this new gourd.  Unlike many of the wooden birdhouses I've had, the original gourd birdhouse has been continually occupied by a variety of nesting bird families for the last four years.  I can hardly wait for the snow to melt so I can hang my new one up amid the blossoming tree branches.  I wasn't able to locate a dried gourd locally, but was fortunate to find one to order online from Gourdaments  .  I hope you enjoy and happy birdwatching! UPDATE It only took a few days after hanging the new gourd birdhouse before a new family of birds began using it!  Within the next several weeks, the tree w

I've never crafted my own snow globe so I thought I'd give it a try to see if it's as easy as my Pinterest research assured me it would be.   I did try using an "Instant Snow" recipe as suggested by one posted project and it was an absolute disaster!  I also learned through trial and error that using super glue to seal the jar lid works MUCH better than hot glue which tends to build up unevenly around the rim of the jar causing it to leak.  I already had most of the necessary supplies on hand and found a wide assortment of jars, smooth styrofoam balls and assorted plastic aquatics at the local Dollar Tree store.  After trying this globe project with great success, the grandkids and I are now ready to work on making "Enchanted Snow Fairy" globes using silver tinsel and a few of their figurines instead of aquatic themed trinkets.  This is most definitely a project the entire family will enjoy making any time of year.  Give it a try and enjoy!

Looking for quick and easy crafting ideas that anyone can make?  Here are 8 fun ideas that will trigger your imagination and keep you smiling!  You can buy  wooden ladybugs that are already painted, but it's more creative to paint them up yourself with any color imaginable.  I purchased the 3/4" wooden ladybugs shown and the and mini woodlet sign and bug shape online from Woodpeckers Crafts and the wooden laser cut butterfly wings from Factory Direct Crafts .  Paints and other supplies used were items I already had on hand in my craft room.  So let's get started!   Glue some moss onto a wood slice round.  Set your votive in the middle and then glue  a  circle of ladybugs onto the moss around the votive base. For my wooden ladybug sample projects, I used true red and black as my base colors.  I also blended just a touch of yellow onto the center of the ladybug bodies to make them "glow" just a bit brighter before adding the dots and patterns to complete each

Recycle empty paper towel or bath tissue rolls to make festive rings for any occasion.  These rings will also hold battery operated tea lights. You can print your own paper print image files, use wrapping paper you have on hand or right click Annie Lang's FREE full size patterned print below to get started!  Enjoy... Right Click and SAVE full size printable to your computer

Here's 6 fun ideas to turn those empty Pringles snack cans into fun and useful items you can make in no time at all!  Enjoy...

Whether you make 1 or 100, Kids LOVE making their own cards!  Here's how you can use lineart .pdf pattern books to make cards they can color and share to their heart's delight!  Best of all the designs shown in these samples are all available in Annie's  Sharing Hearts and Loving Smiles pattern book...and it's on sale throughout the month of February.  Enjoy!

Here's a fun way to keep kids busy when it's too snowy or rainy to play outdoors.  This project was made for an upcoming baby shower, but it can also used for any theme or event.  Let the kids DIY their own party tablecloths, holiday placemats, school banners, murals and more.  They'll stay busy having fun and the time will simply fly by!  Enjoy...