Annie Lang's Blog!

Are you ready to make some Springtime fun?  Annie's Kids are here to help brighten things up!  Make these fun cupcake and plant pokes using character art from ready to print Paper Clip Seasons Book , Spring Kids printable project sheet and Annie's Springtime Kids Character Clipart set.  So grab your scissors and get started now and let the Springtime shine!

Winter snows have arrived and so has Annie's Winter Character Clipart Collections!   From Snowy Angels and Pixies to Warmhearted Snowmen and Chilled Penguins.  Check them out and feel free to just "Go with the Snow" and don't forget to share the page link!

I've always wanted to make a few birdhouses from gourds but never seemed to actually get around to actually making them until now.  I recently picked up a few gourds for $5 each while visiting the Past Tense Arts and Antiques Store in Lapeer Mi and within a week, these 2 birdhouses became part of my home landscaping!  Hopefully next spring I will find them fully occupied with happily nesting feathered families.  DESIGNING ...   Since no 2 gourds are exactly alike, it's difficult to create patterns for these natural surfaces.  I prefer to play with a variety of design ideas with my Photoshop image editor before grabbing my craft paints and brushes.  I first take a digital photo, open it in my editor, cut out the areas around the shape which I can then use as my basic shape template.  Digital designing allows me to experiment with the design without worry. Because I create a new layer for each design element and color, correcting unwanted errors is as simple as del

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

One of my favorite Holiday characters (and believe me, it's VERY hard to choose!) happens to be Holiday Snow Bears.  This week I'll be working on some adorable Bear ornaments for the tree and creating sectional HollyDay Express magnetized train pieces so that my granddaughter can assemble and reassemble the pieces as she wishes on the refrigerator door! There's a 7 piece train car pattern set along with bears for you to trace, transfer and create with any medium or colors that you please.  I painted a train around a band box I filled with ornaments and gave to a friend one year as a most unique holiday gift!  The Train Set and Holiday Bears can be found in the paperback or downloadable .pdf  editions of Snow Bears and Moppets .

The Chill is ON!                             The Chill is ON! So why not grab your hot beverages and snuggle in with your creative projects while the winter winds blow?!  Three new pattern books have just been released and here's a sneak peak into the Winter Chills Linework Pattern Workbook...ENJOY!

Make these fun "Listening Ears for Little Elves" and your holiday storybook reading will be an instant hit with the younger crowd!  To make listening ears like mine, just download the printable project and follow the directions.  I put double sided sticky tape along the top of the plastic headband and then attached a length of tinsel garland.  I wear my listening elf ears while reading my " A Little Elf Upon a Shelf " to the kids and every time I do...it fills the room with giggles! Enjoy the project and feel free to share this link (but please do not post the (C) project data file) so your friends and family can download their own set of ears!

The HollyDay Express has just Rolled into the Station!  This is the busiest time of year for most of us as we begin our Holiday celebrations!  If you need a bit of inspiration to create those last minute gifts, package tags or holiday decorations...you'll really enjoy these Snow Bears and Moppet Dolls designs!  All the "Annie Lang" Holiday Character Art (and more!) featured in this little trailer video can be found in the " Snow Bears and Moppet s " Linework Pattern Workbook available in my Book Store.  Happy Holidays!

Little Christmas Joys! This is one of the newest linework pattern workbooks releases for the season an it's now available at Annie Lang's Book Store .  The workbook features my Holiday Roly Poly characters, Holiday Musical Mice characters and my Holiday Penguin characters who have been a part of my seasonal character family for almost 20 years now!  Hope you enjoy this quick little book trailer which is also posted on the pattern book product page in the Book Store.  Hope you enjoy my Little Christmas Joys !  

           Kick Off the Autumn Season with a Smile! Many of you have already started on your autumn projects and seasonal decorating while others still can't believe summer has ended and the leaves are turning.  Whether you're looking for designs to paint, color, sew or craft, I've got a linework pattern you'll absolutely love!   So what can you make?  How about a custom t-shirt, tote bag, greeting cards, labels and tags for your homemade baked goods, mailbox, birdhouse or possibly a decorative seasonal plaque for indoors or out?  If you need apple designs to spruce up your kitchen accessories, accents and necessities, you'll find a bushel basket full in my " Apple Kids and Acorn Frolics" linework pattern book. Here's a quick video I put together for you.  All of the characters you see in this presentation clip were created by designs included in this line art book.  Happy Autumn, everyone!

Paper mache pumpkins with a "gilded" makeover It's a lazy Autumn afternoon and it's the perfect time to create a batch of "gilded aged" pumpkins to decorate my front porch. I happened upon some paper mache pumpkins on sale after Halloween (marked down 90%!) and unable to resist the bargain, took them home  to use for Autumn accents. It took me about an hour to complete all 3 pumpkins using  DecoArt paints shown below.  

Try this fun harvest gelatin and enjoy the seasonal colors! Here's a fun and colorful recipe  you may want to try for your next Harvest themed gathering!    It serves a large crowd which makes it a perfect addition to any Autumn buffet.  Best of all, you can use fruit gelatin colors and flavors to match any occasion.  Hope you'll give it a try and ENJOY...

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.