Annie Lang's Blog!

As a Grandma, I try to keep a stash of rainy day projects on hand for those days when outdoor play is not an option for the grandkids.  You may have seen painting/coloring kits for kids in the crafting aisles at your local stores that usually sell for $2.99-5.99 each, depending on size and materials included.  I was able to create the 3 sample 6"x 6" packaged coloring kits for $1.98 each.  I could have added paint pods, mini markers, mini pencils or party crayons for .50 more, but I have plenty of coloring media on hand here in my studio for the kids to choose from.  We all know kids can't sit still for long periods of time so plan projects accordingly!  Toddlers need very simple art and materials which make crayons or color pencils an ideal choice.  Older kids can handle more challenging art and materials and though their attention span is better than a toddler's, they usually can't handle projects that take more than 30 minutes to successfully complete. So l

I'm keeping it silly while creating this whimsical monkey character image to use for my graphic art tropical projects... Enjoy!

There's a new Bunny in town thanks to Photoshop and my digital pen!  YouTube settings should be set to 1080p/HD for best viewing experience.  Enjoy!!!

Spring break will be here soon so many of us are getting ready to Hit the Beach! Flamingos are HOT this year and Annie Lang's pink Flamingo Beach clipart characters are ready to chill out.  Whether you use the images to DIY your tropical wearables, create your own warm weather accessories or you simply want to add them to your creative scrapbooking projects, they'll most definitely brighten up your sunny adventures.  Visit Annie Things Possible now and download your very pink  flamingo friends today!

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...

There's a few NEW characters in town and they have just been released as line art pattern books, clipart collections, digital prints and Paper Clip activity sheets!  Annie Lang is proud to introduce her whimsical gnome characters who love to frolic, play, make stuff and just hang out in the "Gnomeland".   

Need some help with your DIY Holiday projects?  Let Annie Lang's  Workshop Elves give you a hand!   You'll find LOTS of fun elves waiting for you at Annie Things Possible

Make holiday storytime FUN this year by making these adorable Elf Listening Ears for the kids to wear while reading Annie Lang's Elf Books!  You'll find A Little Elf Upon a Shelf and A Little Elf from Another Shelf available in both paperback and Kindle versions in Annie Lang's Book Store !  When you buy the paperback from Amazon, you can download the Kindle edition for FREE.  Right click the project page below to save the full size page to make your own printable DIY elf ears! Here's a fun Help Yourself Elf Hot Cocoa recipe for a group book reading activity.  Don't forget to let the kids help out and ENJOY!

If you need quick and easy decorations for your Autumn or Thanksgiving gatherings, here's a great DIY project idea you can complete in less than 10 minutes.  Best of all, you can make them both for next to nothing with supplies you can easily find at your local Dollar Store if you don't already have them on hand.  So start the timer and give it a try!

Here's a quick and easy project you can easily make with the kids on a rainy afternoon! You'll need craft paint, brushes, a small piece of black cardstock or posterboard, scissors and paper mache cone shapes.  I purchased a 6 pack of cones online to use for other character projects like angels, santas, candy corn, pumpkins and ghosts.  I paid half the price for the cones I found at local craft supply stores so buying in bulk was a good choice for me.  Here's a basic step-by step of how I created the Wishing Witch character.  You can add any embellishments or paint colors to make it your own.  So let's get creative and make a wish! You can right click and "save" the free pattern below!  When your witch is finished, just write a wish on a piece of paper, tuck it under the cone and wait for the magic to happen!  Enjoy and feel free to share this link ...

Halloween is so much more fun when you MAKE it yourself!  Whether you are getting ready to decorate for a party, packaging Halloween goodies for the treaters, creating costume accessories or simply want to whip up some not too spooky DIY items for your home, you'll surely want to get started now!  I created the header graphic above using the downloadable "Spooked" Font, Halloween prints and clipart characters found on the Annie Things Possible website. Make everything from flyers to wearables to totes and paper novelties using Annie Lang's clipart, fonts, digital art prints, activity books and line art patterns and have a GREAT Halloween!

We're enjoying a few day of Indian Summer here in Michigan.  Yesterday seemed the perfect time to head on out to spend a little time in search of a few of our local autumn delights that will quickly disappear within the next few weeks.  The autumn colors are not as bright and vibrant this year due to the recent weather, but every now and then, Mother Nature provided us with a surprising display of reds, oranges and yellows scattered along some rural country roads.  We spotted a few pheasants along with a flock of wild turkeys crossing the road and watched several farmers hard at work harvesting their crops.  This year, my son wanted to visit the Holly,Michigan area which just happens to be the town where he grew up. We made a stop at the Mitchell farm which featured a surprising display of pumpkins, florals and autumn decor naturals for sale like indian corn, hay bales and cornstalks.  In years past, the Mitchell farm sold produce and goods from their barn, but they've s

There is a squeaky door that needs fixing, a picture that need hanging, a fence that needs mending, hedges that need trimming, furniture that needs cleaning and a bookshelf that needs to be built.  How will these tasks ever get done?  Don't worry because my Grandma will use her power tools! Read this story and find out just exactly how we can get these problems solved. Young readers will quickly engage with Annie Lang's vividly detailed imagery as a little girl character and her Grandma spend the day together working on projects and fixing "stuff".  Children will learn about common tools in the toolbox, why safety gear is needed and how quickly the day passes when you spend it working together.  "My Grandma Uses Power Tools" is a terrific "read it together" publication that encourages discussion with each turn of the page. Inspired by her granddaughters, this is Annie Lang's ninth indie published children's book title.   In today