RBD Post Quilt Market Designer Blog Tour: Carina Gardner

23 Comments / Fabric, Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, Primrose Garden Fabric Line, Quilts, Riley Blake, Tutorials /

IMG_2977_1_webI'm excited to be the next stop on the Riley Blake Design Blog Tour! I'm suppose to be introducing Primrose Garden, but for those of you who follow my blog, you know that I've been posting about this line for the last couple of months. It just barely hit stores so I'm excited to share the inspiration behind this line.

First of all, I designed this line at the same time that I purchased an old 1968 Jet Airway. The stove was original and turquoise (I may have purchased it simply for the stove...heehee). I started thinking about colors and patterns I would want in the trailer, if I were to, um, glamp it up:). I started thinking about making the glamper red, blue, and black (and I did furnish it with a lot of laminates from my Evening Blooms collection). I wanted something that felt fresh, clean, but had a traditional appeal. And that's how Primrose Garden came into being! You can see that I created wallpaper for the glampGLAMPER_carinagardner_1_web copyer kitchen from the red master colorway from Primrose Garden (see link to Glamper pics below).

This is my first collection with an 18 inch doll panel! You'll see more of these from me in future lines.

Because I don't want to bore you with things I've already posted, here are some other links that will help you should you be thinking about sewing with Primrose Garden:

Primrose Garden LookBook (all the fabrics and doll panels!)
18 inch Doll Panel Fully Illustrated Instructions (Free Tutorial)
18 inch Doll Panel Quilt and Pillow (Free Download and Tutorial)
Carina Gardner Aurifil Thread (matches Primrose Garden!)

And if you are curious about my Glamper Renovation, you can see all the posts here. If you just want to go straight to the final photos of the glamper, you can see them here.

Thanks for visiting my blog! For more updates on fabric, quilts, and giveaways, be sure to check out my Facebook page and instagram feed!~Carina

<<<See the previous stop on this tour with Lila Tueller
See the next post with Lori Holt>>>>
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Visit the entire Blog Tour!

11/6 - The Quilted Fish
11/7 - Bella Blvd.
11/8 - Deena Rutter
11/10 - Lila Tueller
11/11 - Carina Gardner
11/13 -Bee In My Bonnet
11/14 - Fancy Pants Designs
11/15 - My Mind's Eye
11/17 - Zoe Pearn
11/18 - Sue Daley
11/20 - Kelly Panacci
11/21 - Marin Sutton
11/22 - Lori Whitlock
11/24 - Melissa Mortenson
11/25 - Melly & Me
11/28 - Scott Jarrard
11/29 - Elea Lutz

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Primrose 18 Inch Doll Panel Instructions

4 Comments / Aurifill, Fabric, Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, Primrose Garden Fabric Line, Sewing, Sewing Patterns, Tutorials /

Screen Shot 2014-11-06 at 12.08.33 AMThank you for purchasing the Primrose Garden 18 inch doll panel! While there are instructions on the panel itself, I find that illustrations always help me see how to put something together. Sooooo, I've put together some illustrations that coordinate with these doll panels for you! Feel free to download and use as you put together these dresses!

If you are looking for this panel, please check with your local quilt shop first. There are also several online retailers carrying this line

DOWNLOAD THE PRIMROSE GARDEN DOLL PANEL INSTRUCTIONS

If you are feeling extra sewerly today, you can also download the matching quilt and pillow instructions for this line. Or get the matching Auriful Threads.

Happy Sewing!
Carina

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Primrose Garden 18 inch Doll Quilt and Pillow Pattern—Free Download

9 Comments / Fabric, Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, Primrose Garden Fabric Line, Riley Blake, Sewing, Tutorials /

PrintMy new fabric line Primrose Garden will be hitting your local quilt shop this month! To celebrate my first ever 18 inch doll panels, I have a free 18 inch doll quilt and pillow pattern for you!

This is such a simple, easy project! It doesn't take a lot of fabric and is such a fun gift for your 18 inch doll lovers (there are three in my house).

DOWNLOAD  THE PRIMROSE GARDEN 18 INCH DOLL QUILT PATTERN HERE.

If the above link doesn't work for you, please download it via dropbox here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bk9xgra9pllbxxw/AAAxk525S_vXVoT14QECRwQja?dl=1

If you get the Riley Blake Newsletter, you may have also noticed a red quilt that I put together. It's design was based on one of the free patterns available at Riley Blake called Whimsy. I changed a few of my dimensions to make it fit my office wall but it's basically the same design.

Sneak peek at the quilt below if you don't get the newsletter:). So many more projects coming with this line!

Happy sewing to me:).
Carina

primrosegardenquilt_carinagardner_web

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Owl Halloween Wreath

2 Comments / Holiday Projects /

IMG_1263_web

IMG_1268_webI love Halloween. Just look through the archives of this site, and the love is evident. Two days ago, my next door neighbor Sara said she wanted to make some Halloween wreaths. I was along for the ride and decided to take advantage of the burlap craze to make a new wreath for my door. The end result was the wreath you see above. My kids are obsessed with the owls and I'm obsessed with the way the orange pops on my black door. Win-win!

These are not step by step instructions but a guideline for making a wreath like this:

Materials:
Two owls
2 Black sparkly branches
Orange burlap (about 1 ½ yards cut into 3 inch wide strips)
Styrofoam wreath form
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Ribbon for a bow (or premade ribbon)

I should fess up now and tell you I simply bought the bow already made up from Michaels. It was the exact right pattern and I couldn't find any ribbon like it so I just bought it.

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IMG_6672_webHot gluing the burlap to the wreath was the longest part of the process. All I did was glue down one end of a burlap strip to the wreath form, make a loop, twist it a little, and glue the next part down. If you buy a wire wreath, you can use a method like this one here that I found on Pinterest.

Leave a small space in the burlap for the bow. Once you are done gluing down the burlap, add the bow and position the branches up. Glue in the owls.

Pretty simple huh?

And, for your crafting pleasure, here is a listing of other Halloween projects I have done over the years that you might be interested in checking out:

The Witch and Wizard Party: https://carinagardner.com/2012/10/17/witch-and-wizard-party-kids-halloween-party/

IMG_1260_webFree Halloween banner download that I hung on my piano: https://carinagardner.com/2010/09/10/how-to-make-a-halloween-banner-free-download/

Free silhouette files and ideas: https://carinagardner.com/2012/08/15/episode-4-all-hallows-eve-decor-video/

Batty Wreath: https://carinagardner.com/2009/10/23/spiders-web-papers-batty-wreath/

Halloween Advent class in the shop: http://www.carinagardnershop.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=162&category_id=37&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2

Happy crafting!

Carina

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Feeling Blessed

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT) /

IMG_1223_web1I always love September. With fall on the way and the kids in school, it feels like a time of renewal. This year has been no different especially with the official launch of my new company MiniLou. I just got back from our very first tradeshow. It's been a whirlwind, but I'm excited for everything that we are trying to accomplish.

Of course, my two little companies are experiencing growing pains, but that's part of it, right? I'm always trying to learn how to better prioritize, get organized, and balance family with work. It's such a struggle. One of the things I struggle with is updating this blog. That means that my priority is to update you with new releases and designs—which means I hardly get a chance to tell you about my joys and struggles. Maybe some of you love that. Maybe some of you wished I would share more.

Either way, I hope you know how much I appreciate all the support you have given me. Whether it is through the emails sent to me, classroom forums, or the little tidbits I hear at a meeting (my assistant Susan just told me this morning that through our fabric sale someone was able to buy fabrics for a project for cancer patients...my heart was so filled with joy!), I feel so blessed to be able to do this for a living.

Hoping you are having a wonderful September too and that your life is filled with joy and love!

Carina

 

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Clearance Fabric Sale

Fabric /

All of the inventory for MiniLou has arrived and even though we are leasing out more space for the new company, I'm ready to clear out some more space in the CGI warehouse. Call it an impulsive start-of-the-school-year clean out.

Each of these bits of pieces are the full 42-43" width and 100% cotton from lines I have designed for Northcott. Once they are gone, they are gone!

Please note: If you decide to buy more than one piece of fabric, we will bundle your order together and you will only pay for shipping once. We will issue a refund in the amount of shipping you "prepay" through Paypal. Go ahead and buy to secure your order.

babysafari1

BABY SAFARI SCALLOP CIRCLES PURPLE  4 ¼ yards, $2 per yard = $8.50 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 1

SOLD OUT

 

 

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BABY SAFARI SCALLOP CIRCLES BLUE 4 ⅛ yards  $2 per yard = $8.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 2

SOLD OUT

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BABY SAFARI TOSSED GREEN 1 ¾ yards, $2 per yard = $3.50 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 3

SOLD OUT

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babysafari4

BABY SAFARI SWIRL GREEN 3 ⅜ yards, $2 per yard = $6.75 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 4

SOLD OUT

 

 

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babysafari5

BABY SAFARI SWIRL ORANGE 4 yards, $2 per yard = $8.00+ shipping ($5)

Fabric 5

SOLD OUT

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babysafari6

 

BABY SAFARI TOSSED PURPLE ¾ yards, $2 per yard = $1.50 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 6

SOLD OUT

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coquette1

COQUETTE LEAFETTE MOSS 1 ¾ yards, $2 per yard = $3.50 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 7

SOLD OUT

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coquette2

COQUETTE BLOSSOM 1 ⅛ yards, $2 per yard = $2.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 8

SOLD OUT

 

 

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coquette3

COQUETTE GARDENETTE 3 ⅛ yards, $2 per yard = $6.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 9

SOLD OUT

 

 

 

 

 

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dressup1

 DRESS UP ACCESSORIES 1 ¼ yards, $2 per yard = $2.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 10

SOLD OUT

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RED DOT almost ⅞ yards, $2 per yard = $1.75 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 11

SOLD OUT

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BABY SAFARI ELEPHANT WALK BLUE ⅜ yards, $2 per yard = $0.75 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 12

SOLD OUT

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COQUETTE PRIMROSE 1 ⅝ yards, $2 per yard = $3.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 13

SOLD OUT

 

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lovenest1

 

LOVE NEST BIRDIE BLUSH 1 ⅜ yards, $2 per yard = $2.75 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 14

SOLD OUT

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lovenest2

LOVE NEST CALICO HEART RED 4 ⅞ yards, $2 per yard = $9.75 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 15

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers1

PINFEATHERS FLYING TURQUOISE 4 ⅝ yards, $2 per yard = $9.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 16

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers2

PINFEATHERS PARADISE LARGE FLORAL 4 ⅜ yards, $2 per yard = $8.75 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 17

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers3

 

 

PINFEATHERS BLUE TOSSED 1 ¼ yard , $2 per yard = $2.50 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 18

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers4PINFEATHERS PINK BIRD ON A WIRE 1 ¼ yards, $2 per yard = $2.50 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 19

SOLD OUT

 

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pinfeathers5

 

PINFEATHERS BROWN BIRD ON A WIRE 4 ½ yards, $2 per yard = $9.00 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 20

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers6PINFEATHERS PEACOCK BLUE 4 yards, $2 per yard = $8.00 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 21

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers7

PINFEATHERS BLUE FEATHERS 3 ⅛ yards, $2 per yard = $6.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 22

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers8

PINFEATHERS FLYING BLUE 2 yards, $2 per yard = $4.00 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 23

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers10

PINFEATHERS BLUE BIRD ON A WIRE 4 ⅝ yards, $2 per yard = $9.25+ shipping ($5)

Fabric 24

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers11

PINFEATHERS PARADISE PINK STRIPE 1 yards, $2 per yard = $2.00 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 25

SOLD OUT

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pinfeathers12

PINFEATHERS FLYING YELLOW 4 ⅝ yards, $2 per yard = $9.25 + shipping ($5)

Fabric 26

SOLD OUT

 

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Carina Gardner Aurifil Thread

1 Comment / Aurifill, Primrose Garden Fabric Line, Riley Blake, Sewing /

IMG_0519_1_webI'm thrilled to announce that you will be able to find a selection of Aurifil Threads from me in quilt shops soon! This is is sort of a "sneak peek" into my Aurifil collection. The collection won't be available for a little while yet (I'll keep you posted on this on my Facebook feed). The colors I have chosen are ones that I use time and time again. I always use matching threads to create a finishing touch on my little girl clothing, 18 inch doll clothing, and other sewing projects.

(For quilt shops, I have listed on our wholesale page distributors who will be carrying this product.)

IMG_0525_1_web

IMG_0511_1_webYou'll notice that I have chosen several variations of blue, red, and green. I find that these are my go to colors and the shades help me choose the exact color I need for a project (Photo to the left is the Red 2265 from my collection sewn on the hem of the doll panel for my Primrose Garden fabric collection). A great matching thread really takes a project to a new level! I love it when the sewing lines on a hem line disappear.

I also chosen my favorite two shades of gray, a medium brown, and a yellow. These are colors that tend to show up in my fabric lines often and I find myself reaching for them a lot.

Other than Primrose Garden, which will arrive at your local quilt shop this October, this collection coordinates beautifully will past lines with Riley Blake including Little Ark, Paris and Co, SongBird, Remember, and Dainty Blossoms.

The twelve threads in this set are 50 weight on large spools. I love this weight on both my Bernina and Baby Lock machines for sewing garments and quilts.

(Photo below: Doll panel examples from Primrose Garden with spools that coordinate).

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If you are an Aurifil fan, I think you already know why I love this company and their products. If you haven't used Aurifil before, I suggest you pick up a spool soon. The colors are so vibrant and easy to work with so many fabrics (not just mine).

Happy Sewing!
Carina

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Primrose Garden Fabric Collection

4 Comments / Aurifill, Fabric, Primrose Garden Fabric Line /

primrosegardentitlepage_web I'm so excited to announce my latest fabric line Primrose Garden! This collection will be hitting your local quilt shop in October (2014). As always, check with your local fabric store to see if they are carrying it. There are also several online options where this line will be available.

The biggest goodie to come along with this line is an 18 inch doll panel. Yep. You heard me! This panel comes in three colorways and there will be a post exclusively dedicated to the panel coming in a couple of weeks. While there are detailed instructions on the fabric itself, I will also have a fully illustrated version to download as well. The outfit includes a 18 inch doll dress, bolero, and apron. Each has several versions so you can mix and match to your heart's (or your tween's) desire.

You'll also notice a hint at the other cool secret I've been keeping on the second page of the Primrose Digi Mag (hint—it has to do with thread).

For now, check out the fabrics, the panel, and dream of projects and posts to come!

Visit the Primrose Collection here>>>
Sew on!
Carina

 

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Silhouette Inspiration!

1 Comment / DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT) /
Right now in our Silhouette Shop at Silhouette Online many of our fabric die cuts are on sale for .69 cents! Deborah from Craftin' Chaos has taken the Monster Pencil Case and done her own twist with it that you will love. She has also included a tutorial below on how to create this fun Felt Ipad Cover & Earbud Holder! ~Susan
 

I love to make felt projects but let me be clear I am NOT by any means great with a sewing machine. I am a newbie with sewing. But hopefully the one thing you will get from this post is that you shouldn't be scared. I actually wanted a sewing machine to sew on my paper projects. Then I started seeing a lot of cute felt plushies and another craft was born. I had my sewing machine 2 years before I was brave and took out of the box! I was very proud of myself that I actually followed instructions and was able to get it set up pretty quickly. So step one is to not be intimidated. I know Carina is a an expert with sewing and I could let that scare me from posting on her blog a sewing project but I am hoping you all will get the courage to try it! My project is far from perfect and sewing felt (some spots 4 layers) is not easy as it seems because it moves a lot but the beauty of felt is that it is ok for it to not be perfect. You can do a lot of trimming, exposed seams are ok.

So I started sewing it up and left the top open. I sewed (ok that word just doesn't look right) the divided sections on the two pencil pocket area's but sewed them at various widths for notepad and some miscellaneous items. I created a button clip with one of the elements from Carina's Monster Life Digital Collection. You can also use the Silhouette svg Monster Life Collection 1 for this last step.

On to the ear buds I figured the size I wanted to go with and using the Monster Pencil Case svg file just adjusted it to the size I needed (approx 3.5" H x 2" wide). Cut it out on my silhouette and then used as a pattern again. I handstitched around two pieces with a "Blanket stitch" and I sandwiched a piece of cardboard in between them to make it stiff to use to wrap the cords around from the earbuds. The ears and yellow pieces were quite small so I used felt glue for them. I did sew a little strip on the back to feed the cord through just to help hold on to the holder better.

I hope you enjoyed this project. I loved how it turned out. I am giving this away as well to a little guy in our family. I think he will love it!

 

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New Card Classes

Classes, Design Lessons, Illustrator /

Print I am so excited to offer two new classes in the shop! These are part of a new Design As You Go Class series, where I try to spend time with students actually making projects that they can use! The best part is that these classes are cheap ($25) and contain tons of new techniques and new approaches in Illustrator.

In Invitation Design, we make three cards: a birthday invite, baby shower invite, and spring party invitation. The best part about these invites is that they are customizable to your style and needs. I'll be reworking the birthday party invite for Charlie's upcoming birthday in August.

In Holiday Card Design, you can get a jump start on Christmas, Halloween, and Easter. Don't pay for card designs! Instead make one that is uniquely yours! There is a bonus print lesson in this class, as PrintI show you the website I use to upload my card designs.

Of course, there is a Release Sale on both of these classes! They are 20% off through Friday ($20). Take advantage while you can!

Happy Learning!

Carina

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Back Home Again

Carina Gardner Online Shop, Carta Bella Paper, Digital Diecuts, FABRIC & QUILTING, Riley Blake, Silhouette /

miniloujune20 copy After a month and a half of travel, I'm finally back home in Salt Lake. I'm glad to be back home although there hasn't been much time for a break. Lots of things have happened over the last month. Other than finishing press checks in China, going to a wedding in Tennessee, heading to St. George to enjoy the Tuacahn, and accompanying Siri at harp camp in Logan, some of my new paper and fabric lines have been released.

Over at Carta Bella, check out my newest collections Boy Oh Boy and Spooky as well as Alisha Gordon's Moment's & Memories. If you are going to the Summer show, be sure and check them out!

I'm also thrilled to announce my newest fabric line is on pre-sale to quilt shops! For a sneak peek at Primrose Garden, click on this link over at Riley Blake. Scroll down to the bottom to catch a glimpse of my first 18 inch doll panel! I'm so excited for this addition to this fabric line! More pretties on this line coming soon.

At my silhouette shop, I've been stocking with a lot of great basics that I have been interested in using for myself. Tons of swirls, overlays, gift bags, and cards to name a few.

And of course, I've been working on MiniLou. I've been planning out our tradeshows and trying to get everything "just so" for our upcoming fall release and the introduction of our spring release. It's been a work-in-progress and I'm so proud of what we have accomplished so far. So many more exciting things to come!

As far as getting back on track, I've been working on some new home decor items for Deseret Book which should be out this fall/winter. I've also been working hard on our end of year releases for Carta Bella. Oh, and I'm hoping to have available two new design classes in the shop later this week.

Thankfully, this summer has not been all work-work, and I've been able to enjoy time alone with both of my girls on their respective trips as well as getting in a couple of vacas as a family. But summer is slipping by so very fast...I'm going to squeeze in as much fun as I possibly can!

Happy Summer!
Carina

(PS. Photo is from my Little Bitties Bookmarks for MiniLou).

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Going to the Zoo...Summer Diecut Inspiration!

5 Comments / DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT) /

The amazing Deborah at CRAFTIN CHAOS gets me so inspired to use my Silhouette machine! With just a few products she was able to create this fabulous album to document a fun day at the zoo. I love the way she has used the pockets to tuck extra pictures inside and her writing and cute embellishments on the journaling cards! We are always so excited to see what she will come up with next. ~Susan

To create an album like this head over to CARINA'S SHOP AT SILHOUETTE  or visit our DIECUT SHOP here on the site:
SET OF 3 NEGATIVE FRAMES
CARINA'S ESSENTIALS 4X6 VERTICAL BRACKET ALBUM
SWEET SHAPE ALPHABET A-E
SWEET SHAPE ALPHABET F-J
SWEET SHAPE ALPHABET U-Z
SWIRLY THE
MY LIFE DOUBLE POCKET ALBUM

 

 

 

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Little Ark Quilt by Sassafras Lane Designs

1 Comment / Fabric, Little Ark Fabric Collection, Quilts, Sewing /

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Just checking in to let you know about the Churndash Court Quilt, created by the talented ladies at Sassafras Lane Designs. They featured my most recent line Little Ark in it. I loved how it turned out. I know you can get the pattern in paper or pdf format back clicking on the links above.

I have been loving this Little Ark line so much. I'm wishing I had a little more time to devote to it this summer. Charlie could use a few more things in this line:).

Tomorrow I am headed to my hometown in Tennessee for a friend's wedding. Taking my Felicity girl with me to give her some one-on-one time. She (and I) are both excited to hang out. Trying to make the most of every age my children are in. It feels like it is all going soo fast. And I suspect it never slows down.

Here's to a good ole Southern wedding,
Carina

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Vancouver, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Back Again

1 Comment / UPDATES FROM CARINA /

IMG_0128_sq_webIf you go on a trip to Asia, when you come home your children will look like this <<<<<.

I could end the post there. But I suppose I will elaborate. If you have been following my instagram feed then you've followed me on my two week excursion to Hong Kong. Here's a quick synopsis, and a few photos to boot.

+ Vancouver—It was suppose to be a quick day trip but it was met with tragedy. Our party of three was whittled down to two due to a death in my friend's family. I missed her so much on the trip but was glad we were not all the way in Beijing yet. It made getting home for her a lot easier.
+ Tried to conquer my fear of heights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge (Photo below)
+ Got stuck in Beijing due to bad weather.
+ Got touristy and visited the Big Buddha, Victoria's Peak, and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery.
IMG_9035_web+ Never got used to the humidity
+ Or the heat.
+ Shopped. A.L.O.T.
+ Did press checks for MiniLou on mainland. The main purpose of the entire trip. Incredibly happy with everything we are doing in the new company. Can't wait for you to see product!
+ Danced in the street with my travel partner Tausha in Lan Kwai Fong in honor of World Cup.
+ Ate a few noodles.
+ Shopped again.
+ Hiked the Dragon's Back
+ And thought the heat unbearable.
+ Ate more noodles (Seriously, where was the rice?)
+ Discovered I love Taiwanese food
+ And remembered how much I hate Duran fruit.
+ Was ruthless video taped while taking a bite of it.
+ I am sparing you the video.
+ Don't ask for it because I'm not showing it to you.
+ Visited Macau but failed to give myself enough time to really enjoy it.
+ Bought a Mahjong set which put my luggage over the weight limit.
+ Am determined to remember/learn how to play again.
+ Am happy to be back in my home with my sweet little ones.
+ Got back to my baby boy who called me "mama" before the trip and for some reason now calls me "mommy." Not sure what happen there but not complaining.

chinapresschecks_carinagardner

IMG_9154_webSo there it is in a nutshell. It was a wonderful business/pleasure trip and it especially made me excited for MiniLou! For more photos, I recommend checking my instagram feed. Will be back with some good stuff soon!

Happy summer!

Carina

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Diecut Inspiration!

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT) /

Carina is still having fun in China so we are going to have some fun continuing our 30% off all Diecuts sale in the shop!

Deborah from Craftin Chaos worked up another awesome project using the Lace Cake Stand Embellishment and Garden Picks 2 (set of 5)!

It's the perfect display for all of your summer birthday parties and outdoor parties.

Here is Deborah to tell us more about her project:

Cupcakes you say?! Why yes....yes I will and thank you very much! This gave me a great reason to make cupcakes. I know I didn't need them but no one NEEDS them but we can sure want them! I made red velvet which is becoming my favorite cupcake. I made a quick cream cheese icing for the cupcakes. I wish I could have tried out some fancy tips I have had in my stash for a long time to make the icing pretty but there wasn't enough time to do that for fear my husband would eat the cupcakes before I could get it done. Again, I used those cute garden picks to create little messages for my cupcakes. I pop dotted them to give lots of dimension. I cut the bottom of them off and just glued tooth picks to the back since it was going to go into the cupcake. I also decorated the base of the cake stand with the Lace Cake Stand Embellishment .

 

 

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Diecuts 30% off the month of June!

4 Comments / DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Digital Diecuts, Silhouette /
Carina is off on her adventure to China to do press checks on the products for her new company Mini Lou
You can follow her adventures on her Instagram (carinagardner). In the meantime I am taking over the blog while she is away so let's have some fun!!
Today kicks off our HUGE 30% off diecut sale in the shop. The shop is fully stocked with wonderful goodies. Make sure to hit the NEW DIECUTS section where we have all of Carina's most current releases from her Silhouette Store.
We are so excited to have Deborah from Craftin Chaos working with us now on our Design Team!  In honor of the big sale Deborah has worked up some fabulous eye candy to get you inspired for the diecut sale!
Here is Deborah to tell you more about her projects:
"My projects were super quick, that being said I am hoping it still will inspire you to create some awesome projects of your own with Carina's diecut files. I used papers from Carta Bella's Alphabet Junction for several cards and one I used a digital paper from Carina's Soaring Summer Paper Set as well as some of Carina's elements  which are available in her shop at Snap Click Supply.
This first project was super quick to do.  If you have a busy schedule...and who doesn't, these albums are perfect for capturing the moments you spent with family and friends without devoting the time it takes to create a scrapbook album layout. I love that you can get so many configurations from the pockets giving you so many options.
I used the We R Memory Keepers pockets for mine. The cards are Carina's My Life 4X6 Travel Card Diecuts and I am loving Carina's  Garden Picks Set of 5 Diecuts very versatile as you will see two ways I used them.  And you know I made some custom buttons! I used the die cuts from the cards to create a print and cut for the buttons in my silhouette studio

 

Can you tell where I want to be from my luggage tag?

 

 

This  project is one of my favorites. I just love anything with cameras on them or camera related. Instagram is something I just started using recently and I am hooked! I wanted this to be very bold and I love these two colors together. That pop of fuchsia on the front against the bright yellow is just my favorite. I used the Instant Photo Camera Album I added the Flag Shape 17 Diecut  for the sentiment.  I cut a smaller circle for the center to add a fun sentiment to the album.

 

A nice feature is the slots the file cuts for you to just pop in a cute photo for perfect placement. I added more sentiments to give a little more love to it.

Thanks to Deborah for those awesome projects! We will be featuring more of her creations over the weeks to inspire you.
~Susan

 

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My New Company MiniLou

1 Comment / UPDATES FROM CARINA /

miniloulaunchimageAfter several months of secrets, I'm finally able to reveal what I have been up to! MiniLou is my new children's company. Creative, sweet, and soooo fun, the products are inspired by my own children and the sweetness of childhood.

The story behind MiniLou is a simple one. Last summer, I started drawing these kitty paper dolls for Siri and Felicity. I loved paper dolls as a girl. I remember dressing them up and playing house with them. I saw Siri and Felicity loving everything I was illustrating for them. I invented a story for the kitties that I would tell them at bedtime. Siri and Felicity started hand drawing their own little paper dolls mimicking the ones I made for them. We were all sitting around a table together. Drawing. Playing with paper dolls. I loved their creativity, and MY creativity when we were doing this together.

And that was it. I loved the idea of a line of products that promoted creativity for kids. I knew the little kitties needed to become something.

pp_littlekitty_coverSo MiniLou was born. Creative products for kids. Small, easy-to-handle products. Products that were easy for moms to deal with. Basically, anything that I would love for my own children to play with.

Slowly and surely, I gathered a wonderful team of illustrators. The little kitties turned into MiniLou's first product category: Pocket Paper Pals—a small, reusable package of paper dolls and landscapes. Perfect for storing and playing with. Printed on textured paper. Bright, happy, sweet.

I added mini coloring books—5 in x 7 in that fit perfectly in my purse and in the hands of my little ones. Then came the sketchpads and the bookmarks. Objects that would inspire and uplift. My kids were excited for every sample to come home to them.

MiniLou's Fall 2014 Catalog is a compilation of the very first of what the new company has to offer. I hope you enjoy it! A lot of heart went into this first catalog. It has been a new adventure. Scary—it's always scary to start a new company. Humbling—there are so many people who have backed me and encouraged me. And wonderful. There is no better word. Wonder-ful sums it all up.

And with that has come a wonderful whirlwind of exciting new things. MiniLou's fall collections hit shops in September. I leave in 3 days to do press checks in China. I've never been to China before although I am half Chinese (My mother is ethnically Chinese but from Malaysia). My instagram feed will be a fun montage of work and play. I hope you have a chance to watch for it!

Please go check out the new website, the facebook feed, the instagram feed @miniloukids, the wonderful new video we have up, the twitter account, and the pinterest account. I can't wait for people to experience the Kid's Corner, where we plan on releasing free downloadable coloring pages and projects.

MINILOU'S SOCIAL MEDIA     

I hope you see the sweetness and joy of childhood emanating from this new company.

Thank you so much for all of your support in this wonder-filled adventure.

Carina

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Upcoming

1 Comment / DESIGN, DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Digital Diecuts, Digital Scrapbooking /

carinagardner-hkThe glamper tour has ended. The extra weekends off has given me time to finish up a few projects. Today I managed to push out one of my 2015 fabric lines and tape a new mini class. I can hear my inner voice pushing me right now. I suspect because of the upcoming trip to China to do press checks for my new company.

That's right. You heard me. I've been letting out little hints about it on instagram and the facebook page with no official announcement. You'll have to wait for June 1st for that.

Two of my girlfriends were very spontaneous and decided to tag along. We'll be in Vancouver, Hong Kong, Dongguan City, and Beijing. All planned out in the little travel books (left) that I made for us. I've been filling mine out with packing lists, places I want to see, and more. Books were made from my Travel Stories collection.

For the best possible front seat on all the action, follow my instagram feed @carinagardner. I'll be posting all my doings from the trip and @miniloukids will be posting all the giveaways and peeks at all our new creative kids products.

carinagardner_kidsoutFor now, I'm kicked into high gear to finish out the last few remaining items that need to be taken care of. You'll notice my extra emphasis on instax photos in my silhouette store these last couple of weeks. That's because I'm planning on using my instax alot on this upcoming trip, and I'm going to need all those accessories I have been making.

Other things that I should make note of:
1. My Boy Oh Boy Paper Collection for Carta Bella ships June 1st!
2. Little Ark is now available in stores.
3. Full reveal of my October fabric line Primrose Garden should be available this summer. It comes with (*gasp*) an 18 inch doll panel!!!!
4. The 30% Fabric Sale will be ending on May 31st. So will the mega discounted price on my newly released Digital Design class.

More soon,

Carina

PS The photo to the left is of my three children with Josh up in Bell's Canyon. I couldn't resist posting.

 

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Glamper Tour—Recap of Pine Needles Quilt Shop

2 Comments / EVENTS, Fabric, Glamper Renovation, Little Ark Fabric Collection /

IMG_8494_rework1Last weekend we were at Pine Needles at Gardner Village. It was a great event and so busy! I was grateful to everyone who came out to do make and takes, hang out with the designers and see Lucy!

So many of my favorite designers came to be part of the event including Deena Rutter and Lori Whitlock (who I get to work with at Carta Bella and Echo Park). Chelsea Andersen came all the way from St. George to be at this event (Thank you, Chelsea!). The fabulous Emily Taylor (photo below), Amanda Herring, Jina Barney (Creative Director for Riley Blake), Alexis Barney, and Cindy Cloward (Owner of Riley Blake) were all there making the festivities so fun!

Our final stop is at Mormon Handicraft/Deseret Book this Saturday (May 10th) from 1-4pm. Details below:

Mormon Handicraft/ Deseret Book
1110 Fort Union Blvd
Midvale, UT 84047
Back Parking Lot
May 10, 2014
1pm-4pm
Glamper, Designers, and Carina's New Dishware Line

(photo above—Little Ark Fabric line at Pine Needles)

 

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(photo above) Holli (Pine Needles Store Manager), me, and Sandy Workman (Pine Needles Owner and Riley Blake Designer)

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(photo above) Emily Taylor showcasing her new fabric lines.

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(photo above) Just to give you an idea of our set up.

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(photo above, starting left) Lori Whitlock, Carina Gardner, Deena Rutter, Emily Taylor, Amanda Herring, Jina BArney, Sandy Workman, Chelsea Andersen

Hope to see you at our final stop this weekend!
Carina

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Glamper Recap on Quiltique

Evening Blooms Fabric Line, Fabric, Family, Glamper Renovation, Little Ark Fabric Collection, Sewing /

IMG_8229_webI'm a bit behind since I need to recap the last two glamper stops. This has been taking up a lot of my time recently. Feel free to "like" that page because I am going to have A LOT more on that later along with a number of giveaways and beautiful images come time to launch.

So here's my photo recap of our Glamper Stop at Quiltique.

First off, Little Ark is in shops! (Yaaay!) Quiltique had these darling bundles available for sell. I also spotted some Evening Blooms pre-cuts in their shop. If you are in the Las Vegas area, Quiltique is a must-visit shop. I love the glass windows into the classroom and all the quilts hung above the shop. There were some darling displays and of course, an abundance of fabric.

(photo below) Quiltique is a family-owned business. We happily all posed in front of the glamper in the Las Vegas heat!

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The number one question I get from people who come to see the glamper is, "So do you use it?" The answer is always, "YES! Open a cupboard, and you'll see all the food still in it from the last trip!" At this stop, this was even more true since I had to get up bright and early to clean the glamper. My family had been living in it for spring break as we traveled down to Nevada from SLC.

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(photo below) Since it was Quiltique's birthday weekend, I was excited to meet Me and My Sisters Designs (Moda Fabrics) who happen to be teaching in the shop the same day!

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(photo below) This little cutie is one of my college roommate's daughters who dropped by to see me!

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I had an amazing time at Quiltique and loved seeing their shop! Thank you to all of you who dropped by to see Lucy and me!

XOXO—Carina

 

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Glamper Tour—Stop at Pine Needles Quilt Shop at Gardner Village

EVENTS, Fabric, Glamper Renovation, Riley Blake, Sewing /

glamperdesignersThis Saturday Lucy and I are headed to Pine Needles Quilt Shop at Gardner Village in West Jordan. First off, the quilt shop is AMAZING, and I love going in and grabbing this and that. Sandy Workman's embroidery patterns alone are worth going in for!

Second, they are having a special sale just for the glamper tour! All Riley Blake pre-cuts will be 30% off! How's that for fabulous.

Third, if you have never visited Gardner Village, this is an excuse to! I was first introduced to Gardner Village early in my marriage at a family gathering at Archibald's Restaurant. Josh's family is related to these Gardner's so it is always fun for my kids to look at the photos hanging over the booths.

Best yet, you'll get to meet a lot of fabulous Riley Blake designers at this event. Amanda Herring, Deena Rutter, Chelsea Anderson, Sandy Workman, and Emily Taylor will be there with samples from their new lines. RB Creative Director Jina Barney and Alexis Barney will be there with make and takes. We'll have a raffle every 30 minutes. And the sale. And Lucy. And treats. Enuff said!

Here's the info for this Glamper Stop

Pine Needles Quilt Shop
http://www.pineneedlesonline.com
Gardner Village
1100 West 7800 South, #29S
West Jordan, UT  84088
May 3, 2014
11am-2pm
30% Sale on Riley Blake Pre-cuts

I hope to see you there!

Carina

 

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Mommy & Me Apron Tutorial with Jedi Craft Girl

1 Comment / Fabric, Remember Fabric Line, Riley Blake, Tutorials /

I'm back from our glamper trip at Quiltique and getting back on a schedule. Things have been a little hectic as I have been trying to finish out some fabulous things for Carta Bella's summer lineup, creating some fun cutouts for Silhouette, and working on a new project that I'll be launching in June. Oh ya, and quilting. That Little Ark fabric line has been sitting on my table beckoning to me, and I finally decided on a quilt to make after Charlie's afternoon nap yesterday.

Today I have a wonderful tutorial for you from Amanda from the Jedi Girl Craft blog.  This darling apron set is right up my alley—perfect for your little ones who want to be just like mom. Hope you get a chance to try it! Make sure and also check out Amanda's blog. I spotted some pretty sweet tutorials using Riley Blake fabric that I might have to try out soon.

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The aprons are pretty simple to make.  Here's what you need:

Supplies:
¾ yard main fabric
1 yard stripe fabric
¼ yard pink fabric
¼ yard pocket fabric
2 yards wide lace
2 yards medium lace
2 yards small lace

For Adult Apron:
Cut main fabric 13.5" x 36"
Cut stripe fabric 3" x 36"
Cut pink fabric 4.5" x 36
For Child Apron:
Cut main fabric 9.5" x 30"
Cut stripe fabric 2.5" x 30"
Cut pink fabric 3" x 30"
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Sew the strip sets together using ¼" seams in this order.  Zig zag each seam to prevent fraying.
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Press seams in one direction.
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Fold pink raw edge (hem) under ¼" and sew.
Lay the wide lace with right sides together along the hem.  Sew along the edge of the lace about ¼"
depending on the lace pattern.
Fold under and press.  Top stitch in place.
Next place the medium and small lace along the seams of the fabric strips.  Top stitch in place.
To finish the sides, fold raw edges in ¼" and sew, then fold in ¼" again.  Back stitch at the
start and stop.  This should also secure the raw edge of the lace and keep it from fraying.
Prepare the pocket…cut:
Adult pocket: 8.5"x 6.5"
Child pocket 6.5" x 5.5"
Fold the top edge in ¼" and sew.
Press sides in ¼" and bottom ¼".  Fold the top down about 2.5" or to your liking.
It should look like this:
Pin the pocket into place.  Of course you can sew 2 pockets or change up the shape.  I am
right handed so I put the pocket on the right side of the apron.  Pin in place and topstitch
leaving the top open.
Prepare the sash:
Adult apron cut (2) 5" x WOF and (1) 5" x 21"
Child apron cut (2) 4" x 38" and (1) 5" x 18" - you can adjust the length depending on how
long you want the ties.

The idea is to have a waistband portion (the shorter piece) in the center and two ties

(the longer pieces) on each side.

Sew the waist band pieces end to end with the shortest piece in the center.  Press seams open.

Sew a ¼" gathering stitch along the top of the aprons.  Pull up threads to gather.
Lay the gathered piece along the waistband piece like this - making sure to align centers.
Notice right sides are together.
Pin into place.  Sew just this portion sewing over the gathering stitch.
Press the entire waistband under ¼" - all the way around, like this:
Fold the waistband over so folded edges align.
Pin into place.  I leave my pins in and turn the apron over and sew using the front of the
waistband as my guide.  That way the front of the apron looks perfect.  The seam catches
the back of the waistband just fine. Continue sewing the entire way around the waistband
with a ⅛" seam.
Done!!
You can find a printable version of this tutorial here Mommy and Me Apron Tutorial
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Glamper Tour Stop on April 19th at Quiltique in Nevada

1 Comment / Fabric, Family, Glamper Renovation /

GLAMPER_carinagardner_6_webYesterday my family trekked from Salt Lake City to St. George for spring break and for the Quiltique Glamper Stop! St. George is just a side trip to play in the red rock and go to the children's museum (from which this post is being written).

Currently, my glamper doesn't look as pristine as you see it in the photo to the right. One night in the glamper turns the small space into kids chaos. I keep telling myself that's what it's for!:) You'll see it in the pristine condition when I see you on Saturday!

If you are on the Quiltique newsletter, then you already know that I am going to be there to help celebrate their 11th birthday! If you are in the Las Vegas/Henderson, Nevada area, this is an event not to be missed! On Friday, you can enter their Easter basket raffle to try a win for the $1100 Quiltique Shopping Spree! I know they are doing lots of other fabulous things so be sure to check their website at www.quiltique.com. And of course, if you come see me (wink, wink), we'll have treats and a raffle that will happen every 30 minutes!

Here's what you need to know:

Glamper Tour Stop 2 happens at:
Quiltique
213 N. Stephanie Street, Suite E
Henderson, NV 89074
Saturday, April 19, 2014
11am-2pm

Treats, raffles, and Lucy the Glamper!

Hope to see you all there! If can follow my week down to Las Vegas by following me on instagram @carinagardner.

Carina

PS, you can check out past glamper stops and the renovation of Lucy by going here: https://carinagardner.com/category/glamper-renovation/

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Introducing Little Ark Fabric Collection

1 Comment / Fabric /

IMG_6835_webMy new line Little Ark hits shops this month! It's my first baby boy line for Riley Blake. It will include 100% cottons and flannels.

I pretty consistently seem to design whatever is relevant in my life at the moment. A year ago, Charlie was 8 months old, and I was happily engaged in my "baby boy" moment. Little Ark was the result of that.

If you want to see this line in action (although it hasn't hit shops yet!) Kimberly over at the FatQuarterShop does a darling receiving blanket with the line. I've embedded both the digital magazine for the line and the fatquartshop.com tutorial for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!
Carina

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Glamper Tour Recap: My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe

2 Comments / EVENTS, Fabric, Glamper Renovation, Riley Blake, Sewing, Sewing Patterns /

IMG_0662_webHere it is! The Glamper Recap of our day at My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe in Logan, Utah on March 22nd, 2014. Here I am sitting in front of the shop with the owner Kris Thurgood. Her darling shop is three stories tall with classes, a full on hang out room (The Attic), kiddie area, and of course, shopping.

We parked the glamper outside with guests Deena Rutter, Emily Taylor, and Samantha Walker. Riley Blake sent the fabulous mom and daughter duo Jina and Alexis Barney.

I was grateful for the sunshine (you'll notice we are all squinting in the photos!). When we arrived it was pretty chilly, but by 11am it was perfect. I lucked out for an outside event in Utah in March!

Here's a peek at our day there:

 

 

 

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Shoppers were entered into a raffle by getting their paper stamped by every designer at the event. Prizes included fabric donated by Riley Blake and large goodie bags made up of stuff from my designs at Carta Bella Paper Co, Deseret Book, and Riley Blake.

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(photo below) You could sit a while in the shade of the glamper and do a make and take. (Thanks for posing for me ladies!)

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(photo below-right) Designer Deena Rutter shows her patterns and beautiful fabric. Did you know that Deena also designs for me over at Carta Bella? I adore working with her!  (photo below-left) My Bella Stash Bag pattern hangs out next to some fabulous football mums.

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(photo above and below) Emily Taylor's fabric and sewing patterns are so lovely!

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(photo below) Designers Samantha Walker and Deena Rutter hang out with customers. Sam's family recently bought an RV so we all hung out over the weekend (Sam also designs for me at Carta Bella). Hoping for more of that! (And yes, my family stayed in the glamper before and after the event).

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(photo above-left) Jina Barney is the Creative Director at Riley Blake and her daughter Alexis is her right-hand gal. It's always a fun day when Riley Blake comes to party! (photos above-right) Kit shows off my Little Playdate Outfit in my Evening Blooms fabric. (photo below-left) Some Carina Gardner patterns hang out next to the daughter-doll duo of Love Next Ruffle Dress and Little Love Nest Ruffle Dress. (photo-below-right) Jolene of Sew Red Glasses and I hung out and determined color value with her cool glasses. A perfect quilting tool! Check her out at http://sewredglasses.com/.

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(photo-above) My biggest misstep for the event was ordering WAY too many cookies. Thank you to everyone who was willing to have more than one:). I took plenty home and donated several to neighbors.

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(photo below) My fabulous assistant Susan made the trek up to help me set up and take many of the photos you see here in this post.

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(photo-below) I don't have a lot of photos inside the shop, but here are a couple I couldn't resist posting. The one to the left was the Riley Blake tree from a Quilt Market booth they did in Salt Lake. It is above My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe children's play area and the perfect accessory to this gated happy place. The second is the awesome trio of chairs hanging from the ceiling in The Attic. There were so many other cool displays! I highly recommend taking a trip and checking it out!

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(photo below) I can't tell you how hard it was to find a shot where all of us were looking up with our eyes open! (from left to right) Samantha Walker, Kris Thurgood, Jina Barney, Carina Gardner, Deena Rutter, Emily Taylor, and Kim Christopherson.

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(photo above) Kim (Kimberbell Designs), myself, and Kris in front of the glamper. I was thrilled to hang out at their shop and meet so many of you! Probably the most amazing moment was when three ladies from my hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee showed up! It was so incredibly delightful! Thank you Judy, Susie, and Barbara for coming to see me! It made my day!

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Our next stop is in three weeks at Quiltique in Las Vegas, Nevada (April 19th from 11am-2pm). It will be just me, my family, and the glamper for that stop. Those of you in town, I would love to see you!

Happy Glamping and Sewing!

Carina

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GLAMPER TOUR: My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe on March 22nd

1 Comment / EVENTS, Fabric, Glamper Renovation /

GlamperMarketingFlyer_1_webI'm so excited that our first stop is on SATURDAY! It is at my friend Kris's shop (you may remember her from the DIY Dish) in Logan, Utah from 11am-2pm.

If you haven't visited My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe, this is an opportunity not to be missed. This shop hosts a number of different classes and has the most amazing upstairs space called The Attic. I don't think many realize that you can rent the space basically for FREE (You put down $25 to reserve the space and then when you are done with it you get a $25 gift card back to the shop).

They are also a Baby Lock dealer and if anyone knows me, I'm a sucker for their sergers. I own an Evolution and use it to create all of my sewing patterns.

Want to know what we will be doing? Make and takes for one (we are going to squish as many people as we can into the glamper for these!), a fun game to help you get to know the designers (see list below), treats (because how can any of us say no to treats?), and door prizes (donated by myself and Riley Blake!) to name a few. And then there is of course shopping (he-lllooo!) and if you haven't been to this shop, some exploring (it's three levels of fabulousness!).

Make sure and check out My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe's Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/mygirlfriendsquiltshoppe and their website here: http://www.mygirlfriendsquiltshoppe.com/

My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe
1115 N 200 E #230,
Logan, UT 84341
11am-2pm

Meet Deena Rutter, Lori Holt, Samantha Walker, Emily Taylor, Jina Barney, and Alexis Barney. And of course I will be there! And if you are there at the right time,  you might also get a chance to meet my fabulous assistant Susan!

I can't wait to see you there! Photos on instagram and blogpost to come for those who are unable to make it!

Carina

PS. If you missed all my posts about renovating the glamper, you can find there here: https://carinagardner.com/category/glamper-renovation/.   You'll see how we took this vintage trailer from renovation nightmare to it's current glamped up state! And if you want to see where else we are going this spring, check that out here: https://carinagardner.com/2014/02/08/glamper-tour-spring-204-dates-announced/

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48 Hours in Texas and New Mexico

2 Comments / Carina Gardner TV, Fabric, Sewing, Sewing Patterns, Stuff I Love, Tutorials /

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48 hours in New Mexico and West Texas isn't a lot of time to do much, but I made time to eat a lot of Mexican food and take pictures of the livestock (haha, see below). I flew into Lubbock, TX and drove to Portales, New Mexico—a charming little town that houses Eastern New Mexico University. There I was greeted by the host of Creative Living's Sheryl Borden, who is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. (photo above: It was too hard to pass up taking a photo of a pink bug. Slug Bug!)

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Sheryl and I taped three segments for her PBS show Creative Living. I believe the segments should air at your local PBS station (check your local listings) sometime in the third and fourth quarter of the year (more on this when I find out air dates). I'll also post our segments on my youtube channel when I get my hands on the videos. (photo below: Sheryl and myself on her set).IMG_6696_web

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Obviously some super important explaining happening above. ^^^

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I always love to see behind the scenes of something like this and two members of Sheryl's crew was nice enough to snap photos for me with my camera. The set has a full kitchen and living room area.IMG_6793_web

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Serious control room. ^^^  IMG_6807_web

The foodie in my was pretty happy on this trip. There is something so fun about discovering places I have never eaten before. A couple of places to mention: I loved the carne asada tacos at Taqueria Jalisco. I also stopped by the Taco Village and loved their beef tacos (near the airport—a plus!).

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I'm on my way home now and it should be a busy weekend including the Yard Sale at The Cottage! Be sure and check it out for some amazing deals. I also get to attend the wedding of a college girlfriend and maybe even stop in at our neighborhoods big band dance. I'm looking forward to getting home!

And although it has only been 48 hours, I'm excited to go home and snuggle my Charlie-boy and girls.

Carina

 

 

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Yard Sale on February 22

2 Comments / EVENTS /

PrintSusan and I have been getting ready for this "destash" sale this week. I've been needing to clear out some of the stuff from our warehouse for several months now. I hope you have a chance to come and grab some of the good stuff. And when I say sale, I really mean it. All of our cuts of fabric are highly discounted. Most are from past lines (all the way back to Coquette!) that you will never be able to purchase or find. Containers, home decor, samples, fabric, sewing patterns, and precuts are heavily discounted from products I have made over the last 5 years. You'll notice it's only a 3 hour sale so hurry in to get the best stuff!

Oh and did you notice that the waffle truck is going to be there? Yum!

Here's the info you need:

FEBRUARY 22, 2014
at The Cottage
915 East 12600 South
Draper, UT
from 10am-2pm

Hope you get a chance to stop by and get your hands on some discounted goodies!

Carina

 

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Glamper Tour Spring 2014 Dates Announced!

5 Comments / EVENTS, Fabric, Glamper Renovation /

Here is it! The list of shops that Lucy the Glamper will be coming to this spring! Please come see us! You'll get to come do make and takes in (and outside) the glamper, have treats, check out new fabric lines, get ideas from our samples, and meets lots of great designers! It's going to be SO fun, and I can't wait to meet you!

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Did I mention the awesome number of designers who will be attending these events? Here's the breakdown of who will be at each event.

March 22 My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe in Logan, Utah 11am-2pm with Riley Blake, Deena Rutter, Emily Taylor, Lori Holt, and Samantha Walker

April 19 Quiltique in Las Vegas, Nevada 11am- 2pm with Riley Blake and Chelsea Andersen

May 3 Pine Needles at Gardner Village in West Jordan, Utah 11an-2pm with Riley Blake, Sandy Workman, Lori Whitlock, Samantha Walker, Emily Taylor, Lori Holt, Amanda Herring, and Deena Rutter.

May 10 Mormon Handicraft Fort Union in Sandy, Utah 1pm-4pm with Riley Blake, Lori Holt, Amanda Herring, Samantha Walker, Emily Taylor, Deena Rutter, and Lori Whitlock.

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And of course, I will be there showing my new fabric line Little Ark hanging out! In fact, the May 10th event at Mormon Handicraft is a special Mother's Day event and not only will you see all of Riley Blake's gorgeous new fabric lines, but I will also be showing my newest goodies for Deseret Book!

Spread the word! Feel free to grab the images in this post and let people know about these events! I'd love to see you there!

Carina

 

 

 

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Flashback

1 Comment / Family /

A few years ago I did a photoshoot with Jessica from Hiya Papaya  (I think this was 41/2 years ago but I could be wrong). I ran into these photos again and thought I would share the flashback. It couldn't be helped:).
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As I was scanning through the photos I was laughing because I have an obvious obsession for vintage trailers. Back then I wanted an Airstream pretty badly. Let's face it. I STILL want an Airstream pretty badly (who doesn't?).

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I was still learning about the industries that I am currently involved in: fabric, scrapbooking paper, digital....it was all still so fresh and new. My mini office in the picture above was in my bedroom. Now I have a warehouse and a home studio, and I feel as if they are brimming full! I feel pretty grateful looking back at all the opportunities that opened up to me.

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The flashback was good since I have some really, really, really amazing things happening in 2014. Every year, everyday it's a new adventure. I feel lucky and blessed for all of it.

Carina

(PS How is it February already?)

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Glamper Renovation — Full Reveal! Part 5

14 Comments / Glamper Renovation /

IMG_6096_blogIt's taken several months, but our glamper is finally finished! I think we have named her Lucy (I'm still a but noncommittal since I have trouble not just calling her "the glamper.") I'm so happy with how the interiors turned out. There was much sewing, wallpapering, painting and contast cleaning. I'm so excited for the memories that our little family will be creating in her. At the moment, she is my personal office since I stole away to St. George to finish taking pictures of her and get some much needed work under my belt.

I hope you enjoy the photos and come see her on the Glamper Tour this spring! I will be revealing the places a little later this week.

BTW, all the photos of me were shot by my fabulous assistant Susan. I know, she rocks.

Here are some of the highlights (check them out in the photos).

1. Wallpapered door, table, and kitchen (patterns from my October 2014 fabric line...yet to be seen)
2. Laminates from Riley Blake on all the cushions (best decision EVER!)
3. Curtains featuring my Evening Blooms fabric collection and Tasha Noel's Simple Life all by Riley Blake.
4. Refrigerator covered with some chalk art I made (printed at Costco...they have the best price for 30 x 20 images!)

GLAMPER_carinagardner_1_web copySome of the pictures make Lucy look bigger than she is. Keep in mind she is 17 feet long and every cushioned surface becomes a bed (bunk on the top with the double cushions pull out, dinette becomes the bottom bunk, and sofa turns in to a double bed). Oh ya, and even though it isn't pictured here, check out the silver piece between the bathroom door (it has a mirror on it) and the sofa. That's were I hang the 24 inch TV when we aren't on the go.

Want to see the befores?

Glamper Renov Part 1
Glamper Renov Part 2
Glamper Renov Part 3
Glamper Renov Part 4

Recap of Glamper Visit to Pine Needles Quilt Shop
Recap of Glamper Visit to My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe
Recap of Glamper Visit to Quiltique

Enjoy!

Carina

PS. You'll notice no pictures of the bathroom in this post. That is the one part of the glamper that may take more time to renovate. I'll show you once I've finished making decisions about where it is going to go. This renovation never ends!

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A New Year

Carta Bella Paper, UPDATES FROM CARINA /

christmascard_gardner2013_webThe holiday season flew by. I wrapped, cooked, designed, and cleaned...and somehow it is now mid-January. I'm never quite sure how that happens.

Just like everyone else, I'm eager to see what 2014 has in store. For me, I got to start the new year off with a bang at CHA. At Carta Bella, we showed 4 new lines: It's a Celebration by Alisha Gordon, my Sew Lovely Collection, my Baby Mine Collection (Boy and Girl), and Summer by Samantha Walker (not on the website yet). Echo Park also had a stellar line up that you can see here. I usually do a show wrap up with pictures but I'm going to have to refer you to my instagram feed to get the scoop.

What else does the year have in store for me? You'll see two new fabric lines from me (Baby Ark this spring and Primrose Garden this fall), lots of new digital scrapbooking stuff at Jessica's site, loads of new Silhouette stuff, a couple of new classes, and some new dishware at Deseret Book to name a few. Oh ya, and then there's that whole thing with the glamper. Next week the wallpaper goes up, and we will be taking the final photos to give you the full reveal. I can't wait!

The full schedule with the glamper tour will also be revealed in the coming weeks. We'll be visiting shops in Utah and Nevada. After that, the glamper is going to be fully occupied with my family. There are so many things I want to do this summer with the kids! I'm hoping to work from the road alot and have an adventure.

2014, here we come! Happy New Year from my family to yours!

Carina

 

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Some Big Changes

1 Comment / Classes, Illustrator /

class_illustratorbasics2class_600It's been a busy holiday season this year. I've been determined to get all my Christmas decor up with time to enjoy it, find time to share some special things with my kids (i.e. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), and make them some things as well (I'll show soon). In the midst of this, somehow my website decided it was revolting against the holidays. So for the last two weeks, I have been working with my programmers to wrangle anything that has gone awry.

The good news is that it helped me make some very important decisions. First is that all of the classes will be going SELF-PACED as of January 1, 2014. Yes! That means you will be able to get Fabric Design, Digital Design, and Paper Design anytime you want. Neat, huh?

To help the self-paced classes, a new forum is available to all self-paced class members. That way you have access to each other and to me. If you already have purchased a class, you already have access to this forum. Feel free to go in and take a look.

Illustrator Basics 2 will be no exception. It went up for registration today, but the class will be available self-paced on January 1, 2014. Be sure you go and check out the syllabus and take advantage of the 20% off on it for the END OF YEAR SALE while you can.

The final cool thing happening to the classes over the next two weeks is a transition of all of our videos to a new system that will be easier for your viewing pleasure. The new streaming video from the site will allow you to watch easily on your mobile devices as well as from your computer. I am hopeful this will resolve any problems we have had in the past trying to troubleshoot the classes and allows students more freedom. This platform will allow you to sneak in a 5 minute video on your phone while you are waiting to pick up kids from school, sitting in an airport, or even if you want to watch the videos on your mobile device as you work on Illustrator on your computer. The possibilities!

Hope you like all the upgrades around here!

Carina

 

 

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Happy Thanksgiving

Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Silhouette /

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I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! My little family will be having an intimate family Thanksgiving today and go to my in-laws tomorrow. My turkey went into a homemade brine yesterday for a 24 hour bath. Usually I like to use the William and Sonoma Turkey Brine but I never got around to picking it up so this year so I improvised. Fingers crossed my salt-allspice-brownsugar-peppercorn-sage-thyme mixture works!

In our family we don't have any set Thanksgiving traditions unless you count getting a tree the day after Thanksgiving. This year we invited the cousins over for a glamper movie night so the grownups could play games. I also made these little turkey take out boxes for Siri and Felicity to give to their cousins.

 

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Hope you have a spectacular Turkey Day! Are you doing anything special or sticking to your family traditions this year?

Carina

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So This Is Christmas Cards & Albums

Carta Bella Paper, CRAFTS, Holiday Projects /

SKcard2
SKcard1I'm pretty horrible about posting all the wonderful things happening at Carta Bella. I guess I just assume that you check into our amazing blog to see what the designers have been creating. I hope you had a chance to check out our October release Wildflower, which is ever so modern and fresh! This month we released my Homemade with Love which is a nostalgic baking/cooking/in-the-kitchen collection. And as always, we are in the midst of preparation for the Winter Show. I think you will love!

In honor of Christmas (just around the bend), the lovely Smitha Katti of Smiling Colors blog put together some gorgeous projects using my So This is Christmas Collection that I've been dying to show you.

Enjoy the eye candy here and just because I can't help but be completely out of order (wink, wink), I'll show you what I projects I've been putting together for Thanksgiving tomorrow!

All holiday-jumbled-up,

Carina

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Glamper Renovation Part 4- Exterior Finished!

5 Comments / Glamper Renovation /

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It's been so busy I haven't had a chance to post the finished exterior of the glamper! And just in time too! I was watching the weather closely to paint the exterior and parts of the interior.

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The polka dots turned out to be a bit of a chore. At the end of the day, I'm glad I did it because it gives my glamper such a fun look. To get the polka dots I cut 5 inch circles out with a circle cutter with an 18mm blade. I then spaced them out 5 inches apart both vertically and horizontally. Because I was using a spray, I knew the circles wouldn't come out "clean". Once the paint was dry, I just figured that I was going to be able to use a stencil to outfit the edges with my white paint.

Because of all the crinkles on the glamper, this turned out to be an impossible plan. I ended up hand painting every single dot! Eek! Thankfully I got a little help (see photo below).

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I did a touch up coat of white on the top of the glamper and a tiny gray stripe between the top and bottom. It was two days of torment well worth it!

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Here's a quick view of the other side of the glamper:

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I've also been working hard on the exterior and finally finished painting the bathroom, touch-ups, most of the hardware is in, the fridge installed, tv hardware installed, the cushions all sewn, and most of the curtains finished. I'm still a bit out before I can show you all of it. In fact, I have a hankering to decorate it for Christmas so the first shots of the interior you might see all "Christmas-ed up."

If you haven't seen the previous posts on the Glamper, here are some quick links for you:

Glamper Renovation Part 3
Glamper Renovation Part 2
Glamper Renovation Part 1

Carina

 

 

 

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Evening Blooms Quilt Tutorial with Andy Knowlton

3 Comments / Evening Blooms Fabric Line, Fabric, Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, Tutorials /

photo 1Today I have a special treat for you! Andy Knowlton of
A Bright Corner created this beautiful quilt using my Evening Blooms fabric collection. To top it off, she has agreed to give you all a tutorial on how she made it. There is even a pdf download at the end (scroll to the bottom to download).

So without further ado, here is Andy:

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I love the timeless look of classic black and white and these fabrics don't disappoint! This quilt is made entirely from half square triangles (HSTs) but don't let that deter you! I have a fast and easy way to make a ton of HSTs in no time at all.
First I'll show you how to make your HSTs then I'll show you how to assemble one block. I'll add a quilt layout diagram at the end and you'll be on your way to finishing your own Evening Blooms quilt!
First of all, here's what you'll need:
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¼ yard of 7 various dark prints
¼ yard of 5 various light prints
2 yards of white/background fabric
½ yard binding
3-½ yards backing fabric
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From each of the prints (7 dark and 5 light) cut 3 squares that measure 8". You'll need 36 total.
From the white/background fabric cut 8 strips that are 8" x width of fabric.
Subcut those strips into 36 @ 8" squares
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To create your half square triangles, pair up each print square with one white square. Match edges, keeping right sides together.
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Sew around all four outer edges using a consistent ¼" seam.
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Using your rotary cutter, cut diagonally through each block twice as shown in the photo.
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Being careful not to stretch it, press each HST. I prefer to press the seam allowance toward the print. Trim the little tails off of each HST.
If you are consistent with your seam allowances and careful to not stretch the HSTs you should not need to square them up. If you find your HSTs to be varying in size, then square them each up to the same size (either 5.25" or 5" each).
Create all of your HSTs and then move on to the block layout.
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Layout all of the HSTs you need for one block. Notice in the quilt layout diagram that not all blocks are the same. The dark and light prints are alternated for the main part of each block and the corner HSTs are different depending on where in the quilt the block will be located.
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Sew together into rows using a ¼" seam.
Sew rows together, matching seams.
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Your block is done!
Now use the layout diagram to make the next 8 blocks.
In the layout diagram I used just two prints - one dark and one light so you can clearly see the placement of each HST.
Evening Blooms layout diagram
You can find a printable version of this tutorial here Evening Blooms Quilt Tutorial

 

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Carina Gardner Exclusively for Deseret Book!

Family, Holiday Projects /

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I'm so excited to announce my Winter Collections for Deseret Book! Just in time for Christmas, DB has stocked a collection of inspirational bangles that I have designed! The sets come in Navy, Red, Black, and Gray. They each have a different engraved inspiration on the inside. You can find them online here:

Navy
Stand As a Witness
Believe
So Lucky to Have a Friend Like You
Cherish Life's Little Moments

Black
Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful
Faith Makes Things Possible
Believe in Yourself
Live. Laugh.Love

Gray
Love Surrounds You
Enjoy the Ride
Reach for the Stars

Red
Be Wise, Be Kind, Be True
Choose Happiness
Live a Happy Life
Everything Happens for a Reason
5112575_ChristmasPlates_detailAnd just in time for Christmas—New Christmas Dishware! I'm SO happy with how these turned out! Santa will certainly be getting his cookies on one of these beauties!

CG Dish Towels

CG Dessert Plates

CG Christmas Tray

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Family_Rules_Plaque_detailAnd last but not least, I have a new darling line of Canvas Art! Lots of good stuff going on here!

Family Rules

We All Have Our Best Guides

Our Family

There is Always Something to be Thankful For

All Things are Possible

Don't Try Too Hard

(The ones without links I was unable to find on their site).

Hope you have a chance to walk into a store to see these! The packaging is hard to miss!:).

Carina

 

 

 

 

 

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This and That

Giveaways, Sewing, Sewing Patterns /

10802341133_c210cdb071_zNovember is zipping by and I'm considering putting up my Christmas stuff this coming week. I know, I know. It's a little early but I like to enjoy the season as long as I can! I'm also considering cutting out a bunch of these for all my nieces and nephews for Thanksgiving and letting Siri and Flissa pass them out.

If you have been watching my instagram feed then you know I have been working on my glamper all week. The polka dots were their own special kind of purgatory but the final result was worth it. I'll take photos today and post the finished outside in the next couple of days. (Note I say finished outside...).

Today I am sewing curtains and cleaning windows on the glamper. That will have to count as my exercise (hee hee!) because I'm also trying to finish out my February collection for Carta Bella a little later today. Did I mention I finished my next fabric line this morning? It's been a productive day.

While I am thinking of it, I wanted to make sure and give you a "things-you-should-check-out" list. It's short and sweet:).

* The Rini Doll on the Pleasant Home—Jodi sewed up this darling doll and is giving away a pattern!

* Thankful Leaves Free Download—It's a fun way to remember to be thankful! This year, I'm cutting out the leaves in advance and taking it to Thanksgiving dinner so we can fill it out as a family.

* Christmas Advent Calendar—This is one Christmas goody that I would recommend getting a head start on. Our Advent calendar comes out the same day as our Elf-on-the-Shelf does. This year I'm considering writing a note to each of my kids in some of the envelopes telling them some of my favorite things they did this year. Then we'll staple them into their smash books. Journaling and advent calendar in one...done and done!

Off to sew some curtains!

Carina

 

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New in the Silhouette Shop—Clothing diecuts for your 18" Dolls and more!

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Digital Diecuts /

IMG_7335 I'm back from a lovely sisters trip in St Louis (see my instagram feed) and happy to be home. The last two months I have been on the road a lot, and I'm ready to start thinking about the holidays. I spent the day decluttering my house in anticipation of holiday decorations. I'm planning on getting out my Thankful Leaves (feel free to download it for free too!) and letting my family take advantage of November to remember why things are so good in our lives.

With the holidays in mind, I've been trying to create digital scrapbooking and diecutting projects that will help me celebrate creatively. If you have been checking out my new Silhouette shop you'll see that I have introduced several fabric projects, Thanksgiving goodies, and new this week are my Essentials Album Collection!

Carina's Essentials Album 4x6 Vertical Bracket
Carina's Essentials Album 3X4 Horizontal Basic
Carina's Essentials Album 3x4 Horizontal Scallop
Carina's Essentials Album 4x6 Vertical Rounded
Carina's Essentials Album 4x6 Vertical Scallop
Carina's Essentials Album 3X4 Arrow

IMG_7343 My lovely assistant Susan (queue the Wheel of Fortune music) created a fun Halloween album that spotlights her kids costumes using the Carina's Essentials Album 4x6 Vertical Bracket. She placed a picture on the cover of her kids in their costumes. On individual pages she added a picture of each child with some journaling.

 Susan also placed pictures from her Halloween dinner into the album. She added the menu and guest list on the cards then tucked them in the pocket.

I'm loving these new Essential Albums. Make sure you check out the video (Episode 9) on the CGTV channel so you can see how to put them together.

18inchdollpantspvszHere are some of the other products I came out with over the last couple of weeks:

For fabric

Pants for 18" Doll
Shorts for 18" Doll
Sleeveless Blouse for 18" Doll
Everyday Pincushion

For Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Accordion Album
Thanksgiving Take Out Box
Turkey and Fall Leaves
Fall Accordion Album
Fall Scallop Bag

 

turkeyalbumpreviewszMore on the My Life Collection

My Life Month Tags
My Life 4X6 Journaling Cards Birthday Boy
My Life 4X6 JournalingCards Birthday Girl
My Life 4X6 Journaling Cards Snowflake
My Life 4X6 Journaling Wedding Cards
My Life 4X6 Journaling Winter Cards

 

Popular/3D

Baby Bottle Advice Book
Baby Onesie Advice Book
Baby Stroller Advice Book
Everyday Pincushion
Fabulous Frame Set 3
Hello Toothfairy! Take out Box

Hoping to get to some great projects this season! I should be revealing new Deseret Book collections soon and have you checked out my new line for Carta Bella Homemade with Love? It's perfect for the holidays.

Revving up for the holidays,

Carina

 

 

 

 

 

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The BIG SALE is here!

Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables /

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This is my biggest sale of the year! Take advantage of it this weekend only! This sale includes EVERYTHING in the shop including classes, wallpaper, sewing patterns, containers & notions, diecuts, fabric, and kits. Did I mention that the sale is 90% to 30% off? Seriously, there are some amazing deals in the shop! Be sure and order before Sunday. We will be shipping everything out Monday morning!

And have you checked out our new FREE DOWNLOAD category? Not only is there an amazing freebie that goes along with the sale (you can find it here), but now it's easier to find all my free downloads and tutorials. But grab it this weekend, because it goes to regular price after Sunday!

Have a happy weekend!

Carina

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