Sharing a Bit of Halloween with You
Just thought I’d share a little photo montage of our family’s halloween with you! Tinkerbell and the Fab Witch had a wonderful halloween and I hope you did too!
Sharing a Bit of Halloween with You Read More »
Happy Haunting
Just dropping in for a sec to wish you a Happy Boo Day! It’s few days early, but my Halloween starts tomorrow with a Halloween luncheon with my girls, Siri’s first Kindergarten Halloween Parade, and of course, trick-or-treating on the 31st. Plus, if you haven’t checked out my studio site recently, I’ve done a couple of updates! If you need a peek at some of the Love Nest papers, go here. I’ve had people tell me they were able to find the paper pad at Hobby Lobby and a couple of people tell me that it was already sold out! So be sure and drop by there if you want to snag it! Happy Haunting!
Dress Design for Shabby Apple dresses
I saw this contest and as I’ve started designing for our first fabric photo shoot, I decided, “What the hey!?” So here’s my entry to the Shabby Apple Dress Contest.
Boooonnnuusss (That is me singing it. Unfortunately you can’t get the full effect via blog.): I’m using fabrics from my new line CoquetteTM for Northcott. It hasn’t hit shops yet so this is a first peek at 3 of the fabrics in the line. This simple-straightforward dress is 50s retro meets modern girl. A little bit of June Cleaver (a flirty flowing skirt). A little bit contemporary (the chic, updated snug “on-the-neck” collar). A whole lot of feminine (an empire waistline and little puffed sleeves with piping)! It’s simple, sweet, and oh so preppy to be sure.
I can see myself racing around on errands or picking up the kids at school in this little sweet thing or just hanging around the house. Throw on a cardigan and take it to work! I’m showcasing 3 different color/fabric ideas here and I’d love to see which you like best. I have my favorite but it’s a secret! Even if these don’t make the contest, there’s a good chance you’ll see these come Coquette’sTM release. Enjoy!
Dress Design for Shabby Apple dressesRead More »
Dress Design for Shabby Apple dresses Read More »
Spider’s Web Papers – Batty Wreath
Halloween is just a week away and I finally have finished my Spider’s Web Bat Wreath. I used my paper version (produced by My Mind’s Eye), but you can also pick it up digitally. I picked up this wreath from Michaels. These twig wreaths are relatively inexpensive ($4, I believe). I then had my silhouette machine cut out these bats for me. I few hot glue gun sticks later, and I was in business!
My kids are going to be a witch and a pumpkin this year (if I can convince her). We are in a new neighborhood, and I excited for the kids to trick-or-treat in this super kid-friendly street.
Hope you have a happy halloween!!!!!
Spider’s Web Papers – Batty Wreath Read More »
Love Nest at Hobby Lobby – Glitter Happy!
It’s glittery and oh, so pretty! My darling Love Nest Glitter Pad that you can grab exclusively at Hobby Lobby! This is my first glitter pad and I am so excited about all the projects I have waiting for me! There are 18 patterns and 54 papers in all! You can also grab the digital versions of Love Nest (for all you digital scrapbookers!!!) in the Sweetheart, Love Nest, and Love Nest 2 Paper Sets (although some designs have been changed for print). You like this in paper? I’m going to let you in on a little secret…I’m currently getting love nest ready for FABRIC! Northcott will be producing the line (which takes a year to manufacture so this is very early news indeed), but I wanted you to look forward to this happy little line that I will certainly be making lots of little girl’s goodies out of!
Oh, and I haven’t forgotten about Halloween. In fact, I already finished my batty wreath using Spiders web…just need to get around to taking a picture of it! Spider’s Web can be picked up in digital or paper.
Love the Spider’s Web line? Be sure and check out the My Mind’s Eye Blog! They’ve added some of the most adorable projects on that site using the line including some scrap-happy layouts and a haunted house fold out album! It’s all so very yummy!
Love Nest at Hobby Lobby – Glitter Happy! Read More »
A Happy Find – Lonny Magazine
A very happy and accidental stumble as I searched for a few new things for my home…I ran into this FABULOUS magazine that is completely DIGITAL! It’s a fantastic mix of Blueprint and Domino (both of which I still sorely miss!). They even do a nice little feature on Deborah Needleman who was the former editor-and-chief of Domino. Lonny has tons of great ideas for your home and (my favorite part) if you like something, you simply click on it and it takes you to the site. Talk about shopping easy! I was clicking away because I’ve been looking for….well, too many things to list here.
Happy shopping for me!
A Happy Find – Lonny Magazine Read More »
I am…
…getting settled in my new house.
…loving my new dark wood floors.
…finishing up love nest for fabric (BTW, you can now find love nest in a glitter pad at Hobby Lobby!).
…admiring the awesome new Halloween projects on My Mind’s Eye blog.
…finally ordering myself the Cirrus flatware set that I supposedly got for Mother’s Day.
…loving that the holiday season has commenced (new digi stuff for the holidays from me here).
Dropping In
I’m taking a quick second to drop a line. Hello! I do still exist! And I’m back from my business trip in Monterey (it was lovely), and should be finished up with a lot of wonderful things this weekend.
So what’s next? Going to get together my great Halloween wreath using my Spider’s Web collection (finally!) and get my lovely new house in order. I have some great new things in the works for both designing and teaching:). I’m still in the process of getting things sorted out, but I’m pretty excited! I’ve also been looking at the first samples of Coquette come through!
Busy, busy, busy! And with the holidays coming along…well, it certainly isn’t going to stop! Let the holidays begin!
It’s Just The Beginning…
Just because Project Mania ends today doesn’t really mean I’M ending my project rampage. In fact, although I prehaps didn’t accomplish as much as I wanted to this month, my project days are just beginning. With a new house, you know I’ll have plenty of things to work on (I’ll give you a tour when we get settled) and I”ll want to share them here.
I just got back from my new, very first, empty house (I just got heart flutters!) to meet the guys who will be doing the floor and trim. I’m so excited to see the results!
And after we move in? Well, we are one day away from October so that means the holiday projects will begin, and I have some great ideas using my Spider’s Web line and my new Love Nest glitter pad (hits Hobby Lobby exclusively in January). On the fabric front, I’m just finishing up a couple of new collections. Coquette‘s first round of strike-offs are currently en route! The moment those fabrics hit my door I’ll be a busy little bee getting projects sewn and photographed!
And in the midst of all this, I have told myself that this holiday season is going to be slower than any other we have had. I’m going to rededicate myself to having a little more fun and a little more down time. Sometimes, I just need an evening in front of a campfire (the photo is of Josh and Flissa at a bonfire with family on Monday night) instead of pushing out the next line. So here’s to having some downtime (lol…well, I’ll start that in two more weeks).
It’s Just The Beginning… Read More »
The Digital Scrapbooking Experience
Finally! After a crazy two days I have a chance to write about DSE! Thursday afternoon I taught an Illustrator class at the Digital Scrapbooking Experience in Provo, Utah. Jen Allyson flew in from San Francisco to help me out.
I had a WONDERFUL time with the students! After teaching 5 years of college, I had completely forgotten how wonderful it was teach students who are eager to learn (and everyone in my class was!). Thank you ladies + Gary for participating in my class! I’m glad I did it because it opened my eyes to what people can do with a little bit of education on the programs. I’m constantly asked about becoming a designers and I may have just had my eyes opened to some new possibilities for these people. I’ll let you know on the developments.
I also hosted a table with a cute little flower make-and-take, candy, and my papers from My Minds Eye (and if you haven’t figured it out yet, papers that get printed can also be bought DIGITALLY from me). Jennifer Allyson and Garden 
Girl Gennifer Bursett both helped me. In fact, I probably owe Ms. Gennifer since I managed to forget my camera and I all these photos are hers! I showed off my digital book that was printed from My Pic Tales and Silhouette Machine, which made all my make-and-takes (and I couldn’t live without at this point!).
You can make our make and takes too! All you need to do is go to the Paper Flower Wreath post and download the pdf. The flower shape we used can be used as a pattern and hand cut out, or I also provide .gsd files for you to use on your own silhouette. Here’s 
photos of Jen and Gen sporting the barrette version you could make. We also had laundry clips and pipe cleaner for attaching to badges or making wristlets. The papers we used for the table all came from my Paris and Co. and Bella Bella Paper Pads that can be bought exclusively at ACMoore.
Some of my favorite moments at DSE? I loved meeting the other instructors (I was so happy to see Crystal Wilkerson there!), I throughly enjoyed Jessica Sprague’s Keynote address, and (my most favorite moment of all) when one of my students (of whom I will refer to as the “Atlanta Gelato Queen”) slipped a chocolate gelato onto a box I was carrying out.
Thanks for all the fun everyone! I could only go to one day of DSE (sorry everyone! I just couldn’t get up there yesterday and today is packed!) because we closed on our house yesterday! Yippeee!!!!!! And now, the work begins…or might I say, the true Project Mania begins! September might end (and I have a few projects yet to finish up!) but in October I’ll be posting all my house fix ups.
The Digital Scrapbooking Experience Read More »
Printing a Digital Book
I finally did it! I printed my very first digital scrapbook. I remember when I use to explain digital scrapbooking to people, they’d say, “Digital?…does that mean you just look at them on the computer?” And I’d have to tell them you could but the point is to have it printed and have a BOOK. I mean, it is called scrapBOOKing even if there is the word “digital” in front of it.
So after not quite 2 years as a digital designer, here I am with my very first book. I kept it really cohesive by only using certain colors and elements. I stuck to the Sproutlets papers & accessories, the Imprints collection, and the PhotoCuts collection. I was COMPLETELY impressed with the quality of the book (even the hard bound outside looked AMAZING). I had it printed at My Pic Tales. I’ll be sure to be doing a lot of printing with them in the future. I need to do a few books for Christmas and senidng out for books through these guys was a snap!
I got the book just in time for DSE, Digital Scrapbooking Experience! If you haven’t registered for Tips and Tricks in Illustrator, but are attending the event, you can register at the door. I’m also gearing up for Digit Alley on Thursday night. We’ll be doing a fun make-and-take at my table. I’ve been busily having my lovely silhouette cut out little flowers for me. Another surprise? Jen Allyson will be showing up to help me with the class and the make-and-take table!
Printing a Digital Book Read More »
If Things Couldn’t Be Busier
You’ll notice a little update on the blog and studio site. Specifically, check out the background pattern which will be printed in fabric (Coquette)in two color schemes (plum and moss) in 4 fabrics total (unfortuately not in the background color I have here). Pull the Internet browser out for a good look at this pretty paisley pattern. I also tried to update my nav system on this blog, but unfortuately, my php skills are terrible, and I’m going to need a bit of help on this one.
This week we are closing on our house. No, we haven’t really packed, and yes, I’m swamped with other things. Thankfully, the house isn’t far away and there will be some work done on the house during the first two weeks. So it will be a slow move where we spend as much time as possible messing up TWO houses.
The best part about the new house for me? Finally, a decent studio space! I just found a fabulous conference table at an antique store just waiting to be painted white. And the project pile keeps growing…
For now, I’m dusting off my old syllabi in honor of the Digital Scrapbooking Experience class that I am teaching on Thursday. Also putting together some fabulous make-and-takes for that evening’s Digit Alley. I’m pretty excited to see all you digi scrappers! Updates on this event soon!
If Things Couldn’t Be Busier Read More »
When It’s A Birthday
With my fantastic silhouette machine from quickutz, I made these darling die cut happy birthday cards that you can pick up at 2peas. I made them originally for my two brothers-in-law that share a common birthday. These boy-happy papers are from my Bella Bella line. Super easy to make with the files in this folder!
So what have I been up to? I’ve been a busy bee as I have been working on a new fabric collection. It’s been going well, and I’m hoping to be able to wrap it up by the middle of next week. I know, you are asking yourself, “But I haven’t even seen a first line.” Sneak peeks coming very soon! I promise! It’s amazing how long the time line on a fabric line is, but I’m so excited to get those bolts of fabric into my hands to show it all off to you! Patience…
[ad]
When It’s A Birthday Read More »
A Big Pink Kangaroo
When walking in, I might have felt like it was the state fair (Here’s my annual reference to the Minnesota State Fair and the plethora of deep-fried foods on a stick) due to the carnival-like food and interesting hari cuts. But in fact, Josh and I were attending an Australian Pink Floyd concert. It was a little R&R that I’ve been much in need of and a present from my mother-in-law.
I’m not a huge Pink Floyd fan, but nine years of marriage and a Roger Waters’ Concert will wear you down into submission. Now I can name a hand full of songs, even some obscure ones.
A review on Australian Pink Floyd, you say? I would say they were a very good cover band. But then again, I probably wouldn’t know the difference. But Josh confirmed that they are indeed good, so I’ll give it a two thumbs up and the popcorn and cotton candy a thumbs down (simply because I had too much junk by that time). My favorite song is Another Brick in the Wall Part 2. A bit of irony for you considering the number of years I spent in school…oops, and teaching too. Well, okay, it’s SUPER ironic. I like to fondly call the song, “We don’t need no edu-ma-cation.”
Highlight of the evening? When a huge pink kangaroo jumped on stage. At first I thought it was going to be a pig (like at Mr. Roger Waters’ Concert) but this highly hilarious pink animal was there representing the “Australian” part of this cover band.
Once and a while, an excursion out of my regular routine reminds me of design that I haven’t paid attention to for a while. I’ve been head deep in fabric and paper for so long now, I forgot how amazing the graphics were at Roger Waters’ Concert and the artistry of Rock Band Albums. If you have a chance, you should check out the work of Storm Thorgerson, who did most of the cover art for Pink Floyd.
A Big Pink Kangaroo Read More »
It’s Not My Project But…
it is my paper. Somehow I managed to miss the gallery of layouts on the My Minds Eye blog. There on the sidebar are some of the most amazing layouts I have ever seen using my Bella Bella Collection!
Go here to see all these amazing layouts.
In paper news, you can catch my Halloween line The Spiders Web in stores and online. I’m also excited to announce that a special glitter book will be coming out exclusively at Hobby Lobby in a few months called Love Nest! I’m so excited about it and will be adding it to the studio site soon! Check back for more later!
It’s Not My Project But… Read More »
The Blog Hop
If you haven’t stopped by the blogs on this Project Mania blog hop, you’re missing out! And if you want to participate, you are definitely welcome to join us by sending me your link at info@carinagardner.com and you will added to the list. I recently got around to seeing what these ladies are up to, and there is some wonderful stuff happening (even if it is just getting around to updating our blogs…check out Brought to You By the Letter B).
You’ll definitely want to check out The Project Girl’s Blog. Jen has just done a revamp on her blog along with a couple of fantastic projects and free downloads. My favorite thing she has recently created is a chicken wire frame to hang things up! For about one second, I thought about copying her and doing this project too…but then I gave myself a reality check and will get back to the projects I have at hand (aka moving).
You should also stop by Live Laugh Love Scrapbook to get some inspiration from her digital layouts, Lori shows off a BEAUTIFUL quilt she has been making on her blog Life’s Little Moments, Naomi has been gearing up and redecorating her family room on her blog Naomi’s Space, and you’ll get a nice little giggle out of the signs that Mean Mom Digital Designs has been posting!
And what am I going to be posting the rest of this month? I can’t wait to show off my first 12″ x 12″ digital album that I just sent off to print at MyPicTales. I should be getting it any day now! I’m also pretty excited to keep getting organized (yesterday I decluttered my bathroom and got it “move ready”). I am in desperate need to print and laminate the thousands of recipes I have been stuffing into my acrylic recipe box (it currently doesn’t look so nice and organized). And truly, the biggest project of all is when we make this move, and I will be painting this house and putting in my very own studio (my first one!), which I can’t wait to share with you! So, my Project Mania will continue long after September with all new decorating and holiday projects coming up!
[ad]
The Only Constant is Change
It is a season of change at our house. Our oldest daughter started Kindergarten, Josh started a new job a couple of months ago, I recently signed a fabric contract, and we are buying our very first home. It’s a wonderful time, but difficult to say the least. Labor Day Weekend and this week has been particularly hectic as I have been working on a paper and fabric line (collection number 3!) and convention season is upon me (my day job as an event director). And with the move coming up, I’ve been busy getting rid of the old and getting organized.
So I’m packing. And I don’t have much to show for it with the exception of these cute tags I made for the girl’s toys. Right now the girls have a playroom, which isn’t going to be the case in our new home. We have all the toys organized and in an Expedit Ikea Shelf which will go into their bedroom at the new house.
You’ll notice that I added a bit of artwork to these tags because with little ones cleaning up is easier if there are pictures. So I added words for the adults and pictures for the kids. I am hoping this means that it will be easier to tidy up.
I’ll tell you my little trick when I don’t have time…but you’re not allowed to tell anyone that I don’t hand cut and laminate all my projects myself! heehee…My main trick, is that I have the email to Office Max’s Copy Max. Yes, and you can get your Office Max’s email too.
I simply email the pdf/jpg files and tell them what I need done. These are 4″ x 6″ cards that they printed on color paper, cut out, and had laminated. I just picked them up, punched holes, and attached with ribbon.
Be sure and take advantage of the blog hop! I’ll be sure and give you highlights of the sites this weekend! Click on the Project Mania banner up top to see the list of people participating!
[ad]
The Only Constant is Change Read More »
Paper Flower Wreath: Free Pattern
I finally got around to this project! This little paper flower wreath was a big hit with my girls as they pranced around the house with them all day! I recently got a Silhouette from QuicKutz, which makes this little project a breeze! But if you don’t have a Silhouette, the flower shapes are simple and can easily be hand cut.
So, for Project Mania, I’ve put together the pattern for you in both the pdf form and gsd files (for the silhouette). I like these darling little flowers because you can also use them for paper rings (my girls love the brads with jewels on them for the centers). Check out where to buy my paper products and digital products if you want to use these papers for your own little wreath! The papers I use in Felicity’s wreath are from my Bella Bella Collection and my AC Moore’s exclusive paper pads Bella Bella (180 papers) and Paris & Co. (180 papers). Siri’s pink wreath comes from my Bella Bella Collection and Paris & Co (180) paper pad.
Download the Paper Flower Wreath pdf instructions
Download the Large Flower GSD file
Download the Medium Flower GSD file
Download the Small Flower GSD file
And be sure to click on the Project Mania banner up top to check out the projects that other people are doing on this blog hop!
[ad]
Paper Flower Wreath: Free Pattern Read More »
Monthly Menu Planner- Free Download
It’s the offical “start” of Project Mania! And I thought I would start off with a free download! I’m hoping to inspire you to get organized this month or finish a project that hasn’t been finished.
It’s appropriate that it is Project Mania month because September will be my busiest month yet! We just learned last week that we will be moving into a new house (our very first house, Yippee!), which means I’ll be working on getting myself super organized for the move. So what else is in store for me? Some serious decluttering, deep cleaning, and painting. I also plan on getting my recipes organized, get some digital scrapbooking done, and finish painting a dresser. Oh, and there’s this little download to get me organized with my meal planning! It has a calendar with a month’s worth of meals and a shopping list. I’ve already started using this…sometimes I rip off the bottom to take to the store with me (this is seperated into half sheets so you can cut off the top and place on your fridge) or take the whole thing to remind me of anything I might be missing.
Download the Monthly Menu Planner here.
Monthly Menu Planner- Free Download Read More »
ABC Book Project-Early Project Mania
It’s the season of change. I’ve been feeling it more and more as my oldest child heads to kindergarten. It seems even more imperative to capture these fleeting moments, and what better way than with an ABC photo book of my little darlings. It seems appropriate considering the time of year.
I like homemade ABC books because they are so personal. They capture a moment in time, and my children adore looking at themselves in a little hand-held book that seems made just for them. It also can be a valuable learning tool.
For this little project, I tried to accomplish two things. First, I wanted a new ABC book that included Felicity, my youngest daughter (I made one for Siri when she was a toddler). Second, I wanted to give Siri a tool to learn new words as she learns to read. I also wanted it to be fun, so the girls and I went on an “alphabet scavenger hunt” to gather the items we photographed.
This hybrid project uses my ABC templates, which are 4” x 6” templates that you drop right on top of your photo, My Mind’s Eye’s Penny Lane Papers, and pink stamp ink, which I rubbed along the edges. The final book is 5” x 6.5” (that’s the size I cut the papers I mounted the photos on). I got the whole thing spiral bound at Office Max.
ABC books can be used for more than just learning the alphabet…try these fun ideas!
• Capture a vacation using the alphabet. Not only will it be fun to figure out things to photograph using the alphabet, but the book will be fun to look at when you are finished!
• Capture a child or family’s year using the ABC’s. It’s a great way to get a snapshot of your year!
• Use the book as an opportunity to capture things that you love in your home. I made sure to include “red blankey” for Siri and “white blanky” for Felicity because these are their lovies. When do we ever take the time to capture these meaningful everyday items? In 10 or 20 years, long after those blankets are in rags, I know my children will be happy to have these photos.
A couple of helpful hints when taking photos for this project:
• If you are taking pictures of your kids, a second adult is really helpful because one person can hand the items to the kids and one can photograph.
• Remember you need lots of foreground/background…aka…empty space to fit your words and letters!
• Take photos all with the same background for a cohesive look. I used a brick wall in front of my house. If doing a vacation book, you won’t necessarily want to do this so you can capture all parts of your vacation.
• A mix of closeups and full shots make the book more dynamic and interesting.
• Laminating your book makes it more durable for little hands.
Want to buy the template I used for this ABC Book? Go here:
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/digital-kits/carina-gardner/_abc_book_/
To see the entire ABC book I made, visit my flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/carinagardner/sets/72157612650193775/
Want to see more Project Mania projects from me or anyone on the blog hop? Or want to join the blog hop? Go here.
ABC Book Project-Early Project Mania Read More »
Working on a new Digi Book
I’ve been a digi designer for a year and a half now and I finally feel like it is time to buckle down and finish a full book! Because I like consistency, I’m working on a book that covers 2009 and I am only using Sproutlets, Sproutlets Album, Imprints, and PhotoCuts. It makes the book look put together (and definitely helps the flow!). Sproutlets covers my paper and color scheme, Imprints takes care of my brushes, and PhotoCuts helps me with on my frames and masks. It’s an easy combination that will make me several beautiful layouts really easily.
Hopefully, I’ll have this book finished for Project Mania next month and get it printed to show off. But for now, here’s a peek…
Working on a new Digi Book Read More »
Autumn Event Schedule-Free Download
In anticipation of Project Mania, I have a free download today! It’s an autumn event schedule…something I really needed for myself. If I don’t plan it, I don’t do it.
And last year we never made it to the Pumpkin Patch, I never did my fall cleaning, and I waited until the last minute to buy halloween costumes for the kids. I decided to make this little reminder list to stick on my fridge to remember and start to schedule in these things. When November and December come around, I feel so out of sorts when I haven’t already taken care of Christmas card photos or planned around all the extended family activites. So here it is, a free download for you! It comes on a single sheet (8.5″ x 11″) with 4 of these fit on it. One has some activites already outlined (like the one shown) and one is completely blank so you can customize it. Enjoy!
To download just click on the image or click here.
Autumn Event Schedule-Free Download Read More »
WareHouse Walk at 2Peas 8.18.09
Check out today’s Warehouse Walk at 2peas with MellyPea. You’ll notice the awesome shout out by MellyPea for my new Spider’s Web line out in paper and just barely hitting stores! Oh, and digital folks, don’t think I have forgotten you on this one…just a few more weeks…
WareHouse Walk at 2Peas 8.18.09 Read More »
A Baby Blessing
I love Sundays. We usually get together with family and friends and I usual spend a part of my day cooking or baking. Today, we want to my in-laws baby blessing for little baby Grace. It was a beautiful blessing with Gracie crying loudly the whole way through it. Unnerving for the parents, but hilarious to the rest of us!
These are some pictures from the brunch afterwards. I wanted to highlight the little cards I made for the table with Grace’s name. They are so simple and I used the Imprints Collection to make them. Specifically, you’ll notice I used the frames and calendar stamps (for a light background). These Imprint kits hit the store this Tuesday.
I know there aren’t any photos of baby Grace here…you’ll just have to check my Flickr to see more. And if you haven’t looked in the Creative Team’s Flickr account recently, you should check it out! The girls have put some fabulous layouts up! I know you can’t see the photos in the sidebar (I still haven’t managed to figure out how to have 2-3 going!), so I just wanted to point it out!
Happy Sunday! I’m gearing up for a crazy Monday and then hoping for sanity by the middle of the week.
A Layout Today
So the big news is that I actually got around to a layout today! This layout took me just a few minutes to put together because I used simple brushes from my Imprints collection and a paper I am always reaching for from my Simply Solid Collection.
This photo is of my daughter Siri and my niece Caroline…who decided to dress up like twins! I even did their hair the same.
Cake Spotlight
One of my collections team members, Jenny, was inspired to make this cake which highlights the digital scrapbooking collection Sproutlets. Other than being totally creative, I thought the idea was fantastically COOL! What a beautiful cake Jenny! Jenny also has a cake blog at:
http://www.jenezecakedesign.blogspot.com
It’s very delicious!
If you have a cool project that you created using one my products, please email me at carina@diginirvana.com. It may be featured on this blog!
When the Peas Get Together…
Jen came into town so the 2pes peeps came out to play. This was my first 2peas sighting and man, it was a doozy. I’ll need another one soon ladies to remember people’s names!!! It really was a blast and my only regret is that the table was long and I didn’t really get to talk to people on either end very well.
Important things I learned tonight: The NSBR Board can be brutal, Nephi the waiter is a patient person, that much cheese fries + ice cream doesn’t kill you on the spot, and Aunt Skiddy never comments on 2peas but always READS everything…so beware! Oh, and possibly I see a 2peas Karoake Party going down at my place (that would be after I buy a house, which I HOPE happens in the next 3 months). Be warned!
Thanks for the fun night ladies!
When the Peas Get Together… Read More »
10% off $10 or More Digital Products
I hardly ever have sales…it probably happens twice a year now. So take advantage of this one if you have been eyeing a product over $10 at my 2peas store! Starting tomorrow, all of my products that are $10 and up will be 10% off for a week! Have fun!
10% off $10 or More Digital Products Read More »
Dinner with the Family
We had dinner with Liz and Tim (my sister-in-law and brother-in-law) tonight. I love when we plan a last minute Sunday dinner at their house because it is whatever the two families can throw together from their combined pantries. Sometimes it is pancakes and sausage while other nights, we are able to put on a serious Sunday feast. Tonight, Liz supplied the chicken and grilling team (go Tim!) and I provided the marinade. It’s a just a simple citrus and herb combo that I’d recommend letting the meat sit in, but as this was a quick get together, Tim just dropped it on the chicken and grilled away!
Carina’s Citrus Marinade
Throw together the following ingredients and let meat (chicken, pork, etc) marinade for an hour and bake or grill:
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
3-6 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 springs fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
handful of basil leaves (finely chopped)
spring of thyme (leaves pulled)
salt and paper
Dinner with the Family Read More »
Project Mania…An entire month of projects!
We’re getting started a bit early here (Project Mania officially starts on September 1st!), but I wanted to make sure that everyone has a chance to participate! I’m giving everyone a head start here so that if you have any big projects that need starting or need to clear out your schedule to make way for some great projects in September, you have the time to!
This is a BLOG HOP! Here on my blog, I’ll be posting a plethora of new projects, tutorials, and free downloads to help inspire you. If YOU have been working on some things and want to share OR if you’ve needed a kick start, this is it! Time to get your hands dirty and get going! We all want to see what you’ve done! Whether it is scrapbooking related, sewing, home decor, home organization, crafts…if you’ve been meaning to do it, let’s get it done this September and post it on our blogs! You’ll definitely see plenty from me on these fronts all September.
So you think you want to share what you’re going to be doing September 2009? We’re starting a list right here! First thing you need to do is grab this html code and the little banner to put on your blog. It will relocate you back to this post for the most up-to-date list on blogs/websites participating in Project Mania.
<a href=”https://carinagardner.com/2009/08/06/project-mania/” target=”_blank”><img class=”alignnone” src=”http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee297/diginirvana/projectmania1.jpg” alt=”” width=”200″ height=”150″ /></a>
Next, you need to send me the name of your blog and the link you want it to go to so that we can all drop by and see what kinds of things you are getting into! Send it to carina@diginirvana.com.
Here’s the list of everyone participating! Go visit and see what these Project Maniacs are up to!
Brought to You By The Letter B
Project Mania…An entire month of projects! Read More »
Tuesday…A Two Peas Day!
It’s Tuesday and my small Antique Jar collection hit the store today. To give you a preview of the new collection hitting next week and the week after (I think you’ll like it!) is iMPRiNT! It’s a lot of yummy stamps and brushes!
I also thought I’d give you the heads up…I’ve declared SEPTEMBER to be Project Mania Month here at the CG Studio! I’ve already gotten started and I’m excited to bring you a whole month of blog posts that are project oriented! Get ready for some great downloadables, holiday projects, organization tips and more! I’m pretty excited about as it will get me in gear to really finish some half-way finished projects and get a head start on the holiday season.
I’m sure that if you are like me, October through December is booked! So I’m hoping by having a Project Mania month in September, you and I both will feel inspired to get a headstart.
Tuesday…A Two Peas Day! Read More »
A Wish Is a Dream Your Heart Makes…
I don’t care what anybody says, Disney knows how to do it right! My kids had a magical experience which translates into magical for mommy. Yes, I have COMPLETELY BOUGHT INTO THE DISNEY MARKETING MACHINE! I acknowledge it! It’s know I’m being sucked in, but I just can’t help myself! The packaging is too cute (see there are pitfalls to being a designer!)
The highlights of our trip were Splash Mountain (4 times for the 5 year old!), the frozen lemonade (man, it was hot!), Space Mountain (for me, not the husband who can’t hold it together on the roller coasters), the Jedi Training Academy (Siri had NO clue what was going on but was very proud to be fighting Darth Vader), and the Pixar Play Parade.
And, well, what more can say about this vacation? Disneyland is definitely a place to be experienced. We didn’t have a problem with long lines (but then, we used the UnOfficial Disneyland Guide, which was a lifesaver) and we took plenty of photos. We also used the Belkin TuneTalk…very useful if you remember to charge it up (which I managed to forget to do for the second day at DL).
And now, for recovery from the vacation…
A Wish Is a Dream Your Heart Makes… Read More »
Photos by Creative Juice Photography!
It’s always a bit of a scary thing to get photographs taken of yourself. I had put it off long enough though and recruited Creative Juice Photography to come and get a few shots of me.
With all the new designwork and classes I’ve got my fingers in these days, I’ve needed bios and pics of myself (A hard thing when you are the family photographer, and an amateur at best). My Canon Rebel has been my favorite new gadget this year, that’s for sure! Anyway, the need for headshots was a dire one and Jess came to the rescue! She just posted a few on her blog, and set a few more up for me that I thought I would share.
Today, the girls and I are headed to Anaheim for some Disneyland fun. I’m a planner (ask my husband) and I like to get the UnOfficial Guide to DisneyLand to plan our days there to make the most of our time. I also grabbed some new headphones (Ones that actually COVER the little girls’ ears) movie watching
on the airplane. I also was inspired by Heather Baily to buy a Belkin TuneTalk Stereo for the trip. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I participated in her March of Tools and it was now the appropriate time to buy one. These little gadget is a little mic that hooks up to your iPod and downloads all your recordings to iTunes. It’s a nifty little device and useful for recording some precious moments on vacation for us. We aren’t taking our video recorder (I AM taking my camera though) so this will be a nice (tiny!) alternative.
More to post when I get back!!! Have a great weekend! And to everyone at CHA, hope you are having a blast (and if you are not as CHA, I hope you having a blast at the 2peas online CHA!).
Photos by Creative Juice Photography! Read More »
If You Want To Know…
…the chat last night was so much fun! Super crazy, but a blast! My kids decided to get up for it, my power went out and my computer had to restart, so I spent the entire hour completely behind! lol. Thank you for attending and we hope you liked the free kit we gave out! We also did a fun questionnaire about Jen and myself. If you want to see the questionnaire (answers are in the post), want to relive the madness, or see what it was all about go here.
And because of the chat along with my three day interlude between vacations, I haven’t had a chance to even mention the kits that came out yesterday! The first one, Petal Patch, is a super-yummy, vintagey-modern digital kit! (Think 1950s kitchen apron). This kit is SUPER sweet…completely sugar-coated…lol. You’ll have to go to the dentist afterwards!
The second, I must admit, I created really for myself. I love the Sproutlets kit…I mean, really, really love it and am planning on doing a few different books with it. So I started the first 10 page album set, which you can now buy at 2peas. Not all the previews are shown unless you go and look in the shop, but here’s my first page with it:
Clean and distressed all at once! Siri is pretty adorable in these photographs too. lol.Once I get these pages into a book, I’ll be sure and photograph it and post it (of course, what else?).
Here’s a look at what my cool collection’s team has done with the Petal Patch kit (eye candy!).
From the Collections Team , from top-left: Jenny, Katherine, Katherine, Lori, Susan, and Yam. Beautiful work ladies!
If You Want To Know… Read More »
Free Download During Chat Tonight!
As a fun gift to everyone who joins the chat, Jen and I have put together this darling little freebie! You will need to post in the chat tonight and we’ll send you a peamail with the link which will only be downloadable during the chat. Be sure and drop by and get it! Visit us in the CHA Summer Forum at 10pm CST.
Free Download During Chat Tonight! Read More »
CHA Summer 2009
CHA is in Florida and I won’t be going. In fact, I’ll be headed the opposite direction in a couple of days for a vacation with my family. So, to celebrate CHA, Jen and I are doing a little chat on 2peas today. Come join us in the CHA Summer Forum at 2peas for scoops on what Jen and I are up to, giveaways, and more! Meet us over there 8pm 10pm CST.
BTW, just added a new header to the studio front page and I’ll hopefully have a chance in the next couple of weeks to get together some great halloween projects with my new line The Spider’s Web.
See you at the chat!
Just Another Monday
It’s just another Monday and my family is still recovering from a weekend at Bear Lake. We’re also recovering from a lingering virus that managed to take captive the last two members of our family this weekend (Felicity and myself). I managed to get over my fever and aches after a day, but Felicity has had a raging fever for several days. I just took her to the doctor today and the virus has managed to give her a double ear infection. Great. And just 3 days away from our vacation to Disneyland.
Well, the good part is that there is amoxicillian running through her now. And I’ll have her sucking on her pacifier on the airplane to help with the pressure.
A quick report on Bear Lake: my very cool mother-in-law brought all sorts of goodies and games for the kids (the parents were all very grateful). One thing she did was leave a little note on the door for the kids to treasure hunt for some frogs. Fantastic idea, huh? The kids had a blast looking for them.
Be sure and join Jen and me for our Chat tomorrow at 2peas. 8pm CST in the Digital Scrapbooking Forum CHA Summer Forum! Be sure and drop by as Jen and I will be giving away some of our newest stuff.
Just Another Monday Read More »
Double Dessert Night
Just as Siri, Felicity, and I had finished whipping up the vanilla pudding for our Puddin’Pie, our next door neighbor left this lovely green thing on our porch. I just looked at it and said, “Well, I guess I’m making zucchini bread.”
For you know, that this is all you can do with a zucchini of this size. So it was double dessert night and nobody was complaining at my house.
Zucchini Bread
This recipe was taken from All Recipes.com. The user comments were really useful. I ended up using 1 cup of brown sugar to replace one cup of white sugar and doubled the zucchini used (4 cups). It turned out to be TWO zucchini breads (We did one for the neighbor without chocolate chips and one for the kids WITH chocolate chips). Visit the original recipe here. This is my variation on it:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (or more)
- 4 cups grated zucchini
- Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Puddin’ Pie
I know you’ve had this dessert before. It’s so easy and delicious. My favorite backup for a yummy summer treat. It’s vanilla pudding, cool whip, graham cracker crust, and fresh berries. I tend to go for the premade pie crust but I admire anyone who makes it from scratch. I mean, it is just graham crackers and butter afterall. I also buy the no-sugar vanilla pudding and the fat free cool whip.
- 1 Graham cracker crust
- 1 vanilla pudding package/2 cups of milk
- 1 cool whip
- package of strawberries (and or blueberries, raspberries)
Put together vanilla pudding as instructed on the package. Pour into crust and let sit in the fridge for an hour. Top with Cool Whip and cut Strawberries/Berries on top.
It looks pretty and it’s effortless! Very summery with the berries on top, huh? If you wanted to get fancy you could add glaze to the top of the strawberries (It would also make the strawberries last longer). 
And of course, the best part, eating it! Yes, it makes a mess:).
With all these recipes, I have been compiling them in my little recipe box. Pretty soon I’m going to take them to get laminated to keep them from spills.
Double Dessert Night Read More »
Silhouette Example
I got an email from someone who did the Photoshop Silhoutte Tutorial and I wanted to show it off here! Jessica Taufer is the owner of Utah Baby Guide and said that she didn’t do the trace option at the end (something you may not be able to do unless you have Illustrator CS2 or higher). Her’s turned out wonderful and I’m impressed she did the project!!! Nice job Jessica!
Silhouette Example Read More »
Fabric, CHA, AND a Chat
Yes, this is it. The big news! I recently signed a fabric deal and you will be able to find my designs in fabric in early 2010! Unfortunately, I have to be very vague about the release because we haven’t even begun first rounds of strike-offs (I will be sure to keep you updated!)! It’s been my busiest summer yet with putting together my first fabric collection and lots of new scrapbooking stuff coming out from My Minds Eye! Next week is CHA and you’ll get to see my Spider’s Web Line which is a sophisticated take on Halloween! I can’t wait to show you how I use them for halloween decorating projects and more!
I also wanted to give you a heads up that Jen and I will be hosting a chat in the 2peas forums (in the digital scrapbooking forum) on Tuesday, July 28th at 8pm CST. It will lots of fun! You are welcome to quiz us about digital scrapbooking or paper scrapbooking (and anything else you may like:). Jen and I are also both doing giveaways throughout the chat! It will be fun that you don’t want to miss!
Fabric, CHA, AND a Chat Read More »
The Sofa Post
It’s Favorite Friday, but I couldn’t limit myself to 5 on this one. It’s my sofa post. Yes, sofa’s I love and links to find them:). It’s taken me two weeks to consolidate this post:).
I’m a little ga-ga over these sofas, and although I won’t be buying one anytime soon, it’s always good to know what’s out there for the day you decide to remake your living room. So these are my top picks from what I have filtered through over the last couple of weeks, these oh so yummy sofas that are on my wish list! Now, I will have to be honest, this is by no means a comprehensive list. In fact, I feel like I have just scrapped the surface and will have many more sofa posts to come. And, to be completely honest, I don’t think any of these are the perfect one for me. I’m still looking. But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it. So here we go…
I’ve never considered myself a “leather” girl, but recently I’ve been looking into leather sofas because of their sophistication and kid-friendliness. My friend Brooke in Minnesota went from Pottery Barn slipcovered sofa to World Market leather sofa and loved the change. She said she was able to wipe up the kid-mess easily.
I’m sure the reason I have strayed away from leather sofas is because most of the models on the market tend to be overstuffed (comfortable, but unsightly) and too big for most modest-sized rooms. I like this one from Leathercraft because the lines are SO clean and contemporary. The 2730 Sofa has my thumbs up for looking modern but not confining. Don’t you think it would look beautiful in a dark chocolate leather. Ummmm…
I maybe was able to make the transition to leather because Domino featured a couple who had TWO leather sofas facing each other in their living room. I loved the look SO much I wish I could feature it here (but unfortuately there is no Domino anymore). This other sofa I’m into is the 902-00 Leathercraft.
Yesterday, I received an email from Room and Board entitled, “We’ve Created the Perfect Sofa.” Of course, my interest was piqued and I opened the email.
While this really isn’t the sofa for me, there are plenty of things I like about it. I like the lines and it still looks comfortable but not overstuffed. It’s maybe a bit too…masculine? (I’m not sure what the right word is) for me.
On to slipcovered sofas: I thought that these where the perfect kid solution. Just yank them off and throw them in the laundry or send the dry cleaners, right? Right now, my Ikea green sofa is covered by a makeshift white slipcover. It’s a tight slipcover with cushion covers and all. It is SO dirty and I can probably count on one had the number of times I have taken it off and laundered it. Because of this unfortunate experience with slipcovers, I’m not going to show any here. However, while looking at the slipcovered sofas on PotteryBarn, I saw this beauty: The Greenwich Sofa.
I just love the lines on this one! The arms somehow make this a little more feminine. The color wouldn’t work for the kids in the least bit at our house. But it’s beautiful in the photo, isn’t it?
This next one is from Johnathan Adler. I love all of his stuff, and actually my FAVORITE sofa from him is no longer in circulation. So sad:(. But this one is one of my favorites on his site. Something very old school and preppy about it. It’s called the Lampert Sofa.
I think when you are looking for a sofa, there is a fine line between comfort and style. Heaven knows that no one likes to sit in a sofa with a stiff back. This Johnathan Adler version hits the mark for me on both. It also sort of meets the criteria of masculine AND feminine. Strong clean lines with those sweet tufts. Yummy!
It is amazing to me that the subtle in design changes in a couch really do give it a whole different feeling. Take this one from Restoration Hardware. It’s really NOT that different from the pottery barn one, but the lines make it even more feminine in my opinion. I love the spindle legs on this one too.
How about this romantic soaf from Urban Outfitters. It’s called the Antoinette Fainting Sofa. I think the name fits. The style is really romantique.
Okay, I think I’m about done for this week! But, because I didn’t find my perfect sofa yet, I will continue to be on the lookout! Ahh, the joys of window shopping!
My Cauliflower Soup: Yummy Summer Soup Recipe
My newest kit came out yesterday at 2peas, Sproutlets! The Collections Team have put together some fantastic layouts for this kit so go check them out here.
I wanted to share my Cauliflower Soup recipe. It’s really good…packed with vitamins and a bit of fat. I love using fresh herbs in this. It makes the whole thing really fresh! This is really yummy in the fall for an evening treat.
Carina’s Cauliflower Soup
1 head of cauliflower
1 pint of half and half OR cream
4 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup of chopped onion
3 cloves of chopped garlic
olive oil
2 Springs of Rosemary
2 Springs of Thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese
Bacon (optional)
What gives this soup all it’s flavor is roasted cauliflower. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a baking pan hand toss the cauliflower head (roughly chopped), olive oil (drizzled over it), salt, pepper, and 2 springs of rosemary. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Be sure and move around the cauliflower half way. You’ll get a nice brown color. on the edges. While the cauliflower is in the oven, saute 2 tbs of olive oil, garlic, and onion in a large pot for about 5 minutes. Add the thyme (chopped). Pull the cauliflower out of the oven and add to the pot. Saute all together for another 5 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. I sometimes like to let it sit and simmer at this point for about 20-30 minutes so the cauliflower gets soft. Sometimes I’ll let it sit longer or short though depending on when I started the pot. Add the half and half (or for a creamier soup use cream). Take portions of the soup and blend in a blender or a hand mixer until you get a smooth consistancy.
Let the soup simmer for as long as you want. Add a sprig of thyme, a little parmasian, and even some bacon bits to the top before serving. Yum, yum!
Photos are Copyright of Carina Gardner
My Cauliflower Soup: Yummy Summer Soup Recipe Read More »