Quick In and Out

October 2, 2011 by carina 3 Comments

Stopping in rather quickly so you get my take on the display I had at Mormon Handicraft Quilting Shop on Saturday night.

-I literally ran around my house 20 minutes before grabbing everything in sight (including the wreath on the door) for the display.
– It took three trips from car to store to haul in all my stuff in.
-I realized I was missing the stand with all my clothing.
– I frantically called Josh
– Who saved the day.
– I was sweating.
– Not from forgetting the stand but because of all the trips from the car into the shop.
– I hope I didn’t stink.
– But everyone was so polite that I doubt they would have told me if I did.
– I’ve never seen so many women in the shop at one time before (See photo below!).
– I had a blast chatting it up with everyone.
-Everyone was in love with the wreath and those darn easy-to-make flags (no there isn’t a tutorial on it, but grab the pattern from the Love Nest™ Flag Quilt if you want!).

______________________________________________________________

-You are getting a sneak peak here of the doll pattern coming out in January (think mermaids!)
-No, they aren’t coming out before then and
-Yes, the pattern includes removable clothing (should you make the doll rather than the mermaid version).
– I got more oohs and ahhs over the lamp than anything else (And it’s just gathering and hot glue!)
-DeAnna (above left) has convinced me that a trunk show is in order (Maybe January?)
-Elise and Jessica (also above right) were awfully nice to let me take this picture of them.
– I’m not sure if I’ve ever shown my sketches of my designs before they hit fabric (See the paisley from Coquette™ below).
-So there it is:).

_______________________________________________________________________

– And last and very unrelated (but important for those of you who like free fabric), there is a giveaway of Pinfeathers fabric over at the Craft Girls Workshop Facebook page. All you have to do is add your comment to the post! Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crafty-Girls-Workshop/174744046778

Mormon Handicraft

October 1, 2011 by carina 1 Comment

The last couple of days I’ve been running around getting ready for Spraguefest and the launch of my new line of sewing patterns. My friends Susan and Ashley spent a couple of nights helping me package up these fat quarters and coupons for the Spraguefest grab bags. Stacks of eye candy!

Speaking of eye candy, I’m going to be hanging out tonight at the Fort Union Mormon Handicraft Quilt Shop for their semi-annual event with lots of samples from my sewing patterns and sneak peeks at my new ones! I’ll be talking about fabric and generally hanging out! Come by if you are in the Salt Lake area from about 5:30pm to 8pm. Mormon Handicraft is located in the Deseret Book at 1110 FORT UNION BLVD, MIDVALE, UT 84047-1804. I’m told that it is a crazy event with lots of giveaways, sales, and general fun for the ladies.

Hope to see you!

XOXO-Carina

Bike Basket Tutorial

August 29, 2011 by carina 3 Comments

Check out my bike basket tutorial on Celebrations blog! I made these for our bikes for the Gardner family reunion/triathlon. A triathlon, you say? Yes, I feel like I should explain that it is not a REAL triathlon. It kind of goes something like this:

Run, Eat, Bike, Eat, Swim (it seems like we should eat after that too)

Really, it’s an amazing extended family event to help us all get in shape. And we do eat between all the event (Run at 10am, Lunch, Bike at 2pm, Dinner, and Swim at 7pm).

Anyway, back to the bike basket. In order to have Siri and Felicity participate, I ordered them bike connectors. Felicity and I did 8 miles. Josh and Siri made it the entire 12 miles. I was pretty proud we made it as far as we did because it was a horribly, hot day and I managed to get sunburned (go figure!).

Thank goodness for the baskets holding our water and goodies!

Fabrics shown here are from my Pinfeathers collection.

The Jolly Jabber

August 25, 2011 by carina

The fatquartershop is now sporting the Baby Safari, Dress Up, and Pinfeather’s lines. Check out their feature on the Baby Safari line on their blog, the Jolly Jabber.

Dainty Blossoms for Riley Blake Designs

August 22, 2011 by carina 1 Comment

If you missed it, the fourth issue of the newsletter announced my move to Riley Blake Designs for all my new fabric lines starting with the release of Dainty Blossoms™ in January 2012. I am so excited for you to see the work I have been doing with them! All of it is so beautiful and will make the most amazing sewing patterns!

I don’t think Dainty Blossoms™ is up yet at the Riley Blake website, but it shouldn’t be too long before you see it up for presale (for quilt shops only). So my digital maggie on this is even more of a sneeky, sneeky peek. Check it out!

Today I also started my new Art of Digital Design 2 class. It’s going to be a blast, and I’m so excited about the group of students taking it!

Going to take a break from my computer now to get things going around my house. We just got back from a little family get together at Bear Lake and my house is in need of some TLC.

Happy Monday!

Carina

Carina Gardner Quarterly Newsletter (Issue No. 4)

August 18, 2011 by carina 2 Comments

FINALLY! We’ve finished our fourth issue of our newsletter! Better late than never, right?

I think this is our best issue so far. First of all, there are a LOT of photos. And tutorials. And photos. And an announcement (which links to ANOTHER digital magazine). And did I mention photos?

It’s seriously delicious!

Susan has already posted a bit on getting ready for this crazy photoshoot (see it here). I can tell you right now that we had so many amazing photos that I’m not going to be able to resist posting them.

But first, click on the newsletter to the left here and take a peek at all the fun we were up to in the studio.

https://carinagardner.com/newsletter/carina-gardner-newsletter-issue-no-4/

More photos to come!

Spring Quilt Market 2011

May 16, 2011 by carina 2 Comments

I was a happy girl at Quilt Market this weekend. Susan and Emily walked the show with me and we have a fabulous time! It was nice to have market in town (here in SLC). Here’s a sampling of my Friday (prepare yourself for a long and picture-heavy post!):

This was fun! My little bio at Northcott and a few of my patterns on display at The Pattern Peddler’s booth.

The absolutely delicious Riley Blake booth! And I feel silly because I completely forgot to take pictures of the Little Miss Suntop and Skirt model & the High Tea Soiree Dress model while I was hanging out. I’ll get photos of them when I pick them up.

(You know that Riley Blake is giving away this Beach Cruiser, right?)

Susan was cracking us all up with her enthusiasm! Here she is getting a Moda tattoo. Classic Susan!

And me forcing her to pose in a window frame.

Those gorgeous hats (above) are a new pattern by Amanda of the Quilted Fish. Seriously, adorable!

Here’s one of my new favorite people-Rebeckah Merkle. Here booth was fab and she was sweet too! She has a new line with Timeless Treasures.

This fabulous footwear belongs to Anna Marie Horner’s daughter. Anna Marie passed on some serious style to her daughter.

If you attended market, you might have joined in the All Dolled Up contest that was going on. This fabulous quilt was at one of those booths. And that flower…well, how could I NOT take a photograph of it? Of course, I have no idea what booth it was in.

Me with the extremely nice Joel Dewberry. The amazing frame and mini quilt are by Gigi’s Thimble.

Emily in total bliss as she picks up EQ7!

These lovely ladies (Megan of the Brassy Apple and Daria of the Boutique Cafe) are giving away one of my Ruffle Dress Patterns! Check out their podcast interview with me in a couple of weeks at the Boutique Cafe!

Finally, I had to show you a little goodness from the Seven Islands booth. I think Susan was drooling…literally.

That’s a pretty decent sampling of my two days at market. Hopefully, I’ll get some pics up soon of Josh and me in our 80’s gear for the Riley Blake party. If I haven’t scared you away yet, that post might do it.

Happy sewing!

Carina

Sewing Pattern Packaging

April 29, 2011 by carina 1 Comment

I spent part of this week sewing up samples for Quilt Market. This Love Nest™ Ruffle Dress is made in Cindi Walker’s fabric from Riley Blake. I still have to put in the zipper and make the ruffle flower. I’m so happy with how it turned out! Those coral flowers are divine!

If you get a chance to go to Quilt Market, be sure and drop by the Riley Blake booth to check out my pattern samples! I’ll be walking the show on Friday morning, but should be hanging out at the Northcott and Riley Blake booths too. Hope you get a chance to say hello!

We’ve also updated our distributor list and online retailer list. I also know that you will be able to check out the patterns at The Pattern Peddler’s booth.

____________________________________________________________________

This has been the first time since shipping out the patterns, I’ve had a chance to make more samples. I completely forget that a website is a really difficult way to check out this packaging and after experiencing it first-hand, decided I’d better take a couple of pics for you to see how fantastic the packaging it.

If you haven’t had a chance to get your hands on one of these gorgeous patterns yet, then you haven’t seen how functional the packaging is yet. The heavy-duty package is the best way to keep your cut-out pattern safe and ready for use the next time you sew. I’ve got my patterns all folded up and tucked into each of these ready-to-go the moment I start a new outfit.

More sewing for me this coming week… I’m looking forward to it!

Busy Busy

January 22, 2011 by carina 1 Comment

Well, it’s been a much busier week than I intended it to be. I’ve been making the final tweaks to my first sewing pattern, which goes to press on Monday. And then there was a couple of late nights of sewing, and a happy little photo shoot. Busy, busy.

Okay, we are off to our favorite breakfast spot for a little Saturday morning yummy.

The 2010 Carina Gardner Blog Summary

January 1, 2011 by carina

2010 zipped by, didn’t it? Looking back, it was such a big year for me: a little first grader, a brand new preschooler, my first fabric line, getting comfy in our new home…it was a fun year and to celebrate, here are some of my favorite blog moments from 2010. Enjoy!

1 – Iron-on graphics on T-shirts for Siri’s Birthday Party favors

2 – How to Create a Layout From a Quick Page or Album in Digital Scrapbooking. My first freebie video tutorial!

3 – I still love and use these cute canister labels!

4 – It was the Designer Blog Hop with a super fun free digital scrapbooking download for International Scrapbooking Day!

5 – My Chinese New Year Party revisited!

6 – My first free pattern download – the Felicity Fabric Flower

7 – My first Quilt Market! Back to Minneapolis!

8 – Sew Important – My mom gives my daughter a lesson in sewing.

9 – CHA in Chicago along with fun at Spraguefest! A boat tour of the city, sewing fun, and a trip to Navy Pier I’ll never forget!

10 – The first CG Newsletter is released! Eye candy for all!

11 – Download for the Halloween Banner for my paper line Haunted™. I’ve been asked if that piano is just for display, but the answer is “no.” I actually play that thing!

12 – My first downloadable quilt pattern using Coquette™. A great beginner quilt!

13 – My move to Jessica Sprague.com. A new Desktop Calendar Class, Hybrid Project Fridays and One Dollar Wednesdays!

14 – A quick ballet bag using Love Nest™.

15 – A Partridge Pattern

16 – A Merry Christmas to You!

Partridge Bird Pattern – Free Download

December 14, 2010 by carina 2 Comments

As promised, here is my cute partridge birdie pattern. I’ve got these little darlings sprinkled all over my Christmas tree this year, but I see a future for these birds in other rooms in my house. And not just in felt. Oh no. These birdies will be perfectly pretty in fabric…

Pattern and instructions can be downloaded below! Happy sewing!

XOXO-Carina

It’s Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas

November 23, 2010 by carina

It’s not even Thanksgiving… and my house and studio are buzzing with all sorts of Christmas fun. We are getting ready for our 4th quarter newsletter, which should be out sometime next week. We might even have a wicked little goodie for you…so be sure and sign up so that you can get access to the newsletter the moment it goes out.

Want to see what kind of fun you are missing out on? Check out our first issue (3rd quarter) here.

Also wanted to be sure and mention One Dollar Wednesday and Hybrid Project Friday at my digital scrapbooking shop. To be totally fair with everyone, you’ll notice that I release only new products on One Dollar Wednesday and New Release Monday. That way, if you buy it on Monday, you won’t suddenly see it on One Dollar Wednesday (ya, that would suck).

There is a 6-12 month lag period on all my products ever hitting a $1 day (and many will never hit the $1 day). So to help you all out, I’ve instituted 25% off on all my new releases on Mondays for the rest of, well, forever. You’ll see this start in January (you’ll want to check out the site-wide sale in December at Jessica Sprague).

As for my new releases in December, can we say Christmas please? I have a new line (featured in this week’s Hybrid Project 4), Santa’s Sleigh that will hit next week.

Now, to buckle down and finish a few projects before Thanksgiving weekend…

XOXO-Carina

How to Make a Halloween Countdown Calendar-Free Download

September 7, 2010 by carina 3 Comments

It may seem a bit early, but Halloween has come to my house this last week. I’ve been happily crafting with my Haunted™ Paper Line. Lots of white pumpkins and scarecrows are visiting my living room (Photos coming soon!).

Here’s a fun project that you really need to do (and can easily do) in advanced. You will specifically need the Haunted™ Line because the reason it is so simple is because the journaling page in this line has this Halloween Countdown already to go! (simply cut it out!)

Once this fun little calendar is finished, all you’ll need to do is let your kids stamp a fun shape (The Haunted™ Acylic Stamps will be what we are using. I’m thinking we will be using white ink and that creepy, crawly spider.) or just draw a mark on each day as you countdown to a very spooky Halloween! It will be a fun way to start October 1st!

I have the tutorial for you to download below (seriously, this is a 20 minute project at best and the hardest part is making sure you have a photo of your family to add!) and you can certainly expect some more haunted crafting happening ’round here this week. Those cute, um, I mean spooky crows just love getting photographed!