Haunted Paper in Action
Haunted Paper in Action Read More »
Haunted Paper in Action Read More »
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!
How to Make a Halloween Countdown Calendar-Free Download Read More »
This photo was taken by Meg at Spraguefest by the Bean. Why I was wearing a sweater (even a short sleeved one) in that heat is a mystery to us all. Thankfully, I had a chance to jump around at Millennium Park.
1-Deena Rutter and I promoting our Halloween lines at CHA.
2-Haunted™ comes with acrylic stamps, epoxy brads, and flocked vinyl. Yum!
3. The fab My Mind’s Eye Booth. Seriously, it is so cute!
4-Crystal, Deena, and I headed to the city for a little Bandera, shopping, and sightseeing.
5-A sightseeing tour with the Spraguefest group had me happily sliding down the Picasso and racing Kelly and Crystal.
6-It looks like ice cream doesn’t it? It’s actually a caprese salad. Everyone thought I had ordered dessert first. I didn’t want to let them down, so for the next dinner I did (ummm, cannoli!).
7-Just to prove I was, in fact, in Chicago.
8-I’m caught doing a little sewing at the CHA Supershow. I tried out my flocked Haunted line on this sewing machine.
9-Crystal and I made matching bubble skirts! And this was Crystal’s very first time sewing. I make a motion for her to buy a sewing machine. Second?
10-Transformers 3 was being filmed. Unfortunately, you will have to ask Meg and Gary for their photos of Patrick Dempsey. I managed to miss that one.
11-My favorite night out!!!!! A few of us hopped over to Navy Pier for a little throw-up-inducing rides and ice cream (which was closed so I had to beg the manager to let all 8 of us in. Please, please, please?). BTW, don’t sit with Crystal on the swings. While you are clutching to the chain links for dear life, Crystal will be pretending to fly and wobble you all over the place. You will never get on the swings again.
12-The new Sprague booth at the CHA Supershow. It was PACKED the entire time. There’s lovely Jessica herself.
13-Kari from iKari. Also known to lose her voice from talking ALOT and clapping at everyone to show her support. This picture is proof.
14-A wonderful night of laughs with Crystal, Joan, Meg, and Gary. The waiter made it all the more fun. You can’t tell by this picture but the dessert was the size of my head. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. But not by much.
And that is my very-short review (aren’t you glad I didn’t give you the long version?).
I happily discovered that Amber Packer on the MME blog had gotten her hands on some and made this darling layout. Yummy vinyl flocking…how I long to see you in person!
See it bigger by clicking on the image below:).
Soooooo Soft and Haunted Read More »
I can’t wait to show it off in Chicago in a couple of weeks!
Haunted Paper Line for My Mind’s Eye Read More »
MeadowLark Featured at Two Peas in a Bucket Read More »
OKay, enough Favorite Friday! I’m sure you are itching to know who the winner of MeadowLark™ is! First, thank you to everyone who made comments about MeadowLark! It was fun to read what you might use the collection for! I get a kick out of reading your comments and the more comments this blog gets, the more fun it is to post giveaways and freebies! Let people know so I can continue to do so! And the winner for this giveaway by random.org was:
MeadowLark Giveaway Winner Announced and A Bit of Favorite Friday Read More »
MeadowLark Paper Giveaway! Read More »
I’ve been working on this new hybrid ABC Book for a couple of days now. It’s a little present for my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day…shhhhh! Don’t tell! She even gave me a little time to work on it while she hauled my kids to the aquarium for a little “grammy” time yesterday. I had to share because I made this little book from MeadowLark™ and my new ABC Templates that will be out tomorrow at DHD. The mini illustrations are so sweet! Think Mother’s Day (or in my case, Grandma’s Day). The bonus? It’s pretty easy to make.
The templates all fit on a 4 in x 4 in photo (I get 4″x6″ photos printed at Costco and leave the extra space blank). All I did was take my “ABC photos” and dropped the templates on top (the digital kit comes with both white and black versions-52 files in all).
Once they are printed, you only have the fun part left! This little book is 5 in. x 5 in. You could make your book any size though. When I make my photos 4″ x 6″, I tend to make a 5 in” x 7 in” book. I was loving the black and white papers because it made the photos really pop. I added red ink to all the paper edges as an accent and some fun MME rub on letters to the cover (the other elements on the cover come from the MeadowLark™ die cut accessory sheets). Oh ya, and my favorite way to get things bound? A quick trip to OfficeMax to let them spiral bind it for me. I’m okay with the hand off on this part of it!
Ahhhhh! I love a good project day! I’m off the computer designing for a day (after finishing up my new collection Daisy Jane™ for DHD last night) and getting paint on my face! I found a steal of a deal at Tai Pan the other day, and it’s been waiting for me to give it a fresh coat of paint. Of course, Felicity helped as only a toddler can (that’s her little hand painting in the photo!). I’m also hoping to get out those new MeadowLark™ papers to work on a little project. That’s this afternoon (with the girls…they love a good art project as much as I do).
Speaking of projects, I have to show off these amazing projects by one of DHD‘s new Hybrid Decorators: Jane Beljo (click on her name to see more). These cards use the Baby Mine kit (proceeds go to a good cause—see the post below!). You can see her helpful hints for making her cards at Design House Digital (her first post is here).
Oh ya, and I’ve been meaning to give a little shout out to Hi Mountain Drug Store in Kamas, Utah. Our little family stopped by to see DHD’s Digi guru Gennifer Bursett on our way back from a spring break vacation last week. It’s no wonder that the burger joint there has won so many awards! I inhaled that delectable philly burger with the refreshing limeade in a ridiculous amount of time. Yes, my mouth is salivating just thinking of it. Gen, watch out…I may be back sooner than you’d like!
Okay, backing away from the computer now :).
It’s a Project Day Read More »
I started this morning with an Easter egg hunt and brunch at my house with family. I was just thankful that weather’s little April Fool’s joke had mostly melted away. Brunch was still held inside, but we held the hunt in the backyard. I was just telling Siri how much I loved Easter egg hunts as a kid. I even remember one year we found eggs hanging on the tree in our front yard with all sorts of treats. My parents said they didn’t know who put the eggs up and the mystery made it even more wonderful. I was just thinking about it last week and realized that my PARENTS were the ones to have hung the eggs. I guess it only takes 20 years to figure something like that out.
I hope you are also enjoying your Easter weekend! We start spring break and I hope to spend most of my week just hanging out with the kids and having a little family holiday. A break is much needed!
Before I drop off for a week, I thought I’d better let you know about a couple of things. First is that at DHD there is a designer sale going on this weekend only on my PinFeathers Collection. You should check out the freebie, $1 item, and the 20% off that is happening Sat-Sun only (April 3-4).
Second, I wanted to mention that Meadow Lark is officially on sale at My Mind’s Eye. Go check it out! It’s part of the Spring Release that also includes So Sophie (which is to die for!) by Jen Allyson and Deena Rutter.
Of course, my baby is most important, but during the periods of her little naps or Josh’s trips to McDonalds (that’s all she will eat right now-terrible, I know), I’m trying to stuff a few more things into my new Drawing Class currently being sold at Jessica Sprague (It’s also now being sold at a discounted price as a bundle with Illustrator 101). I also wanted to let you know that I will be doing a one time only WebCast for the class on April 15th for everyone who has registered. I’m excited for you to begin illustrating!
Here’s a few other things happening! Expect to see my new paper line, Meadow Lark, showing up from My Mind’s Eye soon! You’ll also like to know that you’ll be able to find two glitter books from me at Hobby Lobby and Michaels in the coming months. Yum Yum! And finally, I’m suppose to finish out this week by sending tons of files to China for my new Halloween paper line for My Minds Eye. I’ll announce it and give a peek as we get closer to summer releases!
Okay, one last thing before I run. This weekend, DHD is beginning their new designer releases, which begins with yours truly! Check it out because one of my kits will be free and a collection will be one sale. Oh, and I promised the decorators I’d get a Color Kit out. I promise, I’m working on it!
For now, I need to get back to tending my little one so we can be back on track for a festive Easter!
I know you’ve been waiting patiently! So I’m here to announce that my new Illustrator class for Jessica Sprague goes on sale on Monday! It will be available to take on April 1st. It’s a two week course of intensive drawing for beginners. I include two of my favorite tricks. I hope you enjoy this additional mini class for those of you learning how to illustrate your own work!
In other news, you are going to see two new glitter books from me soon (at Michaels and Hobby Lobby) and of course my new line for My Minds Eye, Meadow Lark™ which should be coming soon! Right now, I need to get back to work on refining my new Illustrator class. Here’s a link for a sneak peek! It’s the introduction to Lesson 1.
https://carinagardner.com/studio/INTRO.mov
**New info! The Illustrator 102 Drawing Class will be 10% off until April 1st. I will also be doing a special webcast for everyone who has registered before April 15th.
A New Illustrator Class: Tips and Tricks of Drawing Read More »
I’m just getting around to posting my New Year’s Resolutions. Not that they aren’t the same as most of yours…get in shape, give more time to myself, my family, document our lives (I’m hosting a 365 at DHD)…yada, yada, yada. Mostly, I just wanted to post because I am so EXCITED for 2010. It’s going to be a fun year. I can feel it. And I hope it will be for you too.
Here’s what’s on the horizon for designwork this year:
* Two fabric lines will hit quilting shops this year. Coquette will arrive in quilting stores in June (call your quilt shops this month to ask if they will be stocking this beautiful line from Northcott!) and Love Nest will come out later in the year. All of the fabric samples are up for your viewing pleasure!
* A brand new Carina Gardner™ Shop will be opening up! We will be offering limited quantites and fat quarters of the new fabric line and will also eventually carry all kinds of goods from my designs in scrapbooking and fabric. The Shop is set to open in June 2010. I’ll have more information on it as it gets closer.
* I’m at a new digital shop! This has already happened but it is such an exciting venture for me as I get to participate in Jen Allyson’s newest venture! She’s a pleasure to know and a fabulous designer! I think you’ll see that Design House Digital will be the fastest growing digital shop in 2010. It already has had some astonding traffic! I’m just proud to be apart of such a wonderful group.
* I’m pleased to be teaching again. It’s been two years since I stopped teaching at the University of Minnesota. I never thought that teaching would happen to fast for me again. You can find my newest adventure with Jessica Sprague teaching a self paced course—Illustrator 101.
* Keep checking back for my Paper Lines with My Mind’s Eye. I’m sure we’ll have several in the works this year.
And while there might now be a bullet point on this one, if you know me, there will be plenty of other good things happening in 2010 on this blog. I’m already working on a great craft project for my daughter that I’m excited to share with you (give me a week to finish it up!)! And with all the fabric hitting my studio in May, you know we will be sewing like MAD around here!
Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend and may you be happy in 2010!
New Year’s Resolutions-A Day Late Read More »
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!
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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!
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 »
So go ahead and take a gander at the new site!
New Studio Website! Read More »
If you’ve noticed an absence of blogging it is because I have been trying to get together a new website that hopefully will be up and running at the end of this week! It will be a great resource for my design news, projects with products, new paper crafting products, digital scrapbooking products, and where to buy them. The blog will get a new makeover as a result as well! There will be new flickr groups and more:). So excuse my absence a bit for this coming week and I’ll have this new website up and running! I’m pretty excited about it! You’ll even get sneak peeks of my new products coming out WAY before they actually hit CHA and stores!
Happy Sunday!
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