HOLIDAY

Turn Your 2024 Christmas Cash into Creativity!

COURSES, DESIGN, EVENTS, Holiday Projects /

Merry Christmas, fellow designers, makers, crafters, and creators! The tree is twinkling, the stockings are stuffed, and now it’s time to treat yourself to something that will keep the creativity alive all year long. Got some Christmas cash burning a hole in your pocket? We’ve got the perfect way to spend it—on YOU and your passion for design, crafting, and creativity! Turn your 2024 Christmas cash into creativity!

Ultimate Creativity Pass

Ready to elevate your creative game in 2025? The Ultimate Creativity Pass is your golden ticket to four incredible virtual events, featuring over 100 presentations from Carina Gardner and other top-notch experts. Whether you’re into design, crafting, or creative business strategies, this pass has everything you need to level up your skills.

What’s included:

  • All Access Pass to the 2024 Illustration and Art Conference
  • All Access Pass to the 2024 Craft and Design Event
  • All Access Pass to the 2024 Design Suite Maker Conference
  • All Access Pass to the 2024 Design, Craft, and Business Summit

Start the new year with a bang by unlocking endless inspiration and practical tips to fuel your projects. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro, this bundle will take your crafting to a whole new level.
Get yours here today: Ultimate Creativity Pass

Carina’s 2024 Creative Speaker Series Bundle

For those who love Carina’s teaching (and let’s be real, who doesn’t?), the 2024 Creative Speaker Series Bundle is a must-have! This collection of 10 presentations showcases Carina’s top talks from 2024, brimming with creative inspiration, practical advice, and entrepreneurial wisdom to help grow your business or hobby.

Dive into design strategies, entrepreneurship insights, and exclusive tips from Carina herself. This isn’t just a series—it’s a creative journey you don’t want to miss!
Enroll here today: 2024 Creative Speaker Series Bundle

Illustrator Unlocked

Always wanted to master Adobe Illustrator? Now’s your chance with Illustrator Unlocked, the perfect course for beginners or anyone looking to sharpen their skills. With tutorials under 12 minutes each, it’s easy to fit into your holiday season (and beyond). Soon, you’ll be designing like a pro!
You can register here: Illustrator Unlocked

4 Workshops That Pack a Punch

Looking for a shorter, but equally inspiring, creative boost? Our 2024 workshops are designed to deliver three hours of action-packed learning and fun in each session. Whether you’re into planning, die cuts, stickers, or wallpapers, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what’s on the menu:

Planner Workshop: Plan, design, and organize your creative projects like a pro!
Register for the Planner Workshop

Die Cut Workshop: Master the art of creating intricate and beautiful die cuts cards for any occasion.
Register for the Die Cut Workshop

Sticker Spark Workshop: Make your sticker designs pop with unique ideas and techniques.
Register for the Sticker Spark Workshop

Wallpaper Workshop: Design eye-catching wallpapers that will transform any space into a masterpiece.
Register for the Wallpaper Workshop

There’s no better time to invest in yourself! Turn your 2024 Christmas cash into creativity and kick off 2025 with fresh inspiration, new skills and endless possibilities!

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Turn Your 2024 Christmas Cash into Creativity! Read More »

How to Put Together an Ultimate Paper Gingerbread House

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Holiday Projects /

Learn how to put together an Ultimate Gingerbread House. This is a fun, festive craft to kick off the holiday season! This charming project will get you into the holiday spirit and create a stunning display for your home. From intricately designed frosting details to creative candy accents, you’ll enjoy every step of crafting this holiday centerpiece. Whether you’re making it with family, friends, or as a solo creative adventure, this gingerbread house is sure to bring warmth, joy, and a touch of magic to your holiday décor.

Step Into the Magic of Crafting with the Ultimate Gingerbread House!

Watch Carina’s easy-to-follow YouTube tutorial here and learn how to put together this stunning Ultimate Paper Gingerbread house. Whether you’re using a Silhouette or Cricut machine, the files are perfectly designed for die cutting, so you’ll have everything you need to get started.

Sized Just Right – Make It Big or Small! 

One of the best parts about this project is its versatility. Want a centerpiece-sized gingerbread house? Or maybe you’re looking for a mini version for your mantel? You can size the file as big or as small as you’d like! Personally, I went all out and made a huge version, which you can see in my Instagram reel here.

Get Your Files Today! 

Ready to start crafting? You can get the SVG file from our website here. And  the best part—it’s currently on sale! But don’t wait too long—the sale won’t last forever!

Learn how to put together an Ultimate Paper Gingerbread House! This delightful holiday project is the perfect way to add a touch of festive magic to your home. Gather your supplies, follow along with the step-by-step video tutorial, and watch as your creation comes to life. Whether you’re crafting alone, with friends, or as a fun family activity, this project is sure to bring joy and holiday cheer. Let your creativity shine this season as you design a paper masterpiece that will brighten up your home and become a cherished part of your holiday traditions for years to come!

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

How to Put Together an Ultimate Paper Gingerbread House Read More »

10 Die Cut Files For Christmas

CRAFTS, Holiday Projects /

10 Die Cut Files For Christmas: Must-Try DIY Christmas Crafts to Spark Your Creativity

The holiday season is undoubtedly the perfect time to dive into fun, festive crafting. Whether you’re a seasoned DIYer or just starting, these crafts will bring the spirit of Christmas into your home. To get you inspired, below are some exciting Christmas SVG files and projects, including 10 Die Cut Files For Christmas, that are sure to make your decorations stand out. And if you’re using a Cricut or Silhouette machine, these craft ideas are absolutely essential!

1. Christmas Wreath SVG

A Christmas wreath is a holiday must-have, and best of all, this SVG file is incredibly versatile. In fact, you can use it for a variety of projects, ranging from creating personalized Christmas sweaters to even designing greeting cards. Whether you’re looking to add some festive cheer to your home or craft unique gifts for loved ones, this file is perfect for the job.

Get the SVG file here!

2. Big 3D Christmas House

For those who love 3D paper crafts, the Big Christmas House is truly a showstopper. Not only that, this Christmas house SVG lets you build a detailed structure with your cutting machine, making it perfect for creating a warm and inviting Christmas ambiance.. Display it as part of your holiday décor and wow your guests with its intricate design. Get the SVG file on Etsy.
Watch the tutorial!

3. Shadow Box Card

If you’re looking for a heartfelt way to give your loved ones a special Christmas card, try making a shadow box card. This 3D card features a snowy penguin scene that pops to life when opened. It’s a charming, easy-to-make craft that will surely brighten anyone’s day. Get the SVG file here.
Watch the tutorial!

4. Christmas Advent Card

In addition,iIt allows you to add small surprises or notes inside each fold, thereby making it a delightful way to celebrate the advent season. Moreover, it’s simple yet creative, which makes it perfect for adding a personal touch to a classic tradition., you can make your countdown to Christmas even more exciting with this Advent Card SVG.

Get the SVG file on Etsy.

5. Candy Cane Holder

Upgrade your Christmas treats with this fun Candy Cane Holder SVG. In addition, it’s an easy way to turn candy canes into charming holiday gifts or stocking stuffers This craft is quick to make but also adds a festive twist to a classic Christmas candy.

Get the SVG file on Etsy!

6. Swirly 3D Ornament

Add an elegant touch to your Christmas tree with this Swirly 3D Ornament. Not only is it simple yet stunning, but it’s also perfect for tree decorations or even garlands. Additionally, you can use your Cricut or Silhouette to easily cut and assemble these ornaments for a quick DIY project that will elevate your décor. Get the SVG file on Etsy.
Watch the tutorial!

7. 25 Days of Christmas Album

Capture your favorite holiday memories with the 25 Days of Christmas Album. This SVG file is not only perfect for creating a personalized scrapbook, but it also allows you to record each day of December leading up to Christmas. Furthermore, you can decorate it with photos, quotes, and festive embellishments to create a lasting keepsake Get the SVG file on Etsy.
Watch the tutorial!

8. 3D Christmas Tree

Looking for a kid-friendly craft? This 3D Christmas Tree SVG is a great activity for the whole family. Not only is it easy to assemble, but you can also customize it with various decorations. Make it part of your Christmas table setting or mantel decor for an extra festive touch. Get the SVG file on Etsy.
Watch the tutorial!

9. Wreath Ornament

Tiny and adorable, the Wreath Ornament SVG is perfect for crafting cute little additions to your Christmas tree. You can also use them as gift toppers or even give them as handmade presents to friends and family. This easy-to-make project will add a touch of charm to your Christmas décor.

Get the SVG file on Etsy!

10. The Ultimate Paper Gingerbread House

Bring your gingerbread dreams to life with this Ultimate Paper Gingerbread House. Made entirely out of paper using your cutting machine, this project is not only an excellent family activity, but it also offers a creative outlet for everyone involved. Moreover, it’s full of intricate details that will undoubtedly transform any space into a Christmas wonderland. Get the SVG file here.
Watch the tutorial!

In conclusion, these Christmas crafts will not only add a personal touch to your holiday celebrations but also allow you to create memorable moments with loved ones. Whether you’re into 3D paper crafts, personalized Christmas decorations, or simple DIY Christmas cards, these 10 Die Cut Files for Christmas are a great way to add some festive flair to your home. So grab your Cricut or Silhouette machine, and get ready to craft your way into a joyful holiday season!

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

10 Die Cut Files For Christmas Read More »

Nutcracker Themed Holiday Crafting

CRAFTS, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, Video /

Love nutcracker themed holiday crafting? This Christmas craft focuses on holiday fun with the Nutcracker, Soldier, Rat King, Clara, and the Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s the season to get crafty with your die-cutting machine and deck out your space for Christmas! This year, I’m inspired by the Nutcracker and designed an easy stacked box trio that brings holiday cheer with minimal effort.

Holiday fun comes to life in this project with characters like the Nutcracker, Soldier, Rat King, Clara, and the Sugar Plum Fairy, each featured on different sides of the boxes. By designing five total characters, I arranged them across two box sets, though you could select just four for a single box set.

Creating this project with Nutcracker characters was such a joy! Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy add plenty of charm, and the mischievous Rat King and steadfast Soldier bring playful energy to this holiday decor.

Nutcracker christmas craft home decor rat king soldier boxes carina gardner cricut silhouette machine die cut vinyl

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • Silhouette or Cricut Machine: Perfect for precision cutting
  • 14-inch square boxes: Find them at any office supply store
  • 12-inch vinyl in festive colors
  • Boxing tape: Secures your boxes in place for the season
Sugar Plum Princess Fairy Rat King Clara Nutcracker Christmas Crafting

Why You’ll Love This Project:

This Nutcracker Stacked Box Trio is perfect for creating holiday decor that’s not only festive but also practical. Set it up for Christmas, then easily fold and store these boxes away after the season ends. It’s a quick, space-saving holiday decor solution!

Want a smaller project? Make mini Nutcracker paper dolls or use small wooden cubes to create kid-friendly, stackable Nutcrackers! These Nutcracker decorations are versatile, fun, and adaptable to any space.

Want to see how it’s done? Catch my full YouTube tutorial here and get ready to add some Nutcracker magic to your Christmas decor! Check out the youtube video instructions as shown below!

holiday nutcracker carina gardner cricut silhouette crafting business design stacked trio

Why I Love This Project:

This Nutcracker stacked box trio brings together everything I love about holiday decorating with my die-cutting machine: it’s festive, customizable, and easy to store. Creating Christmas decor with Silhouette or Cricut machines always feels special, and the Nutcracker theme adds an iconic touch that can be tailored in so many colors and styles. The best part? Additionally, these 14-inch boxes can be quickly set up, folded down, and stored for the rest of the year.

Whether you’re crafting small paper Nutcracker dolls, designing them for wooden cubes, or going all-out with the full stacked box look, this project is fun, flexible, and brings a cheerful holiday vibe to any room!

Purchase

Set of 5: https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/nutcracker-of-the-stacked-trio-digital-download

Nutcracker: https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/soldier-nutcracker-of-the-stacked-trio-digital-download

Rat King https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/rat-king-of-the-nutcracker-stacked-trio-digital-download

Clara https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/clara-of-the-nutcracker-stacked-trio-digital-download

Plum fairy https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/sugar-plum-fairy-of-the-nutcracker-stacked-trio-digital-download

Soldier https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/soldier-of-the-stacked-nutcracker-trio-digital-download

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Nutcracker Themed Holiday Crafting Read More »

Carina’s Favorite Halloween Traditions With Her Family

carina update, Holiday Projects /

For me, Halloween is a two-month season that kicks off in September, and it’s full of family traditions.

One of our favorites is watching all the Harry Potter movies from start to finish every fall. While Harry Potter isn’t strictly a Halloween thing (you could argue it fits Christmas, too), we love the magic of those movies. The witch and wizard theme makes them a perfect fit for our fall movie list.

Movie I Love

Halloween Christmas Village Die Cut SVG File Quilt Cats Holiday Witch Hats Silhouette Cricut Carina Gardner

Our movie list also includes Hocus Pocus and sometimes the Halloweentown movies (anyone remember the mom as April from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?). Sadly, my kids have outgrown Halloweentown a bit.

A few years ago, the new Muppets Haunted Mansion movie became a must-watch for me. I’m a sucker for all things Muppets, and Will Arnett is so fun in this version. Plus, I love grooving to Dancing in the Moonlight.

Finally, if you’ve listened to my podcast (link), you know I’m obsessed with handing out candy and watching The Wizard of Oz on Halloween night. It’s a tradition my kids love to tease me about. Sometimes, I’ll throw in Meet Me in St. Louis because one Judy Garland movie just isn’t enough, and it helps me get into the Christmas spirit. Plus, who can resist little Tootie throwing flour in Mr. Braukoff’s face?

Harry Potter movies Hocus Pocus Halloweentown Disney Muppets Haunted Mansion The Wizard of Oz Meet Me in St. Louis

Through the years…

When my kids were little, one of my traditions was to throw my kids a Potions Party. My kids always looked forward to this event and I’m a little sad we have outgrown it. You can see one of my blog posts from 2012 (12 years ago!) on one of these parties here.

Potion parties have been replaced by corn mazes, Frightmares at Lagoon, and painting pumpkins (I hate making jack o’lanterns). And when I can make it happen, I also really love Oogie Boogie Nights at Disneyland.

And of course, I LOVE crafting for Halloween. I love making villages, decor items, and gifts. For me crafting at Halloween is always a good tradition to have.carina gardner halloween potions parties spooky treats decor ideas

What are your family traditions? What makes fall a special time for you?

Happy Hauntings!

Carina.

 

 

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Carina’s Favorite Halloween Traditions With Her Family Read More »

Halloween Craft and Quilting Projects You Don’t Want to Miss Including Pumpkin Banner and 3D Haunted Village

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Holiday Projects /

It’s officially October and I’m so excited to be pulling out all the craft and quilty things. If you are too, I put together a mash up of some Halloween activities that you might love! Links to the individual videos and listings for where you can find these projects below!

Halloween Cricut Silhouette Quilt Quilting Pumpkin Banner Haunted 3D House Haunted Village Skull Vinyl Art Work

Watch the whole youtube video here 

Links to these Projects:

Skull Flowers Art Tutorial on Your Silhouette Machine

Watch the full video Skull Flowers Art Tutorial on Your Silhouette Machine

Get the file Skull Flowers Art File

Halloween Cricut Silhouette Skull Vinyl Art Work Carina Gardner Framed

Ep13 Halloween Haunted Village

Watch the full video: Ep13 Halloween Haunted Village

Get the file: Halloween Haunted Village File

Halloween Cricut Silhouette Haunted 3D House Haunted Village Skull Vinyl Art Work

High Pitched Haunted House Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

Watch the full video at High Pitched Haunted House Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

File available in my shops | High Pitched Haunted House File

Halloween Cricut Silhouette Quilt Quilting Pumpkin Banner Haunted 3D House Haunted Village

Black and White Fringe Pumpkin Banner Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

Watch the full video at Black and White Fringe Pumpkin Banner Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

File available in my shops | Black and White Fringe Pumpkin Banner File

Halloween Layered Banner Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

Watch the full video at Halloween Layered Banner Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

File available in my shops | Halloween Layered Banner File 

Halloween Cricut Silhouette Banner Haunted 3D House Haunted Village Skull Vinyl Art Work

October Woven Quilt Block

Watch the full video at  October Woven Quilt Block  

File available in my exclusive VIP group | http://www.designsuitecourses.com/free

Halloween Cricut Silhouette Quilt Quilting Stripe Haunting Surface Pattern Design Riley Blake

Stripe Pumpkin Quilt Block

Watch the full video at Stripe Pumpkin Quilt Block

File available in my exclusive VIP group | http://www.designsuitecourses.com/free

Patchwork Pumpkin Quilt Block

Watch the full video at Patchwork Pumpkin Quilt Block

File available in my exclusive VIP group| http://www.designsuitecourses.com/free

Mini Block Pumpkin Quilt Block

Watch the full video at  Mini Block Pumpkin Quilt Block

File available in my exclusive VIP group | http://www.designsuitecourses.com/free

The Great Pumpkin Table Runner

Watch the full video at  The Great Pumpkin Table Runner

File available in my exclusive VIP group | http://www.designsuitecourses.com/free

Get patterns, crafts, and freebies all from www.designsuitecourses.com/free
Halloween Cricut Silhouette Quilt Quilting Pumpkin Banner Table Runner Carina Gardner Riley Blake

Learn more about how you can become a designer by joining a Design Bootcamp at www.designsuitecourses.com/designbootcamp or a Start Your Design Journey Workshop www.designsuitecourses.com/journey

Check out upcoming events with Carina at www.designsuitecourses.com/designevents

XOXO,

Carina

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Halloween Craft and Quilting Projects You Don’t Want to Miss Including Pumpkin Banner and 3D Haunted Village Read More »

Why You Can’t Stop Designing as You Approach the Holiday Season

DESIGN, HOLIDAY /

As the summer fades and the holiday season approaches, many designers feel the urge to slow down or even stop designing. It is a common occurrence.  The bustling summer months often lead to a well-deserved break. However, the holiday season should not be a time for designers to pause. In fact, it’s a critical period to keep the creative juices flowing. Here’s why:

The Holiday Sales Boom

Everyone knows the holiday season is the time designers see the biggest sales of their year. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because sales are booming, you can relax. However, this is actually the best time to stock your shops with new, appealing designs. Customers flocking to your store for holiday gifts will likely return throughout the year if they see versatile designs suitable for other occasions.

 

Year-Round Appeal

When customers visit your shop during the holiday season, they are not only looking for Christmas or Hanukkah gifts. They’re also scouting for items they can use later in the year. Crafters are looking for designs for birthdays, Mother’s Day, back-to-school events, or any other special occasion. By offering a diverse range of products, you ensure a steady stream of customers throughout the year, not just during the holidays.

 

Leveraging Holiday Creativity

Let’s be honest – if you’re a designer, you’re probably already in full holiday mode by November. I know I am. Designing Christmas cards, creating a whimsical Christmas Village, constructing a Gingerbread House, crafting Christmas ornaments, and planning all sorts of holiday-themed projects become a significant part of what you do this time of year. So why not capitalize on this festive creativity?

 

Stock Your Shops

All the holiday-themed items you’re designing can and should be added to your shops. By continually updating your shop with fresh designs, you keep your inventory dynamic and engaging, encouraging repeat visits and purchases.

 

Preparing for the Post-Holiday Season

The designs you create during the holiday season don’t just have to be for the holidays. Think ahead and create items that can be marketed for other events and holidays throughout the year. This ensures that when the holiday rush is over, you’re not left scrambling to come up with new products. Your shop remains stocked with relevant, appealing designs that keep customers coming back.

 

While it might be tempting to slow down as the holiday season approaches, maintaining your design momentum can lead to significant benefits. By continuing to create and stock your shop with versatile designs, you ensure a steady stream of customers throughout the year. Embrace the festive spirit and leverage your holiday creativity. While you are at it, don’t forget to enjoy yourself and make lots of fun gifts to give and to put into your shop. 

Here are a few fun holiday podcasts from Make and Design that will get your creative juices flowing.

Episode 214 5 Things That Make Me Crazy During the Holiday Season

Episode 51 Get Your Holiday Crafting and Quilting Gifts Done Now

Episode 75 Three Crafts I Recommend You Try This Holiday Season

Episode 64 How Will You Show Up for The Holidays?

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Why You Can’t Stop Designing as You Approach the Holiday Season Read More »

Feathered Christmas Tree Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials, Video /

I’m excited to show you what’s new in my shop! This new video is part of this week’s new releases. You can visit my new products here:
https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-artist/252689

Today is also the day I sent out a FREE SVG my VIP Silhouette Group. To join my VIP group for free, go here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY. I regularly RESEND files so be sure to sign up so that you are getting all my free tutorials!


TUTORIAL/LIVE VIDEO SCHEDULE

Tuesdays Silhouette Projects 10am MST
instagram @carinagardnerpapercrafts
facebook https://www.facebook.com/carina.gardner.designs/

Tuesdays MiniLou 10:30am MST
instagram @miniloukids
facebook https://www.facebook.com/miniloukids/

Wednesdays Learn to Design Videos
Youtube only

Thursdays Fabric Projects 10am MST
instagram @carinagardner
facebook https://www.facebook.com/carina.gardner.designs/

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Feathered Christmas Tree Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine Read More »

Christmas Big 3D Flower Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine

Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials, Video /

I’m excited to show you what’s new in my shop! This new video is part of this week’s new releases. You can visit my new products here:
https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-artist/252689

Today is also the day I sent out a FREE SVG my VIP Silhouette Group. To join my VIP group for free, go here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY. I regularly RESEND files so be sure to sign up so that you are getting all my free tutorials!


TUTORIAL/LIVE VIDEO SCHEDULE

Tuesdays Silhouette Projects 10am MST
instagram @carinagardnerpapercrafts
facebook https://www.facebook.com/carina.gardner.designs/

Tuesdays MiniLou 10:30am MST
instagram @miniloukids
facebook https://www.facebook.com/miniloukids/

Wednesdays Learn to Design Videos
Youtube only

Thursdays Fabric Projects 10am MST
instagram @carinagardner
facebook https://www.facebook.com/carina.gardner.designs/

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Christmas Big 3D Flower Tutorial made with Your Silhouette Machine Read More »

Make a Christmas Stenciled Mat With Your Silhouette Machine

Design Team Projects, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /

 

Christmas decorating is in full force at my house and while it’s easy to decorate the inside of the house, I knew I need to add some holiday flair outside. The front door is a great opportunity and space to welcome guests into our home so I made a customized holiday door mat to wish them a Merry Christmas!

The core doormat comes blank and was purchased from Target. To create the buffalo plaid pattern, I used painter’s tape to section off 2” strips horizontally and vertically. Next, I cut out a large round circle and secured it to the middle of the doormat with pins.

The stripe painting process took a while because the horizonal stripes had to dry before I could tape down and paint the vertical stripes. It’s important to use outdoor acrylic paint versus regular acrylic paint as it is waterproof and to remove the painter’s tape while the paint is drying. Also, I highly recommend using a round bristle paint brush and painting in an up and down dabbing motion so that the paint goes straight down into the mat versus side to side that could lead to bleeding under the painter’s tape.

Next, I used my Silhouette Cameo and my 12in x 24in cutting mat to cut out the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” design using freezer paper. Securing the cut out to the doormat was the longest part of this project since there are tons of flourishes and inner loose pieces. Patience is key here! I again used the pins to help lay out the design and once I liked how it looked, I gently ironed the design onto the doormat. The shiny side of the freezer paper adheres to the doormat when ironed.

The last step was to use red acrylic paint and a smaller round bristle paint brush for the stencil. After a couple coats, I peeled off the freezer paper stencil and my festive door mat was done!

\

Find the file for this in Carina’s shop here: We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Link: https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/229816

 

Hello from Southern California! I’m Christine, the gal behind Studio Xtine, where I share fun project tutorials, free printables, and a tiny glimpse of my favorite things like donuts, tacos, and more donuts. Ingrained in me is a deep desire and joy to create, which is why I love my Silhouette machines! When I’m not crafting, you can find me, my hubby, and my two munchkins hiking, devouring poke bowls, and strapping on a GoPro for our adventures.

Blog – http://studioxtine.com/
Instagram – www.instagram.com/studio_xtine/
Pinterest – www.pinterest.com/queenstine/

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Make a Christmas Stenciled Mat With Your Silhouette Machine Read More »

Customized Christmas Address Stamp

Design Team Projects, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /

It’s that time of year again when I prepare sending Christmas photo cards to loved ones. This year, I have created a custom Christmas-themed address stamp with my Silhouette Mint custom stamp maker. The Silhouette Mint offers a variety of sizes and I find the 45mm x 45mm stamp size is the perfect size for round-shaped address stamps.

For my stamp, I used the letter “H” dingbat from Carina Gardner’s CG Christmas Quotes Dingbats collection and made it the focal piece. Next, I added my family name and address and nestled them within two concentric circles. I was able to create this design pretty easily all within the Mint Studio software. Many of the functions in Mint Studio is similar to Silhouette Studio’s such as making text curve.

The one thing to note is that a Mint stamp is different from standard rubber stamps. Mint stamps use special ink that is absorbed into the stamp material. After applying ink onto the stamp, let it sit for about 10 minutes. On scratch paper, stamp out excess ink until your stamp design becomes clear and clean.

You could even take this project up a notch by using different Mint inks. For example, I could use green ink for the Merry Christmas design in the middle and use black ink for the rest of the design. Again, there are a lot of possibilities for this project! Do you have the Silhouette Mint custom stamp maker? What do you make with it?

 

You can find the artwork in Carina’s shop here: CG Christmas Quotes Dingbats – Link: https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/229744

 

Hello from Southern California! I’m Christine, the gal behind Studio Xtine, where I share fun project tutorials, free printables, and a tiny glimpse of my favorite things like donuts, tacos, and more donuts. Ingrained in me is a deep desire and joy to create, which is why I love my Silhouette machines! When I’m not crafting, you can find me, my hubby, and my two munchkins hiking, devouring poke bowls, and strapping on a GoPro for our adventures.

Blog – http://studioxtine.com/
Instagram – www.instagram.com/studio_xtine/
Pinterest – www.pinterest.com/queenstine/

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

Customized Christmas Address Stamp Read More »

Christmas Animal Ornaments

Design Team Projects, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG /

I love making Christmas decorations that can be used year after year, adding to our collection of family heirloom decor. These finger puppet files are intended to be made from paper, but with the simple addition of an offset, and omission of the finger holes, each cute creature can be cut from felt and flock heat transfer vinyl to make lasting tree ornaments. The fox, bear and racoon have been decorated with Christmas accessories taken from the dingbat file shown (letters e,x and z) and cut from fuzzy textured heat transfer. Once the decorations have been fused and the figures padded with a little wadding, they have been sewn by hand to make them perfect for decorating our holiday tree.

 

There is the opportunity for adding personalisation too. I’ve added ‘Xmas’ and the year to these in the Silent Hight font, but I’ll be adding the names of the junior family members for our family set.

All the cut files used are by Carina Garner and Mini Lou from the Silhouette Design Store:

Christmas Animals Ornaments– intend to double them up, add offset, remove the holes, cut from felt and add accessories.

Finger Puppet Fox  #257687 https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/257687

Finger Puppet Bear #257693 https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/257693

Finger Puppet Raccoon #257726 https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/257726

Christmas Animals Dingbats #230262 (for hats and accessories)

https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/230262

CG Silent Night Font #236542 https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/236542

 

My name is Janet Packer, a passionate papercrafter from Aberdeen, Scotland. My background is in education and technical instruction and I love to share crafting techniques, new products, and design sources. My craft blog, Crafting Quine, is brimming with ideas for card making, paper craft and home decor, many using the Silhouette Cameo.  You’ll find hints and tips galore, as well as step-by-step project instructions, and crafting inspiration with a thrifty bias. For updates and pretty crafting pics follow me on Instagram.

 

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Gratitude Wreath with the Silhouette Machine

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG /

Creating beautiful papercrafts is always fun but to take it up a notch and make it interactive and a part of my family’s daily life…THAT is #craftyparentgoals! Thankful trees are popular around this time of year as we reflect on the year and count our blessings. This project takes the same concept of writing on leaves but assembles them into a stunning wreath.

For the leaf cutouts, I used three different colored cardstock in fall colors. I decided to use a glitter cardstock for the lace-like leaf cutout to give the wreath some visual interest and sparkle. As for the base circular piece, I used chipboard because it is a stiffer material that can hold the weight of the leaves when they are attached to it.

I created a natural look with the leaves by giving it some dimension. I did this by bending the leaves gently with my fingers or curling the leaves with a pencil until the desired look is achieved.

With an Xacto knife, I cut a small slit on the circular chipboard base that was wide enough for the leaf stem to slip in. I arbitrarily cut slits wherever I felt the next leaves should go and continued around the chipboard base piece.

I found the perfect phrase in CG Thankful Dingbats, cut it out using black cardstock, and glued it onto an ivory-colored cardstock that was already inserted into a 12in x 12in frame. Note: a scrapbooking glue with a fine tip works best for thin cutouts.

Lastly, with strong scrapbooking adhesive applied to the back of the circular chipboard, I pressed it firmly onto the framed cardstock. And all that is left to do is jotting down things we are grateful for and remembering that gratitude is an attitude!

SVGs used:

Gold Leaf Wreath – Link: https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/150728

CG Thankful Dingbats – Link: https://www.silhouettedesignstore.com/view-shape/228924

Hello from Southern California! I’m Christine, the gal behind Studio Xtine, where I share fun project tutorials, free printables, and a tiny glimpse of my favorite things like donuts, tacos, and more donuts. Ingrained in me is a deep desire and joy to create, which is why I love my Silhouette machines! When I’m not crafting, you can find me, my hubby, and my two munchkins hiking, devouring poke bowls, and strapping on a GoPro for our adventures.

Blog – http://studioxtine.com/
Instagram – www.instagram.com/studio_xtine/
Pinterest – www.pinterest.com/queenstine/

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How to Make a Paper Pieced Skull Quilt Block

2 Comments / Eek Boo Shriek, Fabric, FABRIC & QUILTING, Holiday Projects, Riley Blake, Sewing, Sewing Patterns, Tutorials, Video /

I’m so excited to share with you how to make a paper pieced skull with my friend Alicia with my newest fabric collection Eek Boo Shriek! I have a video below (or you can visit my youtube channel) on how to make this! I haven’t done a lot of paper piecing and it was a treat to have Alicia show me how she does it! Stay tuned at the end for bloopers!

Full instructions are available (along with her download) on her blog: http://www.sewwhatalicia.com/skull-quilt-block-paper-piecing-pattern/. Make sure you subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss a single fabulous fabric video! (Psst: You should also check out my kids channel and subscribe at youtube.com/miniloukids!)

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2.25 in. x 3.25 in. Layered Cards and Envelopes on Silhouette

2 Comments / Carina Gardner TV, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Silhouette, Stuff I Love, SVG, Tutorials /

This week my Silhouette release continues with 2.25 in. x 3.25 in. cards. I’m really loving this size! This week the cards are “layered.” I cover a lot of different themes—wedding, baby, spring to name a few.  These Layered Cards are the same size as my Accordion Shadow Box Cards that were released last week. Because of this, I also have envelopes that match up to these cards.

I also have two videos below that will help you make these cards and envelopes. Please subscribe to the youtube channel if you are interested in these tutorials. Many times I am putting up these videos the week before the products are released so you can see what is coming out (your very own sneak peek!)

 

If you get one of each (layered card or accordion card + an envelope), you will find that it’s a very nice tight fit. Don’t use pop dots because the card will not fit. I may have an envelope come out that allows for a thicker card (tell me on instagram @carinagardnerpapercrafts if you want something like that!).

Happy Crafting!

Carina

 

 

 

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Kids Pencil Valentine Cards

1 Comment / CRAFTS, Digital Diecuts, Family, Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Silhouette, Stuff I Love, SVG, Tutorials /

IMG_7052_1web
IMG_8715_webThis week is the last one I’ll be releasing Valentine’s so I’m going out with a bang!  I also decided to double dip. These pencil cards are not only my final Valentine’s release but are also Felicity’s class gifts. She’s going to write on each of them, and I’m sure we’ll add a few quotes like “I’m write for you.”

You can find them in my Silhouette shop here.

TIP 1: When you are putting these together, I recommend putting your pencil through the slits FIRST and then gluing your pieces into place (see photo below).

There are several designs were two or more papers have slits that match up. Use the slits as your guides. Place the pencil through the slits first and then pull open the edges of the top paper to glue it into place.

TIP 2: I LOVE pop dots with these designs! And glitter. And stamping ink on the edges. I kept them all simple on purpose. So you can jazz them up or use them as a kid activity.

TIP 3: Add a printable. Simply use whatever word processing software you use and write up a cute phrase in a cute font. Print, cut and attach to these Valentine’s cards!

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And in case you missed it (haha), I’ve been releasing Valentine’s for the last month. In fact, we have been releasing Valentine’s for both CGInc. and MiniLou for the past several weeks. You can check both shops here:

Carina Gardner Silhouette Shop

MiniLou Silhouette Shop

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Happy crafting!
Carina

 

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Nativity Tutorial for Silhouette and Digiplayground

9 Comments / DigiPlayground, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Silhouette, Tutorials /

DS-C-W-CG-Nativity shadow boxDIGIThese darling Shadow Box Scenes pop together and then can be pulled apart and stored flat. For me, that makes for the perfect piece of Christmas decor! There are five scenes in all for you to enjoy the holidays!

Here are the links to my Silhouette shop and DigiPlayground shop so you can pick up one of these albums!

Here’s how to put this together:

1. Cut out the svg files.  The sides, roof, and frames I cut out in kraft paper, the shepherd, background, and the main part of the sheep in black, and the frame, angel, and sheep fur in white.

2. Begin with the frames.  Pop dot and attach the angel, shepherd, sheep, and white frame in their appropriate places.  Once you have all the figures in place, you can start putting the nativity together.

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3. Now, put the background and two side pieces together by slipping the tabs on the short ends of the sides into the slits of the background.

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4. The frames attach similarly.  Put the tabs on the ends of the frames into the slits in the side piece.  Do this for all of the frames.  Remember, the frames go in a certain order for it to have the shadowbox effect.  The frame with the thickest bottom goes in the back and the thinnest goes in the front.

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It will look like this when all of the frames are in.

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5. For the roof, start with one side and put the tabs of the side piece into the slits of the roof.  Do this for the other side.  Make sure the side of the roof with the rounded edges goes in the front.

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You’re done with your Nativity! I hope you have a chance to make the entire collection!

Carina

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Tutorial for 25 Days of December French Fold Album for Silhouette and DigiPlayground

2 Comments / CRAFTS, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Silhouette, Tutorials /

carinagardner_november182015_2_web

My 25 Days of December French Fold albums have finally hit the shops! It’s just in time to make one before December 1st hits and you start taking photos.

These are a little different than my 25 Days of December from last year because these feature a french fold and hidden binding.

Here are the links to my Silhouette shop and DigiPlayground shop so you can pick up one of these albums!

Here’s how to put this together:

1. Cut out the svg files.  The main body of the book I cut out in kraft paper and the cover and frames are my Have a Merry Christmas papers for Cartabella.

2. Begin with two pieces of the binding and fold along the dotted lines, then glue them together by overlapping the short sides.

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3. Turn it over, and glue the wider folds together so the back looks flat and the front has tabs sticking out.

4. Take your pages and fold all of the creases inwards. (The picture below shows the binding on backwards. All those little glued together pieces will become the pages for the album).

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5. Now to add the pages! Glue along the long edge of each page and attach the long edge to the back of one of the folds in the binding. This will create a double-sided/double thick page.

6. Glue the top side of the edge of the long page, as well as the bottom tab and fold the page over.  This should create an envelope with an open top.  Add a page to each one of the binding pieces.

 

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7.  Add the cover by gluing the left side of the cover to the bottom side of the flap.  This makes the inside look clean and the binding flap will be covered with the binding cover later.

8. Glue the binding cover by matching up the crease of the binding cover with the square of the book.  Glue the front, binding, and back side separately.

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9. For the tabs,  glue each number onto an oval (or whatever shape you have). Note: one of the albums (bracket) does not use this step.

10.  Glue half of the ovals onto each tab, leaving space to slide the tabs into the slits and for the ovals to go on top of the page.  There are 13 tabs, so each tab will have two numbers (one and two will be on one tab, three and four another etc.)

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11.  Slide the tabs into the appropriate slit on each page.  Leave the oval out and glue the other half of the oval onto the outside of the page. Glue odd numbers to the front and even numbers on the back of each tab.

12. For the frames, take each frame and place pot dots on the back.

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13. Place the frame in the center of the page and make sure the pop dots are firmly in place.

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14. Glue the leaves to the berries and attach to the corner of the frame.

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15.  Place pictures and memories on each page to fill your 25 days of December Album!

Happy crafting!

Carina

 

 

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Christmas Village Tutorial for Silhouette

25 Comments / DigiPlayground, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /


IMG_0774_webI’ve been working on this Christmas Village for weeks now. Every time one of the little houses got put together, I couldn’t help but smile! Everything about this little village makes me so happy.

There are quite a few pieces, and they all can be purchased from Silhouette. Each building is very intricate and there are a lot of parts. I have a quick video on some of the harder pieces so you can see how they go together (see above).

As for displaying this village, there are soooo many options. I have two I’d like to suggest here for you. The first is a display made completely from foam core. I have a free svg file for you to make a template of the one I made and some instructions on how to put it together below. (The photo below is the display I created with foam core. You can make this too!)

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IMG_0673_webThe second way I would display it is on a mantle or coffee table. I love mine on top of our white piano. The best part is at night when we put electric tealights underneath and the entire thing lights up (picture of this below!).

If you place your village on a mantel, depending on the number of pieces you build, I suggest using cake plates and cups turned upside down to give dimension and layer to your village. Cover these with ‘snow’ you can purchase from your local craft store to hide these layers. Instant snow drift!

The two photos below is of the Christmas Village on top of my piano (about the size of the mantel). I love it up there! Every piece is so unique and darling. My family is really going to enjoy it this holiday season!

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There are so many great pieces in this village. They will be release over the next two weeks (so keep an eye out for them!). The picture below is of the Santa’s Workshop, General Store, Gingerbread House, Trees, and Deer.

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Picture below highlights the Clock Tower, Chapel, and Gingerbread House.

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The train comes in two files—a Train Station with tracks and a curved 3D Train.

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Happy little penguins anyone?

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Check out the Snow Cottage, Elf Houses (with curved roof!) and the Chapel.

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Turn off the lights and watch them glow! Instant Christmas Magic!

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Here’s the tutorial for the Display:

Download the Free Display Template Here—CarinaGardner_ChristmasVillage_Display.zip

If you are having trouble with the link, then try copying and pasting this: https://carinagardner.com/freedownload/carinagardner_christmasvillage_display.zip

  1. Download the zip. You will need 5-6 pieces of 20 inch x 30 inch foam core in white. You will also need a hot glue gun, a small package of ‘snow’, and x-acto knife.
  2. There are four layers to this display. The zip contains 4 documents that may look a bit jumbled (everything needed to fit on a 12 x 12 template for Cricut users). All you need to do is pull all the pieces apart and cut each of them out. Then layout your template like I have below:

instructions_display_christmasvillage_1

3. After cutting out your pieces you will lay the template onto each layer. Layer 1 you will use the template to cut away two edges of the display. Layer 2 you will need to add a width of 8.5 inches to add the depth. Layers 3 and 4 you can cut out as is.

instructions_display_christmasvillage_2 instructions_display_christmasvillage_3

4. Use an x-acto knife to cut these out. Don’t worry about making it perfect! Your snow will cover your mistakes!

5. Once the layers are cut out, you will want to create dimension by cut out several 2 inch strips the full length of the 30 inches on the extra foam core you have. Slice lightly into one side of the strips so that you can bend them to the shapes of your layers. Start with layer 2. Start at the side front and hot glue the 2 inch strip along the curve. Don’t worry about mistakes or gaps! Your snow will cover all of this!  Once you have glued the strip along the edge of layer 2 you will glue it down to layer 1. Continue with all the layers using the diagram below to help determine how to place everything.

instructions_display_christmasvillage_4

6. Once everything is glued together, simply layer snow on the display. I glued a little bit to the board to help everything stay in place. To glue the trees, deer, and penguins to the display, I moved the snow to the side and glued these pieces directly onto the foam core. Then I moved the snow back into place.

I hope you have fun making this display and the entire Christmas Village!

Carina

You can get the entire Christmas Village from my shop here:  https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/collections/3d/products/christmas-village-digital-download.

Or buy individual pieces of my Christmas Village here:

Trees:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-christmas-tree-digital-download?_…

Reindeer:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-deer-digital-download?_pos=2&_sid…

Santa’s workshop:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-santas-workshop-digital-download?…

Snow Cottage:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-snow-cottage-digital-download?_po…

Ice Skaters:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-ice-skaters-digital-download?_pos…

General Store: https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-general-store-digital-download-copy?_pos=7&_sid=d10845d62&_ss=r

Elf Houses:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-elf-houses-digital-download?_pos=…

Post Office:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/christmas-village-post-office-digital-download?_pos…

Gingerbread House:https://carinagardnershop.myshopify.com/products/the-ultimate-paper-gingerbread-house?_pos=2&_sid=29…

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Thankful Tree Video and Tutorial for Silhouette and DigiPlayground

1 Comment / Carina Gardner TV, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /

We’ve been working on the Thankful Tree for a few weeks now and I’m so excited to have it in my home! It’s the perfect LARGE scale tree (about 4 feet in height) to put in your home to celebrate Thanksgiving. We will be using the Apple Basket to place all of our leaves so the kids can pull one out everyday to write what they are thankful for throughout November.

Check out this short video so you can see the tree (in scale) and all the options we have available for it! You can purchase the files at Silhouette and DigiPlayground.

Enjoy! Carina

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Hexagon Halloween Ornament

DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), DigiPlayground, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /

DS-C-8.6824W-CG-Spider Ornament

I love some dead branches in a vase as halloween decor. These little ornaments are the perfect accessory for those branches! They’d also be cute strung in front of a window or as a banner.

Every one of these ornaments are made a little differently. I’ve chosen to show you how to put together the hardest one. Most are simply layered with hexagons and shapes. Feel free to mix and match all of the ornaments in this collection!

Here are the links to my Silhouette shop and DigiPlayground shop.

Here’s how to put this together:

1. Cut out the svg files.  The main body of the ornament I cut out in a deep gray and the interior is a matte black with white spider webs and red spider.

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2. Next take the hexagon sides and fold the flap that is connected to the long rectangle piece back onto itself and glue down. Repeat on the other side.

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3. Fold all hex flaps away from each other so that they create a flat surface that you are going to glue your rectangle piece to. There are fold marks where each side of the hexagon’s flaps should be glued to your long rectangle. Repeat all the way around until you end with 2 open slits at the top

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4.  Slip the ornament hangers from the hexagon through those two open slits and glue together.

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5. Take your flat hexagon accent pieces and pop dot them on each side of your ornament.

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6. Lay the spider web over the top of your ornament with the long webs aligning with the corners of your hexagon. Bend them over the edges to give you a good idea where to glue. Neatly tuck your folded spider web string to the inside of the corner to the hexagon and glue together. Repeat all the way around and the other side.

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7. Once your finished pop dot your spider to the web and you’re done!

Hope you have fun making these!

Carina.

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Halloween Crate Tutorial for Silhouette and Digiplayground

1 Comment / DigiPlayground, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /

DS-C-10.0843W-CG-Ghost Crate

It’s my favorite time of year! That’s probably why I get so excited for all of these Halloween projects. This post is for a tutorial on the Light Up Halloween Crates. You can purchase them from both the Silhouette and Digiplayground shops. (Links to the crates will become available as they go live).

These are incredibly simple to put together. I’m planning on putting in the windows at the house and as centerpieces on my coffee table. You can place an electric tea light in the center (I love the black ones!) for a but of ambiance!

Here are the links to my Silhouette Shop and DigiPlayground Shop.

Here’s how to put it together:

1. Cut out the svg files, cut two of each side piece, four total. Ink the edges of your crate to create some dimension.

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2. Glue accent pieces to the inside of the crate side pieces.

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2. Once you have glued on all the accent pieces onto the sides, take the bottom flat geometric piece and slip the pointed edge through the slot at the bottom, just below the ghost.

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3. Next, grab the opposite side piece and slip the tabs through the slots provided in your first piece. Again, insert bottom pointed edge just below ghost and repeat this step all the way around.

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Place a tea light in the center and you are done!

Enjoy,

Carina

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Pineapple Costume Tutorial

Holiday Projects, Sewing, Tutorials /

IMG_8980_webSome years I can convince my kids that going to the store and buying a costume is the way to go. Not this year. Both of my girls wanted homemade costumes. Siri wanted to be iPhone Siri (you can see her costume on my instagram feed @carinagardner) and Felicity asked to be a pineapple.

I know pineapples have been trending recently, but the truth is, in our family the word ‘pineapple’ has been trending for a couple of years. A while back, Siri decided that she loved the way the word ‘pineapple’ sounded and used it as her go-to, everyday word (“Can I get you a drink, Siri?” “Pineapple.” “Are you ready for bed, Siri? “Pinnneapppppllle.”…you get the idea). Does she actually like to EAT pineapples? Of course not! That would make too much sense :).

Ironically, it was Felicity who decided that being a pineapple was a must this year (although I can see Siri trying to steal this costume).

Here’s a little info on how to put this costume together. Your materials may be a little different than mine so feel free to make adjustments on how you make this sublime fruity treat.

PINEAPPLE COSTUME TUTORIAL
Materials

  • Either one very long yellow T-shirt or two T-shirts (Mine is a size 10 and the materials fit this size. Make adjustments for smaller or bigger T-shirts.)
  • 1/2 yard of yellow felt
  • 1/4 yard of green felt
  • headband
  • hot glue
  • 1 1/2 yards of double-sided iron-on adhesive

IMG_8877_web2

1. If you are working with two T-shirts, cut one in half to add to the bottom of the first T-shirt. Match up the RAW edge of the second/cut T-shirt to the bottom of the first T-shirt. That way you do not have to hem the bottom of the outfit. I used a serger with right-sides together of the T-shirts to sew these two pieces together into a long dress.

IMG_8858_1_web IMG_8862_1 copy

2. Once your T-shirt is now a ‘dress’, cut out yellow felt pieces using the pattern provided below. Pin them all the way around the dress as shown here. This will help you determine how many pieces you will need. The pattern can be made smaller or larger to accommodate the size of your outfit.IMG_8877_web

3. Next, use the double-sided adhesive (using the instructions on the adhesive you buy) to adhere the adhesive to the felt pineapple pieces.

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I used Heat and Bond and ironed on the adhesive on one side of the pineapple piece. Then, I pulled off the white protective layer on the felt piece and placed it on the dress. I ironed it directly onto the dress with the adhesive-side down (facing the dress).

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And you are done with the dress! Now for the headband!

4. The headband could be made so many different ways. Use my method or try putting it together anyway you want with the pattern pieces I’ve provided. You can also choose to do all of this with a hot glue gun if you want to avoid sewing!

I cut out 4 each of the three leaf patterns. I folded in half the medium and large leaves and sewed them about half way up. (You could simply hot glue them up instead.)

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5. I then sewed together two of the biggest pieces like the image below.

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6. Then I laid a third piece in the middle of the two sewn together pieces. I sewed it to the front. I then sewed the fourth piece to the back center.

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This will create a little symmetrical bunch.

7. Your next trick is to add the medium sized leaves to this bunch. I sewed mine but in retrospect I should have hot glued it! It was really thick and difficult to get through the machine. Simply, place them evenly around the large leaves.

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8. For the smallest leaves, I used hot glue and spaced evenly around the bunch.

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9. I cut a circle and hot glued it to the center of the bunch. Then I glued up the edges and trimmed them. This is simply to keep the bunch together and add a bit of yellow to the bottom.

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9. Finally, I cut a small round circle and sandwiched a headband between the pineapple top and the felt circle. Hot glue these altogether and you are done!

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Here are the pattern pieces you will need to make this costume:

DOWNLOAD THE PINEAPPLE PATTERN PIECES

There’s a bit of work involved to make this costume but it was completely worth it! Felicity was giddy with the end result! Does your child want to be a pineapple? Download the pattern and get started! Halloween is around the corner!

Happy creating!
Carina

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Halloween Inspiration

1 Comment / DigiPlayground, Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG /

IMG_8541_webHalloween has officially begun at my house! Our little family celebrated by going to Frightmares last weekend and starting work on costumes—well, the kids started thinking about their costumes, and I started working on them.

(Photo to the left of Silhouette Halloween Tags now in the shop).

I’m always a happy girl when this time of year rolls around. I feel renewed with the autumn weather. I’m ready for the heat to be replaced by cool breezes and and falling leaves.

And then, of course, there is the all the halloween decor. Many years, I don’t get to pulling things out until the last minute. But these year, our studio has producing so many fun halloween designs! The end result—lots of goodies to hang all over my home.

 

 

 

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(All of these designs can be found in my silhouette shop and digiplayground shop)

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And yes, we’ve already watched The Nightmare Before Christmas and Hocus Pocus.

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Hope you have a moment this week to pull out or make some pretty things! I’m going to get to work on costumes and start planning my Halloween kids party!

Happy Haunting,
Carina

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Episode 13: Halloween Haunted Mansion for Silhouette and DigiPlayground.com

8 Comments / DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Holiday Projects, Silhouette, SVG, Tutorials /

IMG_7894_webThis idea has been in the works for several weeks now. I’m so thrilled to finally be able to present my Halloween Haunted Village! This is made completely from SVGS files that you can purchase from my Silhouette Online Shop or DigiPlayground.com (for other cutting machines).

There are several pieces to this village. You can mix and match or purchase the entire village. Here are the pieces you can buy in this set (links for purchase available 9/21/15):

Pumpkin Mansion
Ghost Mansion
Spider House
Witch Tower
Haunted Tree
Haunted Fence
Coffin
Cat House
Tiny Bat House
Tiny Crow House
Cemetary

Most of these pieces (in particular the larger pieces) have a circular opening at the bottom so you can place an electric tealight. I can’t describe how awesome this village looks when all the lights are off and the tea lights make these IMG_7899_1_webhouse glow! If you want ALL the larger houses to glow, make sure you use, orange, white, cream, or transparent paper (like vellum) for the bases of your houses. Several of my houses (shown here) use a black or kraft paper base. These do not show the light nearly as well as the lighter based houses.

My kids were thrilled with this set! Charlie ended up playing in my office for most of the afternoon with the lights off, moving around the pieces and tea lights in this set!

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Of course, this set has a lot of working parts so there is a video on how to assemble it! I cover several of the pieces that I feel will help you. I hope you enjoy it!

Carina

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2015-2016 Carina Gardner and MiniLou Team Calls!

1 Comment / Fabric, Holiday Projects, Sewing /

I’m so excited that we are finally able to open up three calls for a creative team, design team, and style team for MiniLou and Carina Gardner, Inc.! I’ve been wanting to do this for a while now so I’m glad we are getting this in before the holiday season commences.

These are small teams where we send you product in exchange for you coming up with ideas, doing a small write up, and taking photos. All submissions need to be sent to our Marketing Director Jill at marketingdirector@carinagardner.com or marketingdirector@mini-lou.com. Here’s the breakdown:

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For the time being, we are only taking submissions that require physical products from the US. If you are International and want to apply for digital scrapbooking product and/or silhouette files/svg products, we are happy to receive submissions from you!

Have questions? Feel free to email us!

Looking forward to seeing your submissions!

Carina

Silhouette Design Store JOANN Stores

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Words of Love Banner and Video

Carta Bella Paper, DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Video /

carinagardner_wordsoflovebannerIt’s been since before Christmas since I posted. The first of the year is always so crazy. This year I was headed to Atlanta for my new company MiniLou. It was my first year of missing CHA in long time.

Soooo, to introduce my first line to come out this year, I put together a little video. Words of Love is my Valentine’s line and it should be hitting your local scrapbooking store this month. It’s a classic red and black line with a bit of pink and gray.

I hope you enjoy the video! I am having issues with my video uploading to YouTube blurry so I am working on getting an HD version of this video up soon.

If you want the free download banner template, you can download it here:

BANNER TEMPLATE FREE DOWNLOAD

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Open When Envelopes—Last Minute Meaningful Homemade Gifts

5 Comments / Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Silhouette, Tutorials /

IMG_3661_1_webLast week I came out with a brand new series of envelopes called OPEN WHEN. It’s a wonderful meaningful gift, and I am making a set of envelopes with box for Josh for Christmas. If you want to see the instructions and everything in the series, go here: https://carinagardner.com/silhouette/carinas-open-when-series/. If you want to look at the current printables for this series, go here: http://www.carinagardnershop.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=56&Itemid=2

(Photo to the left is one of the printables from the Open When: You Are Bored. You just staple onto the card a piece of bubble wrap.)

This post is just to show you a few examples of what I am doing (although to be honest, I’m not done yet). I love that you can make a set of envelopes for someone and put A LOT into the envelope or just a note. Really, the most important part (in my opinion) is the hand written note. Every single one of the envelopes I’m making for Josh includes a note and a photo. I also included some of the printables, a treat, and anything else I think will be fun for him to open.

IMG_3653_1_webYou’ll notice that I have included label printables in the shop. That’s because I know that not all of you have a diecutting machine. To be honest, the labels are a lot easier (and quicker) to use if you are throwing together this project (last minute, right?). The labels can be put on any A2 sized envelope and you can just fill them. It’s the perfect last minute solution!

(Photo to the right is from the Open When: You Are Happy printable set. The svg file from for the envelope can be found here.)

The Open When projects I’ve seen usually are given in sets of 10. But I think you should be able to include as little or as many envelopes as you want. You could even coordinate them and give more envelopes out during the year (for example, Christmas 5 envelopes, Valentine’s 5 envelopes, and your anniversary 5 envelopes).

For Josh, I selected 10 envelopes and am using my basic 10 envelope box. I love the prompts in the printables I’m hoping they will help me think of things that are special to just the two of us (and by the way, each of the descriptions in the printables have suggestions for other things you can put in your envelope).

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Every “Open Now” gift should have an “Open Now” Envelope. Truthfully, I designed the printables (shown below) so that I could use all of the cards in any of the envelopes. It’s sort of “basic pack.” I’m planning on throwing some funny photos of the two of us from 2014 into this envelope—kind of as a way to celebrate the year. The “pie chart” card I’m going to write all of the things we did in 2014.

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I’m so in love with my printable set for “Open When: You Can’t Fall Asleep.” One card allows you to staple a piece of dried lavendar to it (or any other scent you want). The silly cutouts are more of a joke then something the person has to do, but I like adding the popcycle sticks in the envelope just in case they do end up cutting out the animals.

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The “Open When: You Want to Reminisce” is going to be the most fun to put together for Josh. I’m using all the printables as prompts but spending most of my time gathering up photos and things that we did together for the last 14 years.

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You’ll notice that I’m slowly adding printables to the shop as I make them for myself. If you decide to do this project (for Christmas, a birthday, Valentine’s, and Anniversary, or whenever!), make sure and check my Silhouette instruction page because it has updated links to all the envelopes, boxes, and printables that go to this collection to see what is new!

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Hope you are being creative and having a great time doing it this holiday season! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Carina

 

 

 

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Family Ornament Silhouette Instructions

1 Comment / Family, Holiday Projects, Silhouette, Tutorials /

5photofamilyornamentToday I have a series of 3-D cut out ornaments coming out in my Silhouette Store. I love a great homemade gift, and these are perfect for that! They are so simple to put together and I love that you can customize the ornaments (or choose one) that fits your family size (The Photo Family Ornaments come in 3 sides, 4 sides, 5 sides, and 6 sides). Here are some of the instructions and helpful hints for putting together these ornaments.

Several Sided Photo Family Ornament Instructions
(Silhouette Store links: 3 Photo Family Ornament, 4 Photo Family Ornament, 5 Photo Family Ornament, 6 Photo Family Ornament)
1. Cut out the shape and then print/cut photos that are a little bigger than the windows in the ornament. Tape photos to the wrong-side of the ornament windows.
2. Crease/fold along all the dotted lines.
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3. Place glue on the tab and adhere it to the opposite side of the ornament.

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4. Use twine or ribbon to “sew” up the bottom and top of the ornaments. I like starting by placing the ribbon through the front hole of the ornament, then “whip stitching” by coming through the back of the hole and then placing the ribbon through the FRONT of the next flap/hole. Once you have gone through every hole with your twine, pull tight and tie a knot. You can leave one string long to hang the ornament or cut both strings short.

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Block Ornament Instructions
(Silhouette Store links: 4 Photo Block Family Ornament, Christmas Tree Block Ornament, Star Blog Ornament)
1. Cut out the shape and then print/cut photos that are a little bigger than the windows in the ornament. If you are making the photo ornament, tape photos to the wrong-side of the ornament windows. Add embellishments in layers to the ornament. (Pop dots are also a fun accessory.)
2. Crease/fold along all the dotted lines.
3. Place glue on the tab and adhere it to the opposite side of the ornament.
4. Place a piece of ribbon through the bottom and top of the box in the hols provided. Tie a knot at the bottom to keep the ribbon in place.

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christmastreeblockornament 4photoblockfamilyornament starblockornament

nativity4sidedornamentNativity Ornament Instructions
(Silhouette Store link: Nativity 4 Sided Ornament)
1. Cut out the shape and then print/cut photos that are a little bigger than the windows in the ornament.
2. Crease/fold along all the dotted lines.
3. Place glue on the tab and adhere it to the opposite side of the ornament.
4. Fold up the bottom of the ornament, placing glue on each flap to adhere the bottom of the box together.
5. Use twine or ribbon to “sew” up the top of the ornaments. I like starting by placing the ribbon through the front hole of the ornament, then “whip stitching” by coming through the back of the hole and then placing the ribbon through the FRONT of the next flap/hole (see photo above). Once you have gone through every hole with your twine, pull tight and tie a knot. Leave one string long to hang the ornament.

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25 Days of December Silhouette Album

3 Comments / Carta Bella Paper, Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Scrapbooking, Tutorials /

IMG_2934_1_webEvery Christmas I try to tell myself that THIS year it’s going to be more about family, love, and giving. But like all the rest of you, I find myself completely caught up with the busyness that consumes my time during the month of December.  December happens to be a crazy time for designers ON TOP OF the usual craziness that happens during the holidays. For me, work revolves around CHA, new releases for first quarter, and the Atlanta GiftShow (for MiniLou). Despite all of this, I’m going to try (once again) to slow down during the month of December. And with you as my witness (See! I’m holding myself accountable to you!), I’ve decided to get on top of things THIS month to make December a little more cherry and bright.

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First off, I already ordered my Christmas Cards (I think a sigh of relief escaped as I wrote that). They arrive December 2nd, and I plan on getting all my labels done this coming week. Yes, it is a relief to already have them printed, and no, I am NEVER this early. Second, I’m going to get all my holiday shopping done in November. Yes, you heard me. And no, I don’t have a plan for this yet. Any tips would be helpful!!! (Leave comments below.) And FINALLY, I went ahead and designed myself an entire 25 Days of December Album (that you can purchase in my silhouette shop), that I have already cut out and put together.

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IMG_2939_1_webI have never done an album like this before, but have ALWAYS wanted to. I designed all of the albums and accessories to be super easy to cut out and use.

This year, I’m doing the 5 x 7 Album, but I also have available the 5 x5 Album and the 5 x 7 Horizontal Album. The 5 x 7’s are meant to fit a 4 x 6 photo per day. The 5 x5 Album is meant for instagram photos and fits a 4 x 4 photo beautifully (I love to use Persnickety Prints for my 4 x 4 photos).

Each album also comes with some different accessories. I plan on using the extra pocket pieces and fun shapes to add journaling and some of our holiday photos (and to stash my Christmas Card).

So if you are making this album, it’s pretty easy to put together, but here are a few hints to help you out:

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1. You will need to cut 5 of each tabbed piece. That will give you 25 pages—one for each day. Cut one or two of the cover piece (no tab). I only cut one and used a pocket accessory for my back page.

2. Add as many accessory pages as you like. You can see in mine that I elected to put a few in the front and back of the album. Because I’m making this a “stress-free, expectation-free” album, I didn’t want to throw in pages that I then felt obligated to fill. However, I do think it would be pretty to throw in an extra shape or pocket page between each tab so that it goes to a specific day.

3. If you are looking to have this album “pre-made” in time for Christmas or you are making it for someone else, I recommend only adding “scraps” to the left-side of the page and leaving the tabbed side for the photo. (Like the second photo at the very top.)

4. Have fun or go simple with your paper choices. On mye tabbed sheets I elected to use kraft paper just because it was easy. I cut each tabbed sheet on an 8.5 inch x 11 inch piece of paper (one fits per sheet). I inked the edges a little bit to give it some dimension. (FYI, I use my newest Carta Bella collection Christmas Time for this book).

3. Glue is good. A stapler is better. ESPECIALLY on the pocket pages. The folds are pretty self-explanatory on the pocket pages. Once you fold them all in, I like to take a stapler to it. It adds some “scrappiness” to the album and helps secure the pocket in place. I’ve also used hot glue and a glue stick. They work great as well. Note: For the Mini Pockets, you may want to add a couple of extra staples right to the MIDDLE of the page to separate out the two pockets.

4. Use ribbon, twine, or O-rings to keep it together. If your album gets REALLY thick, you may want to consider O-rings (you can usually find these at an office supply shop). I wanted to keep my album “unprecious” and added different little bits of ribbon and twine. I want the kids to feel like they can handle and play with this album all through the season and beyond. Which brings me to my next point…

5. Have a plan. Especially when it comes to the photo part. Are you going to print at home or send out your photos? Are you going to print daily or weekly? Are you going to journal (or will it stress you out?). My plan this year is to print everyday at the end of the day. So I have a pack of 4 x 6 photo papers ready for December. As for journaling, this year the album is the “family” album. That means, I plan on having the kids write things they are thankful for or are doing for Christmas. Josh and I will add notes too. If you are doing a personal, reflective album, yours will be so different from mine.

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And that’s it! I hope you have fun making your book and you get to spend some time really showing off how wonderful the holiday season really is! If you are on instagram, you can follow me at @carinagardner. Make sure and hashtag #25dod (25 Days of December) so that we can all share in your journey in December!

Happy scrapping!
Carina

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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 1/2 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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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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Carina Gardner Exclusively for Deseret Book!

Family, Holiday Projects /

bracelets

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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5112571_ChristmasTray_detail

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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Easy Costumes on a Budget

Digital Diecuts, Holiday Projects, Silhouette /

halloweenskeletonbonespreview_smI love costumes that are homemade and quick to put together. You may remember Siri’s favorite Octopus Costume that was made from socks and a t-shirt. For Halloween this year, my kids chose costumes with stuff we already had around the house and in the dress up clothing. Felicity will be a little Chinese girl, and Siri asked to be Medusa. Other than making a snake tiara for Siri, it’s going to be an easy year for costumes at our house!

Charlie is going to wear this little skeleton bones outfit that I made using my Silhouette machine. You can get my new Skeleton Bones diecut for this in the Silhoutte Shop for 99 cents! Not a bad price for a costume if I do say so myself.

I have tips for working with this diecut on my extremely-oh-so-very official silhouette page here: https://carinagardner.com/silhouette/. Susan and I are hoping to tape a video for that page sometime next week to teach you a few awesome things about your machine!  Be on the lookout for that!

And if you are looking for more from me, this week we also released the following diecuts (for  99 cents as always!)

Halloween Skeleton Bones (above)
Cupcake Pencil Case
Monster Pencil Case
Halloween  Bat Accordion Album
Sweet Life Accordion Album
Dahlia Fabric Flower
Monster Life Set 1
Monster Life Set 2
Monster Life Set 3
Fabulous Frame Set 1

Will show you a little more on the pencil cases soon! What are your kids going to be for Halloween?

Carina

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The Crafting Chicks Strike Again!

CRAFTS, Holiday Projects, Wallpaper /

halloween-advent2I met the Crafting Chicks just this last month at Fabric Fest. Talk about a darling group of ladies! I loved the camaraderie they had with each other and the energy they have for new projects! I wouldn’t mind capturing a bit of that energy and bottling it for a deadline (wink, wink…).

If you’ve been on their site recently, you’ll notice a myriad of awesome projects. That includes a darling printable, some easy Halloween decor, and a shout out from Becky who did my Halloween Advent class. Click on the photo to the right (image from craftingchicks.com) to see Becky’s take on the project.

While you are over there, be sure and also check out Nikkala’s Halloween Ice Cream Cups. That background wallpaper sure does look familiar…

I have all sorts of plans of getting my own house spookarific (and I’m sure I will be using some of the Crafting Chicks cute ideas). Unfortunately, things have been a little hectic between the new Deseret Book deadlines, the Carta Bella Winter Show lineup, and all the renovating we are doing on the glamper. I do have an update for you on the glamper, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.

SONY DSCTonight I need to finish out my spring release of dishware at DB. Which reminds me…I have a lot of lovely announcements about new products from me from DB coming up here in the next three weeks. If you get your catalog in the mail, be sure and check out the bracelets, canvas art, and new Christmas dishware. More on that soon…

Carina

 

 

 

 

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Carina Gardner Silhoutte Diecutting Files Now at SilhouetteAmerica.com

Digital Diecuts, Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, Holiday Projects, Silhouette /

halloweenscallopbag_webThat’s right! My big news this week is you can now find my diecutting files at silhouetteamerica.com. How cool is that?

This week was the first week we placed files on the silhouette site. You’ll see this darling halloween scalloped bag, fabric flowers, the my life album set, and more! Yesterday I put together a myriad of new projects for the shop that will come out next week! More fabric stuff and great paper shapes. And some monster surprises for Halloween.

Speaking of Halloween, I thought I would point you in the direction of some happy Halloween fun.

Last year, I did a Witch and Wizard Party. It’s fun, full of ideas and was a total blast. Photos and inspiration here: https://carinagardner.com/2012/10/17/witch-and-wizard-party-kids-halloween-party/carinagardner_witchparty_web_1_72-copy

And of course, there has been the ever popular free banner download that I hung on my piano: https://carinagardner.com/2010/09/10/how-to-make-a-halloween-banner-free-download/

If you want ideas of easy bat art and free silhouette cutouts (and a video to boot!), there are free silhouette files here: https://carinagardner.com/2012/08/15/episode-4-all-hallows-eve-decor-video/

Want to make a batty wreath? Here’s the free pattern to make it: https://carinagardner.com/2009/10/23/spiders-web-papers-batty-wreath/

Last but not least, the Halloween Advent class is on sale for $3. That’s right! Take advantage of this sale while your can! http://www.carinagardnershop.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=162&category_id=37&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2

Going to get up all my Halloween decorations this week! Wish me luck!

Carina

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Christmas Advent Calendar—Free Download and Printable

6 Comments / Carta Bella Paper, DIE CUT PROJECTS (SILHOUETTE & CRICUT), Free Digital Downloads-Freebies-Free Digital Printables, HOLIDAY /

Happy One-Day-Before-Thanksiving! As I write, I’m brining my monstrous turkey. I’m 12 hours into it and need to go pick up more ice to keep it happy until tomorrow morning.

My Pre-Thanksgiving present to you is another episode with Lindsay and myself showing you how to make an advent calendar using the Christmas Day™ and Merry and Bright™ collections from Carta Bella. There’s also a fabulous giveaway (as always). To enter the giveaway, you need to go here.

Ready to make this advent calendar yourself? DOWNLOAD THE ADVENT CALENDAR PRINTABLES.

Here’s Episode 5! Enjoy!

Carina

UPDATE: Carina also shared this tutorial using the printable for giftcards on Good Day Utah FOX 13 News on December 23, 2012. You can see that video here:

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