A Big Ol’ Fabric and Paper Giveaway

September 14, 2010 by carina 153 Comments

You can image how excited I was when Coquette™ came to my door today! It actually got dropped off at my old address and has been sitting there for 4 days! I’m so happy to have it at my house now, filling up my tiny studio. It’s amazing!

You can find Coquette™ by going to Northcott’s website and checking out were it is being sold (click on the sidebar for locations). If it’s not near you or you need an online resource, you can check out the Fat Quarter Shop or eQuilter.com.

I’m also giving you a chance to win it here! I have fat quarters (all 13 fabrics!) already cut and ready to be shipped! How’s that for fun! Coquette™ is 100% cotton and will happily be made into anything your heart desires!

What’s better than getting these juicy fabrics? How about a paper pack, epoxy brads, and acrylic stamps from my Haunted™ scrapbook line? I also have a pair of simulated diamond earrings from Diamond Earring.org (they sent me a pair too and they are very cute), and a Picture Keeper USB for you (have you tried one of these? It automatically downloads all your photos from your computer by just plugging it in!). I’m throwing all of it into a package and sending it to someone who leaves a comment on this thread. I’ll do a random drawing and announce the winner on Friday, September 24th. Be sure and comment for a chance at this!

Want to always learn about giveaways like this one? Be sure and sign up for my newsletter either in the post below or the side bar.

XOXO, Carina

How To Make a Halloween Banner-Free Download

September 10, 2010 by carina 74 Comments

There have been spooky things happening at my house recently: Crows cawing, moss creeping, and mice scurrying along the old piano. It’s just enough to make you want to shout, “Happy Halloween!”

The spookiness has been so much fun that I made this banner using the Haunted™ Line. The instructions and pattern are below for you to download.

Another sweet creepy but easy Halloween project is just to tie pieces of Haunted™ paper with twine to dried branches. It’s cheap, easy, and chic all at once. Who knew Halloween could be chic?

Be sure and download the Halloween Banner tutorial below (all you will need is one pack of Haunted™, hot glue, black tissue paper, black ribbon, and black construction paper…it’s a whole lot of black:). I also have Illustrator files for those of you with a cutting machine. See below to download.

So what will I be working on next? My daughters have decided to be Sailor Moon (yes both of them) and I will be recreating a pair of red, white and blue outfits (hmmm, sounds patriotic). Let’s hope (for my sake) they don’t change their minds.

Illustrator File Downloads:

Halloween Flag Illustrator File

Halloween Pattern 1 Illustrator File

Halloween Pattern 2 Illustrator File

Download the Instructions:

You can also paste this link into your Internet Browser: https://carinagardner.com/2010/09/10/how-to-make-a-halloween-banner-free-download/

How to Make a Halloween Countdown Calendar-Free Download

September 7, 2010 by carina 3 Comments

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

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

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

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

How to Make a Butterfly Chandelier-Free Download

September 2, 2010 by carina 31 Comments

I made this fun little chandelier for my girls’ room a month ago using my Back to Basic’s digital line. It’s been a cute addition to their room, and it was pretty easy to make. Check out the tutorial below.

Want to cut it with your silhouette machine (or any other machine that cuts Illustrator files?). Download the ai file here (not for commercial use or resale).It’s already set up with 6 butterflies to a sheet.

ILLUSTRATOR FILE DOWNLOAD

If you want a pdf version of all six butterflies already setup for you (if you need to cut them out by hand), don’t worry! I’ve hooked you up too.

PDF FILE DOWNLOAD

Download the tutorial with instructions here:

Craft and Hobby Association Tradeshow (CHA) Chicago 2010, Supershow, and Spraguefest Wrapup!

August 6, 2010 by carina 4 Comments

I had every intention of blogging while at CHA, but somehow I never got around to it. So here’s a quick review of the week in Chicago. I have oodles and oodles of photos, so this does not begin to cover the “happenings,” but as always, things are crazy around these parts so here’s my Friday-midnight report.

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?).

Soooooo Soft and Haunted

July 21, 2010 by carina 5 Comments

I have yet to see my new Haunted line, but I’m excited to see it next week when I’m in Chicago for CHA. It will be so soft with all it’s lovely flock-ed-ness (is that a word?).

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:).

Haunted Paper Line for My Mind’s Eye

July 6, 2010 by carina 6 Comments

I’ve been working on finishing up a couple of fabric lines tonight, and I opened my email to find out that my new halloween line is up! This halloween line is like nothing you’ve seen before. It is FLOCKED!!!!! And there are epoxy stickers, flocked vinyl stickers, stickers, and a flocked accessory sheet.

I can’t wait to show it off in Chicago in a couple of weeks!

A Few Baby Safari Digital Scrapbooking Layouts

June 10, 2010 by carina 4 Comments

Here’s a few Baby Safari layouts to inspire you!

Layout by Candice Palmer.

Layout by Susan Haglund

Layout by Candice Palmer

Layout by Candice Palmer.

Layout by Mindy Hanson.

Layout by Joyce McCall.

Facebook Fan Freebie

June 7, 2010 by carina 4 Comments

I recently started a Facebook page so that you can keep up with blog posts, sales, and freebies. So here’s one of them! Once we hit 500 people, I’m going to give away my new Pretty Posy digital scrapbooking kit to everyone who joins! Once we hit 500, this kit will go on sale at Design House Digital. So take advantage of getting it free now!

Here’s a cute little layout I did of my friend’s daughter, Isn’t she adorable?

A Busy Morning

June 7, 2010 by carina 1 Comment

I always wonder were my days go. So this morning I had camera in hand while we did our “stuff.” Sure, not a typical day for us in some ways (Siri was home from school because she’s had a fever the last couple of days and we didn’t want to infect anyone). And super typical in other ways (there’s always some kind of craft-making mess in our house).

Paper crafting, anyone? (Of course, only after I actually managed to clean my studio)

More projects with the paper (Siri chose MeadowLark™ for her wings this morning).

Why do these darn kid sprinklers ALWAYS break?

The view from my backyard. We anticipate seeing this for the next few days. You can just barely see our next-door neighbor directing the bulldozer guy.

MeadowLark Featured at Two Peas in a Bucket

May 15, 2010 by carina 2 Comments

Kristina’s Picks at Two Peas in a Bucket this week is a full review of MeadowLark™. I was thrilled to see the papers, cards, and die cuts shown in detail! If you’ve been hankering to see the line up close, check out the video by clicking on the image below!

MeadowLark Paper Giveaway!

May 9, 2010 by carina 31 Comments

I just picked up more of my MeadowLark™ Collection on Friday. I’ve been inspired by the black and white papers in this line to work on all sorts of projects (check out my ABC Book) because they are so neutral! I’ve decided I need to share the love so I’m giving away both the Dusk and Dawn Paper Packs (18 papers back and front with 2 accessory sheets!) plus the two rub-ons (I’m obsessed) that match! What do you need to do to get entered to win this set? Just leave me a little comment on this thread of what you might use this super versatile line for or why you love it! I’ll choose one winner on Friday evening (this giveaway will end 5pm MST) by random selection. Good luck!

giveaway

interNational Scrapbooking Day-Freebie

April 30, 2010 by carina 18 Comments

IMG_1307_sm All the hail and sleet the last couple of days gave me some extra “inside time” to get this freebie together for you in honor of interNational Scrapbooking Day! Otherwise, I’d still be in my yummy lime green gardening boots planting ranunculus in my front yard!

So here’s some of the fun going on at DHD: There is a HUGE site-wide sale happening, chats all day on Saturday, May 1st, and freebies to be had. I’m jumping the gun a little by posting a day early with this freebie, but I say let the fun begin! Be sure to drop by HERE at 9am MST for my chat at DHD (hint, I’ll have a little exclusive freebie:).

So why is this kit called Paisley v2? Because you can download Paisley v1 by signing up to be a fan of Design House Digital on Facebook! When the fan page hits 2000 fans, this freebie will be given out.

Okay! Here’s Paisley v.2. Just click on the kit to download it!

ABC Book Template

April 21, 2010 by carina 2 Comments

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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.

dhd_carinagardner_abc_sqPREV 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!

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How to Create a Layout From A Quick Page or Album in Digital Scrapbooking

February 15, 2010 by carina 1 Comment

quickalbum_icon

Here’s a easy 7 minute tutorial if you want to see how to use any of the quick albums. My quick pages and albums can be found at Design House Digital. This tutorial shows you how to drag and drop photos on pre-made quickpages, how to size and crop photos, and shows you some general use instructions for using albums. The video is 7 minutes long and is demonstrated in Photoshop CS3. If you are interested in the products used in this tutorial, the links are here:

The Ultimate Album-Mocha

Distressed Collection-Pastels

I hope this tutorial helps you so that you can make pages quickly when you are in a pinch! Want to watch it bigger? Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3VGn8Jlxow