This summer I had an epiphany. This said epiphany happened in the shower. Do all great ideas happen in the shower? I conclude yes—an emphatic “yes.”

The epiphany went like this (yes, I was talking to myself), “Carina, you are tired, your quality of life is bad, and it’s time to make a change.” I knew there was only two options: scale back or get help.

I chose to get help. It came in the form of a new Marketing Director and Studio Assistant. I’ve been anxious to introduce you and now I am finally getting around to it!

Welcome Jamie Whittier, my new Marketing Diva. Mother of a darling little two-year old and organizer extraordinaire. Jamie’s background in public relations and get-to-it attitude has been amazing! I’m so happy to have her here (especially when we have sewing projects galore!).

I also want to welcome Lindsey Morris. She’s my right-hand-lady aka the Studio Assistant. Lindsey’s time spent as a graphic designer for several companies has already been invaluable to me. Her technical skills has already taken a huge burden off me!

Even today, as I look around my office, the accumulating piles, and the half finished projects, all I can think is, “How did I ever do this by myself?” Sometimes, a time comes when you realize that you just can’t do it by yourself anymore. I’m just glad I was in tune enough to realize it.

Lindsey and Jamie are making so much more possible for me these days. You are going to notice it too. I have more time to craft (I spent an entire day playing with Haunted™ and making some awesome projects that will be up soon). I will have no less than 5 (maybe 6) fabric lines coming out in 2011). I have some great new classes coming out at Jessica Sprague (You will all see Jamie and Lindsey around TAing!). On top of that, we have some surprises as to where you will see my designs next year. Holdin’ my breath in anticipation!

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:

I’ve been working on samples for my new ABC Class at Jessica Sprague.  I sent off my ABC Books last week, and I was so happy when they arrived yesterday. The samples turned out really cute and now I’m off to see what else I can make out of these templates!

I am now going to hijack my own post. Yesterday, I went to the gym and so happened to see this video (below) on TV (KSL’s morning show at 11am). It is Utah’s Studio 5’s segment on Mom’s going back to school. Digital classes anyone?

Ahhh, the first day of school. A little bit sad, but a whole lot of happy. Siri woke up this morning and started getting herself ready (a minor miracle) saying, “I don’t want to be late to my first day of school!”

We celebrated with Banbury Cross Donuts and (me) trying to walk it off by trotting to school with the neighborhood.

It has been quiet in the house today. Felicity has been coloring in my office while I’ve tried to do a little work. Felicity doesn’t start preschool until next week, but it will be lovely to have a couple of hours to work during the day (My goal is to discontinue to the 2 o’clock in the morning design spurts!).

It has officially been 4 years now since I haven’t bought text books and headed to school. Perhaps that is why I have been so gung-ho about my little ABC Class—a reminiscence to those old grad school days. I love the new school year, and I’m excited for the fall to come (this morning felt like fall-too bad it will hit 100 degrees tomorrow).

I’ve been meaning to post this awesome tutorial from CT Member Joyce. This is a fantastic tutorial showing off how easy it is to take digital products and turn them into cards. Take it away, Joyce!

1.Create your cardstock pieces with a program like Photoshop Elements. I created 4×4, 5×5, and 4×5 shapes and clipped the patterened papers to them. I flattened the image and printed it onto white cardstock.

2. Next I trimmed my patterned paper pieces and used my Quickutz Epic
to cut out the butterfly and label shapes from the patterned paper. I
gathered up a few more supplies like green cardstock, butterfly
ribbon, Maya Road stick pins, and some buttons.

3. I embellished my butterfly by adding 3 tiny buttons to the front,
foam tape to the back, and stick pins pushed into the foam tape for
antennae.

4. I cut my green cardstock to 5×10 inches, folded in half at the top,
and layered on my elements. Brown patterned paper trimmed to a 4.25″
square, then yellow patterned paper that was cut into a label diecut,
and butterfly in the corner. Another embellishment technique I used
was to add a butterfly flight trail with my punch tool and dot the “i”
of precious using a rhinestone.

Now I have the perfect unisex card for my next baby shower! The Basics
papers are so versatile you can create something for most any occasion!

I was invited to a craft night with a whole lot of mid-western gals. Who knew there were so many Minnesotan’s in Utah (escaping the cold no doubt)? The theme was t-shirts so I brought T’s for the girls and myself with tons of fat quarters, lace, and buttons. Inspired by Whippy Cake’s headbands (introduced to me by Kari Holt at CHA), I decided to add velcro to all the shirts and make lots and lots of flowers so my little girly-girls and I would switch out depending on our mood. It was an instant hit with my kids, and Siri is sitting next to me learning to sew rosettes as I type. Thanks for inviting me Kelly!

If you haven’t heard yet, I’m teaching an ABC Inspiration Class to get you (and me included!) documenting our daily lives! With two little girls growing up fast, I want to be sure and grab a snapshot of our lives right now. Siri starts 1st grade (full day-yikes!) and Felicity starts preschool.

I love September because it is the start of fall, new changes, and new beginnings. I couldn’t think of a better way to document it than by using the alphabet as inspiration.

Starting September 13th, we are going to work our way through the alphabet to capture important memories in our daily lives. If you have been itching for a little challenge, this one is it! It is 26 days of easy (and fast!) scrapping (I’ll show you how)! All the templates are included along with some extra papers, ABC Quotes, Definitions, and inspirational lists. I love ABC Books (it doesn’t always have to be A is for apple…you’ll see…).

Here’s a peek at what we will be doing.

This four-week class goes on sale next week on August 16th for $35 (well worth the price when you consider there over 200 products to download along with the course, do a little happy dance!). Check out Jessica’s site next Monday when it goes on sale. I hope you’ll join me for this 26 day journey of scrap-a-licious fun!

Photography by Susan Haglund and Carina Gardner

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?).

I promised photos from CHA and Spraguefest but I have so many that I will have to sort and post later. For now, you will have to be satisfied with this:

Northcott™ sent me these fun pictures of Love Nest™. I was thrilled to see the first bolt of the line, which goes on sale in a week and will ship out January 2011. Please send the link of the brochure (on the side bar) to your local quilt store to carry this line!!!

Simply copy this link in an email: http://www.carinagardner.com/studio/freedownloads/lovenest_webbrochure.pdf (Be sure and click on the brochure so you can see the line yourself too:)

That lemony yellow is yummy!