This is the 10th Stop on the Jessica Sprague Bloghop Freebie!

June 24, 2011 by carina 75 Comments

Thanks for making it to my stop on the Jessica Sprague Birthday Party Bloghop! Just click on the image below to get your freebie for me that coordinates with all the other designers at JS!

If you have stopped here first, you can find the beginning of this blog hop at Jessica’s blog.

Be sure and check out the awesome sale going on including 35% off all the digi shops and 20% off the classes.

Once you’ve gotten your freebie here, move on to STOP #11.

THIS FREEBIE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THIS WILL BE IN THE JS SHOP JULY 11, 2011.

Huge Jessica Sprague Sale!

June 10, 2011 by carina

JessicaSprague.com is FOUR! To celebrate, they’re throwing a HUGE Birthday Bash & Summer Sale. From June 13-26, you can save 20% off of every self-paced class (think Illustrator, hehe), and 35% off of ALL digital products. In addition, grab all 27 episodes of Jessica’s amazing Photoshop Friday tutorials for just $1 each before they’re retired on June 26! As part of the celebration, starting on June 24, you can participate in an incredible 47-person blog hop (including a great freebie from me!), picking up a sweet digital freebie at each stop! Best of all, on June 26 Jessica will be making a special announcement of a brand new class coming up in July. We only put our site on sale two times a year, so don’t miss out on this GREAT savings opportunity! For all the info on the Summer Sale, Photoshop Fridays, blog hop, and the new class, just click here!

Off to finish off my new pattern! Be in next week with my freebie!

Hugs! Carina

ABC Class Starts Today!

April 4, 2011 by carina

Today we start our second session of my ABC Inspiration Class. It’s fun celebration of our everyday lives in the forum of a digital scrapbooking album. I’m pretty excited to see what this new class comes up with!

Today must be “ABC” day because I also have a set of ABC Templates up in my digital scrapbooking shop. It’s 25% off (as all my new products are on Monday). I mention the templates because I recommend seeing my original blog post on these templates, which has a couple of yummy photos of the book I made.

Today I’m shipping out more of my new sewing pattern line. You’ll be able to purchase this line from your favorite online retailers pretty soon. We are hoping to have the list up by the end of this week. You should also see them at your local quilt shop within the month. Hip Hip Hooray!

Patience, patience

February 22, 2011 by carina 1 Comment

The “patience, patience” is more to myself than anyone else. Josh always has said I’m impatient.

I guess I am.

I’ve been dying to spill all the work that has been going on in my studio for the last month and a half. We have been busy, busy, busy putting together a line of children’s sewing patterns due out in the next month. Fingers crossed I will be able to officially let you in on all the good news, but for now, all I have are little peeks into the process.

Today we took photos for one of the patterns and the photo to the left is the little clutch that goes with the one of the dresses. Both of my girls have been playing with their versions today (Thankfully even the “sample” versions are still great play things for my girls.)

Somehow the photo shoot today has made me more excited than usual to “spill the beans” on this new venture.

___________________________________________________________________

Here’s a few things I’ve learned so far about the wonder of putting together sewing patterns:

* It takes a lot more time than I had any idea…by the time I have proofed it, Jamie’s proofed it, the printer’s proofed it, and then I have proofed it again…wow.
* I spend an awful lot of time looking for props for the photo shoots.
* Much longer than the actual photo shoot.
* I learned that it’s much better just to ask on facebook and the “ask and ye shall receive” effect happens.
* I combed antique shops for the eclectic tea set I put together for today’s photo shoot.
* You can barely see it in the final photo.
* I don’t care because I adore the silly set so much now.
* Antique shops make me think of more patterns I wish I had time to make, but don’t at the moment. Sigh.
* A flower shop has passed through my house.
* I have completely enjoyed having that many fresh flowers in my home.
* I have learned to easily tear apart my living room in 10 minutes or less and put it back together in the same amount of time.
* Siri likes it when I do this because it means she can use her roller blades in the only open space in the house.
* I can sew together samples faster than I had any idea I could at ridiculous hours into the night.
* I’m having so much fun that I’ve having a hard time pulling myself away from my sewing machine.
* Which means my house is a perpetual mess.
* And my studio is much worse.

Excited to show you more very soon!

XOXO, Carina

P.S. All the fans on my facebook page will be getting a new mini digi kit (yet to be revealed) once we hit 120o fans. Have you joined the page yet?

Here’s the Deal With $1 Wednesdays

January 12, 2011 by carina 3 Comments

So many of you know of and buy my digital products on JessicaSprague.com’s $1 Wednesdays. Some of you may be questioning the releases this week, and I thought I ought to offer an explanation. (Deep breath) So here it is:

This week, the new releases are items that have been released for $1 in the past. Why the re-do on the $1 kits? Because we have decided as a store that no new kits should be released on Wednesdays and that kits have to be at least 8 weeks old to hit the $1 Wednesday. However, I feel very committed to you folks who go out of your way to buy my new releases on Mondays. That’s part of the reason I put everything up for sale (25% off) on the day of the release and that’s also why I don’t release items on $1 Wednesday unless the product is AT LEAST 6 months old.

So if my Wednesdays look a little familiar for the next couple of months (or why I choose not to release anything at all), you’ll know why. Instead, I will choose to inundate you with fabulous digi products every Monday for 25% off! Oh ya, and we are starting a whole new round of Hybrid Projects for $1 on Fridays, so you can be looking for that!

And if you are wondering if these photos have anything to do with digital. I can tell you that indeed, they do not. This happened to be my project of the day (finally hanging some artwork in my bedroom). I even did a tiny sketch of a peony to add to the set. Now if only I could get around to sewing curtains…

Don’t forget to comment on the Love Nest post at a chance to win a little fabric!

The 2010 Carina Gardner Blog Summary

January 1, 2011 by carina

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

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

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

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

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

5 – My Chinese New Year Party revisited!

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

7 – My first Quilt Market! Back to Minneapolis!

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 – A quick ballet bag using Love Nest™.

15 – A Partridge Pattern

16 – A Merry Christmas to You!

Merry Christmas

December 19, 2010 by carina 8 Comments

This photo didn’t make it into the Dec- Jan newsletter, but I was looking through my hard drive to see what photos I had wisely put on it before my computer crashed a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, I’m really only missing 6 months of photos. Unfortunately, (you know what I’m going to say scrappers!) I lost 6 months of photos. Ah well.

Enough of that sad tale, I dropped into my blog to say I haven’t forgotten about you…I’ve just got so many lovely things happening that are very secret right now and I have to keep myself from spilling! Some things you already know: an Illustrator class coming out in a month (images of the projects should be up in a couple of weeks), Love Nest™ has been slowly arriving at my house waiting to be quilted (4 bolts and counting!), and a new quilt freshly drawn up (I’ll have it up for download during the month of January-think flags!). Oh, and so many other wonderful things…

In the meantime, I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit (give me a couple more days when all the present shopping is completely finished), drink a little hot chocolate, and cuddle with my girls in front the “The Grinch.” Just hoping I can keep from becoming one myself this year.

Happy Holidays! Carina

(Advent calendar made from Santa’s Sleigh digital kits).

It’s Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas

November 23, 2010 by carina

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

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

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

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

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

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

XOXO-Carina

Gobble Gobble

November 17, 2010 by carina

Lots of little pumpkins at my house for this little place card that I plan on making for my little family’s Thanksgiving. He’s perfectly pumpkin-ie, isn’t he? He also goes up for sale as Hybrid Project 3: Turkey Placecard at Jessica Sprague for just $1 on Friday. He’s perfectly good way to add a little “gobble” to your Thanksgiving table!

And if you haven’t had a chance, make sure you check on my digital store on Mondays (new releases) and Wednesdays ($1 day!). Today you can grab an 18 paper pack and my lovely Border set from Daisy Jane for just $1. It’s a great deal that comes around only once on my products so be sure and check it out!

Digital Products at Jessica Sprague.com

November 1, 2010 by carina 2 Comments

Today is the debut of three happy, little things. All good things come in three right? The first is the move of all my digital products to JessicaSprague.com. Yippee! You can now grab my classes and products all at one place. Easy peasy, don’t you think?

Speaking of classes, today there is a sneak peek of my Desktop Calendar Class. I’m so excited to finally announce this class since I have been working on it in hushed tones for the past several weeks! More on this class to come! Registration begins on November 8th.

Finally, it is Coquette™’s debut to digital scrapbooking today. Yes, that’s right! That lovely fabric line can now be purchased as digital paper and embellishments.

To make things even more fun, all of my November releases on Monday will be 25% off at Jessica Sprague (Hmmm, should I have said there were four, happy little things?). I think you’ll also like my new Hybrid Project Series that will begin this coming week on Fridays (Okay, make that 5 happy, little things!). The projects go on sale for only $1 on the Friday of their release. Check out my sneak peek above. Oh ya, and it comes with a png pillowbox template so you can make it with any paper you want (although the Coquette™ pillowboxes in the photo are also included as flattened jpgs).

Happy scrapping! XO-Carina

Haunted Giveaway Announced and Freebie!

October 11, 2010 by carina

I’m hopping on tonight to announce that the winner of the Haunted™ paper set is: #24 Amber Robbins. Email me at info@carinagardner.com, and I’ll send off that set! Congrats!

Two more things before I turn in for the night. First, Good Things Utah covered my Halloween line (Click on the picture on the right). Amber Packer has some awesome ideas when it comes to working with the line! Check them out on her blog here.

The second thing is that if you sign up for the newsletter, we are adding a digital scrapbooking freebie to the first issue (which will be sent out this weekend). Be sure and sign up for it here so you can get your free copy of my Little Princess Digi Kit. If you have never digi scrapbooked before, this is a great way to see the kinds of files and goodies you get in a kit. I’m also pretty partial to this kit because of my two little princesses.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about the newsletter. It’s almost done and my cup runneth over with happiness about how cute it is!

Jessica Sprague Highlighted on KSL’s Studio 5

August 28, 2010 by carina 2 Comments

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?

Designer Weekend Sale—Daisy Jane and Informed

June 23, 2010 by carina 2 Comments

Today is release day. I have a couple of new releases today (30% off today only), but my favorite is my Americana, which I made in honor of Independence Day.

If you’ve been looking for a digital scrapbooking sale from me, here it is! My designer sale going on this weekend at DHD. There will be a free kit (You’ll want to jump on and download it!), and two $1 kits. All of Daisy Jane and Informed with be 25% off on Saturday and Sunday ONLY.

I also have a special code for my blog readers! This coupon code is for 25% off the FRESH PICKED MEGA COLLECTION on Saturday and Sunday only! Your code at check out is: BLOGLOVECG

And finally, come join me for a chat in the DHD Scrap Room at 9am MST on Saturday, June 26th. If you’ve ever wanted to see the pure mayhem of chatting through a forum for 1 hour, you should come join in for it!

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?