Make and Design with Carina Gardner

While most of the time Carina is talking about design on this podcast, she also likes to MAKE the things she designs. Here are 3 fun crafts that will be fun for you over the holiday season! I hope you have a chance to make these recommendations!   __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY   ____...

Aha moments are important moments in time where if you implement the idea, you can completely change the trajectory of your life. Carina tells you a simple story of when a simple aha moment changed something that made her life a little easier.    These small (or big) aha’s have the ability to make your life easier or better. Take them and figure out how to move your design career forward!   ______...

Carina talks with Elizabeth Chappell who is the owner of a membership program for quilters. Get the inside scoop as Carina and Elizabeth dig deep about creative businesses and memberships. Elizabeth talks about how she got into quilting and how spawned her quilting membership.   You can learn more about Elizabeth Chappell and her membership at https://quilterscandy.com/   __________ Download Carin...

It’s Carina’s birthday, and Carina is celebrating by giving you permission to celebrate the way you need to in this season. It is the opening of the holiday season and many of us put a lot of pressure on ourselves and forget to spend time celebrating with loved ones.    __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer here: http://e...

Carina welcomes fellow Riley Blake designer Gracey Larson onto the show to talk about her new fabric line “Beneath the Western Skies.” Carina and Gracey talk about the creation of the line and the patterns in it. To see actual fabric samples, please visit this episode on youtube at www.youtube.com/carinagardner .   You can find Gracey Larson on instagram at @burlapandblossompatterns and at her sit...

Carina talks about how gratitude changed her attitude about life. Filling your heart with an abundance mentality can do wonders for your design work and daily life. Learn more about how gratitude can create unforeseen changes that will help you in your work and personal endeavors.    __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer...

It’s Thanksgiving and Carina takes a short break from talking about design in favor of Thanksgiving Tradition. Join her for this lighthearted episode about gratitude and an American traditional holiday.   __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY   __________ About Carina Gardner: Carina Gardner...

Design isn’t just about knowing the software. So much of design is about how efficient you are as a designer. In this episode, Carina helps you think about creating tactical ways to create a better workflow for your design business. A better workflow leads to more dollars in the bank so you will not want to miss these tips!   __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You...

Burnout is a real thing in today’s design world. Especially as markets FEEL more competitive, designers find it difficult to be creative under pressure. If you have been feeling burned out, it can be due to a number of different factors. Identifying those factors and using Carina’s five tips will help you deal with burnout in this not-to-be-missed episode.   __________ Download Carina’s free guide...

Today Carina is talking with fellow Riley Blake designer Jill Finley! Jill hosts wonderful quilting retreats for women. Jill talks about these events, sewing, and the details of her wonderful retreats.   You can find Jill at www.jillilystudio.com and on Instagram at @jillilystudio. Pre-order her book at https://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/Jillily-Studio-Quilted-Hugs-Book .    __________ Download Car...

In a world where there are so many designers and everything seems so saturated, you may wonder if the world needs your designs or even your style. Carina talks about how the niches and markets DO need what you have to offer.   Part of your power as a designer is continuing to niche down and find markets and styles that are undiscovered and unexploited. Learn more in today’s podcast.   __________ D...

The Holidays can be a busy time and sometimes it helps to put some thought into how we’ll show up for them to make sure that we’re there for the important things. In today’s episode, Carina shares her thoughts on “showing up” for the Holidays.    __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY   _____...

Today’s episode of Make + Design features guest star Christopher Thompson, an amazing fabric designer who works as the Director of Product Marketing at Riley Blake Designs. Christopher and Carina share stories about growing up working on tie quilts with their families. Join us for Christopher’s wonderful stories and insights into his new fabric line at Riley Blake, Saturday in Paris.    __________...

Ever wondered how new designers typically get a contract with a fabric manufacturer? On today’s episode of Make + Design, Carina tells the hilarious story of how she did everything wrong in getting her first fabric contract. What she tells us provides a lot of insight into how you can do it the right way to win your first fabric contract. __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody...

Do you ever wonder if your niche–the stuff that you like–is too narrow to be commercially viable for design? Carina is joined by seamstress and expert designer April Cobb on today’s episode of Make + Design. April and Carina answer the question of whether a niche is too “nichey” as they discuss their love of the TV show Gilmore Girls and April’s amazing Gilmore-Girls-inspired fabric line. Find out...

By now you’ve probably heard of Carina’s Design Boot Camp and Design Suite programs. On today’s episode of Make + Design, Carina peels back a few layers of the onion to give us some insight into why she created these programs and how these programs can help you level up as a designer.    __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Desig...

What’s more effective? Planning daily or planning weekly? Time Management expert Megan Summrell joins Carina on today’s episode to give you some surprising answers to those questions. Megan walks through the basics of her Top Planner system to show you how to become more efficient. Thanks, Megan! __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Patt...

Have you ever wondered whether you’re a “creative”? Carina gets right to the question she always asks to find out if someone is a creative. Find out what Carina’s magical question is and how the answer to it will help you determine if you have what it takes to learn the skills you need to learn to become a designer! __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Bec...

Design Suite Member Diane Rooney has had an amazing transformation in the Design Suite program. She has opened multiple shops and is working towards creating a full time income as a designer. Learn more in this episode about how Design Suite can change the trajectory of your life in more than just design!   __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a S...

On today’s episode of Make + Design, Carina talks about the one thing you need to get started as a designer. Those missing this one ingredient will never get started, will never level up as a designer, and will never have the success they could have if they do it. Tune in to find out what it is! __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Patte...

Carina talks with fellow RIley Blake designer Melanie Collette about her new fabric line Primrose Hill. Watch Carina’s youtube channel to see the fabric samples they discuss during their conversation at www.youtube.com/carinagardner . During their talk, Melanie dives into her inspiration for her new line and reasons she chose certain colors. If you like fabric, you will love this conversation!   F...

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed with all of the things on your to do list? Carina gets vulnerable in today’s episode to tell us about a recent experience she had that *really* stressed her out. Tune in to find out the three questions that Carina asks herself to help her sit with her feelings and discover what she needs to do to overcome the onset of panic.    __________ Download Carina’s...

Carina talks again with her friend Emily Taylor about her upcoming books, projects, and her 70-2-0-10 rule. Listen in to find out what 70-20-10 means and why Emily has become known for her beautiful collage quilts and quilting techniques.   __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY   __________...

Bonnie and Audrey talk with Carina about finding Creative Time as moms. Between the two of them, these women have 19 children so finding time is an impressive feat! Learn some tactical ways to find that time from these two brilliant women.   __________ Download Carina’s free guide: The 7 Tips Nobody Will Tell You About Becoming a Surface Pattern Designer here: http://eepurl.com/dN2RcY   __________...

Do you like to give your friends and loved ones crafty creations for birthdays and holidays? On today’s episode of Make + Design, originally published in October 2021, Carina talks about how to map out and plan your projects so that you get them done before the holiday you need them for! Carina loves the holidays and loves getting ready for them with lots of pretty creations! Tune in to see how sh...