

Make and Design with Carina Gardner
Carina Gardner
Carina Gardner, Ph.D. unravels the everyday joys and dilemmas of design, making, and business. This inside scoop into fabric design, paper design, die cut design, and crafting will help bring more creativity and joy in your life. Carina Gardner is the founder and CEO of the University of Arts & Design. She was the Creative Director of Cartabella Paper Co. and MiniLou. She has designed everything from dishware, sewing patterns to bracelets under her brand. She currently designs fabric for Riley Blake Designs and die cutting files for Silhouette while teaching other designers how to create meaningful businesses with their design work.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 16, 2022 • 11min
Episode 105 Coming Soon with Jill Finley
On today’s episode of Make and Design, Carina is joined by fabric designer Jill Finley of Jillily Studio, who tells us what inspired her to make her new fabric line for kids. You’ll want to check the YouTube channel on this one so that you can see the fabric! (https://www.youtube.com/user/carinagardner/videos) Jill’s fabric line and a book about how she made it, called “Quilted Hugs,” will be released by Riley Blake in March! 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 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program, Design Bootcamp, here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Feb 14, 2022 • 11min
Episode 104 Loving Your Style
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Carina shares some tips about learning to LOVE *your* style. Carina shares how her style has shifted over the years and how leaning into your current style fills your work with authenticity. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program, Design Bootcamp, here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Feb 11, 2022 • 10min
Episode 103 How I Have Used Journaling To Take My Design Work to the Next Level
Designers, take note–literally! In this episode of Make and Design, Carina shares how she uses journaling to map out her big ideas and make them happen. She also goes into specific detail about how to plan and map out a project that’s an entire collection of related pieces. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program, Design Bootcamp, here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Feb 9, 2022 • 10min
Episode 102 5 Favorite Softwares I'm Using Right Now
What programs do you use as a designer? In today’s episode, listen in as Carina Gardner chats about her top five favorite design tools that she uses to run her business. If you’d like to learn Adobe Illustrator, check out the replay from Carina’s Illustrator Whiz Workshop from January at https://www.carinagardnercourses.com/illustratorwhiz. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program, Design Bootcamp, here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Feb 7, 2022 • 13min
Episode 101 Why It Isn't All About the Glory
In this episode, Carina Gardner explains why a designer's online persona isn’t always indicative of a successful brand. Hint: becoming a great designer is better than having a big online following every time. Tune in to find out why! __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program Design Bootcamp here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Feb 4, 2022 • 10min
Episode 100 It's My 100th Episode! Let's Talk About Milestones
We finally reached the 100th episode! Today, Carina Gardner will talk about milestones and the important role that they play in our daily lives. Learn more about Carina as she shares a story about the achievements that have changed her life for the better. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program Design Bootcamp here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Feb 2, 2022 • 12min
Episode 99 First We Have to Crawl to Walk
Struggling with instant gratification? In this episode, Carina Gardner dives into the time that it takes to learn new skills. In the long run, patience and perseverance will help you develop the tools that you need to be successful as a designer. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program Design Bootcamp here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Jan 31, 2022 • 14min
Episode 98 Morning Routine Run Down
Looking for the perfect way to start your day? In this episode, Carina Gardner talks about her morning routine and how it has helped her succeed in life and in business. With the right plan in place, you can plan your day with intention and purpose. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program Design Bootcamp here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Jan 28, 2022 • 12min
Episode 97 Why Liking A Lot of Different Mediums Can Make You Win Faster
Trying to find the right niche on social media? You don’t need to stick to one medium in order to be successful. In this episode, Carina talks about the benefits of using different mediums to express your creativity. Learn how to use social media to expand your audience, no matter what you are sharing! __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program, Design Bootcamp, here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional

Jan 26, 2022 • 26min
Episode 96 Broadway and Mini Quilts with The Tattoo Quilter Christopher Thompson
What do Broadway and Riley Blake have in common? Christopher Thompson, the Tattoo Quilter, joins us to talk about his recent move to New York City and the experiences that have informed his career. __________ 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 is a fabric designer, paper designer, and design educator who is passionate about helping other designers fulfill their creative dreams by teaching them her strategies for making money as a designer. She has a Ph.D. in Design and taught design at the University of Minnesota before starting Carina Gardner, Inc. Carina Gardner, Inc design brand has been featured in dish ware, holiday decor, sewing patterns, and more. Her exclusive Design Suite Program helps creatives make money designing as they learn to design. Her programs include Illustrator and Photoshop training, surface pattern design, paper design, Silhouette & Cricut file design, and running a design business. She started the Make and Design Podcast so that she could share inspiration, stories, and experiences about design and life with crafters and designers. Find out more at https://www.carinagardner.com Check out her most popular program Design Bootcamp here: http://www.carinagardnercourses.com/designbootcamp Watch this episode as a video at https://www.makeanddesign.com/Get my free gift to you here: https://www.designsuitecourses.com/intentional


