About this podcast
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
The newest 50 of 618 episodes
- Episode 592 Starting A Business with Siser North America · 27 minCarina talks to Patrick Ali about Siser North America, crafting products, and die cutting machines. Learn more at https://www.siserna.com Learn more about course, degrees, and…
- Episode 591 How To Become An Untouchable Designer · 18 minCarina started thinking about how to make herself “untouchable” as she started her design business. In this episode, she talks about how she is thinking about it now and the six…
- Episode 590 Makeshift Crafters with Brittany Naylor · 34 minCarina talks to Brittany Naylor who owns Makeshift Crafts in Colorado. Her cozy crafting center blew up the first year it was in business. Between workshops and her retail space…
- Episode 589 Ten UnHinged Things I Did at the University of Arts and Design · 26 minCarina talks about the ten UnHinged things she implemented when she started the University of Arts & Design. Determined to do online school differently, these things are what…
- Episode 588 The Craft Industry Revolution with Darrin Stern · 30 minCarina talks to Darrin Stern about H + H Americas and the craft industry. Learn more about how tradeshows are changing in the craft and quilting industry in today’s episode…
- Episode 587 Seven UnHinged Things I Did To Start A Design Business · 31 minReady to start your design business? Carina talks about the seven unhinged things she did to get started and helped her win. Learn more about course, degrees, and our new…
- Episode 586 Foundational Paper Piecing and Fabric with Liza Taylor · 12 minCarina talks to fellow Riley Blake designer Liza Taylor about her membership, books, and foundational paper piecing blocks. Her sweet style and quilt block design will delight…
- Episode 585 The Homemade Rebellion · 11 minThe Etsy states from 2025 and 2026 will tell you a lot of about the state of the crafting industry and it’s not what you think. Carina shares the data and what it means for…
- Episode 584 Laser Machines and Quilting with Melodie Harding · 23 minCarina talks to Melodie Harding about her innovative stencils. Learn more about a business owner who is making her own designs, how she markets them, and what it takes to start a…
- Episode 583 From Doodles To Design with Amy Latta · 22 minCarina talks to Andover designer Amy Latta about her doodles, books, and more recent fabric collections. This is a cut from an hour-long interview Carina did with Amy for the…
- Episode 582 Taste Is The Product · 11 minToday it’s about dishing the tea on Figma and the 18% Lie. Everyone assumes that AI is eating design jobs, but the data says otherwise. Learn more in today’s episode. Learn more…
- Episode 581 Fresh Starts · 11 minCarina talks about the power of creating your own fresh start. Jumping into something new requires several “new” things including environment, objects, and people. Learn more…
- Episode 580 Collaborative Design with Brooke Shankland · 20 minCarina talks to Art Gallery Fabric designer Brooke Shankland about her collaborative design group, quilt design, and so much more. This is a cut from an hour-long interview…
- Episode 579 Your Blue Bowl · 10 minWhat is your ‘blue bowl’? The thing that makes your design or art business unique and memorable? Carina talks about how you should be creating your ‘blue bowl’ business so that…
- Episode 578 Founding the Craft Industry Alliance with Abby Glassenberg · 21 minCarina talks to Craft Alliance Industry Founder Abby Glassenberg about starting an association, the benefits it offers, and business advice to new business owners. This is a cut…
- Episode 577 The Most Unglamorous Part of Sewing · 11 minCarina has been quilting a lot recently and has been reflecting on the parts of sewing she doesn’t really love and how it relates to the parts of a design business that are hard…
- Episode 576 Charm Bracelet Reflections · 9 minHave you ever made a charm bracelet too fill, too big, or too tight? Carina talks about how building a charm bracelet is a lot like building your art or design business. Learn…
- Episode 575 Layers to a Fabric Business with Jill Finley · 19 minCarina talks to fellow Riley Blake fabric designer Jill Finely. Learn how Jill works in fabric, retreats, notions, and so much more! This is a cut from an hour long interview…
- Episode 574 Being Brave with Amy Smart From UAD's DES 610 Course · 19 minCarina hosts Amy Smart for an indepth interview on starting and running a business for her DES 610 Creative Perspectives Course. This is a 15 minute cut from that interview for…
- Episode 573 Learning By Doing · 12 minCarina has never believed in waiting until you feel ready. In this episode she talks about learning by doing, and why the creatives who just start making things beat the ones who…
- Episode 572 The Old Trout, The Young Trout, and the Salmon · 14 minThere's an old Aesop fable about an old trout, a young trout, and a salmon. In this episode Carina connects it to where designers really are with AI right now, and what it means…
- Episode 571 The Series of Lucky Coincidences and Tiny Decisions That Led To Me Becoming A Designer · 24 minCarina didn’t start out with a desire to become a designer. In this episode she walks through the lucky coincidences and tiny decisions that changed her whole direction, and why…
- Episode 570 Here What You Need To Know About the State of The Design Industry Right Now · 17 minIs design still worth it? Is AI about to take it all? Carina pulled some research along with her own AI experience to tell you what the state of the industry looks like right…
- Episode 569 How Julianna Hukill Combined Quilting and Scrapbooking · 20 minCarina Gardner caught up with Julianna Hukill at H+H Americas in Chicago. Julianna is an MFA student at the University of Arts & Design, and she is bringing scrapbooking ideas…
- Episode 568 Broadcasting From H + H Americas · 9 minCarina shares some of her thoughts from the Creator Studio at H + H Americas in Chicago May 2026. Learn more about the craft industry and university updates! Learn more about the…
- Episode 567 How One Small Tip Tripled Barbie Mills' Business | H+H Americas 2026 · 33 minCarina Gardner sits down with Barbie Mills, founder of the Quilting Mill, at H+H Americas 2026 in Chicago. Barbie has been longarm quilting since 2012 and designs modern digital…
- Episode 565 University of Arts and Design Masterclass: What No One Tells You About Starting a Design Business · 24 minJoin Carina today in this special episode where she talks about the 3 Gaps for designers, the three things no one tells you, and the research behind design and business…
- Episode 564 Don't Let Them Fool You. Everything is Always Changing. · 9 minBe wary of anyone who gives you a strategy and tells you it always works because if there is one thing Carina has learned it is that everything changes. Today Carina is at the H…
- Episode 563 Book Club From Sweet Life of A Designer Summit · 37 minPulled from our March Sweet Life of A Designer Summit, this youtube live features some of our presenters “Favorite Books.” Watch the full video at…
- Episode 562 Updates At The University of Arts & Design · 11 minCarina gives you some updates from the University of Arts & Design. As we approach the 2 years anniversary of the university, Carina talks about some of the discoveries and…
- Episode 561 Favorite Things From Sweet Life of A Designer Summit · 60 minPulled from our March Sweet Life of A Designer Summit, this youtube live features some of our presenters “Favorite Things.” Watch the full video at…
- Episode 560 The Anatomy of A Product That Sells · 11 minCarina breaks down the 9 essential elements in The Anatomy of a Product That Sells and shows you how to elevate your design products. Links to help new designers: What’s New…
- Episode 559 How To Do A Spring Edit of Your Shops · 10 minEach spring, Carina conducts a “spring edit” across her shops. In today’s episode, she shares how she approaches it and what she chooses to do and not do to keep the process…
- Episode 558 4 Lessons I Learned About Design Leadership · 18 minCarina is currently teaching a Design Leadership class at the University of Arts & Design, which has prompted her to reflect on the lessons she has learned as a leader. Learn…
- 557 The Key 3 Things Who Are Winning Are Doing · 10 minWinning is rarely about talent, luck, or working more hours. In this episode, we break down the three things consistently happening behind the scenes for creatives and…
- 556 Build Your Own Defined Design Process · 12 minMost creatives think productivity comes from working harder or longer. In this episode, we flip that idea on its head. A defined design process is what creates clarity, momentum…
- Episode 555 Business Breakthroughs with Elizabeth Chappell · 22 minCarina’s guest Elizabeth Chappell is the founder of Quilter’s Candy. She helps creatives write sewing patterns and build their businesses. She talks about the pivots she made in…
- Episode 554 How YOU Need to Transform To Become Who You Want To Be · 14 minTransformation is not just about changing habits. It is about changing how you see yourself. In this episode, we explore what real transformation actually requires and why most…
- Episode 553 Real Confessions of What Is Happening With Design Suite and the University of Arts & Design · 20 minThis is a transparent and reflective episode about what is truly happening behind the scenes at Design Suite and the University of Arts & Design. Carina talks honestly about…
- Episode 552 The Simple Truth About Owning A Business · 9 minOwning a business is often portrayed as freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment, but the reality is more nuanced. In this episode, Carina talks honestly about what business…
- Episode 551 Clarity Over Creativity · 10 minCreativity often gets all the attention, but clarity is what actually moves ideas forward. In this episode, Carina explores why clarity matters more than creativity when you are…
- Episode 550 Attention is Limited · 19 minDesigners often think they need more talent, better tools, or the perfect strategy. But what if the real issue is attention? In this episode, we explore why attention is one of…
- Episode 549 Dishing the Tea with Lori Whitlock · 55 min · Season 1 Episode 549Carina has fellow designer Lori Whitlock on to talk about Japan and design! Learn how both of us started our businesses! You can watch the entire episode at…
- Episode 548 Goal Setting Made Simple · 11 min · Season 1 Episode 548Carina walks you through simple ways to make goal planning productive. Sometimes we overcomplicate the process of creating goals and this episode makes it feel easy and fun! Get…
- Episode 547 Real Results from a University of Arts & Design Student Brenna Powell · 40 min · Season 1 Episode 547Carina talks with Brenna Powell about lessons learned from Design Suite and now as a University of Arts & Design student. These are lessons every designer can relate to! Learn…
- Episode 546 Your Year of Intention · 16 min · Season 1 Episode 546Carina talks about her new book The Intentional Design Year released last month. She goes over how to use it and her free gift to you. Enjoy the digital version of the book for…
- 545 - A Sneak Peek At Our Family Life During the Holidays · 17 min · Season 1 Episode 545Carina opens up about where she has been, what her family does during the holiday season and more! If you like Carina’s personal antidotes on how she does her life, you will love…
- 544 - Four-C Model of Creativity · 8 min · Season 1 Episode 544Ever wonder what makes everyday creativity different from the genius of Picasso or Einstein? In this episode, I break down the Four-C Model of Creativity—Mini-c, Little-c, Pro-c…
- 543 - End of Year Tribute to Lindsay Bowerman · 25 min · Season 1 Episode 543As the year comes to a close, Carina reflects on the loss of a few dear friends. Among them is the wonderful Lindsay Bowerman, a cherished member of the University of Arts &…
- 542 - Is AI Cutting Down Idea Diversity? The Troubling Results of One Study · 9 min · Season 1 Episode 542Do you think AI can make you more creative? Actually, according to a new study, AI can enhance individual creativity. The side effect? It reduces novel ideas for society or…
