Carina Gardner's Design Suite Review

At the end of October 2022, I came across a link for Carina Gardner's Design Bootcamp - a five-day live online course for those who wanted to learn how to design better to sell their designs online.  

I'd been thinking about selling on Etsy for a while but hadn't ever pulled the trigger.  I mean, yes, I'd designed lots of my own SVG files for cutting on my Cricut, and sold a few things to my friends, but I didn't have the confidence that other people would want to buy my stuff.  I thought, at the very least, I'd get a few pointers and maybe learn a thing or two how to design in Photoshop or something. 

I was not prepared for how quickly I felt like what this smiley, sweet, energetic woman was showing us was my destiny.  (Ok, yes, a little dramatic but really not that far off.)  Every day I couldn't wait until the next day's class, and I was wondering if there was more.  I don't remember if it was the third or fourth day, but Carina finally let us in on that answer...for those who want to learn more but not go "all in", she has a Design Suite University.  

But...those who want the whole shebang - the classes, the mentoring, the community - she offers Design Suite Mastermind, a one-year design mentorship with her.  I was IN!  

Oh - forgot to mention, Carina Gardner is The Real Deal.  She has several of her own wildly successful (and profitable, like six figures profitable) Etsy shops, a very successful fabric (and now wallpaper) design career, she has been a professor of design at a university, and she used to be the Creative Director for a VERY SUCCESSFUL and well-known scrapbook company.  

The Design Suite Mastermind program is O-VER-FLOW-ING with in depth instruction for everything from learning Adobe Illustrator, to learning how to design fabric or clip art or SVGs or digital papers or...you get the picture.  

An early SVG design - Tropical Flamingo Heart Grid

And then there are the weekly meetings.   LIVE Zoom meetings with Carina Gardner and all the other Design Suite Mastermind participants.  You can get help on how to do things, help with how to maximize your Etsy shop, and so much more - REAL ACTUAL HELP.  

Carina will also look over your designs, make suggestions on how to improve them, and even show you how to make the improvements, like in your actual file.  

And the Design Suite Mastermind community is AMAZING.  There are beginners, people who have been designers for years, people who make clip art & cut files, those who make physical products, people with laser cutting businesses, fine artists who digitize and sell their work, etc, etc, etc.  And I don't know how this happens but every single person is so nice, and happy to jump in and share their knowledge and insight and perspective.  This is invaluable, people!

I know I sound like an ad for the program, but honestly, I'd never put this "out there" if I didn't feel like it is 100% legit.  It truly has changed my life.  I went from someone who dabbles in crafting to calling myself a DESIGNER, and actually meaning it.  

A current best seller - Distressed Rainbow Butterfly Fade

I now have a very good understanding of Adobe Illustrator, I'm learning how to digitally draw and paint in Procreate, and feel like my Etsy shops are definitely on the right track.  

I opened my first Etsy shop, Heidi Myers Art, at the beginning of February 2023.

Heidi Myers Art Digital Downloads

I had my first sale exactly one month later.  Since then I've added over 200 designs and I've had almost 60 sales in four months - and the summer months are notoriously low sales for Etsy shops.  I've had six sales alone in the first six days of July!  I have no illusions, however, that it's going to take a while to build up the business.  But I have the confidence to know that all this work is going to pay off.  

I opened my second Etsy shop, Agent Ant, in March, because I wanted people to be able to purchase printed merchandise using the same designs from my digital shop if they didn't want to actually make them themselves.  I currently have over 400 designs available.

Agent Ant Printables

I'm currently having a third party print and ship my items but I think I'm going to be bringing the processes in house by the end of the month.  

My design on a stemless wine glass - Distressed Juicy Watermelon

I've also recently opened a fabric studio on Raspberry Creek Fabrics, Designs by Heidi Myers Art.

I currently have over 40 fabric designs listed, with LOTS more planned for fall and winter.  

Faded Old Glory Red White & Blue Streamers on Teal Base Fabric

I feel like I never could have done any of this on my own.  The education, mentorship, and community in Design Suite Mastermind has been invaluable.  

Click on the link for Carina Gardner's Design Suite Bootcamp above, or here, or on the sidebar, to see if it's something that might help you grow your design business, too.  You won't regret it.  (If you decide you do want to go for it, please use the links I've provided in this post.  These contain my personal affiliate code.)

Thanks for listening to me gush and toot my own horn!  

- heidi

It’s been 9 years since I blogged…

 My last blog post was in August of 2012. 

2012!

Honestly, I was surprised as hell to come across my blog. Kinda expected it to be gone, kwim?

Anyway, as expected over the course of 9 years, things change. I pretty much gave up scrapbooking and card making right around the same time as this blog. I abandoned my foray into mixed media, too.  But, in the process of relocating and downsizing my craft room, I rediscovered all the fun toys I used to use and it piqued my interest again.

Sooo…I don’t expect this blog to be on anyone’s radar anymore, but I feel like I need a place to post my newly reclaimed artistic journey, if only just for me. 

One thing I decided to do was to learn how to draw faces. I came across a mind blowing online art teacher, Karen Campbell of AwesomeArtSchool.com and began following her tutorials on how to draw faces. 

This is from a lesson on how to draw a braid, with the added bonus of being a 3/4 face. 

I’m mostly happy with it. Right now my biggest obstacles to overcome are making my girls’ jawlines less masculine, and I just can’t seem to scale down the eyes to human sized instead of fantastical anime sex kitten sized. 😂 

I used Derwent soft graphite pencils (H, 2B, & 3B) in a Strathmore sketch pad, with a generous assist from variously sized erasers. There were a few last minute touches with a black Stabilo All pencil and a Posca white marker. 

So, anyway, yeah. 

If for some reason you happen to land here, say hi!

Thanks for listening!!

💚heidi

It Starts Today!!!! So Excited!!!

Words. Words? Words! Part 1 - Words & Text as Narrative starts TODAY!!!!

Woooohooooo!!!!!

This class is chock full of ideas for how to jumpstart and creatively express your storytelling on any sort of paper craft, from layouts to cards to canvases to art journals and more. 

I would LOVE to have you join me!

BUY NOW!

;oD

A few sneak peeks of projects from the class:

And that's just Week 1!

♥Heidi

Words. Words? Words!

I'm am so excited to offer my next class over on The Art Studio @ Scrapbook News and Review.

It's called Words. Words? Words! - Part 1: Words & Text as Narrative.

Class starts this Friday, August 10. 

Seats are filling fast!

A little bit about the class:

The power of words.

A meandering, lyrical poem.

A heartfelt, handwritten note from mother to child.

One singular, inconsequential word on a page otherwise free of text.

A kaldeidoscopic, larger-than-life graffitied name whisking by on the side of a moving train.

A cacophony of type-print words spewed from one central point outward, overlapping and random in orientation.

Words can convey ideas and paint pictures through their meanings, rhythm, the way they’re shaped, the mediums in and on which they’re formed, their presentation, their singularity or their collection. They can make you see, feel and understand. They can uplift, enrage, devastate and comfort.

Much of art, whether it’s paper crafting, mixed media or fine art, exists as a vehicle for telling a story, born out of a blank page or canvas. A blankness that can be daunting. The trick is to know where to begin.

Over the course of four weeks, you’ll explore ways to use words and text as your palette for painting a story, first as narrative and then as art.

The first two weeks, in this class, you’ll focus on weaving words to spin your tale, whether it’s to document a child’s first haircut on a layout, to honor an anniversary on a card, to lay bare your deepest secrets in an art journal or to quip wittily on an ATC.

You’ll explore the who, what, when, where, how and why of journaling, and you’ll take away more than 15 ideas for storytelling sources. You’ll experiment with more than ten ways to play with your words to convey meaning, create mood and elicit emotion.

The final two weeks, in Words. Words? Words! Part 2, you’ll explore the use of words and text to create art just as you would use acrylic paints, ink, paper mache or other art mediums. Words will become both background and focal point. You’ll use text to create and enhance embellishments and you’ll identify 10 ways to mold words into foundations for your art. You’ll also create your own word art and you’ll begin to view everyday props as vehicles to exhibit and enhance your stories.

All along the way, you’ll be presented with numerous examples, samples and resources as well as encouraged to find your own voice, scour your own stash, and essentially mold the class to fit your needs.

Join me for the entire four weeks or just focus on the narrative or the art. Either way, you’ll walk away with an expanded storytelling toolbox you can apply to any type of paper and mixed media art.

Click the Buy Now button today to reserve your spot before the class fills up!

Hope to see you there!!!

♥Heidi

p.s.  Don't forget there are tons of other awesome classes over on The Art Studio, too.

Starting this Saturday is a class that I will be taking myself and I'm soooo excited!

Gesso: It's Not Just a Primer

This one is being taught by the very knowledgeable, super awesome Kate Koch.  She is an amazing teacher and you will not be disappointed.  As I said, I CANNOT wait to start this class.



Due to Popular Demand

Do to popular demand a second Mists: Not Just Point & Shoot class has been added!!!!

Classes for the first round started yesterday and it's going well!  Whew! 

I've got a full house and it's so much fun.   I'm so excited!

If you have a bunch of mists like me and want to discover more things to do with them beyond the normal "point & shoot" you need this class!!!

***

So we started school shopping today. 

I can't believe how long the supply lists are.  This is NOT going to be cheap. 

And I'm going to have to bring everything in with me in a wagon, there's so much.  Between the two classes I have to bring in FIVE reams of copy paper alone!!

***

Hope you are having a great weekend and staying cool. 

♥Heidi



Winner of a Free Mists: Not Just Point & Shoot Class

I am so excited to announce the winner of a free seat in my mists class starting tomorrow:

Mists: Not Just Point & Shoot

I decided there would be two winners because, well, only two people actually commented on the giveaway post.  LOL! 

Congratulations Sarah & Karen!!!!

Email me at hmyers@scrapbooknewsandreview.com and I'll get you set up for class.

I am so excited about the class starting tomorrow and am looking forward to sharing and learning along with all the people who have signed up.  It's going to be a rocking class!!!

I know I sound like a broken record but the class truly is almost full and there are only a few more hours to sign up.

If you're looking to have some fun with your mists, check out the sales page and hit that BUY NOW button!

♥Heidi

Very Happy Independence Day

We had a really great 4th of July.  It started out rainy.

Nothing like swimming in the rain!

The rainy day led to a reasonably cool evening.

Sparklers fun.

This was the first 4th of July I can remember ever where I wasn't drenched in sweat.  I know, TMI but trust me, it was amazing and enjoyable.

We got the kids a bunch of fireworks and there were at least 4 other neighborhoods all around us that had a ton of fireworks, too so it was awesome. 

And we could see the fireworks show from a nearby church from our backyard.  No fighting the crowds!

Hope you had a great day, too. 

And the goodness continued this morning.  Found both kids' coveted character backpacks, lunchboxes and water bottles (Skylanders and Monster High) which in and of itself rocked but then the lunchboxes were free with backpack purchase and the water bottles were buy one get one 50% off. 

Woohoo!!!!

Aaaannnnddddd my son FINALLY found the last Skylanders character we've been looking for since its release at the beginning of April.  I'm finally DONE with the DAILY trolling of the internet and stores for that bad boy and now it's on it's way...AND for cheaper than most stores' regular price. 

It's been a great couple days. 

It's the little things that just make your day, ya know?

Taking the girl to see Brave this afternoon. 

My first class debuts tomorrow and I'm so excited!!!!

Mists: Not Just Point & Shoot

Just a few more hours until I draw a name for a free spot in my class!!!  (6pm PST)

To enter, check out THIS POST.

All you need to do is comment to enter the drawing.

There are still a few seats left in the class, also.  It's going to be a full house and I'm so excited!! 

There is still time to hit that BUY NOW button and get in on the fun.

If you have mists and want to discover more ways to play with them other than just point and shoot on your backgrounds you NEED this class!  LOL!!!

Check out the description:

Mists. What’s not to love? But once you’ve sprayed a few pieces of cardstock, what do you with the other 90% of the bottle?

As a certified mist junkie, I know a thing or two about mists. I also have a large number of them and after awhile, the number of them outgrew the number of techniques I knew how to use with them. So I set out on a quest to find ways to use them and get some serious bang for my buck.

While I found a lot of great information, most of what I found were basic techniques that I had already figured out on my own. Occasionally, I came across something that piqued my interest and got me thinking in a new direction, but for the most part, I learned more techniques simply by playing and letting my imagination go wild.

I love the discovery process of trying everything I can think of and reveling over my successes and laughing at the things that went wrong. Even more, I love finding ways to rescue the things that went wrong and some of my best discoveries have come about this way.

When I decided to teach a class on mists, I knew I didn’t want to just cover the basics. While learning them is important, so is learning how to step outside the basics – and our own comfort zones – and learning how to take your skills to the next level.

I’ll still cover the basics, such as care and storage and spray patterns and color mixing, but we’ll also think outside the bottle and about ways to apply mists that you can’t accomplish with a measly spritz. Think bold splashes and oozy drips and you’ll have an idea of what I’m talking about.

My ultimate goal for the class is to have you push the limits on everything you can do with mists, including using them on surfaces you may not have thought of, using common tools such as paint brushes and brayers and spatulas in different ways, pairing them with basic scrapbook supplies such as stencils and masks and chipboard and rub-ons in interesting ways, as well as using them to up the wow factor on paints and gels and pastes and glues.

After taking Mists: Beyond Point and Shoot, they’ll no longer be mere sparkly splutters of color buried beneath your “real” embellishments. And you won’t want to make another layout or card or mixed media project without reaching for them. In the end, you’ll learn how to take your misting craftiness from ordinary to center stage, steal the show, in-your-face, colorific extraordinary.

Ready to step outside the bounds of basic misting? Click the Buy Now button, gather your supplies and get ready to learn a plethora of techniques and how to throw down the misty goodness on oodles of layouts, cards and mixed media projects. See you there!

Again, hope you all have a great day!!!!

♥Heidi

Time To Fly

Supplies Cardstock: The Paper Company; Metal & Acrylic Charms: Laliberi; Mist Ink: Lindy's Stamp Gang; Pen: Faber-Castell; Markers: Copic; Stencil: The Crafter's Workshop

This is one of my favorite layouts of last year.  I created it for the EK Success Laliberi event on Scrapbook News and Review last December. 

These gorgeous clouds are made with mists!!!!  The colors make me drool.  I wish you could see this IRL because they are also wonderfully sparkly.  I ♥ Lindy's Stamp Gang mists.

I also colored in the metal dragonfly wings with mists.

The clouds were brought to mind today because we're expecting rain the next two days.  My kids are heartbroken because they're wondering what will happen to the fireworks tomorrow night.  We also bought a giant box of fireworks from Sam's Club and they've been dreaming of playing with them all week.  I just keep reminding them it may not be raining (hopefully) once it gets dark tomorrow night. 

Do you have any cool 4th of July plans?

***

Want to learn how to create cool misty creations like the ones I've been sharing in the last couple weeks?

My Mists: Not Just Point & Shoot class on The Art Studio @ Scrapbook News and Review will open this Friday, July 6. 

It's 2 weeks of fun ideas for ways to use your giant stash (oh, you KNOW you have one) of ink mists beyond the traditional point & shoot it at your layouts or cards. 

The class is almost full.  Hit that Buy Now button soon to get in on the fun.

And don't worry if you'll be on vacation during part of the class.  It won't be difficult to get caught up with the class and you'll have access to the classroom and videos forever. 

***

Don't forget to get in your chance to win a seat in my class, too.

I'm giving away a spot HERE.

My friend Julie is giving away a spot HERE.

***

And speaking of Julie, she's also giving away a seat in my Words. Words? Words! - Words & Text as Art class over on LESSology this month!

Just play along with their fun challenge #16 Bubble Boy or Girl and get your creative on with bubble wrap. 

Have a great day!

♥Heidi

Patriotic Mist

Supplies Cardstock, Patterned Paper, Letter Stickers, Metal Accents, Stamp: We R Memory Keepers; Mist Inks: Ranger, Tattered Angels; Glossy Accents: Ranger;  Pens: Sakura, Stampin Up; Masks: Advantus, The Crafter's Workshop

Getting patriotic with my mists today with the 4th of July coming up soon. 

I made this layout for the We R Memory Keepers event on Scrapbook News and Review last summer.  I have to say their Yankee Doodle line is one of my favorite of all times.  So much fun to work with. 

Do you do anything special for the 4th of July?  It's so darn hot here, even at 9:00 at night,  that we don't usually venture out to brave the crowds to see fireworks, even though I love fireworks.  There's a show nearby our house and while we can't see the lower ones, we still try to catch the show from our backyard. 

***

Getting so excited, my Mists - Not Just Point & Shoot class is getting closer!  Only one week away!!  The class is filling up quickly so if you are interested in taking it grab your spot soon. 

Don't forget I'm giving away a spot, also.  Check out THIS POST to enter. 

And a couple of my good friends are also giving away chances to win.

Diana's drawing ends tonight so get on over there to comment asap!

Julie's drawing runs through July 5. 

Thanks, my Sketchy Girls, for your support!

Have a great weekend!  Try to stay cool.

♥Heidi

Giveaways & Mist-y Fun

Supplies Cardstock: The Paper Company; Patterned Paper, Wood Shape, Stamp, Mist Ink: Studio Calico; Linen Thread: Stampin Up; Ink: Ranger; Pouring Medium: Liquitex; Pen: Faber-Castell

More misty fun for you...this one was made for the Studio Calico event on the Scrapbook News and Review forum last year. 

Again, showing examples of some out of the box ways to use mist inks beyond point & shoot. 

We'll explore stuff like this and more in my new class:

Mists: Not Just Point & Shoot. 

The class, available for purchase now on The Art Studio @ Scrapbook News and Review, was born of my obsession with mist inks.  I'd begun to wonder what to do with all that inky goodness I'd been enthusiastically collecting other than spraying it on layouts. 

I'm a HUGE believer in playing with your crafty toys.  Who says things must always be used only for their original purpose?  So I played and discovered lots of fun ways to use that liquid treasure. 

Class starts July 6th.  You can BUY NOW until July 5th.  Class size IS limited so don't delay!

In case you missed my post this weekend, I'm giving away a spot in the class.  See THIS POST for more information. 

AND...

Some of my fave crafty girls, and my partners in Sketchy Thursdays crime, are also giving away seats in the class.  Check them out and leave them some love!

Diana - Design by Diana

Julie - Life with the Tucker and Wolek Clan

I miss these girls something fierce and don't get to chat with them near as often as I'd like anymore. 

So, tell me...what's your favorite mist ever? 

♥Heidi

It's Here! The Art Studio @ SNR is Here!!!! GIVEAWAY!!!!!

I'm so excited to officially announce the opening of The Art Studio at Scrapbook News and Review!!!! 

The Art Studio is an online classroom where students of all styles and skill sets have access to a variety of classes for all styles and skill sets.  :oD  There are classes in scrapbooking, card making and stamping, mixed media art, mini albums and ones that span all areas. 

I am SOOO excited to be an instructor for The Art Studio.  I have so many classes planned - some for beginners, some for intermediate crafters, some scrapbooking, some card making and stamping, some mixed media and many that combine all three. 

First up is my mists class:

Click HERE for more information or to Buy Now! 

Mists. What’s not to love? But once you’ve sprayed a few pieces of cardstock, what do you with the other 90% of the bottle?

As a certified mist junkie, I know a thing or two about mists. I also have a large number of them and after awhile, the number of them outgrew the number of techniques I knew how to use with them. So I set out on a quest to find ways to use them and get some serious bang for my buck.

While I found a lot of great information, most of what I found were basic techniques that I had already figured out on my own. Occasionally, I came across something that piqued my interest and got me thinking in a new direction, but for the most part, I learned more techniques simply by playing and letting my imagination go wild.

I love the discovery process of trying everything I can think of and reveling over my successes and laughing at the things that went wrong. Even more, I love finding ways to rescue the things that went wrong and some of my best discoveries have come about this way.

When I decided to teach a class on mists, I knew I didn’t want to just cover the basics. While learning them is important, so is learning how to step outside the basics – and our own comfort zones – and learning how to take your skills to the next level.

I’ll still cover the basics, such as care and storage and spray patterns and color mixing, but we’ll also think outside the bottle and about ways to apply mists that you can’t accomplish with a measly spritz. Think bold splashes and oozy drips and you’ll have an idea of what I’m talking about.

My ultimate goal for the class is to have you push the limits on everything you can do with mists, including using them on surfaces you may not have thought of, using common tools such as paint brushes and brayers and spatulas in different ways, pairing them with basic scrapbook supplies such as stencils and masks and chipboard and rub-ons in interesting ways, as well as using them to up the wow factor on paints and gels and pastes and glues.

After taking Mists: Not Just Point and Shoot, they’ll no longer be mere sparkly splutters of color buried beneath your “real” embellishments. And you won’t want to make another layout or card or mixed media project without reaching for them. In the end, you’ll learn how to take your misting craftiness from ordinary to center stage, steal the show, in-your-face, colorific extraordinary.

Ready to step outside the bounds of basic misting? Click the Buy Now button, gather your supplies and get ready to learn a plethora of techniques and how to throw down the misty goodness on oodles of layouts, cards and mixed media projects. See you there!  Class registration is limited so grab your spot today.

Class starts July 6!!!

To celebrate the grand opening of The Art Studio and my very first class I'm giving away a seat in my Mists - Not Just Point & Shoot class, a $29.99 value. 

I'll give you one entry for commenting on this post.

You can get a second entry if you are also a follower.

You can get a third entry for putting up the class picture with link to this post on your blog sidebar.   Spread the love!   Leave another comment with a link to your blog.

You can get a fourth entry for blogging about this giveaway.  Leave another comment with a direct link to your post.

And you can get a fifth entry for posting about this giveaway on Facebook.  Leave another comment with a link to the FB post.

Whew!  That's 5 opportunities to win a seat in my upcoming Mists class!!!!! 

I will do a random draw for the winner at 6pm PST on Thursday, July 5.  (If  the winner has already purchased the class, I'll refund their money.)

Don't forget to check out The Art Studio site.  There are so many classes and awesome instructors there is sure to be something to tickle your creative fancy!  I know there are A TON of classes I'm excited to take.

Hope to see you over there!!!

♥Heidi