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