Make and Design with 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
578 episodes
Episode 551 Clarity Over Creativity
Creativity 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 building meaningful work, making decisions, and leading a business...
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9:31
Episode 550 Attention is Limited
Designers 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 your most limited creative resources and how splitting it bet...
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18:27
Episode 549 Dishing the Tea with Lori Whitlock
Carina 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 youtube.com/carinagardner<...
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Season 1
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Episode 549
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55:10
Episode 548 Goal Setting Made Simple
Carina 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 Carina’s new bookThe Intentional Design...
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Season 1
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Episode 548
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11:13
Episode 547 Real Results from a University of Arts & Design Student Brenna Powell
Carina 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 more about Brenna on all her feeds at crafting w...
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Season 1
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Episode 547
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39:55
Episode 546 Your Year of Intention
Carina 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 free for 1 month at
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Season 1
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Episode 546
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16:09
545 - A Sneak Peek At Our Family Life During the Holidays
Carina 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 this very Christmasy episode!Links to help n...
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Season 1
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Episode 545
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16:40
544 - Four-C Model of Creativity
Ever 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, and Big-C—and explore how each level shows up in our lives. Fr...
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Season 1
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Episode 544
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7:31
543 - End of Year Tribute to Lindsay Bowerman
As 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 & Design Advisory Council, whom Carina interviewed back in 2022. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 543
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25:02
542 - Is AI Cutting Down Idea Diversity? The Troubling Results of One Study
Do 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 entire groups. Learn more in today’s episode.Links...
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Season 1
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Episode 542
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8:54
541 - Abundance Thinking + A Book Recommendation
Carina talks about abundance and gratitude at this time of year. She also talks a little bit about a book she has been recently reading called The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli and having a growth mindset.Links to...
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Season 1
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Episode 541
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11:46
540 - Pulling Back the Curtain on Virtual Conferences
Carina’s team have been doing Virtual Conferences for almost 5 years and Carina tells you some of the things they do in these 5 hour meetings for Design Suite and the University of Arts & Design. Get the inside scoop on what happens on t...
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Season 1
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Episode 540
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10:38
Episode 539 - Lessons I Recently Learned From a Plumber
Carina talks about an experience she had with a plumber who recently came to do some work on her Barn. The experience was interesting and left her wondering how we as designers show up for our clients.Links to help n...
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Season 1
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Episode 539
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14:28
Episode 538 - Julie Thompson’s Gluten-Free Breakthrough with Foundations Built from Design Suite
Sometimes designers come to me to create other types of businesses. Learn how our own coach Julie Thompson created a new business using the skills she learned from Design Suite in today’s episode.Want to learn more a...
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Season 1
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Episode 538
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18:17
Episode 537 - Want to Crush 2026? Here’s Why I Start Planning in October
Crushing your next year actually starts in 4th Quarter of the previous year. Carina talks about several inspirational steps that could take your design business to the next level. Learn more in today’s episode.Learn ...
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Season 1
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Episode 537
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11:39
Episode 536 - I'm A Designer. Now What?
If you have a design degree or have been taking several courses online, you might be ready for more than just design…you may be ready for building your business. Carina talks about what you need to do this and what that looks like for design...
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Season 1
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Episode 536
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11:44
Episode 535 - The Startling Truth About What AI Is Doing To The Design Industry
Now that we have had AI for a couple of years, Carina talks about what she has seen in the design industry. She covers the most concerning question designers have had which is, “Is design jobs going away?” Learn more in today's episode!<...
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Season 1
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Episode 535
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13:26
Episode 534 - Feeling Behind? Listen to This
If you’ve ever felt like everyone else is ahead of you, this episode is your reset button. Carina Gardner shares a powerful mindset shift and practical tips to help you refocus, catch up, and move forward—without the overwhelm. You’re not as...
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Season 1
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Episode 534
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10:08
Episode 533 - The Locked Drawer
What’s hiding in your “locked drawer”? In this episode, Carina Gardner explores the ideas, projects, and dreams we keep tucked away—and how unlocking them can transform your creative career. If you’ve been holding back your best work, it’s t...
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Season 1
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Episode 533
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8:46
Episode 532 - Negotiation Secrets Every Designer Needs with Carina Gardner & Susie Tomenchuk
Ready to stop leaving money on the table? In this episode, Carina Gardner sits down with negotiation expert Susie Tomenchuk to share proven strategies every designer needs. From handling pricing pushback to confidently closing deals, you’ll ...
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Season 1
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Episode 532
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22:43
Episode 531- Feeling Invisible? 3 Marketing Layers You Need
Tired of feeling like no one sees your work? In this episode, Carina Gardner reveals the three essential marketing layers every creative needs to get noticed, build an audience, and turn followers into customers. Simple, actionable steps to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 531
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10:21
Episode 530 - Is It Too Late To Start A Design Career?
Think you’ve missed your chance to become a designer? Think again. In this episode, Carina Gardner breaks down why it’s never too late to start a design career, the surprising advantages of starting later in life, and the exact steps to get ...
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Season 1
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Episode 530
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11:51
Episode 529 - Designing While Momming - How I Built My Business With Kids At Home
Balancing diapers and deadlines isn’t easy, but it’s possible—and even rewarding. In this episode, Carina Gardner shares how she built a thriving design business while raising kids at home. From time management hacks to mindset shifts, you’l...
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Season 1
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Episode 529
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19:48
Episode 528 Design Advice I Would Give My Younger Self
In this heartfelt episode, Carina Gardner shares the advice she wishes she could give her younger creative self—back when she was just starting out, full of passion but unsure of the path ahead.She opens up about the lessons sh...
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Season 1
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Episode 528
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11:03