Summer School in Session

I took a little time off of work last week after the July 4th holiday and got caught up on my own school work (4 more weeks and I'll be done with my grad school program!), so I had some extra time to try out the "lessons" from the Summer School series from My Favorite Things.  I put together these clean and simple designs using the lesson content and a bunch of different MFT stamps and dies.

First up is Day 1:  White Space.  This is something that's well within my comfort zone.  The hard part here was deciding what stamps to use!  In the end I went with the Martini Time stamp set and coordinating dies.  I used my MISTI to stamp two martini glasses, then cut them out with the matching dies.  They were arranged on a contrasting green card base using foam tape for dimension.  I brought in a bit more green by adding a stamped and die cut olive to each glass. 

For the sentiment, I stamped the set's "every hour is happy hour when I'm with you" sentiment on a yellow fishtail flag strip and adhered it to the opposite side of the cardfront.  Lots of white space here, even if it is green!

Materials Used:
Martini Time stamp set, Daffodil ink, Lemon Drop and Sour Apple cardstock, Die-namics Martini Time and Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); VersaFine Clair Nocturne, Memento Bamboo Leaves and Tuxedo Black inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); foam tape

Next is Day 2:  Primary Colors. I'd used these same monster stamps and the same primary color scheme on a card for a recent MFTWSC card, so I went back to them again. They're perfect in a primary color scheme!  I stamped the monsters in pigment inks, then cut them out with the matching dies, then used foam tape to arrange them on a white cardstock strip. 

After edging the white panel with narrow strips of blue and red cardstock to match the monsters, I adhered it to a yellow card base.  The monster themed sentiment was stamped just beneath the panel in black ink.

Materials Used:
Monster Love stamp set, Die-namics Monster Love dies (My Favorite Things); VersaFine Clair Nocturne, Memento Luxe Love Letter and Bahama Blue inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Lemon Drop cardstock (My Favorite Things); Real Red and Pacific Point cardstock (Stampin' Up!); foam tape

The Day 3 lesson was Repetition.  Here, my repeated element is the cute to go cup image from the Coffee Date stamp set.  I used my MISTI to help me line up and stamp the outline image and then fill it in with the solid bands of color that form the cup.  I used the coordinating die to cut out the stamped cups, then arranged them along the bottom of a kraft panel, using foam tape for dimension.

For the sentiment, I stamped the "I love you more than coffee" sentiment from the Coffee Break stamp set on a narrow dark brown cardstock strip in white pigment ink.  The text was heat embossed to pop against the dark background.

To go with the card's love theme, I stamped a trio of hearts above the line of to go cups, again using my MISTI to line up the outline and solid filler images.  The finished panel was adhered to a dark brown card base to match the sentiment strip.

Materials Used:
Coffee Date and Coffee Break stamp sets, Die-namics Coffee Date dies (My Favorite Things); Memento Luxe Wedding Dress, Memento Tuxedo Black and Love Letter inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Kraft cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Chocolate Chip cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Snow embossing powder (Recollections); foam tape

The subject for Day 4 was complementary colors.  I used my go-to complementary color scheme, blue and orange.  Here, my shades are more saturated teal and tangerine, as well as less saturated aqua, but the principle remains the same.

I stamped a pair of bowls from the Kitschy Kitchen set in the two colors along with a wooden spoon in a neutral kraft colored ink, then used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  After die cutting a white shelf using the Kitschy Kitchen die set, I adhered the elements to an aqua card base, using foam tape for dimension.  The "I'm so glad we mix well" sentiment from the coordinating You Bake Me Happy stamp set was stamped beneath the shelf. It fit perfectly between the shelf's brackets!

Materials Used:
Kitschy Kitchen  and You Bake Me Happy stamp sets, Die-namics Kitschy Kitchen dies (My Favorite Things); Aqua Mist cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Tangerine Twist and Tranquil Teal inks (Gina K Designs); Desert Sand cardstock (Gina K Designs); foam tape

The lesson for Day 5 was Symmetry.  For my symmetrical design, I combined several different die cut elements, starting with a large blue circle topped with a gold pierced star die cut.  I adhered the layered panel to a red card base, centered in the middle of the panel.  It was topped with a pair of die cut eyeglasses made with a die from the Geek Is Chic Glasses die set.  I cut the eyeglasses twice--once from black cardstock and once from craft foam.  The pieces were layered for dimension, then backed with clear acetate to create the look of lenses set in the frames.  I glued the glasses to the star, using the points to help me center the die cut piece. 

The "I think you're spectacular" sentiment from the Geek Is Chic set was stamped at the bottom of the cardfront in black ink.  I added a narrow gold strip beneath the sentiment to complete the design--and all of my cards for this session of Summer School!

Materials Used:
Geek Is Chic stamp set, Die-namics Pierced Star STAX and Geek Is Chic Glasses dies (My Favorite Things); VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Real Red, Pacific Point, and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); gold paper (Target); circle die (Spellbinders); craft foam