I am always up for a challenge and Shelli Gardner posts a monthly Creative Challenge for anyone to enter on her blog, So Shelli. I have not entered one until now. The challenge this month is to create cards with only Stamp-sets, Ink and Paper, better know as SIP.

Here is what I have come up with using ONLY stamp-sets, inks and paper.

Two cards using the same stamp sets and the same colours.

I used techniques I have not used in a long while.

Thanks for the challenge Shelli!

Colours for both cards: Very Vanilla, Real Red, and Soft Suede (the black around the cards is just the background)

Stamp set: Fifth Avenue Floral, En Francais and I couldn't resist using good old Wonderful Words. It can be easily switched out with Heard from the Heart.

First Card - Techniques Used: Created a faux suede piece with the Soft Suede card stock. If some people are unaware of this technique it is simple, you take a corner of the card stock and peel it apart and continue to peel it in half. You will end up with a very soft faux suede side. Next there was lots of freestyle tearing done to precision. The rose image on Very Vanilla was torn in specific areas to create its perfect shape to enhance the upper right corner of the card. The edges of the word "Love" was raised with the fingernail technique as well as the Real Red card stock with the En Francais image. Direct ink to paper technique was given to the both these pieces as well to give their edges a more weathered looked.

Second Card - Techniques Used: On this card I added one extra colour, Kraft. The En Francais was stamped onto the Soft Suede card stock. Then the paper was distressed with direct ink to paper, the edges roughed up and to create the softer blur around the words I simply used one of my fingers. I made a small faux suede strip with the Soft Suede card stock to put on the Read Red. Then there was more freestyle tearing on the flower and corner of the Real red.

My goal with these two cards was to create a soft old world romantic feel but with a modern edge.