You might have been asking yourself lately, is a Stampin Up colour refresh coming soon?  That’s sure been the buzz in my stamping circles lately! And Stampin’ Up! demonstrators will find out in about two weeks now when the 2018-19 Annual catalogue is unveiled! (Insert “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” music here! 😜) If you haven’t got a clue what a Stampin Up colour refresh is – and maybe more importantly, what it means for YOU – let me give you the low down.

Stampin’ Up! has 38 core colours, arranged in four colour families: Subtles, Brights, Regals and Neutrals.  These are classic, every-day colours we can mix and match in multiple ways in our paper crafting.  They carry over from year to year and catalogue to catalogue. But the real bonus, and the reason I fell in love with Stampin’ Up! (and eventually became a demonstrator😀) is how EVERYTHING colour coordinates.  Paper, ink, ribbon, embellishments, markers…you can never go wrong with your colour choices when all the work is already done for you!  And I’ll bet you have some favourites you use over and over again right?  

Each year, we also see five new In Colors that stick around for two years and are then retired.  These colours add to and keep our line fresh and aligned with up-and-coming trends.

Why in the world would Stampin Up! want to mess around with YOUR colours?  

Well let’s look to home decor for just a minute.  Anyone remember harvest gold kitchen appliances, baby blue toilets or purple shag rugs?  (Am I dating myself horribly 😜?)  What in the world…? Popular colour is driven by what is happening in society, fashion and nature, as well as what is making news globally.  Colour forecasters consider all of these drivers, and more, to determine future on-trend colours. And Stampin’ Up! is no different, The last time we saw a refresh was in 2013.  Ten colours were replaced in the core line.  Many of the replacements came from prior years’ In Color offerings, but not all.  And at that time, Stampin’ Up! did let let us know we would see repeats of this every three to five years. This means YOUR handmade creations will never be outdated or tired looking but always eye-catching and current.

So how do I answer is a Stampin Up colour refresh coming?

No, I don’t have a crystal ball or any insider info, but, YES I do think there’s a really, really high chance we’ll see a refresh with the 2018-19 Annual Catalogue.  Why do I think so?

• It’s been five years since the last refresh
• Trends in fashion and decorating have seen significant shifts
• Our global environment has dramatically changed over the past 3-5 years
• The refresh would coincide with Stampin Up!’s 30th anniversary
• Some of our colours have been around quite a LONG time (Perfect Plum? Always Artichoke?)

So if I should consider a career in fortune telling, what does this mean for YOU?

Stampin’ Up! will announce the full retiring list on April 9th.  If there is a colour refresh, that list will be loaded with stamp pads, ink refills, cardstock, markers and embellishments in all the colours we’ll see making an exit. These will sell out FAST, like REALLY FAST, like SUPER DUPER ULTRA FAST! So you’ll want to be the first in line to get yours if you intend to hang onto your old colours. Because once they’re gone, they’re gone for good (we haven’t yet seen a retired core colour return to the lineup yet).  Here are the items I think will sell out the quickest in their current colour families. (Note: you can also get individual colours by going to my online store here and clicking directly on the colour swatch you are intereted in.)

1. Ink Refills

Brights Classic Stampin’ Ink Refills [131162] $42.50

Classic Stampin’ Ink Refills Subtles [131170] $42.50

Classic Stampin’ Ink Refills Regals [131169] $42.50

Neutrals Classic Stampin’ Ink Refills [140934] $25.50

2. Cardstock

Brights 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [131190] $10.00

Subtles 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [131193] $10.00

Regals 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [131192] $10.00

Neutrals 8-1/2″ X 11″ Card Stock [131191] $10.00

3. Stampin’ Write Markers

Brights Stampin’ Write Markers [131259] $39.00

Subtles Stampin’ Write Markers [131263] $39.00

Regals Stampin’ Write Markers [131262] $39.00

Neutrals Stampin’ Write Markers [131261] $32.00

And we already know the 2016-17 In Colors will be retiring so if you need to stock up on those, now is a great time.

2016-2018 In Colors Retiring!

2016-2018 In Color Stampin’ Write Markers [141393] $20.50	2016-2018 In Color Classic Stampin’ Pads [141818] $36.00	Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [141402] $5.00	Emerald Envy Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [141401] $5.00	Dapper Denim Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [141399] $5.00	Peekaboo Peach Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [141403] $5.00
Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [141400] $5.00	Flirty Flamingo 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [141416] $10.00	Dapper Denim 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [141414] $10.00	Sweet Sugarplum 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [141418] $10.00	Peekaboo Peach 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [141417] $10.00	Emerald Envy 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock [141415] $10.00

I’m not sure we’ll see a colour revamp with this new catalogue.  However, I am stocking up on my favourite colour choices now before the rush. (I still have a few of the colours from the prior refreshes that I refuse to give up – Taken with Teal, Summer Sun – so when it comes time to re-ink, I’m happy I can keep creating in that colour.) Besides, there’s never a wrong time to stock up on items you love, that you know you will use over and over again. But now I want to hear from you!  Leave me a comment below with a Yes or a NO whether you think it’s going to happen this year or not. If it’s a Yes, name three colours you think are on the chopping block and… Pondering the question “is a Stampin Up colour refresh coming” is sorta fun – why not tell me your own predictions in the comments below, let’s see if they come true or not – and you might win!?