This meme made me laugh today.  

It also reminded me of the therapeutic benefits of doing some colouring.  Concentrating on colouring takes your mind off some of the daily stresses and helps you relax.  

Our Stampin' Blends are lovely to colour with and come in your favourite Stampin' Up! colours which helps you coordinate your projects.  

Find them here and start your collection today:   Stampin' Blends

Here's a video with some colouring tips if you are new to colouring with alcohol markers.  

Remember - for every $90 you spend on products during July you will receive a $9 coupon to redeem in August.  Bonus!  After you've placed your online order, be sure to keep your emailed coupon code/s in a safe place ready to use next month.

Renovation Update:

We are still painting painting painting.  First coat on the walls finished, and we're planning to get through the second coat this weekend.  A week til the new flooring goes down.  I can't wait to see what the tiles look like.  In the meantime I'm getting a good workout going up and down the step ladder and holding my arms up while painting the wall divider bits.  Who needs a gym?!

Have a fab weekend and get in touch if I can help with any Stampin' Up! questions.  

Cheers, Sue

Oops I missed last week with some internet hassles - I must go back and share my Gorgeous Grape card though now that we're back online (fingers crossed.)

This week we are up to Granny Apple Green - a gorgeous, vibrant green.  Quite a nice addition to the ink collection if you like bright happy colours. 

I used my Granny Apple Green Stampin' Blends and teamed it up with Lovely Lipstick - a nice bright pink.  (It has photographed a little more red tinged so you'll have to take my word for that.  Lighting must be a little off today.) 

I've used the flower from Petal Palette stamp set and the greeting is from Wishing You Well.  I've trimmed the white cardstock with some of the Granny Apple Green to help feature the green, and popped it all onto one of our Silver Foil Edged cards.  I am so loving these and will miss them when the Holiday Catalogue finishes.  They come in either silver or gold packs and you get 20 cards and envelopes (also with a foil trim) in the pack.  Such an easy way to add a metallic element with no hassle. 

Now I'd best save this in case my internet drops out again - repair guy out today but I think it is still being a tad flaky.  Aaah the joys of wi fi. 

Oops - helps if I add in the link for you to check out the other Granny Apple Green creations - here it is over at Catherine's blog.

Next week we are back with Grapefruit Grove so stay tuned for that one. 

Happy Stamping!

Cheers, Sue

Keen to collect your Stampin' Blends?  Join my new club and start your collection.

These are our high-quality, alcohol-based, dual-tip markers.  They come in many of our exclusive Stampin’ Up! colours.  Each colour comes in 2 shades to give you a great blending experience.  They're also sold separately if you ever need to replace just one which is quite handy.  They have a brush end and a fine end.   Use with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad.  

I've had mine for a few months now and can highly recommend them if you'd like to get started with some alcohol markers.  They blend beautifully. 

Join my Stampin' Blends Club and get your collection started.  There are two options.

CLUB ONE:  $75.70 per month for 3 months     27 Stampin' Blends in total

Each month for three months you'll order 4 pairs of Stampin' Blends plus one single Blend (Ivory Bronze or Colour Lifter) online using the special host code I'll email you.   That's 9 Stampin' Blends each month. You choose the colours.

Each month you'll receive a bonus free gift pack of things to help you with your colouring.  Over the 3 months this will include some shimmery white cardstock, some white cardstock - thick and regular, some vanilla cardstock - thick and regular and some beautiful embellishments to complement your colouring.  You can even colour your embellishments with your Blends to match your project.

CLUB TWO:  $60.20 per month for 3 months      21 Stampin' Blends in total

Each month for three months you'll order 3 pairs of Stampin' Blends plus one single Blend (Ivory Bronze or Colour Lifter) online using the special host code I'll email you.  That's 7 Stampin' Blends each month.  You choose the colours.

Each month you'll receive a bonus free gift pack of things to help you with your colouring.  Over the 3 months this will include some shimmery white cardstock, some white cardstock - thick and regular, and some vanilla cardstock - thick and regular and some lovely embellishments as well that you can colour to match your creation.

If you're a class regular you can get join too.  Order online as above, or let me know your colour selections at class and collect them at class the following month.  Class attendees can pay by cash, direct deposit or credit card.

Next club is starting this month.  Get in touch to join the colour fun and I'll send you our September host code.  Which colours will you start with?

TO GET STARTED:  Just email me    [email protected]  and let me know you'd like to join Club One or Club Two.  I'll send you through the instructions and the Stampin' Blends host code. 

The Tropical Escape DSP comes in a handy 6" x 6" size and makes a great leafy background.  There are various designs including leaves, stripes and more all in our lovely greens with some Blushing Bride and Basic Black for contrast. 

I've stamped the cute rhino from Animal Outing stamp set and coloured him with the lighter of the Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends, adding some extra touches with the darker alcohol marker.

Here's another variation using one of the other Tropical Escapes DSP (last day for our DSP special today.) 

I've stamped the kangaroo in black and coloured him with the watercolour pencils.  In August we have a new batch of pencils in alternative colours to the set in the main catalogue if you'd like to add to your pencil collection.  We've also got the Stitched Season framelits you can see featured in this card.  August only for the framelits and stamp set and while stocks last so grab them quick if you're keen on that lovely stitched edge shape.

A great tip from the talented Tina Gillespie (find her here) is to blend the pencils using the Wink Of Stella clear glitter pen.  Love the touch of sparkle this gives.  (Hard to photograph!) 

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue

Shopping from home?  Here's the links.  The current host code is QHC24T6B

Product List

Tropical Escape 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146916] $19.25

Animal Outing Clear-Mount Bundle [148324] $78.25

Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 [149014] $21.75

Stitched Seasons Framelits Dies [149013] $57.00

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141897] $11.50

I love love love this card.  (Inspired by this Linda Higgins' creation.)

The butterflies are a nice image to colour if you're just starting out with Blendabilities alcohol markers.  Quite loving our new lace too - teamed up here with the Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon.  The seam binding is so soft and easy to work with.  I'm completely bow challenged so I tend to just knot.  ;-)

We're making this card at class this week.  I've got 2 spots left on Thursday night (7.30pm - 9.30pm) if you're free and would like to try some colouring.  $30 includes a pack of Cherry Cobbler Blendabilities to use at class and take home afterwards.

Happy stamping and have a great week!

Cheers, Sue

Doing some shopping?  Here's what I used in today's card.

Papillion Potpourri Wood Stamp Set

$32.95

Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Cherry Cobbler Assortment

$20.95

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

$9.95

Crumb Cake A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Crumb Cake 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon

$11.95

Venetian Crochet Trim

$11.95

Elegant Butterfly Punch

$27.95

Small Butterfly Punch

$27.95

Dictionary Wood Stamp Set

$30.95

Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad

$9.95

Circles Collection Framelits Die

$45.95

Stamping Sponges

$5.95

 

Table by StampinBuddy.

 

Stampin' Up Australia have a very exciting product coming very soon - Blendabilities alcohol markers.  Perfect for colouring.  They won't be quite ready for the July 1 catalogue release but are not too far away.  As demonstrators we get to order early so I've got my packs and have been having fun playing. 

One of the stamp sets we're farewelling this month is Storybook Friends - another that I love.   And a fun one to practice some colouring.  I cut mine out with the Banner and Circle framelits and used some of the base cards from the Hip Hip Hooray kit - love those dotty and grid cards.  Aren't they cute with their added animals.  I spritzed them all with our Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz (page 164.)

Here's a closer look. 

Actually don't look too closely at this one - I went out of the lines a bit.  :-)

I love this one .....

Keep an eye out once they're released and I'll have some Blendabilities classes.  Loads of fun and very relaxing. 

If you're keen to catch a class this month - dates and available places are right here. 

Scroll down on my class page and you'll also find details about my New Catalogue Launches - 2 dates to choose from and filling very fast. 

We're on a roll on the blog this week - check back tomorrow for a sneak peek at a new product coming soon.

Happy stamping!

Cheers, Sue