Color Combinations

How do you choose the color combination you are going to use for your cards? You could choose them yourself using color theory and the color wheel. Stampin’ Up!® even offers a color coach with all of the Stampin’ Up!® colors in order with an additional wheel with windows cut out to help you find which colors are monochromatic, complementary, analogous, and triadic.

Or, you could join a color challenge with colors already picked out for you. That is what I did for this card.

White card with rectangle of patterned paper with yellow flowers There is a strip of yellow paper with stamped purple lilies toward the bottom of the yellow flowers patterned paper. Focal image is aa wood pattern cross on bed of olive branches. Sentiment stamped on the cross says, "God is love." Purple flower embellishments are at the bottom of the card.

Card Details

Do you want to use specific colors for your card? Do you want to join a color challenge? I want to help turn your crafting stress into success. I’m going to share my process when I want to create a card using specific colors.

This card was created for the SUO Challenge 408. It is a color challenge using Darling Duckling, Peaceful Pine, and Fresh Freesia. I knew those were the colors I was going to use and Stampin’ Up!® makes it so easy to find products of those exact colors. They have a color filter option in their store where you can choose the exact color you are looking for. I search for each color one at a time.

Choosing Products for Color Challenge

First I look for the Designer Series Paper patterns that contain each color.
Then, I choose cardstock and ink based on what patterned paper I am going to use.
Next, it’s time to look at my stamps and see which ones would look good in these colors.
Then, it’s time to choose or figure out a card sketch to put these all together.
Finally, add embellishments in the right color

For this card, I decided to use the floral pattern from the 2025-2027 In Color Designer Series Paper Pack. This was the only patterned paper I was going to use, but chose to use a neutral wood pattern design from the Wood Grain Wonders DSP for the featured cross image.

My next step was actually figuring out which stamp set I was going to use. It could have been that I had just spent my morning with the women from church putting together 100 baptism cards. I’ll share that card with you after the baptism ceremony has happened next month. My mind was already focused on cross cards and that
“God is Love.” Whatever the reason, as soon as I saw my Faith Collection stamp set, I knew it was perfect for this color combination.

Thick Basic White Cardstock created the card base with the branches/cross image and sentiment stamped in Peaceful Pine. The lily stamp created a row of Fresh Freesia flowers stamped along the smaller rectangle of the DSP.

Finally, I added the Fresh Freesia Adhesive-Backed Blooms for the finishing touch.

Now, I chose to use products I already had on hand. If you are searching for specific colors and find something you love but don’t have, you can always put your design idea on hold and order what you love and wait for it to arrive.

Click here to see and purchase products used to create this card.

Sketch of Paper Craft Crew Challenge #685 — Make sure you head over to PCC685 to see the inspiration cards by the design team and other creative entries.

This card was created for Stampin’ Up!® Only Challenge 408: Color Challenge. I cannot wait to see what you create for SUO Challenge 408. This challenge will remain open through Sunday, August 30. What do these colors inspire you to create? Please share your creation with us at SUOC408.