updated with 26-28 in colors – stampin’ up!’s color evolution – a little history lesson repost

updated with 26-28 in colors – stampin’ up!’s color evolution – a little history lesson repost

Every year Stampin’ Up!’s announces their next set of In Colors – this year the 2026 through 2028 colors are: Barely Blush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Golden Glow, Hydrangea Hue, and Peaceful Pine. These new colors will work well paired with some of our favorite staple colors and this post will offer some color pairings, color comparisons and recommendations.

BARELY BLUSH is a soft Barely there cool toned pink. It will make a nice soft neutral as well a great accent color to some of our darker tones like Night of Navy and Secret Sea.

CRISP CANTALOUPE is a returning 2013 – 2015 In Color. It is warm color with coral undertones and looks great with our Petal Pink and Timid Tiger.

GOLDEN GLOW is a light gold brown yellow and is nothing like anything we have currently. It pairs well with our new Hydrangea Hue in my opinion!

PEACEFUL PINE is a dusty muted medium green.

And HYDRANGEA HUE is a medium blue violet color and looks very nice with Blueberry Bushel and Golden Glow.

Cannot wait to work with these colors!

This year I will show you a comparison to some current and past colors starting with Barely Blush.
Here is a Crisp Cantaloupe comparison with current colors in our line up!
Here is a Golden Glow comparison with current colors in our line up!
Here is a Peaceful Pine comparison with current colors in our line up!

I had a do two comparisons with light and darker greens – we have a lot of greens!!

Here is a Hydrangea Hue comparison with current colors in our line up!

This is my favorite of the new In Colors – it’s an awesome color!

It is a blue violet so i compared it to some of our purples and some of our blues!

Below I will recap all of our In Colors through out the years!

Last year’s In Colors for 2025 through 2027: Strawberry Slush, Timid Tiger, Darling Duckling, Cloud Cover and Secret Sea. At first glance it does not look like the usual coordinating set of five colors that work together but I think that these colors are all dusty hues and will work well paired with some of our favorite staple colors.
The following is the rest of the original color evolution blog post that I wrote with a few updates at the end for the retiring in colors and last year’s entry as well!

As we enter our 35th year in business and I enter my 23rd year with Stampin’ Up! In June I thought it would be fun to take a look at our fascination with color! I believe one of the reasons this company is strong and continues to be is definitely multi-faceted – great leadership and great products but our color coordination is second to none! It is one of the many things I love about this company, the colors are both classic and trendy, and the color coordination among our product lines is outstanding.

It is hard to fathom that 35 years ago, the company was founded with not one of their own ink colors in 1988! Stampin’ Up! didn’t release their own line of signature alitereral colors until their 1997-1998 catalog. In this catalog they introduced four color families Bold Brights, Rich Regals, Soft Subtles and Earth Elements – I am proud to say I remember those color families and still refer to myself as a BOLD BRIGHT GIRLS!!
They started from the very first release with their fascination with alliteration of color names with Old Olive, still around today as one of the original colors, Taken with Teal, Summer Sun, Yo Yo Yellow, Brilliant Blue and many others.
The original color families started with these colors:

Bold Brights: Glorious Green, Green Galore, Gable Green, YoYo Yellow, Only Orange, Rocket Red, Pink Passion, Positively Pink, Orchid Opulence, Lovely Lilac, Brilliant Blue and Tempting Turquoise.

Rich Regals: Not Quite Navy, Eggplant Envy, Forest Foliage, Baroque Burgundy, Night of Navy, Bordering Blue, Rose Red, Brocade Blue, Rose Romance, Ballet Blue, marvelous Magenta and Taken with Teal.

Soft Subtles: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Blush Blossom, Mellow Moss, Barely Banana, Sage Shadow, Lavender Lace, Mauve Mist, Almost Amethyst, Mint Melody, Bliss Blue, and Pretty in Pink.

Earth Elements: Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, More Mustard, Summer Sun, Luscious Lime, Old Olive, Garden Green, Going Grey, and Basic Black.

We have gone through several color refreshes, in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2018 and 2023.

We introduced the idea of hot trendy colors collections that would be around originally for just a year in 2006 with the first In Color Collection of six colors. We later changed the program to 5 colors to remain for 2 years alternating with a second color collection in 2010.
Today I have put together charts of the In Color Program starting with the six 2006 In Color Collection featuring: Vintage Violet, Buckaroo Blue, Cool Caribbean, Marigold Morning, True Thyme and Cranberry Crisp.

In 2007 we released the second one year collection of 6 In Colors featuring: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, River Rock, Groovy Guava, and Purely Pomegranate.
In 2008 we released another one year collection of 6 In Colors featuring: Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point and Pink Pirouette. Pacific Point would re-emerge as a Core Color in the 2010 Color reset and remain a staple until 2018 as would Pink Pirouette.
In 2009 we released our last one year collection of 6 In Colors featuring: Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Dusty Durango. These colors were so popular that many became Core Colors in the 2010 Color Reset everyone but Dusty Durango!
In 2010, Stampin’ Up! introduced the current structure for In Color Collections remaining for two years and alternating the next year with another new collection!
2010-2012 set included: Poppy Parade, Concord Crush, Peach Parfait, Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz. Poppy, Blushing Bride and Pear pizzazz returning as Core Colors in the 2013 Color Reset!
The 2011- 2013 In Colors included: Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and Wisteria Wonder. Calypso Coral, Pool Party and Blushing Bride joined the Core Color Collection in 2013.
The 2012-2014 In Colors featured: Raspberry Ripple, Summer Starfruit, Midnight Muse, Primrose Petals, and Gumball Green.

The 2010 Color Rest added new Core Colors Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight Marina Mist and Early Espresso

In 2013-2015 Stampin’ Up!’s In Color Collection included: Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding and Strawberry Slush. Adding Coastal Cabana to the Core Color Collection in 2018’s Color Reset.
2014-2016 In Colors added Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow and Tangelo Twist to the In Color Collection.

Blackberry Bliss and Lost Lagoon eventually were added as Core Colors in 18 and 23, respectively.

2015 – 2017 brought Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Delightful Dijon, Mint Macaron and Tip Top Taupe to the In Color mix. Stampin’ Up! added mint Macaron to the Core Color Collection in 2018.
2016-2018 In Color Collection featured: Dapper Denim, Emerald Envy, Flirty Flamingo, Peekaboo Peach, and Sweet Sugarplum adding Flirty Flamingo to the Core Colors in 2018.
in 2017, we added Berry Burst, Fresh Fig, Lemon Lime Twist, Powder Pink and Tranquil Tide to the In Color Collection keeping Berry Burst and Lemon Lime Twist eventually in Core Collection Resets last year.
2018-2020 broughtLovely Lipstick, Grapefruit Grove, Pineapple Punch, Blueberry Bushel and Call Me Clover to the In Color Collection and we called Blueberry Bushel back to the Color rest in 2023.

We added new colors to the Core Collection in 2018 including: Soft Sea Foam, Shaded Spruce, Petal Pink, Merry Merlot, Mango Melody, Highland Heather, Gray Granite, Granny Apple Green, Gorgeous Grape and Balmy Blue.

2019-2021 In Colors featured Purple Posy, Seaside Spray, Rococo Rose, Terracotta Tile and Pretty Peacock and brought Pretty Peacock to the Color Reset last year in 2023.
2020-2022 In Colors included: Bumblebee, Cinnamin Cider, Just Jade, Magenta Madness, and Misty Moonlight and added Misty Moonlight to the Color Reset in 2023.
2021-2023 In Colors brought: Polished Pink, Pale Papaya, Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent and Fresh Freesia , keeping Fresh Freesia in 2023.
My personal favorite set of In Colors will be retiring in May! The 2022-2024 In Color Collection features Sweet Sorbet, Parakeet Party, Tahitian Tide, Starry Sky and Orchid Oasis. These colors will no longer be available after April 30th so if you need anything, I would recommend ordering some as they are getting low in some inventories and when they are depleted they are SOLD OUT! The current hostess code in EGCF9KYB.
2023-2025 In Colors contained great neutrals including: Copper Clay, Wild Wheat, Boho Blue, Moody Mauve and Pebbled Path and these are the colors that will be retiring with this current catalog – love any of these colors then DO NOT WAIT they always sell out when they are retiring!

Copper Clay
#161721 CS
#161647 ink pad
#161654 refill
#161662 Blends

Wild Wheat
#161725 CS
#161651 ink pad
#161655 refill
#161661 Blends

Boho Blue
#161724 CS
#161650 ink pad
#161656 refill
#161659 Blends

Moody Mauve
#161723 CS
#161649 ink pad
#161657 refill
#161660 Blends

Pebbled Path
#161722 CS
#161648 ink pad
#161653 refill
#161658 Blends

These were last year’s In Colors that debuted with the upcoming 2024-2025 Annual Catalog are Peach Pie, Petunia Pop, returning original color Pretty in Pink for an encore as this new batch of In Colors, Shy Shamrock and Summer Splash!

If you want to see this colors in person and are in the area, I will be hosting a New Catalog Open House in May! Come join the fun!
Keep watch for the details on my social media!

Hope you enjoyed this color evolution and stroll down memory lane.

This upcoming catalog features a very cool color theory section with an awesome color wheel that talks about monochromatic, complementary, analogous and triadic color combinations! I absolutely LOVE the upcoming catalog and the new way it is designed!

Don’t have a demonstrator and live in the US? Let me know if you would like to have your own copy of the new catalog once it is released and I will send you one!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

last onstage swap to share – fun fold #4 swap

last onstage swap to share – fun fold #4 swap

Well I saved the best for last – I participated in 4 specially organized swaps by my friend Michael D. at OnStage this past March in Long Beach, California. This was Fun Fold swap #4 and I love the ideas and diversity of the swap!

The first swap card I have to show you Ann O. used the Easter Basket stamp set which is on the LAST CHANCE LIST and still available as I wrote this yesterday! She used sweet pastel colors of Pretty in Pink and Balmy Blue for a pull out gift card design. She used our Take Your Pick tool’s crafter’s tips to perforate two of the edges for the outer holder. Such a cute design!

Lola R. made a Homemade Sweetness extended Z-fold using the Homemade Sweetness Suite of products and both the Made with Sweetness dies and the Filled with Sweetness bundle. Lots of lovely layers and detail!
My next swap example is from Judy K. and features the current Garden Poetry Suite of Products with the lovely Garden Poetry DSP and the embossing folder both inside and out which adds such depth and dimension, and I love the color combination of Berry Burst, Blackberry Bliss and Garden Green.
My entry used the Swirled Designs Bundle and the Splash of Sparkles DSP with a slider card fun fold!
The next swap card is from Michelle R and is one of my favorite easy fun folds. You just cut the card front on half and twist it and use it as the matte for the top flap. Michelle used the Turtely-Cute Suite of products which is still available when I last checked but is on the LAST CHANCE LIST!
Easel cards are always a WOW for me and not difficult to make (check out the instructions on how to make one in my 11-19-2025 post “winter meadow easel card”) Yolanda N. featured the Beach Boardwalk DSP which is still current and the Boardwalk Fun Bundle which is unfortunately sold out! This card is so stinkin’ cute though!
Another Turtle-y Cute entry from Sandy R uses a little slider technique – open the door and you get a turtle-y surprise!
Joanne J. used a gorgeous palette of Old Olive and Basic Beige with the Discontinued Beautiful Gallery DSP and the sentiment is from the Nature’s Symphony stamp set for a Corner Tuck fun fold card. Just Lovely!
The new and very popular Delicate Dreams Suite of products was used by Robyn B. for this double box display fun fold card. This suite is so popular it is currently unavailable but expected back in stock shortly. Did you know that we added a feature on our shopping website that if the product is out of stock you can ask for an email notification when it returns! Sign up now to be notified if this suite is on your list – it’s on mine!

This card folds flat to send in a normal sized envelope but stands for display when opened! SO FUN!!

My last swap card is from Joy N. and features the Nature’s walk Suite Collection, the Nature’s walk DSP and the Nature’s Symphony Bundle. This Z-Fold Flap card will be highlighted in an upcoming blog post coming soon!
I hope these gave you inspiration to try a new fun fold soon they certainly inspired me!

Now it is your turn to go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

last chance list beach time card

last chance list beach time card

I love creating sunset colored cards and the Boardwalk Fun and Beach Time stamp sets are so much fun for Summer cards and I am sad that they are retiring!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic White CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, 4″ x 5 1/4″ 3″ x 4 1/2″
Basic Black CS: scraps for palm tree dies

Die cut an Everyday Arches die from the 3″ layer.

Use blending brushes and color the bottom of the die with Daffodil Delight ink.

Blend Pumpkin Pie ink with a Blending Brush across the top of the Daffodil Delight ink and a little above that.
Color the top of the Everyday Arches die with Cherry Cobbler ink and another Blending Brush.
Brush the edges of the Everyday Arches die with the Gorgeous Grape ink and another Blending Brush. Heavier on the top and lighter on the bottom edges.
Stamp Summer Vibes sentiment from the Beach Time stamp set (which is on the LAST CHANCE LIST) onto the upper left hand edge of the Everyday Arches die.

Adhere two palm tree dies from Basic Black CS below and to the right of the sentiment.

Emboss the 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer with the LAST CHANCE LIST Soft Waves embossing folder.

Adhere the embossed layer onto the BASE.

Pop up the Everyday Arches die over the embossed layer.

SNEAK PEAK – add the Sunset Sparkle Sequins to the project for an iridescent shine and sparkle to finish off this card rich with sunset colors!

Try creating a sunset inspired background and adding stamps to make a summer inspired card today! Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

gallery blooms su creative coloring challenge

gallery blooms su creative coloring challenge

One of my favorite LAST CHANCE LIST items is the Gallery Blooms Bundle! I am so sad this is leaving and I did not use it enough for sure!

This card actually qualifies for the April SU Creative Challenge as well as being a gorgeous card! This month the challenge is to use two different coloring tools on a single card design.
I used the Water Painters and blender pens to color in the Gallery Blooms flower image!

Measurements:
BASE: Granny Apple Green CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″, scraps for dies
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″, scraps for floral die

Emboss the Basic White CS layer with the Damask Designs embossing folder and using the Water Painter and the Poppy Parade ink refill make a very wet ink slurry and splatter the embossed layer for added texture and color.
Stamp the flower image from the Gallery Blooms stamp set on a scrap of Basic White with Tuxedo Black memento ink which is on the LAST CHANCE LIST as well as the ink refills for these stamp pads.

Die cut out the flower image. Using the glass matte use a drop of the Poppy Parade ink from the ink refill bottle and mix with water from the Water Painter and paint the bloom petals.

Mix a drop of Granny Apple Green ink refill with water and paint the leaves on the die.

Adhere the embossed layer to the card base and place the floral die on the center of the card to see where to place it.
Die cut two small leaf images from Granny Apple Green scraps. Adhere the two Granny Apple Green leaf dies behind where the flower will be eventually adhered.
Die cut a small circle from the Spotlight on Nature dies from Granny Apple Green scraps and stamp the Happy Birthday from The Right Words (which is on the LAST CHANCE LIST also)
to the middle of the die in Tuxedo Black memento ink.

Pop up the floral image from the Gallery Blooms bundle and slide the sentiment circle under the floral die and adhere down to the card.

I added three embellishments to the card.
I wanted to add a little more texture and shading to the petals and grabbed a blender pen and added some darker Poppy Parade lines with the blender pen to create shadows on the petals.
Coloring the petals with two different tools adds a lot of depth and dimension to the petals – these are gorgeous flowers to begin with but add some detailed coloring to them and they are STUNNING!!

Try a coloring technique to two to your next coloring project and see what a difference multiple tools can make!

Now it’s your turn to create some artwork of your very own – one stamp and a couple of coloring tools at a time!!!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color mondays – petal pink, balmy blue and soft sea foam

more color mondays – petal pink, balmy blue and soft sea foam

Today’s More Color Mondays color challenge features Petal Pink, Balmy Blue and Soft Sea Foam.

Today’s card features a very fun and sparkly technique – dyed Wink of Stella.

Measurements:
BASE: Balmy Blue CS: 4 1/4″ x 11″
scored at 5 1/2″
Soft Sea Foam CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Petal Pink CS: scraps for dies
Basic White CS: scraps for dies

Always keep your Wink of Stella pens even when they dry out. If you unscrew the brush top and pry the black stopper out of the pen shaft you can fill the shaft with alcohol to re-wet the glitter left in the barrel. Put the black stopper back in and screw the pen top back in. Squeeze the tube to release the glitter inside onto a silicon mat. Squeeze one drop of ink refill onto the silicon mat. Mix the drop of ink refill with the glitter.

Cut the largest Spotlight of Nature dies in the Soft Sea Foam CS layer. Paint the edges of the die with the Soft Sea Foam tinted Wink of Stella glitter.

After painting the edges of the die place it back inside the layer.
Mix another squeeze of glitter with Petal Pink ink refill.

Splatter the Soft Sea Foam layer with the Petal Pink tinted glitter.

Adhere the Soft Sea Foam layer to the balmy Blue card base.
Stamp two flowers on Petal Pink CS in Petal Pink ink and paint the petals with the tinted Petal Pink glitter.

Die cut a smaller Spotlight on Nature die in Basic White CS. Stamp the “Sending HAPPY thoughts” from the upcoming Sending Salutations stamp set from the new catalog debuting on May 5th. Paint the word HAPPY in the Petal Pink tinted Wink of Stella.

Adhere the pink flowers to the Soft Sea Foam layer.

Mix more glitter from the Wink of Stella paint brush and a drop of Balmy Blue ink refill.

Paint the petals of the flower from the Gallery Bloom stamp bundle.

Paint the leaves with the Soft Sea Foam tinted Glitter.
Adhere the Pink flowers under the Balmy Blue flowers – pop up the blue flowers onto Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Adhere the sentiment under the blue flowers.

Adhere the Pearls of Beauty around the card.

Adding tint to the Wink of Stella adds beautiful sparkly glitter! Try this technique and create some sparkling artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more than just cards – party banners and party alphabets

more than just cards – party banners and party alphabets

Stamps and Dies are such a great investment they are for SO MUCH more than just cards.
I use my products for scrapbooking and when the children were younger I was VERY popular around science fair time LOL!

Today’s post is all about the Party Banners and Party Alphabet. As many of you know my mother passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago and tomorrow is her funeral Mass and luncheon. She was forever gardening and cooking and taking care of everyone. I made some picture boards for the luncheon and a used some retired Designer Series Paper called Forever Greenery – it is perfect for my plant loving mom.

I created four boards of baby, teen, college and marriage and grandchildren and entitled them Celebrating a Life Well Lived.

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers!

The first few photos are of the individual banners and letters…

This is the first board entitled “Celebrating” and has her pictures as a youngster.
Here is the second board – a little older and it’s entitled “A Life”

The third board is of college and young married life and is entitled “Well”
The last board would have been her favorite her family, children and grandchildren – entitled “Lived!”

Thanks for stopping by come back for More Color Mondays in a few days!

Happy Stampin’ (stampin’ through the happy and the sad!)
Natalie