The Pumpkin Pie color combo, featuring Stampin’ Up inks of Pumpkin Pie, Blackberry Bliss and Basic Black (any black ink), brings the perfect mix of warmth, drama, and elegance to your autumn cards. This palette is ideal for creating cards for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and other fall occasions. Whether you’re making clean and simple designs or something with more flair, these colors can inspire you to create stunning seasonal cards.
If you’re looking for more seasonal inspiration, check out our Seasonal Cardmaking Colors: Tips & Inspiration.
Pumpkin Pie Color Combo at-a-Glance
Here is a quick overview of each color in this combination. If you don’t have Stampin’ Up inks, use these descriptions to find similar shades in your own stash that match the warmth, depth, and richness of these colors:
| Pumpkin Pie: | A warm and vibrant orange that reflects the beauty of fall leaves and pumpkins. |
| Basic Black: | A classic neutral that adds depth and elegance to any design. |
| Blackberry Bliss: | A rich and luxurious shade of purple that brings drama and sophistication. |
These colors blend beautifully together, making them an excellent choice for autumn-themed projects.
Color Description and Mood
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie is a vibrant, warm shade that evokes the coziness of fall. It is perfect for adding energy and warmth to your card designs, making it ideal for autumn and Halloween themes.
Blackberry Bliss
Blackberry Bliss is a deep, rich purple that brings a sense of luxury to your cards. It works well to add a dramatic flair, making it perfect for elegant designs or highlighting specific elements of your card.
Basic Black
Basic Black provides a grounding element to this color combination. It adds contrast, making the vibrant colors stand out while maintaining an elegant and sophisticated feel. Regardless of the ink manufacturer, Basic Black is versatile and ensures balance within the palette.
The overall mood of this combination is warm, elegant, and dramatic, making it versatile for both playful and sophisticated projects.
Cardmaking Techniques Using the Pumpkin Pie Color Combo
Clean and Simple Techniques
This color combination works wonderfully with clean and simple techniques, focusing on bold color areas and minimal embellishments. It’s perfect for creating impactful seasonal cards without overwhelming the design. For a unique seasonal twist, explore Autumn Expressions Pumpkin Cards for more inspiration.
Here are a few effective techniques to try with this color combo:
- Ink Blending: Blend Pumpkin Pie and Blackberry Bliss for a beautiful gradient effect that highlights the richness of these colors.
- Basic Stamping: Use stamps to create simple yet effective designs, allowing the colors to take center stage.
- Heat Embossing: Add texture and shine by heat embossing elements in Basic Black, which gives a sophisticated touch to your cards.
Bold colors like Blackberry Bliss can add depth, while Pumpkin Pie brings warmth. The contrast is what makes a card truly stand out
Target Occasions
This color combination is perfect for a variety of occasions, including:
- Halloween: The mix of Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black creates a classic Halloween look. For some creative ideas, check out Halloween Card Making with Button Pumpkins.
- Thanksgiving: Use these colors to capture the warmth and festivity of Thanksgiving.
- Fall Birthdays: The combination provides a festive yet sophisticated feel that works well for autumn birthdays.
- Thank-You Cards: Show appreciation with warm and rich tones that add a heartfelt touch.
Pairing with Neutrals for a Clean and Simple Look
Adding neutral colors can help bring balance to your designs while allowing the featured colors to shine. Here are some suggestions for neutrals to pair with this color combination:
- Whisper White or Basic White: Great for a crisp, clean look that makes the bold colors pop.
- Crumb Cake: Adds a subtle warmth without overwhelming the palette.
Tips for incorporating neutrals:
- Use white as a background to make your stamped images in Pumpkin Pie and Blackberry Bliss stand out.
- Add small accents of Crumb Cake to bring a cozy touch to your fall-themed cards.
Step-by-Step Card Examples
Here are a few example card designs using this color combination:
Example 1: Halloween Card
- Layout: A clean and simple design featuring a striking “Trick or Treat” sentiment. The card uses Pumpkin Pie as the base color, with Blackberry Bliss splatter effects adding interest and movement. A witch hat image stamped in Basic Black creates a fun focal point, adding a touch of whimsy to the card.
- Materials: Inks in Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, and Blackberry Bliss. White cardstock serves as the card base.
- Techniques: This card uses watercolor with dye ink to create the background and stamped splatter effects for texture. The minimal embellishments keep the overall look playful yet sophisticated, with the use of black ink adding contrast to bring all the colors together.
For more inspiration, check out the AWH Colour Creations Blog Hop #11 (note: this link showcases Blackberry Bliss in a winter setting, which demonstrates its versatility).
Example 2: Fall Thank-You Card
- Layout: A festive card featuring a background of Pumpkin Pie leaves scattered across a crisp card panel, complemented by Blackberry Bliss accents. The sentiment “With a grateful heart” is framed centrally, adding warmth and a personal touch to the design.
- Materials: Cardstock in white, Pumpkin Pie, and Blackberry Bliss inks ; stamps for the leaf elements; and heat embossing powder for texture.
- Techniques: Stamping for the leaf motifs, with heat embossing used for adding visual interest and dimension to the sentiment. The blend of warm orange and rich Blackberry Bliss colors creates a cozy, autumn-inspired feel.
Versatility of the Pumpkin Pie Color Combo
This color combination is versatile enough to be used for both playful and sophisticated designs:
- Playful Designs: Use more Pumpkin Pie for a vibrant, energetic feel.
- Sophisticated Designs: Incorporate more Blackberry Bliss and Basic Black to create an elegant and dramatic look.
Adapting the color ratio allows you to tailor the mood of your card, making this combo suitable for a wide range of styles.
Additional Tips and Tricks
- Embellishments: Use metallic embellishments, such as gold or bronze, to add an extra touch of elegance.
- Textures: Adding textures, like ribbon or embossed patterns, can elevate the card’s visual appeal.
- Sentiments: Need help writing a sentiment? Check out What to Write in a Halloween Card for some ideas.
Seasonal and Thematic Adaptations
While this color combination is perfect for autumn, you can easily adapt it for other themes throughout the year:
- Winter: Replace Pumpkin Pie with Real Red to create a cozy winter palette that still maintains warmth and depth.
- Spring: Swap out Blackberry Bliss for Highland Heather to give the combination a fresh, cheerful springtime feel, perfect for uplifting card designs.
Below are three adaptations of this color combination, showing how it can be adjusted for different seasons to keep your card designs versatile and relevant.
Putting It All Together
The Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, and Blackberry Bliss color combination offers warmth, drama, and versatility for a variety of cardmaking projects. Whether you’re crafting a Halloween card, a Thanksgiving greeting, or a fall birthday wish, these colors will bring your designs to life. Don’t be afraid to experiment—let your creativity shine!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This color combination is perfect for Halloween cards, Thanksgiving greetings, fall birthdays, and thank-you cards. It works well for both clean and simple designs as well as more elaborate creations.
Absolutely! If you don’t have Stampin’ Up inks, use the color descriptions to find similar shades in your stash that match the warmth, depth, and richness of these colors.
To create a clean and simple look, focus on using bold areas of Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, and Blackberry Bliss with minimal embellishments. Pair with white or neutral tones for a crisp, uncluttered design.
Neutral colors like Whisper White, Basic White, or Crumb Cake work wonderfully with this combination to balance the bold tones and maintain a clean, sophisticated look.
Techniques like ink blending, basic stamping, and heat embossing work well with this color combination. These techniques help highlight the richness of the colors while adding texture and depth to your designs.
Call to Action
Explore more of our color combo articles for additional inspiration, including these 8 inspiring fall color combos to spark creativity for your autumn projects. Let us know if this color combination inspires your next project, and feel free to share your thoughts with us!