October cardmaking colors don’t need to be bold or busy to make an impact. As the season shifts, it brings quiet beauty—soft light, misty mornings, and the first hints of change in the trees and fields. This week’s collection, Autumn Unfolding, reflects that transformation with palettes that express calm, warmth, and gentle seasonal movement.
This Week’s Palettes
- Sunflare Blooms
- Leaf Turn Stillness
- Layered Autumn Light
- Harvest Crown
- Morning Stillness
Each palette in Autumn Unfolding reflects a unique moment in the season’s early transition, from golden sunlight to quiet fog. Whether you’re planning a card for gratitude, encouragement, or seasonal celebration, these colors offer a soft and versatile starting point.
Last Week’s Palettes
Missed the beginning? Start with Autumn Unfolding, our Week 1 collection of October cardmaking colors. That first set highlights golden fields, misty skies, and the early hush of fall.
Gentle October Cardmaking Colors
While many October cardmaking colors lean bold with rusts and berries, this collection takes a different path. The colors here are thoughtful. They’re meant to ease us into the season through misty fields, ripening corn, and trees just beginning to show their autumn color.
We begin with the brightness of Sunflare Blooms, drawn from vibrant marigolds kissed by sunlight. This palette captures fall’s early light—golden and fresh—with just enough warmth to feel like the tail end of summer. It’s a natural transition point.
From there, we move to Leafturn Stillness, a palette that centers on a single, half-turned leaf. The feeling here is quiet. There’s a sense of watching and waiting, a pause between what was and what’s coming. The muted ochres and grounded greens are perfect for reflective or nature-inspired cards.
Layered Autumn Light shifts the focus to branches full of overlapping color. Coral, gold, and green work together to create energy without losing softness. It’s lively but still grounded—perfect for celebrating seasonal beauty with a clean, modern edge.
“October’s beauty isn’t always bold. It often arrives in soft layers, gentle light, and quiet transitions.”
— CardPalettes.com
With Harvest Crown, the scene moves directly into the field—golden corn, dried stalks, and warm neutrals. It’s the boldest palette in the collection, but still quiet. It speaks of abundance, not extravagance. It is ideal for cards that nod to tradition, gratitude, and early harvest celebrations.
We close with Morning Stillness, a palette inspired by a fog-covered field and a quiet bicycle waiting in the grass. Here, gray, soft green, and natural tan bring the week to a gentle pause. There’s peace in this scene, and the colors reflect that. It offers cardmakers a perfect way to capture reflective or elegant themes.
A Cardmaker’s Seasonal Companion
Each palette in this collection supports clean and simple card designs. They’re especially suited for October cardmaking, with a thoughtful mix of neutrals and focal tones. You’ll find clear focal color guidance in every set, making it easy to adapt the palettes to your own style. These colors can stand independently or work beautifully with textured cardstock, ink blending, or subtle stamping techniques.
Whether making thank you cards, seasonal greetings, or simply exploring fall combinations, Autumn Unfolding gives you options that feel seasonal without becoming predictable
Mood and Message
The emotional thread running through this week is one of soft anticipation. These colors don’t shout. They suggest, they invite. You can feel the shift in the air without being pulled into pumpkins and spice. For cardmakers, that’s an opportunity to create designs that feel authentic, early, and uniquely yours.
Looking Ahead
Explore these palettes in depth with our autumn cardmaking color ideas, featuring Stampin’ Up!® ink suggestions, color pairings, and project ideas for each of these October palettes.
Until then, we hope these color stories inspire you to slow down, take in the season, and enjoy the creative possibilities of autumn in transition.