The Maine Stamper

In Color: Pale Papaya Part I

As my 2021-2023 In Color tour comes to an end this month, we are turning to the last color, Pale Papaya and the stamp set, Shaded Summer. I have to admit, Pale Papaya is not my favorite color hue. In fact, I struggle with this yellow/orange color that seems to shift tendencies depending on its color partners.

Our first combo with Pale Papaya is Calypso Coral and Basic Gray. Of course, Basic Gray lends some neutral sensibility to this mix. And Calypso Coral actually coordinates well with Pale Papaya! When I put all three colors together, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Shaded Summer

I realize as I make this card and write this blog post that it is November. Summer is long over. But, the color combo of Pale Papaya and Calypso Coral reminds me a little of summer. And Basic Gray is definitely “shade”! So, I just had to pull out my Shaded Summer Stamp Set.

Something else that I used on this card is long over too: the retired, coordinating dies from January-February 2021 Sale-A-Bration, Shaded Summer Dies. If you don’t have these dies, you could fussy cut the flower image from the Shaded Summer Stamp Set using Paper Snips. Another option would be to swap it out for a similar image with a matching die.

Watercolor Flowers

I started first by stamping my floral image from the Shaded Summer Stamp Set, using third generation Crumb Cake Ink on Basic White Cardstock. Not sure what this means? After inking my stamp, I stamped off twice and used the third stamped image. I wanted a very light outline image to work with.

Next, I grabbed my Watercolor Pencils. I added Calypso Coral to the flowers and Old Olive to the leaves and stems. While coloring, I focused on the outlines and Crumb Cake shaded areas. Notice from my picture that there are plenty of white spaces left un-colored.

You may be wondering why I left so much white space! This is where my Water Painters come in handy. With just the wet brush tip, the watercolor pencil lines are blended and softened beautifully. This artistic wash is simply something that I could not accomplish on my own.

TIP #1: Squeeze some water from the barrel of the Water Painter onto a clear acrylic block and use that water to blend your pencil lines. It is so much easier than squeezing the Water Painter to moisten the brush as you go along.

TIP #2: After you use your Water Painter to blend your lines, you can go back over your image with the Watercolor Pencils again to add more color or sharpen the look of certain areas.

Cutting Edge Beauty

Remember those retired Shaded Summer Dies I spoke of earlier? I used mine to die cut my colorful flower image with my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. Paper Snips are a great alternative if you need to fussy cut instead.

I took advantage of other dies in the retired set, and die cut leaves in both Basic Gray Cardstock and Smoky Slate Cardstock. Any leaf dies or punches would work here as well.

It was easy to add elegant die cuts to my card front with the Encircled In Beauty Dies. These dies may remind you of a spiro-graph image or doilies when you see them. The lacy circles come in a variety of sizes and designs, and work together so nicely.

I die cut one of medium sized circles using Calypso Coral Cardstock. Next, I die cut a larger circle in Basic White Cardstock. Since I only wanted a rim of white cardstock, I used my Layering Circles Dies to remove the middle portion, donut style.

After that, I die cut some 2021-2023 In Color Shimmer Vellum in Pale Papaya with the same Layering Circle Die. This Pale Papaya circle now fits inside my white die cut rim perfectly, and will add a bit of sheen to my finished card.

Perfect Punches and Elegant Embossing

I love the look of an embossed image on my card front. The raised texture adds a richness and lots of interest for so little effort. For this card, I decided a floral embossing folder would be too busy, competing with all the images and die cuts I already have.

So, I turned to the Timeworn Type 3D Embossing Folder. This one provides a hint of print, and works well on both feminine and masculine cards. I used my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine with the Specialty Plate on Pale Papaya Cardstock.

The final elements of this card came together quickly. I love my punches for that very reason. Starting with the Treasured Tags Pick A Punch, I punched both ends of my Pale Papaya Cardstock using the largest width allowance. All of the Pick A Punch’s are channeled to give you 3 different width options and 2 designs.

After my paper was punched, I stamped my sentiment from the Shaded Summer Stamp Set, using Basic Gray Ink. This ink color is a good option when you want something a little lighter in color from a harsh black ink. I sponged the edges of my sentiment piece using Pale Papaya Ink to help it stand out.

And last but not least, I used my Sprig Punch. This one is my go-to for some extra layering behind a focal piece or sentiment. The 2021-2023 In Color Shimmer Vellum allowed me to use some sparkly Pale Papaya to get a couple of sprigs in no time flat. The sprigs and previously die cut circle in the same medium bring continuity to my card.

Beauty Of Assembly

Once I had all the parts and pieces finalized for my card, it was time to assemble. Instead of automatically adding layers to my Basic Gray Card Base, I began with the embossed piece of Pale Papaya. First, I adhered a piece of Simply Elegant Specialty Designer Series Paper. Next, I added my white rim die cut.

Following in order, I adhered the circular shimmer vellum, adding tape only where it would be next covered by the Calypso Coral die cut piece.

Before I went any further, I added a strip of Gray Granite 1/4″ Shimmer Ribbon on the bottom third of my circular pieces. I wrapped the ends of the ribbon around the back of the Pale Papaya embossed cardstock and secured them with Tear & Tape Adhesive.

From there, it was just a matter of layering on the rest of my pieces. I tucked in the gray die cuts leaves and the shimmer vellum sprigs. Then, I centered my watercolor flowers over the Calypso Coral die cut. Next, I adhered my sentiment and added a bow from another length of the same ribbon. I placed my artistic ensemble on my card base.

For a final bit of bling, I added some Pearl Basic Jewels. The elegance of pearls fits this card perfectly. I love the ease of adding small embellishments with my Take Your Pick Tool. Whether you use the spatula end or the putty end, the application is effortless.

Meant To Be

Much like the sentiment says, some friendships are meant to be. And the color combo I used here is also meant to be. I was so happy mixing Calypso Coral and Basic Gray to Pale Papaya. This card made with the Shaded Summer Stamp Set is perfectly beautiful.

If you haven’t seen any of the other In Color cards from this series, be sure to check them out. Click here to see another card that showcases a different way to use the Water Painters.

All of the current supplies used to make this card can be found in my online store, so shop anytime at your convenience to add these items to your crafty stash. And please come back and visit, to see where the next adventures in Pale Papaya take us!