Correct syntax for Gradient fill of shape

This syntax works for me, you would need to determine the colors you wanted...

    With ActiveSheet.Shapes("Oval 1")
        .Fill.Transparency = 0.5
        .Fill.Visible = msoTrue
        .Fill.ForeColor.SchemeColor = 24
        .Fill.BackColor.SchemeColor = 34
        .Fill.TwoColorGradient msoGradientHorizontal, 1
    End With

No, but here's a handy pallete you can use to quickly spot the colorindex number for your desired color.

http://screencast.com/t/gyBGadXz

If you manually set your default shape to have a gradient fill then the following will work. It appears the object model is broken in as much as setting TwoColorGradient does not alter the Solid setting and makes calls to gradientstop properties fail.

Sub EDIT_ITEM()
    
    Dim shpTemp As Shape
    
ActiveSheet.Shapes("item").Select
    Selection.Copy
    Range("F15").Select
    ActiveSheet.Paste
    Selection.Name = Range("E5").Value & Range("F5").Text
    Set shpTemp = ActiveSheet.Shapes(Range("E5").Value & Range("F5").Text)
    With shpTemp.Fill
        .Visible = msoTrue
        .TwoColorGradient msoGradientHorizontal, 1
        With .GradientStops(1)
            .Color.RGB = RGB(Split(Range("G5"), ",")(0), Split(Range("G5"), ",")(1), Split(Range("G5"), ",")(2))
            .Position = 0
        End With
        With .GradientStops(2)
            .Color.RGB = RGB(Split(Range("H5"), ",")(0), Split(Range("H5"), ",")(1), Split(Range("H5"), ",")(2))
            .Position = 1
        End With
    End With

End Sub

you can set RGB directly

        .Fill.ForeColor.RGB = RGB(0, 255, 0)

I'd split those RGB values out to separate cells if you're going to control it from the worksheet like that.