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Wanted New Cards: Easter from our Family to Yours

March 23, 2023

 
Wanted Cards – Easter from our Family to Yours

In the past couple of years, we have certainly had to find the humor of the countless “you can’t make this stuff up” circumstances. One current head scratching phenomenon is the soaring price of eggs.  

 
Please consider creating humorous Easter cards regarding the high price of eggs.  They should go here:
Holidays >> Easter >> From our Family to Yours  cid#37448

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Note: cid# is the speed entry method of adding a category to your card via category id number (cid#) vs using search terms or click and hunt. See here on the blog:

https://gcucommunity.com/2022/06/10/nuts-and-bolts-new-artist-enhancements/  

To expedite the review of these cards, please check Fast Track Review on the card image details page when you create your card and add a Note for Reviewers like “for BLOG– Wanted Cards”. 



Consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track. Remember, when you’re submitting your new stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.

 


Be inventive, be clever, be creative. Go for it!

 

 

 

Freebie Wednesday: Westjava Script Font

March 22, 2023

Freebie of the week is Westjava! An artistic expressional handwritten font with strong characters.

Westjava is a original handwritten typeface, inspired from several written everyday sources. Perfect for your next design, such as printed quotes, handwritten quotes, invitations, cards, product packaging, merchandise, social media & greeting cards, headline magazine, headers, and anything else you can imagine.

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800_3524276_7a6csoq943ww0dceqw9208pti375w76y21c1niv5_free-westjava-script-font

800_3524276_wjdr4xzhcw7f9413psiljb953vkzl7bzaxheywoc_free-westjava-script-font

800_3524276_v3fd3xj6mryhm6gpv5v70613o2cvshmwj3zzj5v4_free-westjava-script-font

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Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 days, so don’t miss out.

Comes with complete License.

Nuts & Bolts: Design Change Inside Verse

March 17, 2023

 
 
Nuts & Bolts – Design Change Inside Verse
 

We see shoppers often sending a design change custom request asking for the inside verse to be changed by the artist. Simply reply to the shopper sharing that ALL cards can be customized on the inside.
 
Consider using this statement in your replies to such requests:
 
“As with all GCU cards, you can add your own text to the inside to personalize it.  In fact, you can even change the existing inside text on any of our cards and upload your own photo or image to the inside at no additional cost.”
 


The difference is made in the details!


Mindy

 

GCU Community Manager

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Wanted New Cards: Funny Easter Price of Eggs

March 16, 2023

 
Wanted Cards – Funny Easter Price of Eggs
 

In the past couple of years, we have certainly had to find the humor of the countless “you can’t make this stuff up” circumstances. One current head scratching phenomenon is the soaring price of eggs.  
 
Please consider creating humorous Easter cards regarding the high price of eggs.  They should go here:

image (3)

Note: cid# is the speed entry method of adding a category to your card via category id number (cid#) vs using search terms or click and hunt. See here on the blog:

https://gcucommunity.com/2022/06/10/nuts-and-bolts-new-artist-enhancements/  

To expedite the review of these cards, please check Fast Track Review on the card image details page when you create your card and add a Note for Reviewers like “for BLOG– Wanted Cards”. 


Consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track. Remember, when you’re submitting your new stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.


Be inventive, be clever, be creative. Go for it!

 

 

 

Freebie Wednesday: Simple Font Bundle

March 15, 2023

Freebie of the week is Simple Font Bundle by  Herogylphs Studio

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Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 days, so don’t miss out.

Comes with complete License.

Nuts & Bolts: Louie Award Finalists

March 10, 2023

 
 
Nuts & Bolts – Louie Award Finalists 
 

As part of the Greeting Card Association (GCA) end of year awards, the finalists for the 34th Louie Awards were announced in February.
 
Previously shared, GCU submitted three entries to the Louie Awards to test the waters. GCU’s submissions did not get chosen as any finalists.
 
View the Finalist Gallery here.  Fun to peruse the different styles, colors, and themes of these award winning hopefuls that caught the judges’ attention. 
 
Winners will be announced on April 26th at Noted greeting card expo. 

 


The difference is made in the details!


Mindy

 

GCU Community Manager

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Nuts & Bolts: Bridal Shower Winery Theme Invitations

March 9, 2023

 
 

Wanted Cards – Bridal Shower Winery Theme Invitations


A relatively new trend for bridal showers is wine tasting or winery themed; vino before vows!

Please consider creating new cards for this new sub-category:

Occasions >> Invitations >> Bridal Shower >> Winery / Wine Tasting Bridal Shower  cid#37442

image

 

Note: cid# is the speed entry method of adding a category to your card via category id number (cid#) vs using search terms or click and hunt. See here on the blog:

https://gcucommunity.com/2022/06/10/nuts-and-bolts-new-artist-enhancements/ 

To expedite the review of these cards, please check Fast Track Review on the card image details page when you create your card and add a Note for Reviewers like “for BLOG– Wanted Cards”. 

 

Consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track. Remember, when you’re submitting your new stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.



The difference is made in the details!


Mindy

 

GCU Community Manager

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Freebie Wednesday: Celestial Starry Night

March 8, 2023

Freebie of the week is Celestial Starry Night by Radiant Tango.

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Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 days, so don’t miss out.

Comes with complete License.

Dash of Inspiration: March 2023 STOCK Design Challenge

March 5, 2023

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Sorry to be so late, I was without power for 133-hours and buried in a blizzard. Let’s roll …

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Theme: Nurses

Requirements:

  • Nurse specific image that works along with a message that blends the image and the nurse theme.
  • ONLY Big Stock cards will be accepted in this challenge.
  • Write your own verse, be creative with this will be extremely important in this challenge.
  • The judges will be looking for professional quality text layout, typography placement and font combinations in addition to a unique and captivating message that tells the story of the stock image you choose. Your added value needs to wow the judges!

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Entry Deadline: Friday, March 31st

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How to Enter: Post the PID (card number) and the URL (public storefront link – please WAIT for the card to be available in the public marketplace, please DO NOT post a link to your Manage Cards area) as a post in the challenge blog. We’ll forward your entry to the jury.

NOTE: Submissions will appear immediately in your Private gallery as they await review.  If approved, the reviewer will move them to the public gallery – they will then become ‘live’ in the marketplace within 24-hours or so just like regular submissions. Be patient and wait.

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Category:

Any category that is for a nurse. See links in tips.

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Rules:

  • Submission must meet GCU’s Submission Guidelines and be Approved through the usual Review Cycle. Big Stock creations are automatically identified as Fast Track – please add in the Notes to Reviewer: March Design Challenge Submission here is the link to the blog post: (include THIS blog post URL)
  • Only ONE card per artist per challenge.
  • Submissions must be NEW, no existing designs.
  • Your entry must meet the Challenge Requirements and Theme or it will not be included in the challenge.
  • Big Stock Card Creations ONLY will be accepted.
  • Your designs should differ from those already offered in the categories above to offer shoppers a variety of choices, not more of the same.
  • No BLANK cards will be accepted.

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BLIND Judging: We hope each of you enters every month. Entries are submitted anonymously for judging by the GCU Challenge Jury which means that before and during the challenge, judges do not have any way of knowing what artist is behind each entry. This eliminates any and all concerns with ‘favoritism’. Results will post on the Community Blog. The jury will judge the entries on the following criteria:

  • How well the card meets the Challenge Requirements and Theme.
  • How well the card speaks to the Category the artist chooses for the card submission.
  • Creativity, Execution and Marketability. Your overall ‘added value’ determines this.

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Winners: 1st Place:

  • The winning designer’s card and store will be featured on the GCU Public Blog the blog which customers view and follow.
  • As well as featured on the GCU Public Facebook Page nearly 58,000 followers, now THAT’S exposure!
  • The winning card will be Design of the Day following the announcement of the winners (within 48-hours).

    EXCEPTION: Horizontal (landscape) cards may not be featured as DOD due to GCU Home Page space restrictions. In these cases, GCU will choose a different vertically oriented card from your store to feature as DOD. Thank you for your understanding and apologies for this limitation.

  • The winning card will be added to the Greeting Card Universe Design Challenge Winners Pinterest Board – currently GCU’s Pinterest Page followers: 5.36K!
  • The winning card, should the artist choose, may be referenced in a new series by the winning artist and he/she may Fast Track all cards in the new series (being sure to give the Challenge URL and winning card PID in your Notes to Reviewer for each card in this series).
  • Winning card will be included in a marketing email to over 100,000 customers!
  • GCU will create a Meet the Team board for the winning artist under the Pinterest GCU account where the winning artist will be able to pin and promote her own storefront and all that makes them a unique card designer and one of GCU’s artistic community team member.
  • Winning card will be posted on GCU’s Instagram with 2,000 followers and counting!
  • GCU will create a Meet the Team board for the winning artist under the Pinterest GCU account where the winning artist will be able to pin and promote her own storefront and all that makes them a unique card designer and one of GCU’s artistic community team member.
  • 10 free greeting card credits added to your GCU account. Apply them at checkout and they never expire.
  • A Design Challenge GCU digital award for 2023!

2nd Place:

  • Your submission will be Design of the Day the following week of announcing the Challenge winners (within 7-days).

    EXCEPTION: Horizontal (landscape) cards may not be featured as DOD due to GCU Home Page space restrictions. In these cases, GCU will choose a different vertically oriented card from your store to feature as DOD. Thank you for your understanding and apologies for this limitation.

  • Your card will be added to the Greeting Card Universe Design Challenge Winners Pinterest Board.
  • Winning card will be included in a marketing email to over 100,000 customers!
  • Winning card will be posted on GCU’s Instagram with 2,000 followers and counting!
  • 5 free greeting card credits added to your GCU account. Apply them at checkout and they never expire.
  • A Design Challenge GCU digital award for 2023!

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Tips:

  • Visit all the available tips, tricks and guidelines offered on the Big Stock Creation blog page!
  • Search for Nurses categories.

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Be inspired to create and learn something new!

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by Doreen Erhardt – Exclusive Creations

Nuts & Bolts: Delayed Feb Design Voting

March 3, 2023

 
 
Nuts & Bolts – Delayed Feb Design Challenge Voting
 

Due to severe weather conditions impacting internet service and power the voting for February’s Design Challenge will be delayed for a few days.   
 
Thank you for your understanding and patience.  Stay warm and stay safe!

 


The difference is made in the details!


Mindy

 

GCU Community Manager

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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