Dash of Inspiration: February 2019 Design Challenge
It’s time for another challenge and this month we’ll be adding new and fresh designs to some categories in need …
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Theme: Gay and Lesbian Parents
Requirements:
- Category specific for those listed below for a gay or lesbian parent. This is different than two dads or two moms.
- Write your own verse/message, be creative and write a message that clearly speaks to your imagery, occasion and recipient.
- Blank verse will not be considered for entry in this challenge.
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Entry Deadline: Thursday, February 28th
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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.
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Category:
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Rules:
- Submission must meet GCU’s Submission Guidelines and be Approved through the usual Review Cycle– Fast Track your submission with this in the Notes to Reviewer: February 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.
- Stock Card Creations entries will not be accepted.
- Your designs should differ from those already offered in the category of your choice to offer shoppers a variety of choices, not more of the same.
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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.
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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 – over 57,000 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: 4K!
- 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.
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Winning card will be posted on GCU’s Instagram with 6,800 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.
- NEW! – 10 free greeting card credits added to your GCU account. Apply them at checkout and they never expire.
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!
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Winning card will be posted on GCU’s Instagram with 6,800 followers and counting!
- NEW! – 5 free greeting card credits added to your GCU account. Apply them at checkout and they never expire.
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Tips:
Check out these tips, tricks, freebies, and tutorials from our own GCU Community Blog which might be helpful in this month’s Challenge.
- Nuts and Bolts: The Right Image
- Dash of Inspiration – What’s In a Verse
- Dash of Inspiration: Design for All Cultures
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Be inspired to create and learn something new!
GCU Community 
That’s a gorgeous design, Doreen. Carol (WilBi)
Oh, thank you, Carol! 🙂
Hi Doreen, hope you’re having a great February! Here is my entry for the month pid#1558094
https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holiday-cards/mothers-day-cards/gay-lesbian/mothers-day-to-mom-lesbian-1558094
Good luck to everyone! Take care, Laurie
Hi Laurie – sorry for the delay in posting. Too much snow and power outages at my end of the world … LOL! Entry received, good luck!
Oh no, stay safe! Unfortunately, we have bad weather here too. Take care 🙂
Doreen, Just to clarify. This contest is not for cards that address two moms and or two dads. Is that correct?
That’s correct, Tam. This is for the category which speaks to having a gay dad or a gay mom, not two dads or two moms. 🙂
The reason I ask is because my card was returned for edits for not addressing two dads when I placed it in the category above. I replied back and told them the requirements for the contest, but have not heard back yet.
When I submitted the design, I included a link to the design challenge. I also told them it was for this challenge, but the reviewer is trying to place it into a second category for two dads and wants me to change it to address two dads. Nothing in the image even has two fathers. So I don’t know why this is happening. I have never had this problem before.
Hi Tam – okay, I spoke to the review team and understand the issue/confusion. They are not asking that you make the card speak to TWO DADS, only that it speak directly to a GAY father. In my card example, it was not needed in words because of the rainbow theme, if yours is not clear in it’s visuals, then words must speak to a GAY Dad. Make sense?
Okay, I submitted the card with a rainbow theme. However, I will look at it again and see how I can change the wording I guess. This was the note they gave me, so I guess I misinterpreted it somehow:
Hi Tammy,
Nothing in this card speaks to being for For Both my Dads / Fathers. We are returning this card to give you the opportunity to edit.
We have changed for a more fitting second category for you.
Thanks.
Well, making it rainbow theme is certainly NOT required, but if that works for you. I believe I’ve simply confused the review team and that’s on me. As with all cards at GCU, you need the words or visual to speak to the category, in your case a Gay Father. I have spoken with the review team and tried to clarify this is not the same as Two Dads, so I think if you simply word your card to include some reference to a gay father, you’ll be okay.
Thanks Doreen. I will work on it again and then resubmit it. I just wanted to clarify that I understood it was not supposed to be for two dads because of the note I received .and the fact they tried to place it in a second category specifically for two dads. The main thing is to make it speak to my intended audience, so that’s on me if it isn’t doing the job.lol
Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it!
Hello Doreen,
I hope your weather is being kind to you! Here is my entry for the challenge.
Best of luck to everyone!
https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holiday-cards/fathers-day-cards/gay-lesbian/happy-fathers-day-to-gay-1560084
Hello, Betsy! More than 4-feet of snow and 113 hours of power outages in 14 days, so yuck on this end. LOL! Entry received, good luck!
Hi Doreen,
Here is my entry for the design challenge: https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holiday-cards/fathers-day-cards/gay-lesbian/beyond-the-rainbow-rabbits-in-1559976?aid=447404
Wish everyone the best of luck!
Tammy
Hi Tam, entry received, good luck!
Thanks Doreen! And thanks for all of your help!
You’re welcome, Tam. Thank YOU! I’m told you and the review team worked diligently to get this card challenge ready. 🙂
Yes! lol The main thing is that a new card is now available for our shoppers. It is a little different. Hopefully it will speak to someone out there. Sometimes it takes a village. 🙂
Hi Doreen,
Here is my entry for the February contest https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holidays/mothersday/gaylesbian/generalgaylesbianmothersday/lesbian-gay-mothers-day-rainbow-1560428?aid=131660
PID 1560428
Thank you and good luck everyone!
Cathie
Hi Cathie – glad to have you join us! Entry received, good luck!
Hi Doreen, here is my entry https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holiday-cards/fathers-day-cards/gay-lesbian/happy-fathers-day-cartoon-gay-1559834. PID 1559834 I hope I have done this right … Kate
Hi Kate! Entry received, good luck!
Hi Doreen, here is my entry:
https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holiday-cards/fathers-day-cards/gay-lesbian/greeting-card-1560190?aid=198425
PID 1560190
I hope I’ve done this right, too – better last minute than never, right? Good luck everyone!
Paula
Hi Paula – You did it exactly right, thank you, and yes, better late than never indeed. 🙂 Entry received, good luck!