Rose Scott-Lee of The Merry Giraffe, Design Challenge Winner January 2026.

One of the many perks of being a GCU Design Challenge winner is an interview.  These mini-interviews are fun reads and a peek into the makings of the winning card. 

Congratulations to Rosie of The Merry Giraffe!

Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. 

I did win a gold medal in a gymnastics competition when I was 10 but assuming you mean card related – then none! 

Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites. 
 

https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/sister-birthday-cards/general/sister-birthday-sunset-flowers-trees-1964812

 
I love this card, I really enjoyed designing it – I get a lot of joy from the colours and the sunset.  

https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/holiday-cards/christmas-cards/daughter/daughter-merry-christmas-tree-quirky-1964268

 
I made this card for my eldest daughter one year and so it has some sentimental value. I enjoyed the freedom of creating something where perfection is less important than creating something with love. 

https://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/congratulations-cards/new-baby/general-gender-neutral-new-baby-congratulations/greeting-card-1962056

 
This card was one of the very first ones I ever designed. It has been through a few iterations but to start with I only drew giraffe themed cards and so this one always holds a special place in my heart.  

What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card. 

I saw the blog post about the January competition, I had only just recently joined GCU, but thought it would be fun to enter and get involved as the community looks so lovely and supportive. I am honoured to have been chosen! The brief was to create a card using the colour of the year – Cloud Dancer – and 3 other previous colour of the years. Firstly I researched the previous colours and chose which 3 I liked and then thought it would be fun to incorporate clouds in a card based on Cloud Dancer and a unicorn dancing the clouds idea just came to me so I sketched it out and refined it bit by bit until I was happy.  

What sparked your interest in art? Did you start as a young child? 

I have always enjoyed being creative and enjoy most types of arts and crafts. I started designing and selling cards about 5 and a half years ago as a way to raise money for two hospital centres that helped me after I had been very unwell with a heart condition. It went really well so I have just kept going and will carry on as long as I can to raise as much money as possible! 

Do you have formal training or are you self-taught? 

Completely self-taught, I have been painting and drawing for almost 20 years but only started digital design about 6 years ago and learnt the old-fashioned way of try, try and try again! 

Is your work done by hand and then scanned or do you work entirely on the computer? 

It is entirely digital. I love creating things on my iPad and I love that with the digital brushes and techniques available, I can create digital art in all different styles like gouache painting or watercolour art. I love to experiment with all different styles.  

Have you ever/do you currently have a job other than as an artist? 

I used to work in HR but now am just focussed on my art and being a mum to my gorgeous girls! 

What GCU artist(s) do you admire? 

I have just had a look now as I haven’t been with GCU long enough to get familiar with many other artists work but I have spotted two that really stood out to me. I love Molly Harrison, her work is so ethereal and I love her use of colours. I also adore Laura J Holman, her whimsical drawings bring me a lot of joy and make me smile. 

What is the story behind your storefront name, The Merry Giraffe? 

 I love giraffes! Absolutely obsessed with them! The Happy Giraffe was already a business name in the UK so I went for The Merry Giraffe instead. 

Not only entering but winning a Design Challenge the same month you joined our community, amazing! What advice do you have for new artists joining our community? 
 
Just give it a go! You have nothing to lose! 

What would we be surprised to learn about you? 

 
I am from the UK, although you have probably guessed that from my spelling of certain words! My other favourite craft to do is crochet. I love cosy murder mysteries and like nothing better in the evening then curling up on the sofa with my iPad or crochet, having a cup of tea and watching an episode of Murder, She Wrote or Diagnosis Murder!