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Nuts and Bolts: Set Dressing

February 1, 2019

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Nuts & Bolts – Set Dressing
 
What is Set Dressing?
Props and set dressing often overlap, but are provided by different departments. Props are defined as items which are handled directly by actors, and discussions take place between set decorator and prop masters in order to check that everything is being covered. Set dressers place furniture, hang pictures, and put out decorative items to generally making the set look real and lived-in.

 

Fun Fact:  GCU has on several occasions provided greeting cards for use as set dressing for movies and tv shows.  Quite often this is for a scene or story line of a character that is in the hospital or ill at home and we’ve provided cancer encouragement and get well cards.

So if you look closely enough you may spy your creative works in a production as GCU artist Sharon Dominick recently did with one of her wall calendars on the show This is Us.

 

The difference is made in the details!

 

Mindy
GCU Community Manager

 

Wanted New Cards: Anniversary & Congratulations Reunited / Reunion

January 31, 2019

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Wanted Cards – Anniversary & Congratulations Reunited / Reunion 

 

With the skyrocketing popularity of at-home genealogy and ancestry DNA testing from the likes of AncestryDNA, 23 and Me, and others, more people than ever before are identifying and reuniting with newly discovered and long lost family members.

 

Please keep in mind that not all of these reunions are not all sunshine and rainbows. There are often mixed emotions, unpleasant surprises and disappointing discoveries. Consider creating cards that address both sides of the spectrum.

 

Please consider making cards for this category:
>> General
>> Other
and the many relationship specific subcategories.

Additionally for reunion anniversary category with relationship and year specific subcategories:
Occasions >> Anniversary – Reunited / Reunion

Note: there are reasons other than adoptions for reunions and reuniting to be addressed like estrangement, lost touch, etc.

Freebie Wednesday: Free Retro Valentine Wood Background.

January 30, 2019

Freebie Wednesday:

 

The Hungry Jpeg has some love to share in the form of free Retro Valentine Wood Backgrounds.  Don’t wait too long, the offer expires in 6 days!

 

 

This product comes with a complete commercial license.

 

Rainbow Connection: Valentines Hearts and Kisses.

January 29, 2019

 

Draw some design inspirtation for next Valentines Day with these hearts and kisses:

 

Nuts and Bolts: Reminder January 2019 Design Challenge.

January 25, 2019

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Nuts & Bolts – Reminder January 2019 Design Challenge

 

January is coming to an end!  If you resolved to try something new this year, now is your chance.  Just seven days left to submit your entry to the first design challenge of the year.
 
 
The theme is Pantone’s Color of the Year, Living Coral.  Look at all this great color inspiration on Pinterest
 
How easy is that?!  A color. Any design, occasion or category that you choose.  
 
Simply submit your card for review as usual and include a Note to Reviewer “this is for January’s design challenge”.  (Psst … since we’re getting close to the deadline go ahead and submit your design for Fast Track review and tell the reviewers Mindy said it’s ok).
 
NOTE: 
After your card is approved, 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 design challenge blog. We’ll forward your entry to the jury.

 

 

 

The difference is made in the details!

 

Mindy
GCU Community Manager

 

Wanted New Cards: First / 1st Solo Flight / Soloing

January 24, 2019

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Wanted Cards – First / 1st Solo Flight / Soloing
 
A new pilot will be flying high after his / her first solo flight.  Their first solo is an exciting and stressful milestone in their aviation career. This is a big achievement in a new pilot’s career and training to becoming a licensed pilot.
The cards will go here:

 

 

Consider other aircraft like hot air balloon and helicopter solo fights as well.

Freebie Wednesday: Timeless Handwritten Script Font

January 23, 2019

Freebie Wednesday:

Timeless is a free handwritten script font (by KA Designs) and freebie of the week at The Hungry Jpeg. Don’t wait too long, the offer expires in 5 days!

 

 

 

This product comes with a complete commercial license.

 

Rainbow Connection: Colortrend 2019 Terra Roza

January 22, 2019

 

 

 

Dash of Inspiration: 2018 Founders’ Choice Awards.

January 21, 2019

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Dash of Inspiration – 2018 Founders’ Choice Awards
 
Well, here they are!  The Founders’ Choice Awards for 2018 in all their shining, funny, witty, creative, and top selling glory!  New this year we have added two honorable mentions to the
Hottest Seller to reflect the top three selling new cards of the year.

 

1. Best New Artist: Sharon Dominick of Sharon Dominick Photography

 

Honorable Mentions Best New Artist: Anne Johnson of Greetings from Anne

and Dale Simpson of Dale Simpson Design

 

2. Best Overall New Card: Melinda Pretzel of Yowzers#1507950

 

Honorable Mention Best Overall New Card: Mindy Pierce – #1549658

3. Hottest Seller: Mindy Pierce –  #1508240

Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller: Kathleen Johnson of Encouragers for Christ#1523736

and Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art#1539808

4. Best Custom Front (Text): Robin Chaffin of Simply Put by Robin#1516744

Honorable Mention Best Custom Front (Text): Pamela Jorgensen of PamJArts#1519542

5. Best Custom Front (Image): Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art#1545192

6. Best Business Logo: Valerie Waters of Valerie’s Gallery#1542680

7. Funniest Card: Nobleworks – #1544470

Honorable Mentions Funniest Card: Sharon Dominick Photography – #1519434

and Ron Magnes of Creative Greetings – #1529412

8. Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock): Anne Johnson of Greetings from Anne – #1532966

Honorable Mention Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock): Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art Exclusive Creations#1508022

9. Rising Star: Barbara Schreiber – #1519078 

Honorable Mention Rising Star: Ness Nordberg of The XMAS Store – #1551084

10. Custom Request – Nailed it: Carol Kearns of WilBi Designs#1548864

Honorable Mentions Custom Request – Nailed it: Cisillia Tay – #1524228

 

and Kate Taylor –  #1528192

11. Best Uncommon Card: Natalie Kinnear – #1523206

 

Honorable Mention best Uncommon Card:  Shoaff-Ballanger Studios – #1553536

12. Best Design Challenge Submission: Julia Bryant of JJBDesigns#1513650

Honorable Mention Best Design Challenge Submission: Melinda Pritzel of Yowzers#1518096

13. Simply Clever: Anne Johnson of Greetings from Anne#1509634

Honorable Mention Simply Clever: Lisa Crisafi of Nest to Nest Greetings#1513886

14. Reviewers’ Choice: Fiona, Reviewer #825 – Natalie Kinnear – #1539044

Ella, Reviewer #758 – Amy Hadden – #1533108

Mackenzie, Reviewer #528 – Stephie McCarthy – #1538578 

Desiree, Reviewer #121 – Sandra Rose Designs – #1519626

Phoebe, Reviewer #443 – Makiko Kimura – #1509282

John, Reviewer #233 – Kathleen Johnson of Encouragers for Christ – #1532386

Catherine, Reviewer #871 – Sharon Dominick Photography – #1544938

Victor, Reviewer #992 – Dale Simpson Design#1548692

Sue, Reviewer #120 – Lyska Kitties Zone – #1517050

What an amazing line up and such a very difficult job for our judging team. So many great new cards to consider and simply not enough awards. It was a trip down memory lane reflecting all the new additions, artists and cards, that made 2018 another awe inspiring year at Greeting Card Universe. Thank you to our amazing community of artists for your endless creativity and support!

Mindy
GCU Community Manager

Nuts and Bolts: Graduation 2018 to 2019

January 18, 2019

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Nuts & Bolts – Graduation 2018 to 2019
 
Graduation card sales will begin before we know it. Let’s be ready for all those proud grads with updated cards! Many college graduations are in May and high schools right after that in late May and June. There are hundreds of graduation cards on the site dated 2018. This includes Congratulations, Announcements, and Invitations. Not only should card images be updated but also card titles, keywords, and artist’s notes accordingly. This even applies to custom front design to make them more marketable and avoid shopper errors.

 

Search results for “Graduation 2018“.

Tip: A quick way to pinpoint the bulk of your related cards is within your Manage Store >> Manage Cards and locate cards searching with keywords “graduation 2018”.

 

While graduation is on your mind, consider adding new designs to the collection to offer fresh choices to shoppers. See here about adding fresh designs to a saturated category.

 

Please take the time now to update your designs before 3/1/19. After 3/1/19, GCU will take any outdated cards offline. 

 

The difference is made in the details!

 

Mindy
GCU Community Manager