Nuts and Bolts – Reminder March 2025 Design Challenge.
Nuts & Bolts – Reminder March 2025 Design Challenge
Monday, March 31st the last day to submit your entries for March’s DesignChallenge.
See March’s 2025 Design Challenge here.
Theme: Sisterhood
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy Rosso
GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com
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Wanted New Cards – Birthday Bloodhound Dog.
Wanted Cards – Birthday Bloodhound Dog
Shoppers love to find their favorite animal breeds – especially dog lovers.
Please consider creating birthday cards featuring bloodhounds. They should go here:
Birthdays >> Animals / Pets >> Dogs >> Bloodhound cid#11977
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:
Remember to fortify your meta-data for breed, see here.
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!
Mindy Rosso
GCU Community Manager
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Dash of Inspiration: 2024 Founders’ Choice Awards.
Honorable Mentions Best New Artist:
Fransmey Freitas of Feira Pop
and Gwen Vann-Horn of Coastal South Studio
Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller – Christmas:
Doreen Erhardt of Salon Of Art Greetings – PID# 1881852
and Nancy Mink of Nancy Mink Studios – PID# 1886558
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4. Hottest Seller – Chinese New Year
Doreen Erhardt of Salon Of Art Greetings – PID# 1889694
Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller – Chinese New Year:
Laurie Schneider – PID# 1822114
and Teri Nelson Kuster of Che Bella Nota – PID# 1882380
5. Hottest Seller – Birthday
Cathy Sudzius of Cedar Rue – PID# 1870150
Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller – Birthday:
Ron Kanfi of NobleWorks Cards – PID# 1821588
and Cathy Sudzius of Cedar Rue – PID# 1836802
6. Hottest Seller – Thanksgiving
Michelle Lanoue of Illustrations by Michelle – PID# 1886072
Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller – Thanksgiving:
Cathy Sudzius of Cedar Rue – PID# 1802702
and Jon Carter of CarterToons – PID# 1885754
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7. Hottest Seller – Halloween *NEW*
Makiko Kimura –PID# 1881566
Honorable Mentions – Hottest Seller Halloween:
Michelle Lanoue of Illustrations by Michelle – PID# 1881830
And
Lisa Griffin of La Belle Paperie – PID# 1864184
8. Best New Series
Heather Kerr of Dreaming Mind Cards – PID# 1842770
Honorable Mentions – Best New Series:
Stephanie Laird of Stephanie Laird Creatives – PID# 1817644
and Teri Francis of Squirrel Hugger Greeting Cards – PID# 1881706
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9. Best Custom Front (Text):
Ron Magnes of Creative Greetings – PID# 1832936
Honorable Mentions Best Custom Front (Text):
Ramelle Richardson of Eloquence by Ramelle – PID# 1818366
and Annie Lang of Whimsical Designs by Annie – PID# 1826458
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10. Best Custom Front (Image)
Teri Francis of Squirrel Hugger Cards – PID# 1881642
Honorable Mentions Best Custom Front (Image):
MoGreetings – PID# 1867438
And Cisillia Tay – PID# 1815222
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11. Best Business Logo and/or Name (no cards recognized this year)
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12. Funniest Card
Ron Kanfi of NobleWorks Cards – PID# 1825058
Honorable Mentions Funniest Card:
Doug Hill of Laughing Hippo Studio – PID# 1865374
and Corrie Kuipers – PID# 1854858
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13. Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock)
Doreen Erhardt of Exclusive Creations – PID# 1874936
Honorable Mentions Most Creative Stock Card Creation:
Mo Greetings – PID# 1828480
and Mo Greetings – PID# 1824114
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14. Rising Star
Sandra Rose of Sandra Rose Designs – PID# 1817926
Honorable Mentions Rising Star:
Farida Greenfield of Farida Gallery – PID# 1838060
and Cathie Richardson of Country Garden Cards – PID# 1887216
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15. Custom Request – Nailed it
Gail Pepin – PID# 1864692
Honorable Mentions Custom Request – Nailed It:
Christie Black of Creations from the Heart – PID# 1871860
and Teri Nelson Kuster of Che Bella Nota – PID# 1884158
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16. Best Uncommon Card
Gwen Vann-Horn of Coastal South Studio – PID# 1858664
Honorable Mentions Best Uncommon Card:
Cisillia Tay – PID #1886136
and Gail Pepin – PID #1846572
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17. Best Design Challenge Submission
Betsy Bush of Dragonfire Graphics – PID #1877652
Honorable Mentions Best Design Challenge Submission:
Robin Chaffin of Rycky Creations – PID #1875066
and Rhea Eason of Sun at Night Studios – PID #1859378
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18. Simply Clever
Corrie Kuipers of CorrieWeb Store – PID #1831628
Honorable Mentions Simply Clever:
Greetings from Anne – PID #1892142
And Ashley Lucas – PID #1828448
19. Reviewers’ Choice
Fiona, Reviewer #825 – Amber Sudzius of Cedar Rue – PID #1888184
Mackenzie, Reviewer #528 – Lisa Griffin of La Belle Paperie – PID #1872950
Desiree, Reviewer #121 – Caryn Brame of The Kedge Anchor – PID #1831322
Phoebe, Reviewer #443 – Cathie Richardson of Country Garden Cards – PID #1892408
John, Reviewer #233 – Cyndy McAtee of Cyndy’s Photography & Designs – PID #1892288
Catherine, Reviewer #871 – Jean Okada Arts – PID #1879482
Victor, Reviewer #992 – Garrett Overheul of GRObot Greetings – PID #1841224
Regan, Reviewer #379 – Christina Yee of Cyee Art – PID #1872552
Anne, Reviewer #127 – Diane Turpin Design – PID #1889802
Jessica Renee, Reviewer #937 – Michelle Downs of MimmyD’s – PID #1893732
Shelley, Reviewer #155 – Dale Simpson Design – PID #1873680
Daisey, Reviewer #892 – Christie Black of Creations from the Heart – PID #1879138
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Always a sentimental and impressive year in review! We are grateful for this gift of reflection. Your creative works continue to knock the socks off of shoppers’ and honestly chronicle the small moments of their lives and the big world around us. Thank you for your commitment to GCU, your community spirit, and for your apparently endless creativity. We at GCU are immeasurably grateful and proud for your contributions in keeping Greeting Card Universe the destination for Any Card Imaginable.
Mindy – GCU Community Manager
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Nuts and Bolts – Graduation 2024 to 2025.
Nuts & Bolts – Graduation 2024 to 2025
Let’s be ready for graduation card sales for the class of 2025. Many college and high school graduations are in May. There are hundreds of graduation cards on the site dated 2024. 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.
Thank you to those artists who have already updated their designs for 2025 – we appreciate you stepping up to the front of the class!
Search results for “Graduation 2024“
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 2024”.
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 4/7/24. After 4/7/24, GCU will take any outdated cards offline.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
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Wanted Cards – St. John the Baptist Feast Day (Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day)
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (French: Fête de la Saint-Jean-Baptiste, la Saint-Jean, Fête nationale du Québec), also known in English as St John the Baptist Day, is a holiday celebrated on June 24 in the Canadian province of Quebec. It was brought to Canada by French settlers celebrating the traditional feast day of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. It was declared a public holiday in Quebecin 1925, with publicly financed events organized province-wide by a Comité organisateur de la fête nationale du Québec.
Please consider creating new cards. They should go here accordingly:
Holidays >> St. John the Baptist Feast Day / Saint Jean Baptiste Day …
>> General cid#38488
>> Birthday on St. John the Baptist Feast Day cid#38490
>> Non-English / Other Languages cid#38492
>> Other cid#38486
Note: the guidelines for supported characters in the inside verse here.
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:
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!
Mindy Rosso
GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com
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Nuts and Bolts – IP Theft at Temu.
Nuts & Bolts – IP Theft at Temu
The mission of the Greeting Card Association (GCA) is to promote, represent and celebrate the greeting card industry. One of many valued roles that an industry organization plays is being a collective voice and advocate for their industry.
GCA has recently taken up an effort to report and raise awareness of the image theft and IP infringements happening online at the likes of Temu and Shein.
Here is the GCA’s recent effort:
Are you having your designs ripped off and sold without your permission on Temu and Shein?
Several of our members are experiencing this challenge — and we are building an effort to fight back!
The GCA is preparing to respond to an Executive Order asking for feedback on formal and informal barriers to free and fair trade from other countries. We will be calling out the blind eye the Chinese government has given to copyright and other intellectual property theft. Our hope is to ensure that while tariffs on legitimate products are removed, they remain in place for bad actors.
Here is a link to the request from the office of the US Trade Representative.
Many GCU artists are finding their images illegally used on Temu. See the related forum thread here for more information and how to issue a takedown request.
Although this is a risk of selling online it should not be accepted nor tolerated. GCU will follow the topic and identify where and how to get involved in support of the artist community at large.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
mindy@gcuniverse.com
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Wanted New Cards Extra – California Admission Day.
California Admission Day, observed annually on September 9, commemorates California’s entry into the Union as the 31st state in 1850. This milestone followed the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which ended the Mexican-American War and ceded California and other territories to the United States. The discovery of gold in 1848 spurred a population surge, enabling California to bypass territorial status and directly achieve statehood under the Compromise of 1850 as a free state, prohibiting slavery.
Historical Significance
- Unique Statehood Path: Unlike most states, California became a state without first being an organized territory.
- Cultural Impact: Early celebrations featured parades, pageantry, and historical reenactments. For example, in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge raised California’s Bear Flag over the White House.
- Controversy: Early depictions of California’s “founders” often excluded Indigenous peoples and immigrants, whose contributions and histories were overshadowed by narratives centered on white settlers.
Observance Today
California Admission Day is not a federal or state holiday, meaning schools, businesses, and government offices remain open. Celebrations today are more subdued compared to earlier grand festivities. Events may include historical exhibits, speeches by public officials, and localized activities such as those in Sonoma County, where Admission Day has long been observed.
Key Dates
- Admission Date: September 9, 1850
- Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: February 1848
- Gold Rush: Began January 1848
While its prominence has diminished over time, California Admission Day remains an important marker of the state’s rich history and its journey to becoming part of the United States.
Card Text ideas for California Admission Day.
Historical and Celebratory Themes
- “Happy California Admission Day! Celebrating the Golden State’s journey to statehood since 1850. Eureka—We’ve found something to celebrate!”
- “Raise a glass to the 31st state! California Admission Day reminds us of the golden dreams and diverse history that shaped our great state.”
- “On this day in 1850, California joined the Union. Let’s honor the past and celebrate the California Dream today!”
California Pride
- “From its majestic mountains to its golden shores, California shines bright. Happy Admission Day!”
- “Celebrating the land of opportunity, innovation, and natural beauty—Happy California Admission Day!”
- “Eureka! We’ve found a reason to celebrate. Cheers to California’s Admission Day!”
Inclusive and Modern Messages
- “California Admission Day: A time to honor our diverse history and recommit to an inclusive future for all Californians.”
- “Let’s celebrate California’s legacy as a place of dreams, resilience, and welcome on this Admission Day.”
- “Admission Day is a reminder that California belongs to everyone who calls it home. Here’s to unity and progress!”
Playful and Lighthearted
- “Party like it’s 1850! Happy California Admission Day—where the gold rush meets statehood pride.”
- “California: Where gold, sunshine, and dreams come together. Happy Admission Day!”
- “It’s California Admission Day—time to dig for gold (or just enjoy some sunshine)!”
These messages can be paired with imagery of California’s iconic landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite, or the Bear Flag, for added impact.
Happy Designing!
Corrie
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Wanted New Cards – California Admission Day September 9.
Wanted Cards – California Admission Day Sept 9
Please consider creating cards celebrating the day California was admitted as a state to the United States. They should go here:
Holidays >> Admission Day / Statehood Act Day >> California Admission Day / Sept 9 cid#38476
Do a little research on sites like this for California Admission Day.
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:
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!
Mindy Rosso
GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com
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Card Sharp: Your Weekly Cut of Greeting Card Creativity – Design Challenge Sisterhood.
Celebrating Sisterhood: Inspiring Text Ideas for Greeting Card Designers.
Sisterhood is a powerful bond that transcends family ties, cultures, and generations. It’s about the deep connections, mutual support, and shared experiences among women. Whether it’s biological sisters, close friends, or a community of women united by a common cause, sisterhood is a treasure worth celebrating. Here are some fun and heartfelt text ideas for greeting card designers to capture the essence of sisterhood in all its forms.
For Biological Sisters
- Sisterly Love: “To my amazing sister, thanks for being my partner in crime and my forever friend. Happy Birthday!”
- Sisterly Wisdom: “Big sister, little sister, but always equal in love and laughter. Wishing you a year filled with wisdom and joy.”
- Sisterly Bond: “Sisters by blood, friends by choice. Here’s to another year of adventures together!”
For Close Friends
- Friendship Sisterhood: “You’re not just a friend; you’re the sister I never had. Thanks for being my rock and confidant.”
- Sisterhood of Support: “In a world full of strangers, you’re the sister I found in a friend. Thanks for always being there.”
- Sisterly Encouragement: “You’re the sunshine that brightens my day. Keep shining, sis!”
For Community and Global Sisterhood
- Empowerment Through Sisterhood: “Together, we rise. Celebrating the strength and resilience of women everywhere.”
- Unity in Diversity: “Sisterhood knows no borders. Here’s to celebrating our differences and embracing our shared humanity.”
- Sisterhood for Change: “Women supporting women – the most powerful force for change. Let’s lift each other up!”
General Sisterhood Messages
- Sisterhood of Shared Moments: “Life is more beautiful with sisters by your side. Thanks for sharing in the laughter and tears.”
- Sisterly Gratitude: “Grateful for the sisters in my life who make every day brighter. You’re the best!”
- Sisterhood of Empathy: “In a world of differences, sisterhood bridges gaps with empathy and love. Thanks for being a bridge in my life.”
By incorporating these ideas into your greeting card designs, you can help celebrate the beauty and strength of sisterhood in all its forms. Whether it’s a birthday, a special occasion, or just because, these messages will inspire and uplift the recipients, reminding them of the power and love that sisterhood embodies.
Happy Designing!
Corrie
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Dash of Inspiration: March Design Challenge
Happy March, everyone! Let’s get our creative juices flowing!
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Theme: Sisterhood
Requirements:
- Create a new design that celebrates sisterhood in any way you like.
- Any category which your card speaks to.
- No Stock card creations will be accepted.
- Blank verse will not be considered for entry in this challenge.
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Entry Deadline: Monday, 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.
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Category:
Occasion >> Anniversary – Friendship / Friendiversary >> Sisterhood Anniversary / Friendship Among Woman cid#38470
OR ANY category which suits your theme/message/recipient
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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: 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.
- 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 55,000 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: 14.9k!
- 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 10.6k 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 2025!
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 10.6k 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 2025!
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Tips:
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Be inspired to create and learn something new!
GCU Community 