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Font Frenzy: Catandra Font

February 23, 2017
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The Hungry Jpeg has this wonderful freebee available for download for the nest week!
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Catandra font by Mercurial comes with a full Commercial License.
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Nuts and Bolts: Keywords – Abbreviations & Variations

February 20, 2017
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Nuts & Bolts – Keywords – Abbreviations & Variations

 

We’ve always stressed that keywords are key – key to helping searching shoppers find exactly what they are searching for and key for search engines too.

 

As a refresher GCU advises:
Use terms or “keywords” that are descriptive to the image/art that are only otherwise seen.  This will help shoppers find exactly what they are searching for.

 

For example: colors, animal breeds, flower varieties, etc.  See the GCU BLOG for helpful examples.
Additionally, consider other related terms that a shopper might use to find your card like variations on a term, nicknames or abbreviations.

 

For example: California
Additional terms: CA, Cali, West coast, golden state

 

For example: 18th
Additional terms: 18, eighteen, eighteenth, legal adult, adulthood, legal age, age of majority

 

For example: Labrador Retriever
Additional terms: dog, canine, lab, labrador, retriever, sporting, gundog

 

TIP: when entering keywords they should simply be separated by a space and comma as shown in the examples above. 

 

 

The difference is made in the details!

 

Mindy
GCU Community Manager
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Wanted New Cards: Cinco de Mayo

February 16, 2017
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Wanted Cards – Cinco de Mayo

 

The following new sub categories under Cinco de Mayo are in need of cards.

 

Holidays >> Cinco de Mayo …

 

>> 1st / First Cinco de Mayo >> General
>> 1st / First Cinco de Mayo >> As a Couple / Engaged
>> 1st / First Cinco de Mayo >> As a Family / Parents
>> From All of Us / Group
>> From Both of Us / Couple
>> For Couple / Both of You
>> Across the Miles / Far Away
>> Missing You on Cinco de Mayo
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Remember, if you’re creating a like image series of cards to get your first concept review approved before creating the balance of the collection. In your first submission of the series include a Note to Reviewer.  See here for more details on Series Concept Review.

 

Tip: If you choose to create cards for Cinco de Mayo in Spanish, remember to check the list of supported characters to avoid unsupported character usage in your inside verse as well as to include an English translation in the Artist’s Notes field.

We’d like you to create at least one card for these categories using the Stock Cards function (Bigstock) or your own graphic designs.

Remember, when you’re submitting your new card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers. Be inventive,  be clever, be creative. Go for it!

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Font Frenzy: Roseline Script

February 15, 2017
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The Hungry Jpeg has this wonderful freebee available for download for the nest week!
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Roseline a lovely handpainted Script font by DoffDog comes with a full Commercial License.
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from → Fonts, FREEBIES

Nuts and Bolts: Corrections for St. Patrick’s Day

February 13, 2017
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Nuts & Bolts – Corrections for St. Patrick‘s Day
 
Well, paint us green and call us a shamrock! It has been brought to our attention that GCU has missed the mark in two respects for appropriateness on St. Patrick‘s Day.
 
1. Paddy’s Day not Patty’s Day
As a nickname, St. Patty’s although seemingly a correct abbreviation for St. Patrick‘s in the U.S., is glaringly and offensively incorrect. The correct usage is St. Paddy’s.  
 
Why? Read here. 
 
Check your store to see if you’ve made this innocent error and get a head start by editing your cards. GCU will be returning cards with cover or inside text of “St. Patty’s” for edits.  
 
2. Shamrock vs Lucky four-leaved Clover
The four-leaf clover, although validly a symbol of good luck, is not related to Ireland nor St. Patrick‘s Day. The shamrock, three-leaved clover, however, is and here is why.  The plant was used by Saint Patrick to illustrate the doctrine of the Trinity (3). It has subsequently become a national symbol of Ireland. The word comes from seamróg, the Irish name for the plant.
 
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At this time we will let designs with four-leaved clovers associated with St. Patrick‘s Day, Ireland and Irish remain on the site.  We will leaf, I mean leave, it to the artists’ discretion to make edits to these existing designs noting that sales may be affected.  New cards will be held to the three-leaf standard.  Four-leaf clovers of course can be used for any “good luck” occasion.
 
This is a good reminder as to the importance of knowing the nuances of different languages, cultures and holidays to make sure you’ve hit the nail on the head. Even if you think you’re a subject matter expert, doing a little research can be good inspiration for a fresh take or different angle.

 

The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
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Wanted New Cards: Thank You Roommate

February 9, 2017
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Wanted Cards – Thank You Roommate

 

We have all heard a horror story or two about “the bad roommate”. What about the good ones? Let’s take some time to celebrate and gush over the good roomies!

 

Please consider creating cards for this new category, which at this time will serve as a catch-all for any and all variations (gender, name, etc.).

 

Occasions >> Thank You >> Roommate

 

There are currently 0 cards in this category.

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Be sure to use your own roommate experiences, and if they were all bad then imagine what you’d thank a perfect roommate for. Be sure to explore the colorful challenges and joys of college dorm life, apartment living, and other reasons and times in life for having a roommate.

 

We’d like you to create at least one card for these categories using the Stock Cards function (Bigstock) or your own graphic designs.

Remember, when you’re submitting your new card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers. Be inventive,  be clever, be creative. Go for it!

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Rainbow Connection: Pretty February Colors

February 7, 2017
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Here are some pretty February Colors I found on the internet this week:

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Nuts and Bolts: Custom Request Design Change

February 3, 2017
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Nuts & Bolts – Custom Request Design Change

 

Be sure to keep an eye out for custom design change requests.  Here is a look back at some good tips to not miss any shopper requests.

 

Reminder: if you changed your Custom Request Availability setting to NO while you were away or busy during the holidays be sure to turn it back to YES.  See here.

 

And while we’re talking about custom request design changes, we’d like to share a recent example by GCU artist Alda Monteschio of Heart Tugs.

 

Shopper request:
I found a card that I like but I don’t like the background picture. Could you use the same text but change the background to something more rustic or fall themed? Thanks!

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Kudos to Alda for taking good care of the shopper and making GCU look like a hero!

 

TIP: Consider seasonal variations to some of your top selling designs, especially those for discriminating brides.

 

 

The difference is made in the details!

 

Mindy
GCU Community Manager
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Wanted New Cards: Valentine’s Day In Remembrance

February 2, 2017
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Wanted Cards: Valentine’s Day In Remembrance

 

Filled with love, romance and affection, Valentine’s Day can be a very difficult time for those who have lost their loved ones, especially a spouse … the love of their life.

 

Consider creating In Remembrance on Valentine’s Day cards, particularly sentiments for those spending their first Valentine’s Day alone, without their special Valentine.

 

Here are the related categories in need of cards:
Holidays >> Valentine’s Day >> In Remembrance 

 

>> General In Remembrance on Valentine’s Day
>> Relationship Specific
>> Other
>> 1st / First Valentine’s Day Alone Bereaved >> General
>> 1st / First Valentine’s Day Alone Bereaved >> Loss of Husband
>> 1st / First Valentine’s Day Alone Bereaved >> Loss of Wife
>> 1st / First Valentine’s Day Alone Bereaved >> Loss of Spouse
>> 1st / First Valentine’s Day Alone Bereaved >> Loss of Partner / Life Partner
>> 1st / First Valentine’s Day Alone Bereaved >> Other

 

We’d like you to create at least one card for these categories using the Stock Cards function (Bigstock) or your own graphic designs.

Remember, when you’re submitting your new card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers. Be inventive,  be clever, be creative. Go for it!

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Dash of Inspiration: February 2017 Design Challenge

February 1, 2017
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As February kicks off, we have a new challenge for you!

Theme: Easter for Two Dads or Two Moms

Requirements:

  • Imagery should be appropriate for the recipients. No flowers for two dads for example. Be creative and unique!
  • Must be approved for one of the listed categories below.
  • Blank verse will not be considered for entry in this challenge.

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Entry Deadline: Tuesday, 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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Choose ONE Category:

Holidays > Easter Cards > For both my Dads / Fathers

Holidays > Easter Cards > For both my Moms / Mothers

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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 categories above 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 – nearly 46,000 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: 2K!
  • 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!
  • NEW starting this month, 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!

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!

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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.

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Be inspired to create and learn something new!

 

 

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from → Community Challenge, Contests, Dash of Inspiration, Design Challenge, Design Contest, Uncategorized
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