Wanted Cards – Wedding Canceled Encouragement
Wanted Cards – Wedding Canceled Encouragement
As emotionally charged as a wedding can be, having to cancel a wedding is even more so for a myriad of reasons. And for all involved, not just the bride to be or the groom to be.

Please consider creating encouragement cards for such an unfortunate event. They should go here accordingly:
Occasions >> Encouragement >> Wedding Canceled >> For Parents of the Bride cid#39378
Occasions >> Encouragement >> Wedding Canceled >> For Parents of the Groom cid#39380
Occasions >> Encouragement >> Wedding Canceled >> Other cid#34852
Occasions >> Encouragement >> Wedding Canceled >> General cid#34850
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:
NOTE: Canceled or Cancelled:
While both canceled and cancelled are acceptable for the past tense of cancel, the version with one L is more common in American English, and the version with two L’s is more common in British English.
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

Dash of Inspiration: OCTOBER 2026 STOCK Design Challenge
Hard to believe, but another year is nearing completion, so let’s get in the spirit with a festive stock card creation!
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Theme: UNIQUE New Year
Requirements:
- Create a new stock card, judges will weigh heavily on how well your wording and image fit the category choice along with great typography choices, unique design and added value.
- Focus creating a card for any New Year category, including Chinese New Year, with a strong focus on creating something uniquely different than the usual elements for these occasions.
- ONLY Big Stock cards will be accepted in this challenge.
- The judges will be looking for professional quality text layout, typography placement and font combinations.
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Entry Deadline: Friday, October 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.
NOTE: Submissions will appear immediately in your Private gallery as they await review. If approved, the reviewer will move them to the public gallery – they will then become ‘live’ in the marketplace within 24-hours or so just like regular submissions. Be patient and wait.
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Category:
Any New Year or Chinese New Year category.
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Rules:
- Submission must meet GCU’s Submission Guidelines and be Approved through the usual Review Cycle. Big Stock creations are automatically identified as Fast Track – please add in the Notes to Reviewer: October Stock 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.
- Big Stock Card Creations ONLY will 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.
- No BLANK cards will be accepted.
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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. Your overall ‘added value’ determines this.
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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 58,000 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: 12.9K!
- 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 2,000 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 10.8k 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:
- Visit all the available tips, tricks and guidelines offered on the Big Stock Creation blog page!
Nuts & Bolts – Copy/Paste Text Errors
Nuts & Bolts – Copy/Paste Text Errors

We have seen random examples that may cause artists confusion. We’ve had some head scratching on the review team’s side as well. Cryptic characters in text (inside verse or in your submission meta-data fields).
You will either see cryptic characters or receive an error message about bad/unsupported characters.
For example: the letter “e” showed up as this: “eâ€
This usually happens when the artist has copied text from a word processing doc and pasted into their card submission. This seems to happen most often with punctuation (exclamation mark, apostrophe, etc.).
The solution is easy! Simply delete the text and type it in directly.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com

Wanted New Cards Extra – Congratulations Foster to Adopt
Wanted Cards Extra – Congratulations Foster to Adopt

In the world of animal rescue, foster families play a crucial role. They provide temporary homes, socialization, and love for pets who need a safe space before adoption. But sometimes, something wonderful happens—the foster pet and foster parent realize they’re a perfect match. What’s meant to be a short-term arrangement becomes forever.
This is often called a “foster fail”, though in reality it’s a heartwarming win for both pet and human. That’s why Foster to Adopt Congratulations cards are such a perfect fit for Greeting Card Universe. These cards celebrate a joyful milestone: when a rescue pet finds not just any home, but the very best one with the person or family who already loves them.
Right now, this category is underrepresented at GCU. It’s a growing niche with lots of potential—pet lovers, shelters, rescues, and foster families are always looking for ways to celebrate these special moments. And remember, it’s not just cats and dogs! Horses, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, and even pigs sometimes go from foster to forever.
Where Your Cards Should Go:
- Occasions >> Congratulations >> Rescue / Shelter Adoption >> Foster Fail / Foster to Adopt (cid#34020)
Card Text Ideas
For Dogs & Cats
Front:
- “From Foster Fail to Forever Family!”
- “Sometimes the best adoptions happen by accident.”
- “You fostered… and then you fell in love.”
- “Congratulations on your Foster Win!”
- “Rescued, Fostered, Adopted… and Loved.”
Inside:
- “What a lucky pet to find their forever home with you. Congratulations!”
- “Not a fail at all—just the happiest ending possible.”
- “Your foster journey was meant to lead to this moment.”
- “Every paw print tells a story. Yours just became a forever one.”
For Other Rescue Animals (horses, rabbits, birds, pigs, etc.)
Front:
- “From temporary guest to forever family—congratulations!”
- “Who could resist those eyes/feathers/whiskers/ears?”
- “A foster fail with the happiest ending.”
Inside:
- “Congratulations on making your foster a forever friend.”
- “From foster care to forever care—your heart knew best.”
- “This is what love looks like. Congratulations!”
General / Non-Specific
Front:
- “Foster Fail = Forever Win”
- “Because some goodbyes are just too hard.”
- “The best kind of foster story has this ending.”
Inside:
- “Congratulations on adopting your foster—you were always meant to be.”
- “Sometimes love rewrites the plan.”
- “Here’s to forever happiness—for you and your new family member.”

Design Ideas for Artists
- Playful typography featuring phrases like Foster Fail = Forever Win.
- Happy pets (dogs, cats, or other rescue animals) with celebratory touches like balloons, paw prints, or confetti.
- Cartoon-style illustrations of pets moving from a “foster” crate or temporary setup into a cozy home or family scene.
- Heartwarming photography of rescue animals with their new families.
- Neutral, non-species-specific designs (like paw prints, hearts, or “home sweet home” motifs) that can work across all kinds of animals.
Tip for Artists: Use both the terms Foster Fail (popular in rescue communities) and Foster to Adopt (a more general phrase) in your card titles, metadata, and designs. This ensures your cards appeal to a wide audience.
Happy Designing!
Corrie
Wanted New Cards – Congratulations Foster to Adopt
Wanted Cards – Congratulations Foster to Adopt

The role of animal pet fostering is to care and possibly socialize and rehabilitate a pet for adoption supplementing the care and space of an animal shelter. Sometimes the foster family is a perfect fit and the foster parent / family cannot part with the pet and adopts them. This is often called a foster fail but is a winning situation!
Please consider creating cards with Congratulations to Foster Fail or Foster to Adopt. The category could use more cards for both dogs and cats as well as other rescue animals like horses, birds, pigs, etc.. They should go here:
Occasions >> Congratulations >> Rescue / Shelter Adoption >> Foster Fail / Foster to Adopt cid#34020
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

Wanted New Cards Extra – Boston Tea Party Day.
Wanted Cards – Boston Tea Party Day / December 16
December 16 marks a historic event in American history—the Boston Tea Party of 1773. On that cold night, a group of American colonists, frustrated with taxation without representation, disguised themselves as Native Americans and dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance helped spark the American Revolution and remains a defining moment of protest and independence.
Boston Tea Party Day is observed each year on December 16 to commemorate this iconic act of resistance. It’s a day to reflect on courage, freedom, and the bold spirit of standing up for what you believe in. Greeting cards for this day could be patriotic, humorous, or historical in theme. They could appeal to history buffs, educators, students, or anyone who enjoys celebrating unique national observances.

Where Your Cards Should Go:
- Holidays >> International & National Observations >> Boston Tea Party Day / December 16 (cid#39372)
Card Text Ideas
Patriotic / Historical Tone
Front:
- “No taxation without representation!”
- “December 16, 1773 — The Tea Was Just the Beginning”
- “Boston Harbor: The Steepest Tea in History”
- “Celebrate Freedom. Remember the Boston Tea Party.”
Inside:
- “Raise a cup to the brave acts that brewed a revolution.”
- “On Boston Tea Party Day, we remember those who stood tall for liberty.”
- “Here’s to boldness, freedom, and a splash of history!”
- “The Boston Tea Party—proof that even a tea spill can change the world.”
Humorous / Lighthearted Tone
Front:
- “The Original Tea Spill — 1773”
- “Some like it sweet, some like it strong. Boston liked it… in the harbor.”
- “Happy Boston Tea Party Day — steeped in history!”
Inside:
- “Wishing you a revolutionary day filled with freedom and maybe a spot of tea.”
- “Celebrate Boston Tea Party Day—because sometimes spilling tea IS a good thing!”
- “No taxation, just celebration!”

Design Ideas for Artists
- Historical imagery: Boston Harbor, wooden ships, crates of tea, colonial dress.
- Patriotic elements: American flags, eagles, bold red/white/blue color schemes.
- Whimsical takes: teacups tipping over, floating tea bags with colonial hats, cartoon “rebels” tossing tea.
- Typography-focused: Revolutionary quotes, protest slogans, bold hand-lettering.
Tip for Artists: Just like other quirky observances (like Mole Day or Pi Day), Boston Tea Party Day cards can swing from educational to humorous. Think about audiences—history teachers, students, patriots, or anyone who enjoys a witty nod to history.
Happy Designing!
Corrie
Nuts & Bolts – 3Q25 Earnings & Payment
Nuts & Bolts – 3Q25 Earnings & Payment

It’s almost payday! The 3rd quarter payments for 2025 will be processed reflecting commissions earned from 7/01/25 – 9/30/25 sooner than you know it. Part of this process is reconciling those stores who have met the quarterly threshold.
Moved recently? Before 10/13, be sure to update your artist account with your current mailing address if you receive a mailed check. Better yet, change your payment preference to PayPal, see the many benefits here.
If you are an artist residing outside of the United States you’ll need to have a W8-BEN form on file to receive your payment. See here.
We are nearing the final quarter of the year! Wishing everyone strong holiday card sales to take us into the new year.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy Rosso
GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com

Wanted New Cards Extra: Clergy Appreciation Month / Day
Observation days are a wonderful way to honor professionals across all kinds of industries—and clergy are no exception. In October, many congregations across the U.S. and beyond celebrate Clergy Appreciation Month, with a special focus on Clergy Appreciation Day (typically the second Sunday of October). Some groups choose to highlight it for a single day, others dedicate a whole week, and some extend it throughout the month. However it’s observed, the purpose remains the same: to thank clergy members for their guidance, leadership, and spiritual care.

Why Clergy Appreciation Cards?
Just like Teacher Appreciation Week or Nurse’s Day, this observance is about showing gratitude to those who dedicate themselves to others. Clergy members—whether pastors, priests, ministers, rabbis, imams, or other faith leaders—often work long hours behind the scenes, providing counseling, comfort, and support. A thoughtful greeting card is a simple but heartfelt way to say, “We see you. We appreciate you. Thank you.”
This is a popular category in the greeting card industry, as many faith communities actively seek ways to express encouragement and thanks to their leaders. GCU artists can fill this need by creating a variety of designs—from reverent and elegant to lighthearted and warm.

Where Your Cards Should Go:
- Holidays >> Occupational Appreciation Observances >> Clergy Appreciation Week / Day (cid#39360)
Card Text Ideas
For Clergy Appreciation Cards
Front:
- “Guiding hearts, lighting paths—thank you.”
- “To a Shepherd with a Servant’s Heart”
- “Happy Clergy Appreciation Day!”
- “Your dedication is a blessing to us all.”
- “Faith. Hope. Leadership. Gratitude.”
Inside:
- “Your ministry makes a difference in so many lives. Thank you for leading with love.”
- “We’re grateful for your wisdom, compassion, and spiritual guidance.”
- “May you feel God’s richest blessings as you continue to bless others.”
- “Your tireless work doesn’t go unnoticed. Wishing you joy this Clergy Appreciation Month.”
- “With deep gratitude for all you do to shepherd, inspire, and encourage.”
For Congregation-Wide Use
Front:
- “From All of Us with Thanks and Blessings”
- “Our Church Family Celebrates You!”
Inside:
- “Your leadership is a gift to our entire congregation. We are so thankful for you.”
- “We celebrate you today with gratitude and love from all of us.”

Design Ideas for Artists
- Symbols of faith: crosses, doves, open Bibles, stained-glass windows, candles.
- Warm, uplifting scenes: sunrise, light shining through trees, hands raised in gratitude.
- Congregational imagery: a church community, group of people showing thanks.
- Simple florals or elegant typographic layouts for a reverent, timeless look.
- Playful or contemporary options: bright colors, hand-lettering, modern minimalism.
Tip for Artists: Since clergy serve across many denominations and faiths, consider offering both general, non-denominational designs and Christian-specific imagery. Cards with a neutral tone can reach a wider audience, while faith-specific designs will resonate deeply with certain buyers.
Happy Designing,
Corrie
Wanted Cards – Clergy Appreciation Month / Day
Wanted Cards – Clergy Appreciation Month / Day
Observation days are popular ways to show appreciation for different industries and occupations.
Please consider creating new cards for both Clergy Appreciation Week and Day as some organizations observe different durations. They should go here:
Holidays >> Occupational Appreciation Observances >> Clergy Appreciation Week / Day cid#39360
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

Nuts & Bolts – Artist Interviews
Nuts & Bolts – Artist Interviews
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.
Be sure to read and learn more about …
May’s Winner, Garrett Overheul of GRObot Greetings

July’s Winner, Christie Black of Creations from the Heart

Congratulations to Garrett and Christie on their cute and uniquely creative Design Challenge wins!
Time to challenge your noodle by entering September’s Design Challenge. Submit your entries by Sunday, October 5th.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com




