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Dash of Inspiration: November Design Challenge

November 1, 2025

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Time for the LAST design challenge of the year! Can you believe it? Enter the card you are most proud of creating this past year.

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Theme: Your BEST 2025 Card

Requirements:

  • Card MUST have been created and approved in 2025
  • Card, or any variation of the card, CAN NOT have been entered in any previous design challenge.
  • OR create your BEST card ever for the year and enter that.
  • Blank verse cards will not be considered for entry in this challenge.

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Entry Deadline: Sunday, November 30th

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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:

Any category

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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: November 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.
  • 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!
  • 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!

Nuts & Bolts – Founders’ Choice 2024 – 37th Annual LOUIE Awards

October 31, 2025

Nuts & Bolts – Founders’ Choice 2024 – 37th Annual LOUIE Awards

A few years ago GCU added a new and exciting prize for selected top winners of the Founders’ Choice Awards (FCA). This year we will be choosing a few of the top FCA winners as well as a few other hand selected submissions. 

GCU will be entering and funding the FCA top winning cards into the Greeting Card Association’s (GCA) 37th Annual Louie Awards which honors the best cards of the year. 

These cards will be in the running and judged by a panel of nationwide industry experts with the opportunity for wonderful exposure and coveted bragging rights.

See the 36th Louie Award finalists, winners and categories submissions here.  See prior GCU posts on the GCA and Louie Awards.

Congratulations to these GCU 2024 FCA winners who have earned an entry into the 37th Annual Louie Awards:

Best New Series Card – Heather Kerr of Dreaming Mind Cards – #1842770

Hottest Seller – Christmas – Glen Mink of Cotton Callie ards – #1887806

Hottest Seller – Chinese New Year – Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art – #1889694

Hottest Seller – Birthday – Cathy Sudzius of Cedar Rue – #1870150

Funniest LOL Card – Ron Kanfi of NobleWorks Cards – #1825058

We will contact these artists at the end of the year when GCU submits their entries so they can follow along the process. We will also be posting here on how you can follow along too.

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy

GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com

Wanted New Cards Extra – Silly Goose Baby Shower Invitation

October 30, 2025

Wanted New Cards Extra – Silly Goose Baby Shower Invitation

The phrase “Silly Goose” has made a delightful comeback — and it’s taking over baby showers and first birthday parties! Playful, sweet, and full of charm, “Silly Goose” is now the theme of choice for new parents who want something lighthearted and modern for their baby’s special celebration.

From cheeky pastel goslings wearing party hats to retro-inspired illustrations with a wink, Silly Goose offers the perfect mix of fun and whimsy. It works beautifully for both genders and gender-neutral events, and it pairs well with popular party palettes like soft yellows, sage greens, pale blues, and warm neutrals.

Many shower hosts are going all in on the goose motif — think “What a Silly Goose!” napkins, rubber ducky-like décor (but make it a goose), and adorable pun-filled invites. This trend also spills over into first birthday parties, where “One Silly Goose” is quickly becoming a favorite catchphrase.

Artists, this is your cue to spread your creative wings!

Design Ideas for Artists

  • A cheerful mother goose with her gosling wearing a tiny bonnet or bow tie.
  • A cartoon or watercolor goose waddling with balloons, confetti, or a cupcake.
  • “One Silly Goose” spelled out in fun hand-lettering or vintage children’s book typography.
  • A modern minimalist goose outline paired with trendy colors and baby icons (rattle, bottle, or pacifier).
  • Rustic farmhouse or cottagecore versions featuring soft brushwork, florals, or gingham accents.
  • Retro mid-century children’s book style geese for a nostalgic look.

Card Text Ideas for Artists

Front Text Suggestions:

  • “What a Silly Goose! Join us for a Baby Shower”
  • “Oh, you silly goose! A new baby is on the loose!”
  • “Welcome, Little Silly Goose”
  • “One Silly Goose Turns One!”
  • “Our Little Goose is Turning One!”
  • “Let’s Honk and Celebrate!”
  • “Honk if you love baby showers!”

Inside Text Suggestions (for editable text areas or samples):

  • “Waddle on over and help us shower the parents-to-be!”
  • “Join us as we celebrate the arrival of our little gosling!”
  • “It’s going to be a honking good time!”
  • “Come celebrate one year of giggles, waddles, and silly goose adventures!”
  • “Help us celebrate this sweet little goose as they turn one!”

Categories to Submit To:

  • Invitations >> Baby Shower >> Silly Goose — [cid#39406]
  • Invitations >> Birthday Party >> Age Specific >> 1st Birthday — [cid#790]

This trend is light, fresh, and full of personality — just like the little ones it celebrates. So spread your feathers, get a little goofy, and have fun designing your own take on this adorable Silly Goose theme!

Happy Designing!

Corrie

Wanted Cards – Silly Goose Baby Shower Invitation

October 30, 2025

Wanted Cards – Silly Goose Baby Shower Invitation

Silly Goose is a rising trend for baby showers as well as for a toddler’s first birthday party (One Silly Goose). Please consider some designs for these events and categories.

They should go here accordingly:

Invitations >> Baby Shower >> Silly Goose  cid#39406

Invitations >> Birthday Party >> Age Specific >> 1st Birthday  cid#790

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 Interview Alda Monteschio

October 24, 2025

Nuts & Bolts – Artist Interview Alda Monteschio

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.

Here is the September 2025 Design Challenge winner, Alda Monteschio, interview.

Congratulations to Alda on her winning design.

Take a go at October’s Design Challenge for a Stock Card Creation for unique new year design.

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy

GCU Community Manager
mindy@gcuniverse.com

Design News & Inspiration for GCU Artists — Fall 2025

October 23, 2025

✨ Design News & Inspiration for GCU Artists — Fall 2025

The design world has been buzzing lately with colour, nostalgia, and a renewed love for print. Here’s a look at what’s making waves this season — and why it’s worth a peek for those of us in the greeting-card world.

1. Print Is Having Its Premium Comeback

In an era where everything lives on a screen, print has become the new luxury. Major fashion magazines are cutting back on frequency but upping their paper quality and production values, creating collectible editions that feel special to hold.

This trend celebrates the tangible — the feel of paper, the smell of ink, the physical experience of turning a page. It’s a comforting reminder that printed cards remain timeless keepsakes.

📰 Read more: The Future of Fashion Magazines: Fewer, More Premium Issues — Vogue Business


2. The Retro Revival Rolls On

From avocado-green kitchens to lava lamps and shag rugs, nostalgia is having a moment again. Designers are embracing the colour palettes and playful patterns of the 1960s–1990s — with a fresh, modern twist.

Whether it’s in home décor, fashion, or packaging, there’s a clear appetite for cheerful design, bold typography, and a touch of whimsy. That spirit of nostalgia pairs beautifully with the emotional core of greeting cards.

📰 Read more:


3. Colour Gets Bold Again

Muted minimalism is taking a back seat as saturated tones and expressive palettes surge forward. From high-contrast duos to electric pinks and deep greens, bold colour is back on the design stage.

Designers are mixing hues with confidence, creating work that feels optimistic and eye-catching — a welcome shift after years of quiet neutrals. It’s all about standing out and sparking emotion through colour.

📰 Read more: Graphic Design Trends 2025 — G2 Learn Hub


4. AI Tools: Supporting Creativity, Not Replacing It

In 2025, we’re seeing artificial intelligence step more and more into the design scene — but not as a substitute for a designer’s spark. Instead, it’s becoming a creative assistant: helping with brainstorming, generating variations, and freeing up time for the human part of design. Creative Boom+4Venngage+4AI Graphic Design Courses+4

Some key things to note:

  • AI is most useful in the early stages of design: idea generation, exploring colour options, laying out compositions. AI Graphic Design Courses+1
  • It encourages designers to iterate more, try variations faster, and experiment more freely. Yes I’m a Designer+1
  • At the same time, it highlights the lasting importance of human judgement, story-telling and emotional resonance — things that are especially relevant in greeting-card design. Bernard Marr

📰 Read more:

“AI and Design Trends to Watch in 2025: From Photorealism to Personalization” — GeeksforGeeks


5. Nature & Organic Forms Keep Surging

From interiors to type, design is leaning into softer curves, natural materials, and “organic modern” warmth. A recent feature on Bella Hadid’s living room shows the look in the wild—neutral palettes, wood and stone textures, and layered tactility. Paris Design Week also highlighted nature-forward materials and calm geometry in Snøhetta × Citterio’s new “Borealis” modular seating. And on the graphics side, type with organic quirks and hand-touched imperfection is trending.
📰 Read more:

Designity — “Typography Trends 2025: the 5 biggest styles” (includes organic-feeling letterforms; published Sep 12, 2025). designity.com

Homes & Gardens — “Bella Hadid’s take on the organic modern trend” (published last week). Homes and Gardens

Wallpaper — “Snøhetta and Citterio’s ‘Borealis’ modular furniture at Paris Design Week 2025.” Wallpaper*


🌍 In a Nutshell

Across all corners of design, the message is clear: people crave warmth, emotion, and connection. Whether it’s through colour, nostalgia, or tangible print, the human touch is what stands out — and that’s exactly what greeting cards are all about.

Happy Designing!

Corrie

Wanted Cards – Thank You Wedding Dress Shopping

October 23, 2025

Wanted Cards – Thank You Wedding Dress Shopping

“Thank you wedding dress shopping. I invited family members to go wedding dress shopping with me in San Francisco. I would love to have a San Francisco-themed wedding dress shopping card to send them as a thank you for taking the day to join me!”

Please consider creating general themes as well as this request for San Francisco and perhaps other major cities. They should all go here:

Occasions >> Thank You >> Help / Support >> Wedding Dress Shopping  cid#39392

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 – Consumer’s Choice Award

October 17, 2025

Nuts & Bolts – Consumer’s Choice Award

As part of the Greeting Card Associateion’s LOUIE Awards, there is a Consumer’s Choice Award which has just been announced. 

Different from the other Louie Awards judged by 74 industry professionals, the Consumer’s Choice Award reflects the voice of the card-buying public, who selected their favorite from this year’s 38 winners.

Every Louie winner is automatically entered, and then voting is open to the public following the Louie Ceremony.The people have voted and the Consumer’s Choice Award winner announced this year is this New Knee card by Baby Buddha Studio.

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy

GCU Community Manager
rmindy@gcuniverse.com

Wanted Cards Extra – Reunited Anniversary of Long Lost Love

October 16, 2025

Wanted Cards Extra – Reunited Anniversary of Long Lost Love

Love has a funny way of circling back when you least expect it. Some couples meet in their youth, part ways, live whole lives apart—and then find themselves reunited years later. For others, it’s a rekindled romance after divorce or the rediscovery of love following the loss of a spouse. Whatever the path, these second-chance love stories are deeply emotional and deserve to be celebrated.

Greeting Card Universe shoppers are looking for meaningful cards that capture the unique joy and tenderness of rekindled love—especially for anniversaries. These aren’t “first love” cards or standard romantic anniversaries; they’re about rediscovery, nostalgia, and gratitude for finding each other again.

You’ll find these cards under:
Occasions >> Anniversary >> Reunited / Reunion >> For Old Flame / Long Lost Love
cid#33388


💕 Design Inspiration

  • Then and Now: Show a visual contrast—perhaps two hearts joined by a timeline, or vintage photos morphing into the present.
  • Paths Converging: Symbolic imagery like two winding roads meeting, puzzle pieces fitting back together, or intertwined tree roots.
  • Romantic Nostalgia: Soft light, handwritten letters, retro photo frames, faded love notes, or old postcards.
  • Joyful Reconnection: Happy couples dancing again, sharing coffee, holding hands on a park bench, or walking on a beach at sunset.
  • Nature Motifs: Birds returning to the same nest, butterflies emerging anew, or perennial blooms representing renewed love.

📝 Text Ideas for the GCU Artists

Front Text Ideas

  • Love found its way back home.
  • Some loves are meant to circle back.
  • Years may pass, but the heart remembers.
  • Together again—right where we belong.
  • Reunited hearts make the sweetest anniversaries.
  • Our story got a beautiful second chapter.

Inside Verse Ideas

  • Life brought us back together, and I wouldn’t change a single step that led me to you again.
  • Time only made my love for you stronger. Happy Reunited Anniversary!
  • Who knew that “goodbye” would one day turn into “hello again”?
  • We found our way back, and this time, it’s forever.
  • *Here’s to second chances, lasting love, and the joy of rediscovering you.
  • Some stories never really end—they just wait for the right time to begin again.

💡 Tone & Audience Tips

  • Keep the message hopeful, romantic, and mature.
  • These cards appeal to older couples or those who have experienced life, loss, and growth.
  • Avoid clichés about “young love”—focus on wisdom, timing, and destiny.
  • Don’t forget inclusive options: straight, gay, lesbian, widowed, divorced, or simply long-lost lovers finding their way back.

Creating heartfelt cards for Reunited Anniversaries of Long Lost Love offers artists a chance to celebrate stories that prove true love really can stand the test of time. These are not just anniversaries—they’re emotional milestones of rediscovery, forgiveness, and enduring connection.

Happy Designing!

Corrie

Wanted Cards – Reunited Anniversary of Long Lost Love

October 16, 2025

Wanted Cards – Reunited Anniversary of Long Lost Love

Circling back at some point in life to reunite with a prior love – a teenage romance, a second chance at love, love after divorce or after loss of a spouse. 

Please consider creating new cards for an anniversary of reuniting.These cards should go here:Occasions Anniversary >> Reunited / Reunion >> For Old Flame / Long Lost Love  cid#33388

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