Nuts and Bolts: Category ID# Fetch
In a prior post, we shared a new enhancement for artists; a way to speed up the category selection step in submitting or editing a card. Speed entry if you will. Here is how you take advantage of the new feature.
1. in a custom request, GCU will now be sharing along with the category for the new cards as well as the Cat ID# to use
2. when you click through the category tree you will notice that it mirrors or populates the Category ID field. You can make note of this Cat id# if you will be submitting cards for the same category in your next submission.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
Share this:
Dash of Inspiration: July 2022 Design Challenge
Hello, artists! I am so very sorry for the delay in kicking off the July Design Challenge. As if a holiday weekend wasn’t delay enough, a wildfire within 15-miles of my home took out a power transfer station and left us without power from 6:30 pm on Monday until just an hour ago. Since you’ve lost nearly a week of creating time, we will extend the deadline by one week. Thank you for understanding!
……………………………………………………………
Theme: Halloween
Requirements:
-
Create a brand new design that is DIFFERENT from anything you have for Halloween in your store collection. Be creative, innovative and really WOW the judges!
-
Write your own verse/message, be creative and write a message that clearly speaks to your imagery, occasion and recipient.
-
Blank verse will not be considered for entry in this challenge.
……………………………………………………………
Entry Deadline: Saturday, August 6th
……………………………………………………………
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.
……………………………………………………………….
Category:
Any Halloween category that suits your card the best.
…………………………………………………………….
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: July 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.
……………………………………………………………………
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.
……………………………………………………………………
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: 5.36K!
- 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 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 2022!
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!
- 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 2022!
………………………………………………………………………
Tips:
- Nuts and Bolts: The Right Image
- Dash of Inspiration – What’s In a Verse
- Dash of Inspiration: Typography – Font Combination
………………………………………………………………………
Be inspired to create and learn something new!
Doreen Erhardt / SalonOfArtGreetings©
Share this:
FREE Anderlacht – Vintage Display Font!
Anderlacht is a vintage serif font with a stamp texture that is perfect for quotes, logos, designs, digital art and more. Also accompanied by several illustrations that make it possible to make designs very easily. Font comes in OTF format.
This awesome freebie is brought to you by Typehand Studio! Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 Days.
This product comes with a commercial license.
Share this:
Nuts and Bolts: 2Q22 Earnings & Payment
It’s pay day! The 2nd quarter payments for 2022 are being processed reflecting commissions earned from 4/01/22 – 6/30/22. Part of this process is reconciling those stores who have met the quarterly threshold. The checks are scheduled to be in the mail or PayPal payments made by Sunday, 7/31/22.
Congrats on your well earned and deserved payments!
Mindy
Share this:
Wanted New Cards: Feast Day General
Wanted Cards – Feast Day General
GCU shines at getting really specific but sometimes a general card does the job. Please consider creating more cards for a general Feast Day, not saint specific.
The cards should go here:
Holidays >> Feast Day >> General
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!
Share this:
FREE Tropical Garden Watercolor Illustration!
Get hand-drawn watercolor illustration set which features parrots, flamingos and other tropical birds as well, perfect for card design. All items come in PNG format!
This wonderful freebie is brought to you by Aekgasit watercolors Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 Days.
This product comes with a commercial license.
Share this:
Nuts and Bolts: Reminder June 2022 Design Challenge
Time for a Stock Card Creations only challenge. Be sure to submit your entry BEFORE Thursday, June 10th allowing time for review and approval.
Stock Card Creations are automatically identified as Fast Track – please add in the Notes to Reviewer: June Design Challenge Submission
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
Share this:
Wanted New Cards: Learning How to Swim
Wanted Cards – Learning How to Swim
It’s almost summer with outdoor activities on the rise. As temps increase, vacations and getaways pool-side, lake-side or oceanside are more prevalent as is the importance of water safety. Let’s create some cards to congratulate swimming lesson grads; new swimmers – young and old.
Please consider creating new cards here
Occasions >> Congratulations>> Sporting Event / Game >> Swimming / Diving >> Learning How to Swim
Consider designs for both male and female swimmers as well as young and old learners. Be sure to fortify your meta-data for both gender and age range.
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!
Share this:
Freebie Wednesday: FREE Royal Flowers Watercolor Clipart
FREE Royal Flowers Watercolor Clipart
In this collection, you will find amazing watercolor elements, floral compositions, wreaths, frames, patterns and card templates. This watercolor collection is perfect for cards, invitations, posters, digital projects, scrapbooking, textile design, packaging, and etc.
This pretty freebie is brought to you by HappyWatercolorShop! Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for another 6 Days.
This product comes with a commercial license.
Share this:
Nuts and Bolts: Artist Interview Robin Chaffin.
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 April 2022 Design Challenge winner, Robin Chaffin, interview.
Congratulations to Robin on her winning design.
The difference is made in the details!
Mindy
GCU Community Manager
GCU Community 