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Nuts and Bolts: Reminder January 2022 Design Challenge

January 28, 2022

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Nuts & Bolts – Reminder January 2022 Design Challenge
 
 
January is coming to an end!  If you resolved to try something new this year, now is your chance.  Just four days left to submit your entry to the first design challenge of the new year.
 
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The theme is Pantone’s Color of the Year, Very Peri.  Look at all this great color inspiration
 
 
How easy is that?!  A color. Any design, occasion or category that you choose.  
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please do NOT use trademarked terms “Pantone” or “Very Peri” in your meta-data. You can however use individual terms like: periwinkle, purple, color of the year, etc. 
 
Simply submit your card for review as usual and include a Note to Reviewer “this is for January’s design challenge”.  (Psst … since we’re getting close to the deadline go ahead and submit your design for Fast Track review and tell the reviewers Mindy said it’s ok).
 
And stay tuned for the soon to be announced 2021 GCU’s Founders’ Choice Awards.
 
 

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy


GCU Community Manager


Wanted New Cards: 1st Easter as Parents/Family

January 27, 2022

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Wanted Cards – 1st Easter as Parents / Family

 

Please consider creating cards for first time parents on Easter:

Holidays >> Easter >> 1st / First Easter >> As a Family / Parents

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

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”. (stock cards are automatically fast tracked).

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!

 

Freebie Wednesday: Free Unicorn Express Font

January 26, 2022
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Unicorn Express is playful and chic display font. It would be suitable for birthday cards, party banners, social media content, celebration quotes and many more. This font is PUA encoded which means you can access all of the glyphs and swashes with ease!

Available for free for the next 5 days on the Creative Fabrica site. Don’t miss out!

 

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This product comes with a commercial license.

Nuts and Bolts: Ethnicity Variations

January 21, 2022

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Nuts & Bolts – Ethnicity Variations
 
Since people come in all ages, sizes, genders, and colors.  Consider relatively easy variations on a card design that serve different cultural / ethnic markets
that make a big impact. 
 
GCU Artist Jamie Grob of Montana Design Studio offers these variations on the same design to meet the needs of a special valentine.
 
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NOTE: be sure to fortify your meta-data for these variations so shoppers can find exactly what they are searching for.
 
Also, if your variations are based on an existing design be sure to add a Note to Reviewer with your new submission
like “based on PID#XXXXX with ethnicity variation”.
 
See post on leveraging designs for Different Variations.
 
 

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy


GCU Community Manager


Wanted New Cards: Spring Break COVID

January 20, 2022

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Wanted Cards – Spring Break COVID

 

As students head back to the classrooms after winter break, spring break will not be too far from students’ thoughts.  Enter spring fever and plans for spring break.  Spring break will probably still be different from “normal”.

Please consider creating cards for spring breakers under coping with coronavirus conditions: 

Occasions >> School Days >> Spring Break >> Coronavirus / COVID 19

All COVID-19 specific cards should also go in the catchall category:
 
Since Stock Card Creation cards are automatically assigned a category, their categories should be as follows:

 

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

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”. (stock cards are automatically fast tracked).

 

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!

 

 

 

 

Freebie Wednesday: Free Watercolor Greenery Collection

January 19, 2022
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Watercolor Greenery Collection is the Freebie of the Week at The Hungry Jpeg.

Here’s what you’ll get in this awesome freebie:

  • 50 Watercolor Greenery Leaves (PNG Format)
  • 6 Wreath and Arrangements (PNG Format)
  • 1 Greenery Wedding Invitation (EPS & JPG Format)
  • 1 Card Template (JPG Format)

brought to you by Shark & Croc co.!

Available for free for the next 6 days on the Hungry Jpeg site. Don’t miss out!

 

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This product comes with a commercial license.

Nuts and Bolts: New Year New Changes

January 14, 2022

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Nuts & Bolts – New Year New Changes
 
 
Fresh into 2022 there will be some new things and changes on the near horizon I’d like to share with you.
 
1. Price Increase – this is long overdue (GCU has not raised prices since 2013) coupled with the skyrocketing price of paper. It goes into effect on 1/17/22.  With your artist discount code, this does not impact artists’ buying price. However this WILL bump up artist commissions by a few cents per card. The artist commission rates (%) will remain the same.
 
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2. Artist Tool Improvements – we have a few tweaks to the artist pages that we hope will make your life easier.  Primarily ease of use and navigation. We will announce these here when they become available.
 
3. In-store Pickup – GCU’s new in-store pickup partner and offering was to be announced at the end of 2021. It’s complicated but know the diligent work continues on both sides to get this service in place in early 2022.  See prior posts here.  Stay tuned for the official announcement date.

 

 

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy


GCU Community Manager


Wanted New Cards: Persian New Year Missing You

January 13, 2022

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Wanted Cards – Persian New Year Missing You

 

The first day of Spring brings the Persian New Year.  Please consider design cards for those that will not be together to join the holiday. 

The cards should go here:

Holidays > Persian New Year Cards > Missing You at Persian New Year

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 stock card, add a little note about the intended category in your Notes to Reviewers.

 

Be inventive, be clever, be creative. Go for it!

 

 

 

 

Freebie Wednesday: Free New York Hand-lettered Signature Script Font

January 12, 2022
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New York Hand-lettered Signature Script Font!

New York is a hand-lettered signature script font perfect for your modern designs!  This font comes with tons of ligatures so you can alter it to your liking! Font comes in OTF format.

This awesome freebie is brought to you by Blush Font Co.!

Available for free for the next 6 days on the Hungry Jpeg site. Don’t miss out!

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This product comes with a commercial license.

Nuts and Bolts: 2021 1099-NEC Form (MISC)

January 6, 2022

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Nuts & Bolts – 2021 1099-NEC Form (MISC)
 
Form 1099-NEC will be mailed out the first week of January to all U.S. based artists who were paid more than $600.00 in 2021.  When you receive your Form 1099-NEC, please review the information and let us know ASAP if there are any errors as the forms must be filed with the IRS on January 31st and it is difficult to correct mistakes after that date. 
 
All corrections should be sent to accounting@gcuniverse.com    

NOTE: 1099-NEC (Non-employee Compensation) will now be used instead of the 1099-MISC form see here for details on the change of form.
 
 

The difference is made in the details!

Mindy


GCU Community Manager