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Nuts and Bolts: December Design Challenge – 2020 Founders’ Choice Awards

December 7, 2020
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Nuts & Bolts – December Design Challenge – 2020 Founders’ Choice Awards

As we begin to wrap up another year (thank goodness), GCU looks forward to an exciting finish – December’s Design Challenge.
 
Yes, it’s that time again, it’s the Best of 2020 – Founders’ Choice Awards!  
 
This end of year challenge will consider ALL cards created in 2020 – not just from prior design challenge submissions. There will be ooodles of cards recognized! This means all artists and all 2020 card submissions are candidates.  Stay tuned in January for the “best of” 2020 winners.
 
Winners will receive the same recognition rewards as in prior design challenges, PLUS winners will receive prestigious and coveted Best of 2020 digital awards for their online promotion and bragging rights.

See prior Founders’ Choice Awards Winners.  

The end of a year can be filled with mixed emotions, especially 2020. Take some time to reflect on all of your hard and creative work over the past year.  It’s a perfect time to get a little nostalgic, be proud of your perseverance, and pat yourself on the back.  
 

We look forward to doing the same!  

 
 
 
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Wanted New Cards: 1st Valentine as Family / Parents

December 3, 2020

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Wanted Cards – 1st Valentine as Family / Parents
 
What is sweeter than Valentine’s Day together?  Perhaps when it is a 1st Valentine’s Day for a couple as a family with a new baby.  
 
Valentine’s Day for new parents will probably look a little different and may deviate from the usual romantic dinner out, all dolled up, late night out on the town, and pricey gifts.  Time to start new traditions for “party of 3” and a new sweetheart in the house. 
 
Please consider creating cards for this category:

We’d like you to create at least one card for these categories using the Stock Cards function 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”.

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Freebie Wednesday: Brandon Bromley Font

December 2, 2020

 

Brandon Bromley is a cute and quirky display font. It will add an incredibly joyful touch to your designs. Add this beautiful display font to each of your creative ideas and notice how it makes them stand out! Available for free at the Creative Fabrica site.

This product comes with a commercial license.

Nuts and Bolts: November Design Challenge Deadline

November 26, 2020

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Nuts & Bolts – November Design Challenge Deadline
 
Don’t miss the last design challenge of 2020!  With the Thanksgiving holiday this week it may sneak by you.  Or maybe you’ll find some time to be inspired.
New Year theme in design and verse. Traditional designs will be accepted, but the unusual and unique to THIS year will speak loudly to the judges. New Years as well as Chinese New Year will be accepted.
 
Get out of the kitchen or push yourself away from that extra slice of pie to finish up your submission. Maybe query your friends and family while feasting for ideas on the items.
 

Submission Deadline is Monday November 30.
Please note the review team will NOT be reviewing cards Thurs 26 – Fri 27.  Reviewing will resume on Monday, November 30th.  As long as your submission’s submit date is prior to 12/1/20 you are eligible.

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Freebie Wednesday: Ratherbe Font

November 25, 2020

Freebie Wednesday: Ratherbe Font.

A contemporary approach to design, Ratherbe is natural and handmade! Complete with upper and lower case letters, multi-language support, numbers, punctuation and some binders.

This stylish freebie is brought to you by Zane Studio! Only available on the Hungry Jpeg site for a week!

This product comes with a commercial license.

Nuts and Bolts: Holiday Custom Request Design Change

November 20, 2020

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Nuts and Bolts: Holiday Custom Request Design Change
 
Shoppers come to GCU for the perfect holiday card. Our artist community continues to make shoppers’ BELIEVE their holiday card dreams can come true!  Please be sure to pay attention to your Manage Custom Requests or you could be missing out on sales.
 
 
Here is a wonderful example by GCU artist Jan Keteleer of JanKe Card Store:
From the shopper:  
Would it be possible to remove the phrase in red on the cover, so the only words would be “Merry Christmas”? At the same time, we would still like to be able to customize the inside. Wonderful card!  
 
Original Card:

Resulting Card: 

See this related piece on Leveraging Designs and specifically the link to Image Use Guidelines on the Forum re: Term Variations specifically.

Big holiday kudos to Jan for delighting the shopper and making them believe in “any card imaginable”.  And to his speedy work in responding to this request and receiving the sale in less than 48 hours.

Tip: Remember when submitting a new card that is a variation on a previously approved card to make a note in the Notes to Reviewers the pid# that it is based on.  “Based on approved card PID #12345”.  And remember custom requested cards can be set for FastTrack review.  Just leave the reviewer a little note for that too like “for a shopper’s request #14667 ”.
Additionally, we do see a rise in shopper requests for changing the inside verse which of course they can do themselves.  See this tip on how to handle Custom Requests Inside Text.
 
Here are some other wonderful Holiday Custom Request Design Change examples

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Wanted New Cards: Mutual / Shared Birthday Relation Specific

November 19, 2020

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Wanted Cards – Mutual / Shared Birthday Relation Specific
 
Your birthday is YOUR special day but there are likely many other people who have a birthday on the same day and perhaps even some people that you know or are related to. GCU offers many mutual / shared birthday cards and would now like to add cards that are relationship specific. 
 
The cards should go here in their relation specific subcategory:
 
If there is not a subcategory listed for the relationship that you have designed for please, per usual, submit the card in >> Other Mutual / Shared

We’d like you to create at least one card for these categories using the Stock Cards function 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”.

 

Read more…

Freebie Wednesday: Christmas Cars Clipart

November 18, 2020

Freebie Wednesday: Christmas Cars Clipart

Watercolor Christmas Cars Clipart set included elements, backgrounds, seamless patterns.

37 PNG files with isolated elements 300 DPI (on transparent background)
2 PNG files with winter backgrounds 300 DPI (5000x5000px)
8 JPG Seamless Patterns (4000x4000px)
4 PNG Seamless Patterns on transparent background (4000x4000px)

Available on the Creative Fabrica site for another 2 days. Don’t miss out!

This product comes with a commercial license.

Nuts and Bolts: Holiday Custom Request Design Change

November 13, 2020

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Nuts and Bolts: Holiday Custom Request Design Change
 
Holiday card sales are in full swing! For the next month, we expect to see growing numbers of shoppers coming to find their perfect holiday card. Since August we’ve been seeing a lot of custom card requests coming in. Many great new custom cards being created resulting in larger sales, happy shoppers, and happy artists! Unfortunately some of the requests are going unanswered by the artist. These are potential sales that you are missing out on.
 
Here is a wonderful example by GCU artist Teri Nelson Kuster of Che Bella Nota:
From the shopper:  
Could you possibly change grandchild for grandchildren? Lovely card  
 
Original Card:

Resulting Card: 

See this related piece on Leveraging Designs and specifically the link to Image Use Guidelines on the Forum re: Term Variations specifically.

Big holiday kudos to Teri for delighting her shopper and helping them get the perfect holiday card ordered early!

Tip: Remember when submitting a new card that is a variation on a previously approved card to make a note in the Notes to Reviewers the pid# that it is based on.  “Based on approved card PID #12345”.  And remember custom requested cards can be set for FastTrack review.  Just leave the reviewer a little note for that too like “for a shopper’s request #14667 ”.

Read more…

Wanted New Cards: First Thanksgiving Engaged

November 12, 2020

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Wanted Cards: First Thanksgiving Engaged
 

If there is something to be thankful for it’s a special first on Thanksgiving.

 
Please consider creating cards for First Thanksgiving as an engaged couple category in need of cards:
 
Holidays >> Thanksgiving >> 1st / First Thanksgiving >> As a Couple / Engaged

 

 

We’d like you to create at least one card for these categories using the Stock Cards function 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”.

Read more…