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Dash of Inspiration: 2019 Founders’ Choice Awards.

January 27, 2020

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Dash of Inspiration – 2019 Founders’ Choice Awards
 
Well, here they are!  The Founders’ Choice Awards for 2019 in all their shining, funny, witty, creative, and top selling glory!  One thing different this year since Christmas and Chinese New Year and of course Birthday cards rise to the top of sales, they’ve been broken up into their own Hottest Sellers so we have 9 cards total to feature here (Hottest Selling – Christmas, Hottest Selling – CNY, Hottest Selling – Birthdays).

 

1. Best New Artist: Linda Gladman of Bright Star Cards

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Honorable Mentions Best New Artist:

Jamie Grob of Montana Design Studio

 

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and Bill Thomas of Thomastoons

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2. Best Overall New Card: 
Kathleen Johnson with Doctor’s Day#1559426

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Honorable Mention Best Overall New Card:

Greetings by Anne – #1563308

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and Kong Savage – #1583424

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3. Hottest Seller – CHRISTMAS:

Linda Gladman of Bright Star Greetings –  #1581774

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Honorable Mentions CHRISTMAS Hottest Seller:

Stephie McCarthy#1523736

and Ron Magnes#1587038

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3a. Hottest Seller – CHINESE NEW YEAR:

Doreen Erhardt of Salon Of Art –  #1580276

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Honorable Mentions CHINESE NEW YEAR Hottest Seller:

Teri Nelson Kuster#1585818

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and Kong Savage – #1553154

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3b. Hottest Seller – BIRTHDAY:

Judy Adamson – #1554506

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Honorable Mentions BIRTHDAY Hottest Seller:

Judith Gargone#1580244

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and Nancy Mink – #1570880

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4. Best Custom Front (Text):

Judy Adamson #1573536

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Honorable Mention Best Custom Front (Text):

Liz Van Steenburgh#1580162

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and Doreen Erhardt of Salon Of Art#1576862

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5. Best Custom Front (Image):

Pamela Jorgensen of PamJArts#1586882

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Honorable Mention Best Custom Front (Image):

Sandra Rose – #1569340

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6. Best Business Logo: Teri Nelson Kuster of Che Bella Nota#1583432

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7. Funniest Card: Bill Thomas at Thomas Toons#1574336

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Honorable Mentions Funniest Card:

Bill Thomas of Thomas Toons#1584620

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and Mike Seddon #1594430

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8. Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock):

Doreen Erhardt of Exclusive Creations#1573538

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Honorable Mention Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock):

Shoaff Ballanger Studios #1571340

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and Janet Pallagi#1574644

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9. Rising Star:

Puppy Valentine by Diane Deiderich#1592750

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Honorable Mention Rising Star:

Cat Easter by Sharon Dominick#1558822

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and Cradle to Cross by Caryn Brame – #1561622

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10. Custom Request – Nailed it:

Laughing Hippo Studio – #1582500

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Honorable Mentions Custom Request – Nailed it:

Gail Pepin#1572686

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and Cisillia Tay –  #1569198

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11. Best Uncommon Card:

King Kahmeha Day by Ron Magnes#1565444

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Honorable Mention best Uncommon Card:

Father’s day to be by Cheryl Jones#1568928

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and Construction Management Grad by Kate Taylor#1563258

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12. Best Design Challenge Submission:

Betsy Bush of Dragonfire Graphics#1575656

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Honorable Mention Best Design Challenge Submission:

Pamela Jorgensen of PamJArts – #1554942

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and Michelle Lanoue #1587624

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13. Simply Clever:

Synonym Rolls by Doug Hill#1589538

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Honorable Mention Simply Clever:

Keep Believing by Lisa Crisafi#1584006

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and College Miss U by Judith Gorgone #1576564

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14. Reviewers’ Choice:

Fiona, Reviewer #825 – Mindy Pierce#1539044

Ella, Reviewer #758 – Maria Forester#1586208

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Mackenzie, Reviewer #528 –Stephie McCarthy#1584754

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Desiree, Reviewer #121 – Kathleen Johnson#1589756

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Phoebe, Reviewer #443 – Stephanie Laird#1564840

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John, Reviewer #233 – Greetings from Anne#1569702

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Catherine, Reviewer #871 – Tam Moody #1583540

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Victor, Reviewer #992 – Wotto#1593846

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Sue, Reviewer #120 – Christine Quimby – #1593294

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What an amazing line up and such a very difficult job for our judging team. So many great new cards to consider and simply not enough awards. It was a trip down memory lane reflecting all the new additions, artists and cards, that made 2019 another awe inspiring year at Greeting Card Universe. Thank you to our amazing community of artists for your endless creativity and support!

Mindy
GCU Community Manager

Nuts and Bolts: January Design Challenge Deadline.

January 24, 2020

 

Nuts & Bolts – January Design Challenge Deadline
 
Don’t miss entering the first design challenge of 2020!  We hope you’ve been peeping Pantone’s color of the year, Classic Blue, all around you and have found some inspiration.

 

Theme: Classic Blue Pantone© Color of the Year for 2020 – The Classic Blue Pantone© color of the year for 2020 must be primary in your imagery. Color of the Year for 2020 PANTONE© Classic Blue

Submission Deadline is Friday January 31.

 

NOTE: The 2019 Founders’ Choice Awards will be announced on Monday, January 27 so stay tuned!

See January’s Design Challenge details.

 

The difference is made in the details!
Mindy

GCU Community Manager

Wanted New Cards: Priest Ordination Anniversary.

January 23, 2020

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Wanted Cards – Priest Ordination Anniversary

 

Once GCU shoppers find the perfect cards they become fans and come back for more!  For that reason, it is important to offer many designs to choose from as well as fresh designs especially in niche and smaller subcategories.

 

A shopper has asked for more choices for the category below which currently has 8 cards and she’s purchased them all previously.

 

These cards should go here:

 

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

Remember, when you’re submitting your new 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 Buffalo Font

January 22, 2020
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Freebie Wednesday:

 

Buffalo Font (by HanzelStudio) is an elegant and timeless serif font and is only available for the next 6 days at The Hungry Jpeg. Don’t miss out!

 

 

This product comes with a complete commercial license.

 

Rainbow Connection: Trends Senses for 2020/2021

January 21, 2020

 

Trend Senses shows us the hot new color trends for 2020/2021.

 

Nuts and Bolts: Papyrus Removal.

January 17, 2020

Nuts & Bolts – Papyrus Removal
 
GCU is keen to inside verse legibility.  Many factors come to play like font style, size, color, line breaks, and alignment.

 

Over the years there have been and continue to be shopper complaints about the font Papyrus.

 

It is described as:
Papyrus has a number of distinctive characteristics, including rough edges, irregular curves, and high horizontal strokes in the capitals. Created in 1982, it was hand-drawn over a period of six months by means of calligraphy pen and textured paper.

 

Apparently Papyrus tops the list of most hated typefaces after Comic Sans and is the butt of many a joke:
SNL Papyrus YouTube https://youtu.be/jVhlJNJopOQ

 

We know that it has an intentional aged and ancient look with incomplete edges. However the common shopper complaint is “it looks like your printer ran out of ink”.  As GCU takes care of unhappy shoppers, we either re-order for or refund the shopper. This is costly and unavoidable. Due to this repeated issue we have decided to remove Papyrus from the fonts offered on the site – inside verse, custom front, Stock Card Creations.

 

This change will not impact existing cards using Papyrus, unless the shopper attempts to change the font, they will not be able to reselect Papyrus.

 

This notice is to alert you of its removal by mid 2020 and serve as a suggestion to no longer use Papyrus in your new submissions.

 

Here are some related posts about:

 

The difference is made in the details!
Mindy

GCU Community Manager

Wanted New Cards: Wirehaired Dachshund.

January 16, 2020

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Wanted Cards – Wirehaired Dachshund

 

Pet lovers are crazy about greeting cards featuring their favorite breeds.  Dogs, cats, birds, you name it.  These fur, feathered and finned babies are part of the family.

 

GCU is in need of more cards featuring Wirehaired Dachshund (vs Smooth and Longhaired).  Consider cards featuring this breed for a variety of occasions.  In general, the card will go in the following subcategory >> Animals / Pets >> Dogs

 

 

Be sure to put important terms like the breed name in the card title, artist notes (which serves as a product description) and keywords.

 

If you are not closely familiar with different breeds of animals it is an excellent idea to do your due diligence to make sure you have the correct breed.

NOTE: consider designs that feature more than one animal as breed fans or breeders will typically have more than one and also consider different colored coats.


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

Remember, when you’re submitting your new 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 Papercut Floral Bundle

January 15, 2020

Freebie Wednesday: free Papercut Floral Bundle.

 

This beautiful free Papercut Floral Bundle (by Tatiana Cociorva Designs) is only available for the next 6 days at The Hungry Jpeg. Don’t miss out!

 

 

This product comes with a complete commercial license.

 

Nuts and Bolts: Classic Blue Inspiration – January Design Challenge.

January 10, 2020

Nuts & Bolts – Classic Blue Inspiration – January Design Challenge

 

The first design challenge of the year has been announced.  As we’ve done in years past, we’ve kicked it off with the theme of Pantone’s color of the year – Classic Blue. If you’re scratching your head for design inspiration, be sure to peruse our Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year – Classic Blue.

 

 

Our challenges are opportunities for artists to break a creative slump or think outside of their normal go-to design (or color) box. Consider it a fresh departure from the holiday blues!

See the details of January 2020 Design Challenge here.

 

The difference is made in the details!
Mindy

GCU Community Manager

Wanted New Cards: Invitation Honeymoon Fund Bridal Shower.

January 9, 2020

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Wanted Cards – Invitation Honeymoon Fund Bridal Shower
 
Themed bridal showers are a fun twist on the general gift registry.  Many newlyweds these days already have the household basics and are looking for help with funding their honeymoon or special activities on their honeymoon.
Please consider creating cards for this category:

 

Note these tips on invitation inside text.

 

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”. For standard front designs, consider using Stock Card Creations to create new cards quickly. These cards are automatically set for expedited review so no need to Fast Track.