Congratulations on first place winner status for both February and March design challenges for GCU artist Linda Gladman of Bright Star Cards February Design Challenge – Wild About You March Design Challenge – Shower, Showers, Showering Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. I’ve won a few gardening and photography challenge awards including a few on Facebook. Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites. This card was my very first ever design! I had a creative vision out of my love for nature and animals of the design and from there I was challenged to bring Click to Read more…

  Classic Blue Birthday Ribbon with Flowers         What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card.   I put just the color on the card template at first and stared at it for a while. At first it invoked a feeling for a nautical scene, but in the end, I decided I loved the contrasting light blue found in the ribbon graphic. I also like the way the pink flowers popped against the classic blue.   Pantone’s Color of the Year, Classic Blue, stirred a bit of controversy along the lines of Click to Read more…

In Remembrance of Dad this Christmas What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card.  You asked about my inspiration for the November challenge fusion card design.  Well, this card was inspired by a personal event.  My dad passed away unexpectedly this October and with the holidays approaching I thought about Christmas without my father.  The design challenge asked us to incorporate different elements and glasses and a book were a couple of the items that were mentioned and stood out to me.  I had come across these things in my dad’s personal Click to Read more…

Betsy Bush, Design Challenge Winner, September 2019 What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card. I had the email from GCU Forum Wanted Cards in my mailbox regarding wanting Adopt a Shelter Pet Day designs, and as I was scouring my design resources for anything about hands I came across the little family holding hands with a dog and I thought I would address the challenge as well as the Wanted Cards request. Fortunately in the same bundle of graphics there was a cat I could incorporate into the design. Did this Click to Read more…

  Teri Francis of Squirrel Hugger, Design Challenge Winner, August 2019 Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. I don’t usually enter contests. Only did this one because I was curious to learn how to do the Stock Cards on GCU. It was really a fun experience, and I look forward to doing more in the future. Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites. All of my favorite cards came about as a result of some personal connection to the intended recipient. I try to keep that in mind when creating cards. What would the Click to Read more…

Shoaff Ballanger Studios, Design Challenge Winner,  June 2019 Shoaff Ballanger Studios is a collaborative wife-husband team consisting of Susan Shoaff-Ballanger and Jay Ballanger.   Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. Both of us have had our pojagi fiber art (Korean patchwork) accepted and exhibited internationally in South Korea at the Pojagis From American Friends, Cheongju International Craft Biennale, Cheongju, Korea. Susan has also been the Art Educator of the Year for the State of Missouri. Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites.   We love the details in the various items and the cat in Click to Read more…

Sharon Dominick Photography, Design Challenge Winner, May 2019     Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites. I love these three designs as they give a little taste of my favorite style of cards that enjoy creating. A tad funny, a bit quirky and sometimes cute and furry.           Please list any of your professional social media sites. Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from idea to greeting card. I have over 11,000 photos that I have created Click to Read more…

Design Challenge Winner, April 2019, Graduation Season – Cathie Richardson of Country Garden Cards Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. Other than a few fair ribbons, this is my first contest win!   Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and why they are your favorites. For all three of these cards I liked how the colors turned out. I had a great time illustrating, learning about the state birds, and why they were chosen for the US. Every summer we have a lizard that discovers our back yard and decides to stay. I kind of get attached to him like Click to Read more…

 Design Challenge Winner, January 2019, Living Coral – Lisa Crisafi of Nest to Nest Greetings    Thank you for choosing my design for the January 2019 contest. I love these challenges as they encourage me to try something new and to think outside of my box. I would encourage any GCU artist reading this interview to enter the contests.   What was your inspiration for your winning card? Please walk us through the process of how this card went from an idea to a greeting card.  The first thing that came to mind when I read that the contest revolved around Living Coral, the Pantone Color of the year, were the little terracotta pots I Click to Read more…

Stacia Gorge of Good Things by Gorge, Design Challenge Winner, October 2018     Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. Ages ago, prior to becoming a stay-at-home mom, community volunteer, & GCU card designer, I worked in the corporate communications field as a writer and editor. I served on teams that received awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).   Additionally, I’ve had poetry published in two Indiana-based publications: (1) Carmel Creations: An Anthology by Carmel Creative Writers (2018 edition), and (2) Tipton Poetry Journal’s “Christmas at the Creek” Special Issue (2012).  Ironically, my preferred poetry style is usually not suitable for greeting cards due to my Click to Read more…