Congratulations on first place winner status for June’s design challenge for GCU artist Laurie Schneider. June Design Challenge – Formula Please list any awards or contests you’ve won outside of GCU. Editors’ Pick on Zazzle for my raccoon calendar and I won Hallmark’s card contests, four times. The best part of winning Hallmark was a lady from Canada purchased the one with Bullwinkle on it and tracked me down through the Wildlife Association. She sent me a letter and we have been corresponding ever since. Like me, she is a Wildlife Rehabilitator and has a passion for raccoons Please list the URLs of your 3 favorite cards in your storefront and Click to Read more…

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 wish I had some words of wisdom here but this one was pure luck! I was thinking of creating a new Coronavirus card and up popped this image in the stock card search results. Once I saw the expression on the dog, I knew I wanted to make a card from it. That dog is priceless, he looks like he is evaluating every word the kitten is sharing, maybe a little judgment going on there but obviously coming up with a wise solution as Click to Read more…

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…