Jonice, you have really lovely cards!  We are all going through the same thing here.  If that helps you at all.  I didn't need or want another stressor in my life so I am just trying to roll with it instead of let it get me down.  Truthfully some of my cards needed to go bye bye anyway.  I'm trying to step back, look at the declined card and hopefully say to myself...yes I agree this card might not have the most professional look to it.  It's just my take.  I hope this helps you some and I hope you feel better.

I think this is now the policy for all cards (?) mine are drawn, but they always ask if they are mine/I own the rights to them. So, now I do what Doreen suggested, on the notes to reviewer section I always make sure to write "I am the artist, I own all rights to" ect. If you do this when you submit, it shouldn't be an issue. Good luck!
 

Quote from Jonice_134877 on Sep 22^nd, 2011, 10:35am:

 
It is common practice to ask the artist about the source, especially when an image or elements of an image are found elsewhere on the internet, to make sure they have the proper rights to use the image in this manner: commercial usage on POD paper greeting cards.
 
Too often artists use 3rd party creative with out confirming they can use it in this manner and without reading the details in the Terms of Use.
 
Including this information in your Note to Reviewer field as suggested by artists on this thread is an excellent suggestion to speed up the process.  
 
BUT before that it is more important for you to check the Terms of Use of your image source.  It is the responsibility of each and every artist who chooses to use 3rd party creative to do so.

Quote from Cara_131386 on Sep 23^rd, 2011, 5:16pm:

 
Hi Cara,
We heard loud and clear from artists that they wanted to know exactly what about the design put it below the bar.    
 
If others would like to share their opinions here we're all ears but it will have to be one way or the other - all or nothing.  To keep things efficient we can't manage a list of those who want the constructive critism and those who don't, sorry.  
 
There is a good post here for artists by artists re: accepting rejection:
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/forum/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1316785657

Cara, it is not a critique of your card. It is an explanation as to why it has been rejected. I am sure we would all be up in arms if our cards were rejected without any explanation.
The artists have told GCU that this is how we want it done.
Having a card rejected hurts I know, but having a card rejected and not knowing why would be much worse.

I agree too that the explanations - as long as they are constructive and NOT opinion-based - serve to help improve the image, then I'm all ears.  Yes, I was originally one that got my back up - I've unfortunately not been able to do much card making but I did get a couple new rejections and upon second look understand the third set of eyes and their decision that the cards need additional work.  As soon as I can, I will redo them and resubmit.
 
Cara, is there any way you can submit your declined card into the Critique forum?  I'd be interested in seeing it and trying to understand why the reviewers declined it for their reasons stated.  It does seem a bit harsh especially if the art was created specifically as you had.  In that case, I'd be very upset too but as others have said there are other sites to post with if GCU doesn't want it.
 

After re-reading your post with the reviewer's note - the first part is the "standard reply" with the reviewer's comments added at the end.  We all get that first part about the new marketability standards.  Yup, it is pretty cold if you ask me.  However, I've had some good additional comments made by the reviewers who rejected a few of my cards so at least I know what they felt was causing it to not be up to speed and I could work on it.  I did also have a card come back for edits due to choice of category which I totally disagreed with because I modeled my card after a bunch of others in that particular category.  I resubmitted without changing the category and after emailing the reviewer to please look again as the card and its sentiment were very much in line with the numerous others in the same category and the card was approved.  Have you tried emailing the reviewer back to get any additional comments?  I know Mindy said we could not argue with the reviewers, so I'd say try to get your declined card posted publicly for us all to look at via the Critique Forum.  I had the same happen with a card and I posted the image to Webshots and provided a link to it in the GCU Community "Critique Forum" along with the review's email and was able to get a lot of good suggestions to fix it (although I've been a really bad girl and not been able to complete those adjustments for resubmitting   ).