Best of 2025 - Founders' Choice Awards

With over 50,000 new cards submitted in 2025 by our talented community of artists, here are some card designs that have risen to the top to be recognized as GCU's Best of 2025. As always, the selection process is far from easy.

Enlisting a combination of popularity, sales, founder and staff input and so much more, we've arrived at these shining examples of professionalism, excellence, marketability and creativity.

The Founders' Choice Awards round out each year's Design Challenge series which is a monthly design challenge put before GCU's artist community.

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New Document

Best New Artist

Holli Conger

Best New Artist (Honorable Mention)

O. Dhee of Paper Hugs Studio

Best New Artist (Honorable Mention)

Christine Shearer of DandelionFair

Best of 2025 - Founders' Choice Awards

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Best Overall New Card (non-Christmas, birthday, CNY, Thanksgiving) Jasmine Goodwin of Jasmine Goodwin Designs	Best Overall New Card (Honorable Mention) Sandra Rose Designs	Best Overall New Card (Honorable Mention) Caroline Bonne Müller
Hottest Seller-Christmas Cathy Sudzius of Cedar Rue	Hottest Seller-Christmas (Honorable Mention) Michelle Downs of MimmyD’s	Hottest Seller-Christmas (Honorable Mention) Silvia Clara Rios
Hottest Seller-Chinese New Year Tanya Hall of Moonlake Greetings	Hottest Seller - Chinese New Year (Honorable Mention) Teri Nelson Kuster of Che Bella Nota	Hottest Seller - Chinese New Year (Honorable Mention) Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art Greetings
Hottest Seller - Birthday Michelle Downs of MimmyD’s	Hottest Seller - Birthday (Honorable Mention) Caroline Bonne Müller	Hottest Seller - Birthday (Honorable Mention) Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art Greetings
Hottest Seller – Birthday Relation Specific * NEW * Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art Greetings	Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller – Birthday Relation Specific Sandra Rose Designs	Honorable Mentions Hottest Seller – Birthday Relation Specific Mindy Pierce
Hottest Seller – Thanksgiving NEW Makiko Kimura	Hottest Seller - Thanksgiving (Honorable Mention) Sandra Rose Designs	Hottest Seller - Thanksgiving (Honorable Mention) Nancy Mink Studios
Hottest Seller – Halloween Glen Mink of Cotton Callie Cards	Hottest Seller - Halloween (Honorable Mention) Christina Yee of cyee art	Hottest Seller - Halloween (Honorable Mention) Christie Black of Creations from the Heart
Best New Series Sandra Rose Designs	Best New Series (Honorable Mention) Heather Kerr of Dreaming Mind Cards	Best New Series (Honorable Mention) Doreen Erhardt of Salon of Art Greetings
Best Custom Front (Text) Whimsical Designs by Annie Lang	Best Custom Front (Text) (Honorable Mention) Christie Black of Creations from the Heart	Best Custom Front (Text) (Honorable Mention) Ron Magnes
Best Custom Front (Image) Mindy Pierce	Best Custom Front (Image) (Honorable Mention) Teri Frances of Squirrel Hugger Greeting Cards	Best Custom Front (Image) (Honorable Mention) Robin Chaffin of Simply Put by Robin
Funniest Card Jason Nocera	Funniest Card (Honorable Mention) Greetings from Anne	Funniest Card (Honorable Mention) Doug Hill of Made You Smile
Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock) Doreen Erhardt of Exclusive Creations	Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock) (Honorable Mention) Laurie Schneider	Most Creative Stock Card Creation (BigStock) (Honorable Mention) Jay and Susan Ballanger of Shoaff Ballanger Studio
Best Selling Stock Card Creation (BigStock) NEW Doreen Erhardt of Exclusive Creations	Best Selling Stock Card Creation (BigStock) (Honorable Mention) Sandra Rose Designs	Best Selling Stock Card Creation (BigStock) (Honorable Mention) Kate Taylor
Rising Star Christie Black of Creations from the Heart	Rising Star (Honorable Mention) Holli Conger Studios	Rising Star (Honorable Mention) Cathie Richardson of Country Garden Cards
Custom Request - Nailed it! Sandra Rose Designs	Custom Request - Nailed it! (Honorable Mention) Gail Pepin	Custom Request - Nailed it! (Honorable Mention) Cisillia Tay
Best Uncommon Card Sandra Rose Designs	Best Uncommon Card (Honorable Mention) Daphne Sampson of Greeting Cards by Jennabella	Best Uncommon Card (Honorable Mention) Silvia Clara Rios
Best Design Challenge Submission Betsy Bush of Dragonfire Graphics	Best Design Challenge Submission (Honorable Mention) Michelle Downs of MimmyD’s	Best Design Challenge Submission (Honorable Mention) Sandra Rose Designs
Simply Clever Michelle Downs of MimmyD’s	Simply Clever (Honorable Mention) O. Dhee of Paper Hugs Studio	Simply Clever (Honorable Mention) Annalisa Jones
Reviewers' Choice - Fiona Lisa Geerman of Lavender Mint Graphics	Reviewers' Choice - Mackenzie Holli Konger of Bookmark Greetings	Reviewers' Choice - Desiree Katie Phythian Design
Reviewers' Choice - Phoebe Micklyn Le Feuvre	Reviewers' Choice - John M. M. Anderson	Reviewers' Choice - Catherine Caroline Bonne Mülle
Reviewers' Choice - Victor Garrett Overheul of GRObot Greetings	Reviewers' Choice - Anne Tamara Dawn Adams of Sunrise Photo Cards	Reviewers' Choice - Jessica Renee Gerda Steiner
Reviewers' Choice - Shelley Tanya Hall of Moonlake Greetings	Reviewers' Choice - Daisey Michelle Downs of MimmyD’s