P. Kelly Smith
Welcome to Freebie Friday! The results are in for the Open Auditions round of Gallery Idol 2010! We were blown away not only by the number of submissions, but the quality as well. We’ve never seen so many gorgeous designs laid out on our conference table! I’m predicting one nail-biting, wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night-with-cold-sweats competition! Who’s in?!
This year, 262 designers submitted 901 cards for 20 spots! It was an agonizing decision, but we’re confident we got it right with these 20 gals. Wanna meet them? Here’s they are in alphabetical order. Drum roll, please…
Finalist #3 – Lynn Ghahary:
Finalist #4 – Tiffany Johnson:
Finalist #5 – Courtney Kelley:
Finalist #6 – Belinda Chang Langer:
Finalist #10 – Sarah Martina Parker:
Finalist #11 – Heather Pulvirenti:
Finalist #14 – Shemaine Smith:
Finalist #17 – Shanna Vineyard:
Finalist #18 – Danielle Wycough:
Congrats, Top 20! You’ve each won Little Yellow Bicycle’s Fresh Print Clothesline collection and a copy of our current issue!
Top 20, we absolutely loved all of your thank you cards and can’t wait to see what you come up with for round one. We thought long and hard about the theme that would not only challenge you, but bring awareness to our Creativity Heals campaign. So…the theme for round one is Creativity Heals! And that means we want to see your very best sympathy, encouragement, get well, miss you and thinking of you cards. The deadline is Monday, June 7 at 9 a.m. (MDT). All cards must be posted to our gallery by this time. I’ll be e-mailing you next week to go over the specifics for posting and to answer any questions you might have.
Before I go, I want to thank the other 242 designers who uploaded their amazing submissions to our gallery. Even though you didn’t move on in the competition, we hope you’ll still support our finalists in the voting rounds. After all, it’s our online community who will decide the next Gallery Idol winner!
Ready for today’s giveaway? In honor of Card Creations 8 Week, I’ve got five sets of Card Creations magazines (CC5, CC6, CC7, and CC8) just waiting to go to some deserving homes. The editors have chosen the themes for the four remaining Gallery Idol rounds, but it doesn’t mean they’re set in stone. Leave a comment telling me a theme you think would really challenge and inspire our Top 20. You never know…maybe we’ll pick your idea! All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Sunday, May 30.
Five winners will EACH walk away with this set of Card Creations magazines!
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Kelly
P.S. Cath is wrapping up Card Creations 8 Week with a fun blog hop! Make sure you visit Moxie Fab World to see the 10 most published designers in CC8. And I hear there’s 10 amazing prize packages up for grabs!
P.P.S. It’s time to announce the three winners from Teri’s Faux Stitching with Paint post!
1. Christine N. (May 27, 12:11 a.m.)
2. Alyssa Pappas (May 26, 11:13 a.m.)
3. Wendy (May 26, 6:46 a.m.)
Congrats, winners! You’ve each won a set of paints from Eco Green Crafts and a copy of Card Creations, Volume 8! I’ll be contacting you shortly for your mailing addresses. Thanks to all who left comments!
Beautiful creations–congrats to the finalists! I can always use help when it comes to masculine cards, as well as sympathy and get well cards.
i think a good challenge would be only use patterned paper or only use stamps and no patterned paper.
I was thinking invitations and/or announcements too
Thanks for all your beautiful creations!!!
Congrats to these talented gals! Beautiful creations! How about cards for specific anniversaries or birthdays, 25th or 50th, or the “over the hill” decades.
Awesome creations! Loved the simple and crisp creations.
I think one of the hardest cards to make for me are masculine sympathy cards. Let’s see what the gallery idols come up with!
Carmen L
Manly cards for the geek in your life. Those guys that aren’t into sports, outdoors, cars, and other traditional manly things but can be found with a computer, video game, calculator, etc.
Thanks for the pick, Paper Crafts! I am stoked to be amongst such heavy talent!!
Looks like masculine cards are mentioned lots in the posts (Dad’s Day in the US is coming up after all…), and I find those challenging.
I’d also love to see what interpretations these idols do for a couple sentiments I use a lot: “celebrate” and “heartfelt”. Those are sentiments that I use a LOT because they can be used for different occasions. I think it would be interesting to see what creative ideas the idols come up with.
I would to challenge the top 20 to make a masculne Valentine card.
Wow! Thank you so much for choosing my card out of all those fabulous entries! I can’t believe I’m with these other 19 amazing gals, some of my favorite paper-crafters of all time! Pinch me!
great cards!
Hmmmm. What would be an interesting challenge for the Top 20? How about a masculine card that must include some kind of stamping plus be able to go through regular mail (so no thick embellies). Thanks for a chance to win a prize, too.
oh I think that a “friends are the bomb” card contest where you had to incorporate something unique about your friend on the card would be fun.
How about “Stamping to Die For”, using a die cut along with rubber stamps?
my biggest challenge is cards for tweens, especially the boys. i don’t keep up on the latest stuff so never quite know what to do.
Congrats to the winners! I was thinking the same thing as many of the other commentators … how about something masculine? Or maybe age specific masculine? Like adult male, or teen male?
Birthday cards for men: husbands, dads, brothers, etc.
Or
Cards with a pun.
I would love to win the special issues!
Normally I would lsay manly cards, but lately I have been rocking some Father’s Day cards and now, I love man cards. Hopefully I can take some of my Father’s Day mojo in to the man birthday season!!!
I love to make cheery cards, so sympathy cards have been a struggle for me.
Even though I already have all of those Card Creations books, I still want to win yours!
Have a good weekend!
I think men cards are hard- none of my papers or stamps are very manly and I could really use some suggestions… b/c men have birthdays too and they might not want a cupcake card.
Fantastic cards! I would love to see some masculine cards because that is what I draw a blank on the most!
Beautiful cards everyone!!! Two ends of the spectrum–sympathy cards are always difficult and it would be fun to have Christmas in June!!!
I also like the idea of invitations. There could be a lot of creativity there!
Blessings,
Christine
Congrats everyone! Looking forward to what’s to come
I think a one layer theme would be great!
A theme would be sentimentless (you know what I mean) card that you can keep for spare or put with others as part of a stationery gift set for a friend.
At this time of year I’d love to see some graduation cards.
Great cards!!! That couldn’t have been an easy job to pick just 20 from so many designs. Thank goodness that is your job and not mine.
)
I would like to see a few more ideas on sympathy cards and not just the usual white or one element on front. Something that conveys that you want them to know you are honouring the lost persons memory.
Thanks for sharing!
I finally stop shaking. Thank you for making my day, my week, my year. Congrats to all the other finalist. I have admired your works and so happy to be among you all.
Congratulations ladies! I think a some people already posted this theme, but definitely the one layer cards…I find those really challenging because it’s so tempting to just keep on adding embellies
Congrats ladies!!! A challenge theme could be a masculine card, I find them hard to make…
Congratulations to the 20 ladies – your cards are outstanding. I can’t wait to see the next set of cards they create. I think a theme that can be a fun challenge would be a “Welcome to the Neighborhood” card. Of course, the hardest for me and most people are masculine cards.
These creations are fabulous! I’d love to see kids cards. We always see baby cards, but I’m talking 5 to 15 ages. Those “middle” years.
congrats to all the winners, very well done, looking forward to your next creations.
Theme suggestion:
Congrats/New Baby cards would be a fun one.
One layer cards interest me — love all the embellishments, but they are so difficult to mail!
These are beautiful cards–it is a treat to see them. I think that a card for special transitions –those that are hard: divorce, job loss, any significant loss.
Love the cards and they are all done so well. Beatiful!!
I can see why you picked these artists–what outstanding cards. How about cards for tweens and teens for a theme for the idols? My grandchildren are getting older and its getting harder to come up with something besides “You Rock”. Thanks for the inspiration you share with us.
Wow! What a great top 20!!! Love how broad the styles are.. which will just make it even more difficult!
Ummmm…. ideas…. I can only think of those that are hard for me like masculine cards. Ugh.. to not use bling or flowers? Yep… that would be a great challenge!
Congrats to all the winners! Although, I wasn’t chosen for the top 20, I look forward to seeing and voting on the next rounds.
My ideas for the next rounds would be:
1) use lace cardstock
2) Using brads
3) use 3 colors of cardstock only
4) photo cards
Again, congrats to the Top 20. Your cards are fabulous!!
My suggestion for a theme is “Awkward moments – now, what do you say?”
I am sure we all have situations where we want to express our support but what is appropriate for uncomfortable events such as: a) marital separation b) teenager got into trouble c) vehicle was stolen d) job loss….etc.
How about these challenging categories: HUMOROUS cards for all occasions, NEW PET adoption, ORIGINAL/UNUSUAL USE of product, stamp or tool. and POSTCARDS (you know, those flat things that once were sent through the mail without envelopes?). Given the many (now international) swaps we join and the cost of postage, I’d like to see more stylish cards that can qualify for standard postage rates (less bulky bows & embellishments. Thank you.
I would like to see some sympathy cards for the death of a beloved pet. They are easier to find these days, but the choices are still quite limited.
Love the blog, btw! Need to visit it more often!
Fab cards, ladies! I would like to see some ideas using paper doilies. Yes, I know, this would be perfect for vintage but let’s do it without vintage! Hmmmm!
Sharon L
Great big congrats ladies! I cannot wait to see the amazing creations you will bring us in rounds to come!
Since it looks like so many of these gals really know their way around some ribbon, I would love to see a ribbon challenge!
I would love to see some something about step-parents. It is a tough subject and I know I struggle with cards for my stepmother.
I make all the cards for our church’s congregation….I have such a hard time when it comes to Birthday Cards for Boys. It gets me everytime! I would like to see that as a challenge!
Congrats to the winners….beautiful work!
all these cards are great. congradulatoins to all the winners. i would like to see some cards made with photos. i have taken some pictures of peonys that i would like to learn how to use.
Congrats to the first round winners! I think it’d be fun to see their interpretations of a masculine card–bday, thank you, anniversary, etc. That’s the hardest ones for me to make.
I’d like to see cards for birthdays. I make cards for my adult co-workers and think finding different ideas is hard.
Congrats ladies.
How about creating some masculine cards since they seem to be the hardest to create.
I think you should have them use something not normally used… maybe something like CD’s, food, plants…
Or make a a huge or tiny card to see how people use space! Since that seems to be a key factor in card creation.
I would love to see some graduation cards or even invitation for a Summer
BBQ or something!
I love pets, especially dogs, and I would love to see more animal-themed cards. Whether they are humorous or serious, paired with a sentiment, they make great cards for all occasions. The challenge, I think, would be to make them appropriate for all ages and men and women.