February 2024 DIY: Painted Lavender

This “Lavender Fields” image from the Painted Lavender stamp set is easy to overlook, but it’s my favorite. There are lavender fields in Upcountry Maui, and they’re such a beautiful sight in bloom. Even though they won’t be in bloom til late summer, I chose them for this month.

  • Stamps: Painted Lavender
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Lost Lagoon, Fresh Freesia, Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape
  • Accessories: Stamp & Write markers, Brushed Brass Butterflies

This is a simple calendar this month. No die cuts, no fussy cuts, no dimensionals – but I did choose to hand-write my sentiment. It’s my reminder to LOVE FIRST.

The stems are stamped twice across the page. with Lost Lagoon. I inked the flowers with Fresh Freesia, and then added more color with the Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape Stamp & Write markers. I love how the extra layers of color add depth, and those brass butterflies were the little bit of sparkle I wanted.

DIY Calendar Templates are still available – message me for yours. They’re just $5.

And before you move on to the rest of your day, stop by and see what Crystal and Cheryl have done this month. Painted Lavender is back in stock, so if you’d like to create with your own stamps, shop the Online Store.

It’s everyone’s favorite time of the Stampin’ Up! year – Sale-a-bration! This year we’re featuring an unprecedented variety of products including LOTS of gorgeous, coordinating Designer Series Papers. See a digital copy of the brochure HERE or go straight to the ONLINE STORE.

Say hello to the January April 2024 Mini catalog! See a digital copy HERE, or go straight to the ONLINE STORE.

The February Paper Pumpkin kit contains supplies for spring and Easter themed cards and treat boxes. An exclusive coordinating set of dies coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by February 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

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Flight & Airy: The Fussy Cut

I do love my birdies, and the Flight & Airy Sale-a-bration Designer Series Paper set my heart to fluttering the moment I laid eyes on it. If fussy cutting isn’t your thing, well, sorry, not sorry! This paper begs to be cut out and used.

  • Stamps: Lovely & Sweet, Notes of Nature
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Boho Blue, Lemon Lolly, Fresh Freesia, Soft Sea Foam
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Softly Sophisticated Embossing Folder (SAB 24), Deckle Circle dies, Flight & Airy DSP (SAB 24), Paper Snips, Linen Thread, Tinsel Gems, Stampin’ Dimensionals

You can fussy cut as much or as little as you choose, but I decided that More Is More and trimmed pretty thoroughly. (Can I just say I adore that fat little birdie belly???)

I used some of the collage style stamps from Notes of Nature to add texture to the Lemon Lolly Deckle Circle. I tried Versamark Ink, but there wasn’t enough contrast to suit me. This card is really all about texture: the embossed panel, the tone-on-tone stamps, the fussy cutting, and the layers.

While I had my Snips out, I trimmed out the sentiment too. That allows it to stand out on the Basic White embossed panel without being overpowering. The embossed panel is a separate layer placed on top of the card base. I think that’s easier than embossing a card front.

Shop the Online Store for the basic supplies for this card, and then choose your Sale-a-bration bonus – free with a qualifying purchase. I hope you like these birdies. 💕

The February Paper Pumpkin kit makes 9 projects – cards and gift boxes – that celebrate Easter and Spring. An exclusive coordinating set of dies is available to subscribers and coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by February 10th. You can also purchase a fixed term 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription in the Online Store, and subscriptions of 3 months or more earn Sale-a-bration rewards. Win-win!

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

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Ice Cream Swirl Tags

Sometimes I just stare at the dies in a set and try to figure them out. The Ice Cream Swirl dies had me scratching me head for a bit until the proverbial light bulb went on: It’s a tag!!!

  • Stamps: Lovely & Sweet
  • Color Palette: Very Vanilla, Petal Pink, Flirty Flamingo, Pecan Pie
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Ice Cream Swirl dies, Stippled Rose DSP (SAB 24), Blending Brushes, Ombre Matte Decorative Dots

I cut multiple versions of the “swirl” part and played mix and match with the accents. The Petal Pink solid card stock on the darker cone got a little texture from the Lovely & Sweet stamps, but everything else is Stippled Rose DSP from this year’s SAB promotion. (Don’t you love all the DSP options???)

The Ombre Dots are perfect for little sprinkly accents, but if I was putting one of these on a package I’d make a hole at the top and use a coordinating ribbon. (And then maybe I’d add some Ombre Dots anyway!)

This is the tag die – you add the cone part to the top edge when it’s folded over. There’s also an insert piece that creates the cone texture. Quick and easy!

Shop the Online Store for the Ice Cream Swirl bundle or anything else your heart desires – and then be sure to take a look at all the luscious Sale-a-bration options you can choose for free with a qualifying purchase. 💕

The February Paper Pumpkin kit makes 9 projects – cards and gift boxes – that celebrate Easter and Spring. An exclusive coordinating set of dies is available to subscribers and coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by February 10th. You can also purchase a fixed term 1, 3, 6 or 12 month subscription in the Online Store, and subscriptions of 3 months or more earn Sale-a-bration rewards. Win-win!

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

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January 2024 DIY: Stippled Roses

Happy New Year, my friends! I hope 2024 brings joy and contentment to your lives. I’ll do my best to bring a little joy by starting with a new calendar page featuring a new Stampin’ Up! bundle that is just days from release – Stippled Roses.

A handmade calendar page for January with the pink roses and green leaves
  • Stamps: Stippled Rose
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Sweet Sorbet, Granny Apple Green, Old Olive, Flirty Flamingo
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Stippled Rose dies, Irridescent Adhesive Backed Discs, Blender Pen, Dauber, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I stamped off the rose leaf stamp multiple times before stamping it onto the calendar page as a very subdued background. The die cut leaf is cut in Granny Apple Green, then lightly brushed with Old Olive to give it more depth. The two large rose stamps were inked with daubers, die cut, and colored with a blender pen for softness. The buds were fussy cut 😁 and I chose a Flirty Flamingo mat to continue the soft color theme.

A handmade calendar page for January with the pink roses and green leaves

I’ve made a short video to show you how easy it is to color with a blender pen – check it out on my YouTube channel. It gives much softer results than either Stampin’ Write markers or the Stampin’ Blends, and you can use the one pen over and over with a variety of colors.

A handmade calendar page for January with the pink roses and green leaves

Stippled Roses will be available on January 4th in the January – April Mini Catalog. A coordinating Designer Series Paper will be available as a Sale-a-bration offering, so get your list ready!

A handmade calendar page for January with the pink roses and green leaves

Please take a look at what Cheryl and Crystal have created for January. And if you’d like your own DIY printable template, message me for an invoice – it’s just $5.

Shop the Online Store. for Clearance Rack and Last Chance products, and be sure to check back on January 4th when the January – April mini and Sale-a-bration products are for sale!

The January kit makes 8 cards that coordinate with the upcoming Perennial Lavender Suite. An exclusive coordinating set of dies will coordinate with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by January 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

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2023 DIY Easel Calendar Year in Review

It’s the last day of December, and it’s my tradition to review my DIY Easel Calendar month-by-month. Are you ready? Let’s start with JANUARY:

I was thrilled to see a new set of Gnomes (Friendly Gnomes!) in the January-April 23 mini catalog. Such great images, and they coordinate with the Gnomes dies. See the details on January 1, 2023.

This is a Sale-a-bration calendar, and a stamp set that surprised me with how much I loved it. I embossed this image EVERYWHERE! Check out Beautifully Happy on February 1, 2023.

In March, I celebrated with Love Cats from the January-April Mini Catalog. The Stamparatus – sadly, no longer available – made this image easy to customize. Check out the original post on March 1, 2023.

The Last Chance list for the 22-23 Annual Catalog was released in late March and I was so sad to see Friends Are Like Seashells on that list. I chose it for the April calendar as a fond farewell.

square May calendar with sun and ocean

In May I chose the ocean wave from the brand new 23-24 Annual Catalog Circle Sayings set. See the original post on May 1, 2023.

a small June 2023 calendar with a cartoon turtle

I love this friendly little turtle! Playing in the Rain was a January-April Mini bundle that carried forward to the Annual Catalog as standalone stamps and dies. Lots of fun coloring with Stampin’ Blends for this month! Read the details from June 1, 2023.

A Handmade desktop calendar for July 2023 with a field of yellow flowers

I markered the flower from Inked & Tiled for July. The curvy dotted swirls from Lighting the Way were the perfect accent – light and whimsical. You can see the details on July 1, 2023.

A Handmade calendar page for August with 3 birds colored blue, yellow and green.

I adore this little birdie family! The set is called Bird’s Eye view and you can see the details on August 1, 2023.

A Handmade calendar page for September. It features 3 stenciled flowers in yellows and reds with green leaves.

The Abundant Beauty masks are fun, easy, and pack a punch! Find out more on the September 1, 2023 post.

A small square calendar for October 2023 with 4 pumpkins and a small bird.

One of my favorite September-December mini catalog products is the Pick of the Patch bundle. You can see the original post on October 1, 2023.

A handmade calendar page for November with the phrase "Beyond Grateful" and blue and gold foliage

I used my favorite mini catalog holiday image for November with non-traditional colors. Learn more in the November 1, 2023 post.

A handmade calendar page for December featuring a red truck and palm trees

Every year it comes sooner! Whoosh, it’s December! You can see this post from the beginning of this month HERE.

That’s 2023! I hope you’ve enjoyed this review. Comment on this post and share which month is your favorite. You can pick more than one – clearly, I can’t decide, so I won’t ask you to! I create my calendars month by month so that I can use the newest product. However, in review you’ll notice that many of these products are now retired.

If you feel inspired, you can create your own calendar for 2024. Here’s how to purchase the 2024 DIY Template. It’s just $5 and you may use it to make as many calendars as you like. It includes a page of covers, 12 monthly calendar blocks (4 to a page), and a set of cutting instructions. The blocks are designed to be cut to 3 1/2″ square. Please be patient if you order in the next couple of days – it’s a busy time.

Contact me to make your payment – I use Square to invoice, and you don’t need an account to use it.

Thanks for following the Maui Stamper and sharing in my crafting journey. Tomorrow starts a New Year, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you. Aloha 🌺

DECEMBER 2023 DIY: TRUCKING ALONG

Who doesn’t love a truck? This vintage truck just begs to be done in red, and what could be more fitting for December?

  • Stamps: Trucking Along, Seaside Bay, Paradise Palms (retired)
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, Pecan Pie, Shaded Spruce, Boho Blue, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Masking paper, Stampin’ Blends

I’m sorry if you don’t have a palm tree stamp in your stash. After I stamped the truck, all I could see was palms in the background. If you don’t live in a tropical climate, then evergreens are surely your best friend here.

A handmade calendar page for December featuring a red truck and palm trees

I discovered at the last minute that my Light Real Red Stampin’ Blend was kaput. I colored the truck with the Dark Real Red Blend and added highlights with the Color Lifter. The “dits” are a stamp from Seaside Bay, and I imagined them as sea spray.

A handmade calendar page for December featuring a red truck and palm trees

I love making these little calendar pages each month. They’re small enough to be quick and satisfying to create, but suiting each one to the appropriate month adds a little structure. If you’d like to make your own DIY Calendar, the template is just $5. Message me and I’ll get you an invoice right away.

Visit Cheryl and Crystal to see what they’re featuring in December. And be sure to stop back on the 31st when I showcase the entire year’s worth of DIY calendars!

While you’re waiting, you might want to shop the Online Store.

There’s a lot going on, and to keep things interesting, the mini is ending and Last Chance products have been announced. To see items Carrying Over, click HERE. To see Last Chance items from the September-December mini, click HERE.

A collage of paper crafting supplies on a light blue background with the text "NEW Online Exclusives"

Check out the brand new release of Online Exclusives. These limited edition products are sure to delight and inspire you! Shop HERE.

A red banner with the words “Paper Pumpkin”, images of card making supplies, and the phrase “All The Best"

The December kit contains supplies for 9 beautiful cards and includes an acetate box for gifting. Keep it for yourself or share with your bestie – they’ll be grateful to have a card stash all year long! Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

2 cards featuring evergreen images and the text "September-December 2023 Mini Catalog"

Our September – December Mini Catalog is nearing it’s last days – let me know if you need a copy, or shop online HERE!

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WALK IN THE FOREST TRIFOLD v2

I loved this layout so much I made quite a few versions. The fun thing about this one is that it uses the same Walk in the Forest Designer Series Paper as the one I shared on November 15 but the color palette is quite different.

  • Stamps: Merriest Trees
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Pretty Peacock
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Basics 3D Embossing Folder, Walk in the Forest Designer Series Paper, Heat Tool, White Craft Ink, White Embossing Powder, Tear’n’Tape (aka TNT)

This is such a quick card because of the way the pieces are cut. Check the Walk in the Forest Triple Fold post for dimensions – you still have time to create a stack of these!

If I were making this again, I would heat emboss the sentiment on the front panel and skip the little snowflakes. Then I could use the panel on the back for a quick message. You could also use the back of the white base panel to write a longer message, or even adhere a printed message if that’s how you roll!

Using Stampin’ Up! Designer Series Paper for this card takes all the guess-work out of matching. Selections from the September – December mini catalog are quickly selling out, so you’d best be quick to stock up! If you’re like me, even if you miss out on this one, you have a leeeetle stash of holiday papers in your craft room, and surely something will do the jobl

If you’ve created this design with another paper, tell me! I’d love to know what you’ve done. Need an embossing folder or some dies? You can shop the Online Store.

The Last Chance list has dropped and there are a lot of great deals! To see items Carrying Over, click HERE. To see Last Chance items from the September-December mini, click HERE. If you’re ready to go straight to shopping, visit the Online Store.

A collage of paper crafting supplies on a light blue background with the text "NEW Online Exclusives"

Check out the brand new release of Online Exclusives. These limited edition products are sure to delight and inspire you! Shop HERE.

A red banner with the words “Paper Pumpkin”, images of card making supplies, and the phrase “All The Best"

The December kit contains supplies for 9 beautiful cards and includes an acetate box for gifting. Keep it for yourself or share with your bestie – they’ll be grateful to have a card stash all year long! Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

2 cards featuring evergreen images and the text "September-December 2023 Mini Catalog"

Our September – December Mini Catalog is nearing it’s last days – let me know if you need a copy, or shop online HERE!

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A SNEAK PEAK AT BEE MY VALENTINE

I know we haven’t even finished the leftover turkey, and the jolly old elf isn’t just waiting in the wings – he’s omnipresent! But I have a little sneak peek for Valentines that I hope you’ll enjoy:

  • Stamps: Bee My Valentine
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Petal Pink, Memento Black, Black Stazon
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Scallop Contours dies, Bee Builder Punch, Bee Mine DSP, Vellum card stock, Nested Treat Box, Wink of Stella, Stampin’ Dimensionals

One of my favorite Stampin’ Up! perks is our demonstrator-only events. Whether they’re in person, as was Backstage Leadership in Las Vegas, or online, as was our most recent Onstage@Home, our events are full of inspiration, comraderie and fun. AND we can order sneak peeks from the upcoming January-April mini 😁

This die from the Scallop Contours dies is just a little too wide for the Nested Treat Box, but with a little creating die cutting, I reduced the width. Cut the shape, then re-position the die over the shape at the size you want. Align the scallops on the shape with the scallops on the die and run it through the Stamp Cut and Emboss machine only until you’re halfway through the shape. Voila!

I fussy-cut these bees from the Designer Series paper and tucked them on the bottom of the box for a little “Easter Egg”.

If you’ve been a Stampin’ Up! demo or customer of eons, you might remember these buttons. I forget what they were called, but I have a few boxes of them in my “this might be useful someday” stash. They make PERFECT little feet for the Nested Treat box!

My bees have proper wings made from Vellum – I stamped them with Stazon and let them dry, then punched them with the Bee Builder punch. A little Wink of Stella gives them some shimmer (as a proper bee wing should have!

You’ll have to wait until January for this – unless of course you want to be a demonstrator. If you’re interested, reach out to me to learn more or proceed directly to GO!

The Last Chance list has dropped and there are some great deals! To see items Carrying Over, click HERE. To see Last Chance items from the September-December mini, click HERE. If you’d rather go straight to shopping, go to the Online Store.

A collage of paper crafting supplies on a light blue background with the text "NEW Online Exclusives"

Check out the brand new release of Online Exclusives. These limited edition products are sure to delight and inspire you! Shop HERE.

A red banner with the words “Paper Pumpkin”, images of card making supplies, and the phrase “All The Best"

The December kit contains supplies for 9 beautiful cards and includes an acetate box for gifting. Keep it for yourself or share with your bestie – they’ll be grateful to have a card stash all year long! Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

2 cards featuring evergreen images and the text "September-December 2023 Mini Catalog"

Our September – December Mini Catalog is nearing it’s last days – let me know if you need a copy, or shop online HERE!

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ONE LAST PICK OF THE PATCH

I’m sad to see Pick of the Patch retire, although I expected it would. There are still a lot of ideas floating around in my head but they are competing with a lot of other stuff that you don’t want to hear about! Enjoy this autumn card instead:

  • Stamps: Pick of the Patch
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Cajun Craze, Copper Clay
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Gorgeous Garden dies, Joy of Christmas Designer Series paper, Pick of the Patch Builder Punch, Adhesive Back Speckled dots, Blending Brushes, Pebble Path and Wild Wheat Jute Trim, Glue, Dots, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I wanted stems on the squash, but I didn’t want to fussy cut those curly bits. I separated the strands of the Jute Trim and used glue dots to shape them. I like the way they’re kind of unraveled (there are times you could say the same thing about me).

I fussy cut the sentiment from Pick of the Patch – it’s an easy one to do. And the Gorgeous Garden dies make another appearance with pick of the patch because I love them so much! Blending Brushes make a simple, soft background for the die cuts.

If you have a holiday weekend, I hope you’re cozy and warm. We’re in beautiful Sedona, Arizona this week with my family. It’s one of my favorite places to hike.

As always, if you need any of these products, shop the Online Store.

The Last Chance list has dropped and there are some great deals. To see items Carrying Over, click HERE. To see Last Chance items from the September-December mini, click HERE. Prefer to go straight to shopping? Visit the Online Store.

A collage of paper crafting supplies on a light blue background with the text "NEW Online Exclusives"

Check out the brand new release of Online Exclusives. These limited edition products are sure to delight and inspire you! Shop HERE.

A red banner with the words “Paper Pumpkin”, images of card making supplies, and the phrase “All The Best"

The December kit contains supplies for 9 beautiful cards and includes an acetate box for gifting. Keep it for yourself or share with your bestie – they’ll be grateful to have a card stash all year long! Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

2 cards featuring evergreen images and the text "September-December 2023 Mini Catalog"

Our September – December Mini Catalog is nearing it’s last days – let me know if you need a copy, or shop online HERE!

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. For my American friends, may your companions be joyful and your meal be satisfying. For my friends in other countries, I wish you the same even though you may not celebrate this holiday!

  • Stamps: Pick of the Patch, Something Fancy
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Cajun Craze, Copper Clay, Memento Black
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Aspen Tree dies, Pick of the Patch Punch, Adhesive Back Speckled Dots, Joy of Christmas DSP, Stampn’ Dimensionals, Blending Brushes

I love these little squash! I think pairing them with the Aspen Tree does makes them more Autumn than Halloween.

Some of them are fussy cut, but I don’t mind. I created an ombré look by inking with a light color, then adding the darker tone with a soft touch.

I hope your day, however you celebrate it, is filled with gratitude.

There’s a lot going on, and to keep things interesting, the Last Chance list just dropped! To see items Carrying Over, click HERE. To see Last Chance items from the September-December mini, click HERE.

A collage of paper crafting supplies on a light blue background with the text "NEW Online Exclusives"

Check out the brand new release of Online Exclusives. These limited edition products are sure to delight and inspire you! Shop HERE.

A red banner with the words “Paper Pumpkin”, images of card making supplies, and the phrase “All The Best"

The December kit contains supplies for 9 beautiful cards and includes an acetate box for gifting. Keep it for yourself or share with your bestie – they’ll be grateful to have a card stash all year long! Subscribe HERE by December 10th.

Paper Pumpkin subscriptions deliver ready-to-go projects to your doorstep every month, but you have ultimate control to skip or cancel 😱 if you decide it’s not for you. Stampin’ Up! also features an exclusive collection of kits that don’t require a subscription. Visit the Online Store to see what’s available.

2 cards featuring evergreen images and the text "September-December 2023 Mini Catalog"

Our September – December Mini Catalog is nearing it’s last days – let me know if you need a copy, or shop online HERE!

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