2024 DIY 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:

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

I started the year with Stippled Roses for January 1, 2024. This particular image is really easy to color because of the shading marks in the stamps.

Painted Lavender was a carryover from last year, and the idea of fields of lavender seemed romantic for February. See the details in my post on February 1, 2024.

Tropical Leaf was a very early Online Exclusive, and it is tailor-made for a gardener-crafter like me. Check out the original post on March 1, 2024.

Planted Paradise was the perfect image to recreate the vibrant colors of the crotons in my garden, You can see them in this post for my April calendar

In May I stayed with a garden theme! I chose strawberries from Ice Cream Swirl. See the original post on May 1, 2024.

Time for a change – off to the ocean! Seaside Wishes has been a go-to stamp set all year. Read the details for this calendar page in June 1, 2024.

I featured the lemon with its blossoms from Citrus Blooms for July in honor of my own dwarf Meyer Lemon. You can see the details on July 1, 2024.

In August, I chose warm tones and the flowers and butterfly from Spotlight on Nature. You can see it all HERE.

Bee My Valentine is a year-round stamp set! Look at this adorable pollinators featured in my September 1, 2024 post.

These gorgeous blooms are from Regal Flora, which sadly moved to the Last Chance list at the beginning of December. You can see the original post on October 1, 2024.

Happy Hibiscus is a KEEPER! It’s an Online Exclusive that I hope will be around for a long time. Learn more in the November 1, 2024 post.

Every year it comes sooner! Whoosh, it’s December! It feels as though Stampin’ Up! really met us in the tropics in 2024. You can see this post from the beginning of this month HERE.

And 2024 is a wrap! 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. And tomorrow we begin a new month, a new year, and an exciting surprise with a new DIY Blog Tour! Make sure you pop in for a look.

If you feel inspired, you can create your own calendar for 2025. The 2025 DIY Template is 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. Be sure to leave a message in the comments space so I know you’re a real person and not spam.

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 🌺

SENDING LOVE on a SUNNY DAY

Sending Love is a stamp set that really speaks to what we card-makers do: it’s all about that message that you write and mail to brighten someone’s mailbox. I don’t know about you, but most of my mail is from realtors! It seems most everything else is electronic, so when there’s an envelope with a hand-written address, I get pretty excited.

  • Stamps: Sending Love
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Gray Granite, Granny Apple Green, Pool Party, Real Red, Memento Black, Basic Black
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Sending Love dies, Stampin’ Blends, Sunny Day DSP (SAB 24), Stampin’ Dimensionals

This card was inspired by Elizabeth Price, one of our amazing Stampin’ Up! Artisans. I made a few changes, mostly to simplify the project for a group crafting event.

When I stamped the mailbox with Memento Black, I avoided the grassy bottom. I used a dauber to add a bit of Granny Apple Green to the grass, because who wants dead grass at the bottom of their mailbox?

I love the cheeriness of this color combination. I had knee surgery in early March, and as I progress through rehab (exercises! exercises! exercises!) I’m getting to the point that I can actually do something besides my exercises! These bright colors lift my spirits and I hope they lift yours as well.

The Sending Love Bundle is retiring on April 30. The stamps and dies will still be available, but will no longer be offered at a bundled discount. If you love it, get it now and save!

Say goodbye to the January April 2024 Mini catalog! See a digital copy of the Last Chance List HERE. All discounts begin on April 9th. To see the catalog offering, go straight to the ONLINE STORE.

The 23-24 Annual Catalog offering ends on April 30th. See the Last Chance List for the Annual Catalog HERE. Just as with the Mini, all discounts are effective April 9.

Delicate Wings, the April Paper Pumpkin kit contains supplies for 9 cards and envelopes and features precut paper pieces and butterfly designs, as well as champagne foil images, sentiments and labels. An exclusive set of dies coordinates with all 3 second quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by April 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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APRIL 2024 DIY: PLANTED PARADISE

When I’m not crafting, I’m in my garden. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I have lots of plant, flower and tree stamps in my library! My April calendar is an homage to all the colors in nature:

  • Stamps: Planted Paradise
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Sweet Sorbet, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green, Shaded Spruce
  • Accessories: Paper Snips, Sponge Dauber, Stampin’ Spritzer, Stampin’ Dimensionals

For my colorful leaves, I inked the stamp in Daffodil Delight and applied Sweet Sorbet and Garden Green with a Dauber. I misted the stamp lightly with the Spritzer and stamped. I love the watercolored effect.

You might be thinking “OK, MauiStamper, it’s pretty and all, but what kind of plants look like that?”

Behold my garden:

This is Codiaeum variegatum, known locally as Croton (although that’s technically inaccurate). I have leaves this shape as well as plants with long, strappy leaves, and there are a number of other varieties common to the tropics. They love the climate and we love them!

Sweet Sorbet is retiring April 30th and I will miss it! But there are 5 gorgeous new colors coming to take the place of the 22-23 crew, and we will see them soon 😁

Thanks so much for visiting our little calendar mini hop! Please stop by to see what Cheryl and Crystal have created for April. We love to read your comments!

Say goodbye to the January April 2024 Mini catalog! See a digital copy of the Last Chance List HERE. All discounts begin on April 9th. To see the catalog offering, go straight to the ONLINE STORE.

The 23-24 Annual Catalog offering ends on April 30th. See the Last Chance List for the Annual Catalog HERE. Just as with the Mini, all discounts will be effective April. 9.

Delicate Wings, the April Paper Pumpkin kit contains supplies for 9 cards and envelopes and features precut paper pieces and butterfly designs, as well as champagne foil images, sentiments and labels. An exclusive set of dies coordinates with all 3 second quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by April 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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MARCH 2024 DIY: TROPICAL LEAF

Tropical Leaf is one of my favorite Online Exclusive products. There’s a stamp & punch bundle, and it’s perfect for any tropical location or plant lover. I’ve been meaning to play with the watercolor effect direct to stamps, and tried it with the leaf. Tell me what you think:

  • Stamps: Tropical Leaf
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Pool Party, Granny Apple Green, Lost Lagoon
  • Accessories: Paper Snips, Stamp n Write Markers, Linen Thread, Water Painters, Spritzer, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Glue dots, DIY Easel Calendar Template

I started playing with ink and the water spritzer on the leaf. You can see in the middle row that I went a little overboard with the water! After some experimenting, I found that using the small Water Painter brush to move the ink a bit on the stamp (after spritzing, before stamping) gave me the result I wanted.

You can also see the difference between inked veins and inked-and-stamped-off veins in the second row.

The punch fits the large leaf in the stamp, and I chose to use the smaller one so I fussy cut the leaves. Look at the difference when you follow the edge into the shape of the leaf!

I used Stamp n Write markers to add a little drizzle to the leaves and the calendar page – Lost Lagoon for the leaves and Pool Party for the calendar. I tucked a few unthreaded strands of Linen Thread behind the leaves with a Glue Dot to evoke roots.

Take a moment to visit Cheryl and Crystal for their March calendars. We have such a good time putting these together (although occasionally there’s a moment of panic when you get that email that says “here’s my link” and you look at the calendar!!!) If you need a DIY template, they’re just $5. Send me a message and tell me you’d like an invoice and I’ll get it to you as quickly as I can.

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

The March Paper Pumpkin kit contains supplies for 9 cards and envelopes and coordinates with the Meandering Meadows Suite and the Garden Meadow Bundle. It features precut vellum and wood pieces and includes a bonus full stamp set. An exclusive coordinating set of dies coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by March 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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SUNNY DAYS FUN FOLD

There is a fabulous selection of Designer Series Papers available for FREE in Sale-a-bration 2024. Sunny Days has gorgeous designs and they coordinate really well, making it a great choice for a fun-fold card:

  • Stamps: Bright Skies
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Daffodil Delight
  • Accessories: Stamp Cut and Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes dies, Masking Paper, Sunny Days DSP, Stampin’ Write Marker, Tear n Tape

I used the “rainy dots” image from Bright Skies and stamped off to create this pattern on the interior panel. To add a message to this card, I would either use the inside flap (on the left) or a really FAT marker to say “I LOVE YOU” on top of that pattern. You could certainly leave it off if you wanted more room to write.

Here are the dimensions for this card:

  • Card base (Pool Party) 6 3/4″ x 5 1/2″, scored at 2 1/2″ on the long side
  • Inside Panel (Basic White) 5 1/4″ x 4″ (DSP is layered on top of this panel)
  • Right DSP Panel (Rainbow DSP) 5 1/4″ x 1 1/2″
  • Left/Front DSP Panel (Cloud DSP) 5 1/4″ x 2 1/4″
  • Fold over flap (Lost Lagoon) 3 1/2″ x 3″ scored at 1/2″ (makes a 3″ square)
  • White panel is the largest of the Stylish Shapes dies. It’s 2 7/16″ squared

Basic assembly:

  • Stamp the Basic White Inside Panel if desired and adhere the 5 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ DSP panel.
  • Put Tear n Tape (aka TNT) on the 1/2″ scored strip of the Lost Lagoon 3 1/2″ x 3″ panel
  • Adhere the 1/2″ scored strip to the back of the Basic White Inside Panel and fold forward
  • Stamp the Stylish Shape Square and adhere to the Lost Lagoon panel.
  • Adhere the entire assembly to the card base

I used Masking Paper to stamp just half of the sun image. I also masked each flower when I stamped the leaves. I used the Lost Lagoon Stampin’ Write marker to put a contrasting center on each flower.

This is a 100% mail friendly card – no ribbon or embellishment to create lumps and bumps! You could certainly add those things if you desire.

Sale-a-bration 2024 ends at midnight MOUNTAIN TIME on FEBRUARY 29th – stock up on paper, ink, and adhesive and be rewarded for getting the basics! Don’t miss out – shop HERE.

Just a few more days of 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. There is also a bonus selection of Annual Catalog products available as of February 1. See a digital copy of the original brochure HERE or go straight to the ONLINE STORE. for the entire selection.

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

The March Paper Pumpkin kit contains supplies for 9 cards and envelopes and coordinates with the Meandering Meadows Suite and the Garden Meadow Bundle. It features precut vellum and wood pieces and includes a bonus full stamp set. An exclusive coordinating set of dies coordinates with all 3 first quarter Paper Pumpkin offerings. Subscribe HERE by March 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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Stippled Roses with Blending Brushes

My local crafting groups love new techniques, and they really love time saving techniques. Using Blending Brushes to color the Stippled Roses is a perfect example – it’s so much faster than other methods of coloring, and the result is soft and appealing. The amount of shading in these stamps really make a difference when you’re using this technique.

  • Stamps: Stippled Rose, Something Fancy
  • Color Palette: Basic White, Petal Pink, Crumb Cake
  • Accessories: Stippled Rose dies, Stippled Rose DSP (SAB 24), Blending Brushes, Adhesive Backed Cork rounds, Ribbon Duo Combo Pack, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Blender Pen

There are only 2 ink colors on this card: Petal Pink and Crumb Cake. The image is stamped in Crumb Cake since the Blending Brush doesn’t blur the stamped lines the way a Stampin’ Blend would do. And Crumb Cake and Petal Pink are both what I think of as “dusty” colors, so if there’s a little overlap with the brush it doesn’t matter.

After adding color with the Blending Brush, I used the Blender Pen to add a little more depth and detail. You can see it on the leaves: I use the natural shading that’s part of the stamped image to guide my placement.

The sentiment is fussy cut with my snips, but that’s a really quick task. (You DO have a pair of Stampin’ Up! Paper Snips, don’t you?? INDISPENSABLE.) This is a speedy card, and it would be suitable for a lot of different occasions. You could easily swap out the focal point as well.

Don’t miss those Cork Rounds. I was skeptical when I saw them, but I’m a big fan. They’re so different from other embellishments, they’re soft so they don’t add bulk to your card, and they work really well with nature-themed projects. Try them, you’ll like them!

And thank you so much for shopping 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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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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