Cholesterol - A Guide to Healthy Inspiration Handmade News Craft Inspiration

Cholesterol - A Guide to Healthy Inspiration Handmade News Craft Inspiration

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Could Intuition Help You?

Intuition is a wonderful thing. When refined, it can lead us in the right direction when we don't know which way to turn. On the downside, if your intuition skills are lacking, you could make a decision that isn't in your best interests even though it may seem the right step to take at the time. Sometimes we need outside input or help seeing things clearly.

Intuitive Insights is a site that offers intuitive readings. This is not traditional "fortune telling", but rather an intuitive look into your life. The site describes intuitive readings as follows:

"An Intuitive Reading not only gives you valuable insight to what is going on currently, but also what is happening “behind the scenes” that may be blocking and/or hindering the full expression of your happiness and creativity. It is also very healing, because the moment I look into your energy, the “real you” is revealed. This is important, because many of the challenges you are currently facing are a product of a being clouded by your own emotions and circumstances."

If you would like to learn more about intuitive readings - or receive one yourself, please visit Intuitive Insights.

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Harry Potter Word Find Handmade News Craft Inspiration

Harry Potter Word Find Handmade News Craft Inspiration

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Celestial Wisdom: July 12th - July 18th Handmade News Craft Inspiration

Celestial Wisdom: July 12th - July 18th Handmade News Craft Inspiration

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Inspired Health Volume 4 - Fight Headaches and Migraines the Natural Way Handmade News Craft Inspiration

Inspired Health Volume 4 - Fight Headaches and Migraines the Natural Way Handmade News Craft Inspiration

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Celestial Wisdom: Weekly Horoscopes June 28th - July 4th Handmade News Craft Inspiration

Celestial Wisdom: Weekly Horoscopes June 28th - July 4th Handmade News Craft Inspiration

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Inspired Health Volume 3 Handmade News Craft Inspiration

Inspired Health Volume 3 Handmade News Craft Inspiration

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HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department - Getting to Know Us Part 4

Today I would like to introduce you to Lori Ward. She is a columnist in the Inspiration Department as well as the editor of the new Crafty Kids Department on HandmadeNews.org.

As you can tell, Lori stays extremely busy. She also contributes to VivaLaMode, an online handmade fashion magazine, and has two blogs - Risky Beads and Lefthand Madens. Risky Beads is a general blog where you can access all of Lori's other sites. Lefthand Madens is a blog she started for left-handed crafters and artisans since she is one herself.

Lori also has an ArtFire shop called Risky Beads. She has some beautiful jewelry available there. Her latest pieces have the theme of "succotash".



Please visit the sites above to see Lori's work.

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Great SEO Results & an Online Shop for $12/Month

Maybe you're looking to open your first online shop or perhaps you want to expand your current business. Either way, why not check out ArtFire. They are currently offering storefronts for $12 a month with no limits on the number of listings and no final value fees. So all you pay is $12 per month no matter how much you sell.

The search engine optimization (SEO) on ArtFire is excellent, and so far the results for my shops are wonderful. I often appear on the first page or in the first few pages of search results for many of my items. Unlike some sites, ArtFire optimizes the search for your items listed rather than the main site.

Even better, they have a new look for their site and shops. Each verified shop owner has the ability to customize the colors and layout. In addition, ArtFire offers tools that aren't available anywhere else, such as their Rapid Cart which allows you to, in essence, have a shop presence on your blog or website. Customers can buy directly from your site without leaving the page and without signing up as members of ArtFire.

These are only a few of the benefits of having a shop on ArtFire, so why not check them out today?

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HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department - Getting to Know Us

Today I would like to introduce you to April Monds, a columnist for the Inspiration Section of HandmadeNews.org. April is a mother of two who is currently engaged to be married. She is also a homemaker who loves to create. That is why she opened Creative Haven and became involved in the Handmade Community.



Her shop is named after her daughter, Haven Skye. She has a passion for handmade, unique, creative items of all sorts, colors, shapes and sizes. She is always trying something new and different, mainly because she just want to knows how to do it.
April says she has a bit of of Crafter’s A.D.D. and has decided to share her favorite things with the entire world.

In addition to her jewelry shop, April also runs a supply shop named Creative Supplies. She has some wonderful deals there, too.

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HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department - Getting to Know Us Part 3

Today I would like to introduce you to another HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department writer, Daniella Cortez. Daniella is a knitter, dyer, spinner and designer who is deeply passionate about color, being 'green' and keeping as indie as possible in her process.

In addition to knitting and spinning, Daniella also teaches knitting at a local yarn shop, designs patterns and hand dyes yarn inspired by music and nature. She also has two shops, both named DaniDo Crafty, one on ArtFire and one on Etsy.


Daniella has some truly beautiful yarns available in her shops & I just can't decide which one I want to buy. If you enjoy fiber arts, Daniella has a great blog called Danido Crafty where she has patterns and more.

Please visit the Inspiration Department to read Daniella's articles. While you are there, browse around a bit. There is great information and some wonderful stories, too.

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Read Articles on HandmadeNews.org and Win a Prize

Hi all. I love a contest and my fellow Inspiration Department columnist, Daniella, is running a contest on her blog with some great prizes. The full instructions can be found on the blog, but basically you just need to read HandmadeNews.org articles and post a comment about one.

You can click on the current date on the calendar in the left hand sidebar to find the day's challenge. To participate, just visit Daniella's blog by clicking here.

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HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department - Getting to Know Us Part 2

Today I am introducing you to Marjorie Dawson, a columnist for the Inspiration Department on HandmadeNews.org. Marjorie is a jewelry and doll artist from England living in New Zealand. She has studied Art History as well as art and design, drawing and painting.

Marjorie and her partner enjoy life in New Zealand, especially the open skies, the colour and the friendly folks. They have five cats and Marjorie also helps to shelter and feed cats at the Cedarhill Sanctuary.


In addition to her work at Cedarhill Sanctuary and as a writer for HandmadeNews, Marjorie also has two online shops, both named Whskr, one on Etsy and one on ArtFire.

Marjorie is currently working on larger art dolls as well as her popular brooch pins, which people love. She is a guest artist in an exhibition by local artists in New Zealand and looks forward to creating new work for this show. She also supplies several quality gift shops in New Zealand including Poppies, Petone; The Vault, Wellington, and Oyster, Petone.

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HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department - Getting to Know Us Part One

If you follow my blog, you are probably aware that I am a columnist for the HandmadeNews.org Inspiration Department. We have some great writers over there and I want to introduce you to each of them, so I will be featuring a different writer from the Inspiration Department each day for the next few days.



The first writer I would like to introduce you to is Paula Picard. Paula is the editor of the Inspiration department. She also has a shop on ArtFire, Picard Creative. Paula has a wonderful sense of humor, which can be seen in each of her handmade magnets.

In addition to making wonderful magnets, Paula does graphic design. One of her most popular items is ads for online shops. Not only does Paula make beautiful and enticing ads, she also offers a place to display them on her site, Indie Arts Studio. Indie Arts is a great site that showcases handmade shops.



As if all of this wasn't enough, Paula also has her own radio show on Blockhead Radio, an online radio station that has great music in addition to the interesting and informative shows. You can listen to Paula's show every Sunday at 7:00pm EST. Her first show is scheduled to air this Sunday, May 31st.

So if you get a chance and would like to read some great articles, take a look at (or buy) hilarious magnets, browse a list of handmade shops, and listen to an entertaining radio station, please click on the links above.

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Creative Belonging

Handmade artists are always trying to find a niche. Have you already found yours? I wrote an article for HandmadeNews.org on how to cope while running a business. You can read the article by clicking here.

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Need a Lift?

Are you having a down day? Do you need a bit of inspiration or maybe just something to make you feel good? Do you like happy stories? If so, then please visit Handmade News.

The Inspiration section has some great articles to make you smile as well as articles to help you in other aspects of life. While you are there, be sure to check out the other sections as well for a wealth of information and entertainment.

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Stress Relief

Do you have a lot of stress in your life? Are you trying to find ways to keep your stress level low? There is an article on HandmadeNews today that is all about reducing stress. The article is called "Health of Body, Mind, and Spirit" and you can read it by clicking on the title above.



The article includes tips on how to relax and is great for those looking to reduce stress in a few minutes a day. While you are there, please check out the other great articles on HandmadeNews.

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New Online Newspaper - Handmade News

I'm very excited to say I am now a columnist for HandmadeNews.org, an online newspaper focused on the handmade world and crafts.

My first article was published today and I hope you'll check it out by clicking here.

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And the Winner is....

Congratulations to the winner of my April blog giveaway - missknits! The winner was selected using a random number generator which picked number 5.

The bracelet she won is:

Botswana Agate, Hematite, and Sterling Wire Wrap Bracelet

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Last Chance to Win

Today is the last day to enter to win my April giveaway. The prize is a lovely Botswana Agate bracelet. To enter, click here. It's easy to enter. Just become a follower of my blog if you aren't already (current followers can enter as well), visit one (or both) of my shops, pick your favorite item, and post it in a comment on the thread.

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Ajdjss Guild "Spring Cleaning & Treasure Hunt" Event

The Ajdjss Guild "Spring Cleaning and Treasure Hunt" Event is on now and runs through May 1st.

***To visit the guild's studios please click on the studio links provided on the right side of this page just under the slideshow of jewelry prizes for the treasure hunt***

When you visit our studios you will find that each one has a special section called "Spring Cleaning"--check out this section for fabulous sales and specials on beautifully handcrafted jewelry and wonderful jewelry supplies. Deals you will find hard to resist.

But that's not all--We are having a "Treasure Hunt"--with the chance for you to win fabulous handcrafted jewelry from our talented jewelry artisans!

Here are some items from one of the guild members, Silver River Jewelry. She has some incredibly beautiful and unique items available in her shop. Please click here to see more of her wonderful items.



If you would like to see more wonderful artisan jewelry, please visit the other guild shops as well. For more details and to enter the contest, please click here.

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Pamper Yourself

I love handmade soaps. They leave my skin feeling cleaner and more moisturized than storebought soap. My favorite soaps so far are olive oil soaps, but I have also heard wonderful things about goat's milk soaps and look forward to trying them soon.

I always take a look at shops that sell handmade soap and would like to share one with you. The shop is Shine Your Hiney Soap on ArtFire. Not only are the soaps lovely, but I have heard wonderful things about them from others I know who have tried them. I hope to find out how great they are firsthand in the near future.

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Accept Payments with No Fees

I love selling online, but hate the fees charged by some companies to accept payments. I was so happy when I heard of Revolution Money Exchange (RME). You can accept payments and transfer the money to your bank account or spend your money in other shops that accept RME. Best of all, there are no fees.

I accept Revolution Money Exchange payments in both my shops. If you accept RME, please comment with your shop name and link. I'm trying to put together a list of shops that accept RME.

If you haven't heard of RME and are interested in learning more, please click here to visit the Revolution Money Exchange site.

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A Bit of Cheer to Brighten Your Day

I love small zipper pouches. I use them for everything - makeup, jewelry making tools, crochet needles, change, my daughter's small toys, and the list goes on. Most of the pouches I find are rather plain, but occasionally I run across a few that have a bit of personality.

Imagine my delight when I found an entire store of pouches with personality! DJStoreroom on ArtFire offers beautiful, cheerful, bright pouches along with her other great items. Here is a bit about the artist in her own words:

"DjStoreRoom is registered in Singapore as a sole-prop business in 2009 Febuary and operated by myself, a work-from-home-mother. I operate my business daily, from Monday to Friday ending at 6pm each day to focus on my family, marriage, child, friends and other commitments. Setting goals and priorities is important to me as I seek to bring forth my greatest potential and courage in achieving sweet victory and showing magnificent actual proof in my life.

Handmade Treasures by DjStoreRoom is my creative outlet where my handmade bags and crafts are being sold. Crafting and sewing allows me to focus on my hands and my projects, and it makes my happy which in turns fuels more passion for creating.

Sharing tutorials for sewing bags and more helps to create value for others while creating value for my own growth."

Please take a look at her store today and see what you can find to brighten your day.

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Business Sense and Sensibility

I have been noticing a trend lately. It is a trend of business owners disparaging their own shops in public venues. Some are even asking their customers to provide negative information about their shops. Sound crazy? I agree. I would never go into a public venue and announce to people I don't know, including my potential customers, that my business wasn't doing well even if that was the fact. It just isn't a good business practice.

Let's say you're shopping in your town. You go into a shop you've never been in before and the owner says the following:

"My shop is not doing well. What's wrong with it? Are my products awful? Does the shop need to be cleaned up?"

If that happened, you would likely turn around and leave. You don't know this person. You went into the shop to take a look and were bombarded by questions from the owner asking why his shop is so horrible.

Perhaps we all need to think of online stores in a different way. The internet is faceless for the most part. We often forget that an online store, and what is said about it, reaches far more people than local stores and information possibly could. After all, isn't that one of the reasons we love to sell online?

We all have our moments of frustration. We all need a chance to vent. All I am suggesting is that a public venue is not the proper place for this to occur. There are many private forums and groups available if you don't have anyone to talk to locally. If you spend your time promoting your store in a negative manner, you will get negativity in return and will most likely lose sales and potential customers. You must try to allow your business sense to overrule your emotional sensibilities. Otherwise, you have failed before you even get started.

A wise person I know told me that many people have created a business, quite by accident, while doing something they love. If you love your craft, then do it! If you don't, then perhaps you could take a moment to think of what you do love and see how that could possibly work for you.

There are many ways to promote the businesses we love. There is also a right and a wrong approach to promotion. Please make sure that you choose the right approach in order to succeed.

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Handcrafted Home Decor

I love interesting home decor items. While shopping recently, I ran across some wonderful items that will make your home even more special. There are handcrafted outlet covers, light switch plates, lampshades, and more. The design on the items are done with fabric, so there are a lot to choose from.

These lovely items are made by 3zArt on ArtFire who has this to say about herself:

"I've had a pretty interesting life for my short time here! Lived in many wonderful places (and many not so wonderful). Currently going to school to hopefully make something of myself :) I love making home decor items and experimenting to make new products. I have lots of crazy ideas..some work wonderfully and others end in disaster(and usually burnt hands). I also love playing with polymer clay but that is just a hobby and I would probably never sell any of my work. I have not had a traditional life at all...it is very hard for me to fill out any kind of form about myself *<:o) "

If you would like to see more of the wonderful items at 3zArt, just click on a picture below, then click to visit the studio. You can also purchase the items through secure checkout once you click without signing up on the site.

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Accessories by Gottjoy

Beading isn't just for jewelry and Accessories by Gottjoy has some great choices. She makes beautiful ceiling fan pulls, elegant pens, wine stoppers that are perfect for special occasions, and beaded letter openers in addition to her beautiful jewelry selections.

Accessories by Gottjoy is run by Joyce who has this to say about her art:

"I have been making jewelry for several years. I got hooked on it when I discovered the cool things my co-workers were making. I knew once I purchased those first beads, I was in trouble."

So if you are looking for something special that was handmade with love, please visit Joyce's shop and take a look around.

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Reminder about Blog Giveaway

Just a reminder to enter my April blog giveaway. Click the link above this post and follow the instructions to enter. All you need to do is be a follower of my blog, then visit my shops and post your favorite item.

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A Great Day for Jewelry

I love jewelry, as most of you know. There is a shop on ArtFire called Alisuns that I would like to share with you. The following is from Alisuns' shop information:

"Alisun's Custom Crafted Jewelry is my full-time at-least-8hr/day obsession. I enjoy custom crafting my 3 Generations necklaces, bracelets, and Core of My Heart earrings and hope to have a selection of styles of them up on the website soon.

I work in gemstone and Swarovski, with gold filled or sterling silver wire. I enjoy the look of the fine metals and crystals, and use them almost exclusively. The occasional finding or pendant will be plated, but if it is, I have noted it in my listing.

Although I have a category called "custom" almost any style in my studio can be custom made for you."

If you are looking for beautiful jewelry, stop by and see what she has available.

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A New Product for Absolutely Amy

I just added a new product to my shop, Absolutely Amy, and wanted to share them with you. I am making soap bags, or soap socks as some call them.

Just drop your favorite bar of soap inside, tie the bow, and it's ready to use. You can hang the bag by the bow as well. When the soap is gone, throw the bag in the washer and dryer and it is ready to use again.

If you prefer to use a liquid soap, just put the soap on the bag, rub together to lather, and use. It would also work with facial cleansers.

The bags come in regular and extra soft.

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Ready for a Laugh?

I love a good laugh. When I first saw a magnet by Picard Creative, I had to go to her shop and look around. Some of the magnets are quirky and some represent works of art or Hollywood stars, but most are just plain hilarious.

The following bio was taken from Picard Creative on ArtFire:

"I am a mom of a teenage boy-(he is the love of my life) I live with him, my boyfriend (sometimes, when I like him) and my 2 crazy cats- Oreo and Lilly.

I own a brick and mortar shop called "The Cats Meow" it is a super cool shop which features many, many handmade items.

I am also a graphic designer and altered art/collage artist. My goal is to transition into being more of an artist/creator of fun things- I love my store, yet business is not so hot right now- so I need mulitiple streams of income. Plus, I am so creative and hyper that I cannot just sit in the shop all day doing nothing! lol

My greatest hope is that you find a smile or 2 in my shop and choose to purchase my items to share a laugh or smile."


The first of Picard's magnets I fell in love with was this one, which my family members agree was made just for me.

When I looked at others in her shop, I decided that most of them were absolutely priceless. A few more of my favorites are below.

With so many great magnets to choose from, you may find it difficult to pick a favorite. So if you are up for a laugh, please visit Picard Creative.

http://www.PicardCreative.ArtFire.com

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A Little Creativity

Good morning! I was looking for some pretty, creative items and wanted to share what I found with you. These items are all available on ArtFire. Click the pictures for a closer look.

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I Dreamed

I would like to share a lovely poem I came across on the internet today. Amy of AmyDesigns wrote this lovely poem about her son and is running a special in her shop on Tuesday, April 7th. Please read on after the poem for details.



I Dreamed


by

Amy Cavaness


I dreamed he'd be born beautiful and healthy.

He was.


I dreamed he'd tell me that he loves me.

He tells me every day.


I dreamed he'd be bright and funny.

He is - his humor is wonderful.


I dreamed he'd ride a bike, catch a ball and wrestle with his big brother.

He does and his brother loves it.


I dreamed he'd have big birthday parties with lots of friends and cake and presents.

He's had six.


I dreamed he'd one day get on a bus and go to kindergarten.

He did it yesterday - my heart full of love and my eyes full of tears.


I dreamed he'd make us proud.

He has, and he's inspired us.


Dean has Down Syndrome.

I never dreamed that.


"It's been 15 years since I wrote this poem. Dean turns 21 on April 7, 2009 and I couldn't have dreamed what kind of man he'd become. He's still funny, he's very bright, and he still loves cake. He continues to make us proud. I continue to be grateful for his presence in our lives. And I love him dearly.


In honor of Dean's 21st birthday on Tuesday, April 7, I will donate 100% of my sales to the National Association for Down Syndrome. This organization offers wonderful support to parents and their kids, and we were so glad we found them when Dean was born."

*************************************************************************************

In addition to Amy's generous sale, James of Birdy Knits had this to say:

"In support of Amy and her endevor, for every sale she makes on the 7th of April, we will send her an additional $5 to help with her support. So if you can find it in yourself to purchase one of her lovely items Birdy's Knits will kick in an additional $5 per item sold on April 7th from AmyDesigns, no limit! That's our Birthday gift to Dean.

We wish you the best Birthday Yet Dean!

--James of Birdy's Knits"

*************************************************************************************

So if you find the time, please visit Amy's shop by clicking here and help support a wonderful cause. You don't even need to become an ArtFire member to purchase an item. Thanks.

Some items from AmyDesigns:

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Pretty as a Peacock

Today I would like to share a new shop with you. The shop is Caterpillar Peacock and it is run by Lindsey. There is more about Lindsey below. You can find some great items at Lindsey's shop such as this lovely Needlefelted Calla Lily Brooch.

Your name: Lindsey

Where in the world are you? Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Your website: http://caterpillarpeacock.artfire.com

Your Blog: http://caterpillarpeacock.blogspot.com>

Briefly describe yourself and what you make:

I'm a big weirdo, through and through. I like strange things that make me laugh. If you've ever seen the show Clone High, I like to think that it's my EXACT sense of humour. Funny and ironic, and kinda off kilter. This helps explain what I make, teeny tiny hats. I crochet them first and then felt them in my washing machine until they're just right and finally I block them to just the right shape. I make all sorts of hats: berets, fedoras, top hats, you name I can crochet it. Well, that's what I make to sell, mostly. I've been expanding out into other things as well, like jewelry, but not your run of the mill jewelry, it's soft and made of wool too. Right now because of spring I've been working on making plant inspired stuff, like ivy vines and calla lillies. It's been a lot of fun.

Who or what inspires you?

I'm inspired by so many things: colour, nature, my mom, funny things on the internet, old school games, comic books, anything from the 50's through the 70's, Alphonse Mucha... The list just goes on and on.

When / how did you learn?

I've been crafting for as long as I can remember. My mom taught me how to crochet when I was 8. We made bracelets for my softball team in just chain stitches and it was awesome. I knew then that I would never put down a crochet hook.

Why do you make things by hand?

I have to. It's just been a happy byproduct that I can make stuff and actually sell it. I make stuff because if I don't see all these crazy ideas in my head through I would be a sad, sad, panda.

What is your craft ”philosophy”?

It was said best in handmade nation: There are two types of people in this world, those who make stuff and those who don't.

Have you always made 'stuff'?

Yes! I used to make clothes for my dolls out of kleenex by tearing it into skirts and ponchos and the like. Then I took a fashion class in highschool and that's when I knew that I would forever and ever be making stuff. When I went to university for fashion I KNEW that I would one day be selling my wares somewhere or another.

How do you motivate yourself?

My boyfriend is my motivator. There are some days that I might not even be able to get out of bed without him.

How do you deal with crafty mistakes?

A lot of the time they get thrown into the WIPs pile. Sometimes they turn out to be better than what I started out with.

Favourite craftbook(s)?

Creative Hands. There's like 30 of 'em. From the 1970s. They are so amazing.

Do you have a designated craft space? What does it mean to you?

I have a CRAFT ROOM. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have a cutting table and a place for my FOUR sewing machines, all my wool/yarn stash. It's great. Life has been ever so much more productive since it happened.

Do you use a sketchbook or journal?

I have about a billion sketchbooks that also serve as journals. I tend to have two on the go at all times, a purse sketchbook and a house sketchbook. That way I always have something around for when a good idea strikes.

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Ahoy Mateys - It's Pirate Time

Do you like fun, useful things? If so, then you should check out Pirate Pixie Crew. The shop is run by Lynne, who makes wonderful, fun, and attractive knit and crochet creations. She live with her partner Jon in South Wales, in the UK, with mountains behind their house, mountains in front and the sea within a 30 minute drive. She feels it is a beautiful place to be. As an added bonus, when you buy from her shop, you become a member of the Pirate Pixie Crew - an honor indeed!

The Pirate Pixie Crew had an interesting beginning. According to the information in the shop, Captain Skulduggery Dug was tired of all the scurrilous scurvy dogs in her ships crew. They stole from her, drank all her rum and never did the washing up! Cap'n Skully decided enough was enough and she made them all walk the plank into shark infested waters. One by one they were all gobbled up never to be seen again. All were left to sleep in Davy Jones locker.

Cap'n Skully found it very difficult to sail her big galleon alone. Steering whilst putting up and taking down the sails on the ship was impossible. Doubloon the Captain's faithful dog was roped in to take hold of the helm when the Cap'n needed to hoist the sails, eat her dinner, drink some rum, or go below for a sleep. The only problem was Doubloon had no sense of direction and couldn't read a compass. As time went on the ship veered further and further off course until they were in strange waters that the Captain didn't recognise.

Late one night with Doubloon at the helm the galleon ran aground on a beautiful island. The bump woke Cap'n Dug from her slumber. Confused, she stumbled up onto the deck to find the galleon slumped at an angle and illuminated by hundreds of tiny sparkling coloured lights. Doubloon was hiding under an empty barrel. He was frightened that the Captain would be angry with him.

As the Captains eyes became adjusted to the lights she realised that each light was coming from a tiny little person that appeared to be fixing up, cleaning and polishing her tatty, tired old galleon. In awe she moved closer to one and saw that it was a teeny little baby. She looked at others. They were all tiny little babies. On their heads they wore a variety of cute woolly hats and sprouted from their backs were the most gorgeous twinkling wings that gave off the iridescent light.

Skully shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Surely she must be dreaming, or maybe she'd had too much grog, but no, she really did have a new crew of Pirate Pixies. Come the morning, the high tide had lifted the galleon off the sand and it was floating back out to sea, for new adventures, with a brand new crew. Captain Skulduggery Dug stood at the helm with a happy grin on her bony face.

Do you want to come and join her crew?

One of my favorite items in the shop is this beautiful hat. It is handmade of an acrylic, wool, polyester blend.

If you aren't in the market for a hat right now, how about a case for your phone or MP3 player? The bright colors will liven up every call.

Everyone needs a booty pouch and this red one is just the ticket.

As you can see, there's a little something for the pirate in each of us. So hoist those sails and take a ride over to visit Pirate Pixie Crew (and don't make me force you to walk the plank).

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Fun and Funky Finds

I wanted to find some fun & funky items this morning, so I went window shopping again. I found animal print jewelry, chainmaille beauties, dragons in love, and a candle cocktail.

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The Easter Egg Hunt is On...and This Bunny Leaves Gift Certificates

The Easter bunny has visited ArtFire and has left several eggs in shops for you to find. If you would like to participate in the hunt, please click here for full rules and details on how to enter. There are three gift certificates up for grabs:

1st place: $50
2nd place: $20
3rd place: $10

Enjoy!!!!!!

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April Blog Giveaway - Win a Sterling & Gemstone Bracelet

Good morning and welcome to my April Blog Giveaway. I've decided to make it very easy to enter my giveaway this month. All you have to do to enter is:

1) Follow my blog

and

2) Post your favorite item from either of my ArtFire shops.

You can visit my shops by clicking on the shop name below:

The Jewelry Shop

Absolutely Amy

The prize for this giveaway is this lovely Botswana Agate, Hematite, and Sterling Wire Wrap Bracelet made by me.

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And the Winner Is....

Good morning! Using a random number generator, I picked the winner of my March Blog Giveaway this morning. The winner of the lovely vintage earrings and surprise gift is...(Drum roll here)...Jenn from Ninja Jenn! Congratulations Jenn! I'll get those out in the mail this week.

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Last Day to Enter Giveaway, Spring Cleaning, & More

Before I start my post on spring cleaning, I would like to share some information with you.

Today is the last day to enter my blog giveaway. You have a chance to win a pair of vintage earrings and a surprise gift. For more information, click here.

Today is also the last day of my sale in my shop. All items are currently discounted, even the ArtFire Stimulus Package Items, which were already discounted prior to the sale. If you would like to check out the sale, please click here.

The ArtFire Easter Egg Hunt starts tomorrow. 50 participating shops have hidden Easter eggs somewhere in their shops. Each egg has a letter on it. Find all the eggs and unscramble the message. The first 3 to send in their entries win gift certificates to be spent in the participating shops. For more information, click here.

Spring cleaning - I hate it and I love it. Let me start by saying, I hoard things. I have craft items for various crafts and dishes I rarely use, but I love them. My husband, on the other hand, was brought up in a military family. He hates clutter and he considers anything that isn't used on a regular basis to be clutter. This has posed an interesting challenge for me, trying to find a happy medium between the bare necessities and the things I love. I have found spring cleaning to be very helpful in reaching this medium that allows me to continue to have a happy marriage.

Since it is time for spring cleaning again, I thought I would share of the guidelines I use. These may be basic and you may know them already, but hopefully someone can take something useful from them.

1) If you haven't used it in a year and aren't attached to it, get rid of it. It sounds simple, but a lot of people don't follow this guideline. I used to keep things I really didn't need and would run across them during the next year's cleaning & decluttering expedition. I finally decided that if it doesn't have sentimental value & I'm not using it, I can get rid of it.

2) Go through everything. Every drawer, cabinet, and closet should be checked. I used to just clean house and go through the areas I used often. When I started going through every drawer, I found I was able to get rid of a lot of things that would have stayed had I not changed my tactics.

3)If you are going to donate or sell the items you are getting rid of, don't procrastinate. This was one of the most difficult things to do for me. I would get everything ready to go and then wouldn't find time to take the items to Goodwill or Hospice or the Humane Society or wherever they were going. Three weeks later I would still have the items waiting to go. If you find you have trouble delivering the items, try calling to see if the charity has pickup. If you have to deliver them yourself, like I do, try setting an appointment on your calendar, even when no appointment is required by the charity. Treat it just like a doctor's appointment and don't miss it.

4) When you start to clean, work from the top down. When you dust the top of cabinets and bookshelves, that dust moves toward the floor. If you have already dusted the front of the bookshelf before dusting the top, you will have to do it again once the dust settles.

5) Do the chores you hate the most first and do them in the morning when you're fresh. That way things get easier as the day goes on and you'll be less likely to want to quit early.

Spring cleaning can be a pain, but it really feels good to know you have done a thorough job. The extra space from all the items that have gone away is nice, too.

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Beating the Monday Morning Blues

It's Monday morning and it came too soon again. It seems like I never get everything done over the weekend. This morning I had the Monday morning blues and decided to see what I could find to cheer me up. I decided to look for blue items to chase away the blue mood and here's what I found:

Something else that will help chase away the blues is the ArtFire Easter Egg Hunt. It starts on April 1st. You search ArtFire to find the eggs hidden in participating shops. If you find the most eggs in the quickest time, you win a $50 gift certificate to spend in any participating shop. There are prizes for 2nd and 3rd place as well. To learn more about the hunt, click here.

There are only two days left to enter my March blog giveaway. For more information, click here.

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It's Sale Time & A Giveaway To Boot

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you know that I'm having a sale in my shop, TheJewelryShop, on ArtFire. All items have been discounted, but hurry - the sale ends April 1st. Also, don't forget my blog giveaway. It ends March 31st. Click the link at the top of my blog for more information. Have a great night!

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Want to Learn How to Do More on Your Computer?

I'm pretty good at doing most things on the computer. I know how to use most programs and can figure out a lot of the ones I haven't used before. My main problem on the computer is dealing with anything that requires understanding code. HTML, Java, behind the scenes stuff of all kinds is a mystery.

I have a friend who does this for a living. When I have asked for help, he has given it, but often while using terms I don't know, which means I can do what he says, but there's no way I can repeat the steps on my own and apply them to something new.

Sounds like a problem, right? Not anymore! I have found a blog that breaks it all down into plain English. The blog is Ninja Knowledge, run by Ninja Jenn of ArtFire. Not only does she explain the technical stuff, but she also offers practical knowledge on how to improve/increase/create your online presence.

Jenn, the author of Ninja Knowledge, is extremely well rounded. In addition to her Ninja Knowledge blog she also has another blog, Ninja Jenn, that focuses on everyday things. In addition, she makes wonderful pendants like the Purple Mandala pendant below and sells them in her shop.

She also has a second shop with beautiful hand-painted items like this wonderful light switch plate.

To top it all off, she is a warm, friendly person with a great sense of humor. What more could you ask for? Please check out her blogs and shops. I'm sure you'll be glad you did.

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A Great New Site

There is a great new site I discovered today called Shop Windows at ArtFire, or SWAAF for short. This site is a wonderful shopping resource. You can find shops by category and view a few items from each shop before you click. Since the site uses the rapid cart system, you could buy directly from the large item picture window without ever signing up for ArtFire. If you prefer, you can go into the shop itself and see what else they have to offer.

Since I love to window shop, this is the perfect site for me. I have found some shops I had not seen before and they have some wonderful items. It's definitely something worth checking out. The site can be found at http://shopwindowsatartfire.blogspot.com/.

Enjoy!

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Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Sale, and More.

I decided to have a sale in my shop to celebrate spring, so all of my items are marked down until April 1st. I also went window shopping again this morning and wanted to share it with you. I found some wonderful items in every color of the rainbow.
Don't forget about my contest - only 5 days left! For details on how to enter, click the link at the top of my blog.

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Think Pink

This morning I went window shopping again and found some great items with a pink theme. I hope you like them as much as I do. Please click on the pictures for more information and a larger view of each item.

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Natural & Beautiful

I am in the mood for earthtones today, so I went window shopping for some lovely earthtone items. I found some great new shops and wanted to share them with you. Please click on the items for a larger view.

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A Walk in the Park

Spring is here where I live and I love it. The sun is out and the weather is mild - we don't get many mild days in Florida. Every morning the birds are singing & flitting around. I go for walks on my breaks at work to be able to enjoy this lovely weather. Since I can't be outside all of the time, I went window shopping for items that would be great for a walk in the park or remind me of gardens. Enjoy the list.

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What Will You Find?

I just opened a new shop on ArtFire. It's called AbsolutelyAmy and you never know what you might find in there. I plan to list vintage items, a few handmade items, and some supplies. Right now it is all vintage - not jewelry, but just fun vintage items. Please click below to take a look around.

Absolutely Amy

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Still Time to Enter

Hi. I hope everyone is having a good weekend. There is still time to enter my giveaway. I have resposted the details below. I will collect the comments off of every giveaway reminder thread as well as the original thread, so you can comment on this post.

To promote the ArtFire Stimulus Package Sale, I am giving away the earrings below as well as a surprise gift.



To enter, you can do one (or all) of the following. You will receive one entry for each of these things you do & post about in comments:

1) Buy an item from an ArtFire Stimulus Package participating shop (it doesn't have to be a stimulus item.) Once you buy the item, post a link in comments below.

2) Blog about my giveaway contest with a link back to my blog. Post the link to your blog in comments below.

3) Blog about the ArtFire Stimulus Package Sale with a link to the participating shops or a link to ArtFire. Post the link to your blog in comments below.

The participating shops are:

3PeepsDesign
3zArt
A Kimberly Design
Aimee White
Andrea Designs
Angelas_Adornments
BAKidagain
Bead All About It
Bijoux Designs For You
Book Wormz
Calys Jewelry Creations
campgirldesigns
Cctexan3
CreatedSensibilities
Creative Haven
Delightful_Stitches
Designs by CHAZ
Dichroicdazzle
I_Obsess
jinx1764
Liberty Doll
My Doggie and Me
NinjaJenn
Nite Owl Creations
Pinkfinks Creations
Prairie Bouquet
Rocky Creek Gems
Rouge River Beads
She Designs Jewelry
Shine Your Hiney Soap
SoyScentual
Spiritdance
Spoiled Bratzwear
SpunSisterDesigns
Suzbax
The Craft Shoot
The Jewelry Shop
The Scent Diva
The Soap Seduction
Wunderkraft

I will accept entries through March 31st and a drawing will be held at the beginning of April.

Click here or on a shop name above to get started: Visit ArtFire

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Giveaway Reminder & More

Good morning. I wanted to post a reminder about my giveaway. If you would like a chance to win a pair of vintage earrings and a surprise gift, please take a look at the post below for details.

I would like to know what you want to read about in my blog. If there is something you would like me to post about or a vintage costume jewelry designer you would like more information on, please leave a comment with the subject you would like to read about.

I've also been doing some more window shopping this morning. I found some more great items that I wanted to share with you.

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I've Been Window Shopping Again

I've been window shopping again and found more great items I wanted to share.

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Some Great Spring Finds

I just found some great items for spring and wanted to share them with you. All of these items are handmade by ArtFire artisans.

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Blog Giveaway Reminder

Just a reminder about my giveaway. Please keep reading for details.

To promote the ArtFire Stimulus Package Sale, I am giving away the earrings below as well as a surprise gift.



To enter, you can do one (or all) of the following. You will receive one entry for each of these things you do & post about in comments:

1) Buy an item from an ArtFire Stimulus Package participating shop (it doesn't have to be a stimulus item.) Once you buy the item, post a link in comments below.

2) Blog about my giveaway contest with a link back to my blog. Post the link to your blog in comments below.

3) Blog about the ArtFire Stimulus Package Sale with a link to the participating shops or a link to ArtFire. Post the link to your blog in comments below.

The participating shops are:

3PeepsDesign
3zArt
A Kimberly Design
Aimee White
Andrea Designs
BAKidagain
Bead All About It
Bijoux Designs For You
Book Wormz
Calys Jewelry Creations
Cctexan3
Creative Haven
Delightful_Stitches
Designs by CHAZ
Dichroicdazzle
I_Obsess
Liberty Doll
My Doggie and Me
NinjaJenn
Nite Owl Creations
Pinkfinks Creations
Prairie Bouquet
Rocky Creek Gems
Rouge River Beads
She Designs Jewelry
Shine Your Hiney Soap
SoyScentual
Spiritdance
Spoiled Bratzwear
SpunSisterDesigns
Suzbax
The Craft Shoot
The Jewelry Shop
The Scent Diva
The Soap Seduction
Wunderkraft

I will accept entries through March 31st and a drawing will be held at the beginning of April.

Click here to get started: Visit ArtFire

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What a Great Day!

I love reading blogs and today I was honored to have my items included in two wonderful features.

The first is Wanderlust Bling. This is a great blog and has a feature that runs each week called "Thursday Temptations" which features handmade items from various artists.

The second is Kraftouch Treasures. This blog has a feature called "Star of the Day" which features interviews with artisans.

These are both great blogs & both do their part to support the artists who make handcrafted items. Please check them out and a big thank you to both for including me!

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Contest - Win Earrings & a Surprise Gift

To promote the ArtFire Stimulus Package Sale, I am giving away the earrings below as well as a surprise gift.



To enter, you can do one (or all) of the following. You will receive one entry for each of these things you do & post about in comments:

1) Buy an item from an ArtFire Stimulus Package participating shop (it doesn't have to be a stimulus item.) Once you buy the item, post a link in comments below.

2) Blog about my giveaway contest with a link back to my blog. Post the link to your blog in comments below.

3) Blog about the ArtFire Stimulus Package Sale with a link to the participating shops or a link to ArtFire. Post the link to your blog in comments below.

The participating shops are:

3PeepsDesign
3zArt
A Kimberly Design
Aimee White
Andrea Designs
BAKidagain
Bead All About It
Bijoux Designs For You
Book Wormz
Calys Jewelry Creations
Cctexan3
Creative Haven
Delightful_Stitches
Designs by CHAZ
Dichroicdazzle
I_Obsess
Liberty Doll
My Doggie and Me
NinjaJenn
Nite Owl Creations
Pinkfinks Creations
Prairie Bouquet
Rocky Creek Gems
Rouge River Beads
She Designs Jewelry
Shine Your Hiney Soap
SoyScentual
Spiritdance
Spoiled Bratzwear
SpunSisterDesigns
Suzbax
The Craft Shoot
The Jewelry Shop
The Scent Diva
The Soap Seduction
Wunderkraft

I will accept entries through March 31st and a drawing will be held at the beginning of April.

Click here to get started: Visit ArtFire

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ArtFire Stimulus Package

Well, money is tight and almost everyone in the nation is waiting to see if the economic stimulus will help. Some approve and some don't, but we could all use a break, right?

In the spirit of goodwill and with the hope of supporting the economy, a group of artisans on ArtFire has started the ArtFire Stimulus program. Basically, these shops have listed select items in their shops for very low prices, some at cost, in the hopes of giving everyone the chance to buy a lovely handcrafted item during these difficult financial times.

If you would like to see what items are being offered, just click on "Visit ArtFire" below. There are some incredible deals to be had.

Happy shopping!

Visit ArtFire

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MARVELLA - Designer Information

Marvella was started in the early 1910's and was extremely popular in the 1950's. The company was bought out by Trifari in the early 1980's.

Marvella is known for their simulated pearl jewelry, but they also created pieces using faceted and smooth beads. One of their most beautiful lines incorporated faceted aurora borealis beads such as this set.



Marvella produced jewelry under many versions of the Marvella name as well as under different names. For a comprehensive guide to costume jewelry marks, visit Illusion Jewels.

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Handmade Shopping Made Easy

Do you like to shop for handmade items? Are there too many sites out there for you to visit all of them? I found a site that shows pictures of handmade items from multiple sites - Great for a little window shopping. Check them out at:

www.FoundHandmade.com

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Items to Splurge On

Are you looking for something special? Check out this blog. She has listed some great items that would be perfect for a treat. After all, aren't you worth a little splurge?

http://wanderlustbling.blogspot.com/

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Just a Thought

I was looking through my posts and realized that I've posted on quite a few issues unrelated to vintage jewelry collecting. While these off-topic posts won't be eliminated, I thought it was about time to post a jewelry related topic.

Please watch for my post next week which will start my series on vintage jewelry designers.

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Free Directory Assistance from Your Cell

I am always in my car. At least it seems that way. It also seems like I often end up needing to call someone whose phone number I don't have. I learned of two services today that I thought were very helpful and wanted to share them (although they may not be new to many of you).

The first service is from Google. This directory assistance service is free and offers business listings. The number to call is 800-466-4411. The link to check it out first is http://www.google.com/goog411.

The second service is Free 411. This directory assistance service is also free, but includes residential and government listings as well as business listings. The number to call is 800-373-3411. The link to check it out first is http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/nothing/free411.asp.

I hope you find these numbers as helpful as I expect to.

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Treasure Hunt with a Great Prize

Would you like to participate in a treasure hunt with a $50 gift certificate as the prize? If so, check out this link. It's free to enter and you will get to check out a wonderful artisan and vintage site.

http://artfire-treasure-hunt.blogspot.com/

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Art Fire

There is a wonderful new site called Art Fire. This site allows you to sell your handcrafted and vintage items for free or for a low monthly fee if you want access to all of their features. The site is just getting started, but shows great promise. For a limited time you can sign up for the verified membership with access to all of their features for just $7 per month. It is definitely worth a look. My shop is TheJewelryShop.artfire.com. Check it out.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=sevenforlife&afuid=13186

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How to Determine Quality of Unmarked Jewelry

There are many different levels of costume jewelry and many pieces are unmarked. If you are collecting jewelry based on appearance rather than designer name, you may wonder how to tell if a piece is well made. While it takes time to learn how to judge unmarked pieces, these are some basic tips that may help you in your search:

• Weight. The weight of a piece can often indicate the quality. Light pieces that are made with thin metals are often, though not always, of lower quality. Heavy pieces with thick metals that are attractive are often of higher quality. Many factories made designer signed pieces as well as unsigned pieces of the same quality. If you find a piece that looks like the same quality as a designer piece, it probably is.

• Stones. When collecting rhinestone jewelry, you will run into many pieces with bright, vibrant stones that appear to have depth. This is generally a sign of a higher quality piece. The setting of the stones is another indicator. If the stones are prong set, are the prongs well made & secure?

• Metals. While the weight of the metal is one consideration, the general appearance is another. Many quality pieces use attractive metals that retain their appearance over time. While a piece of any quality can be destroyed by lack of proper care and storage, higher quality pieces that are well cared for are recognizable in their beauty.

• Clasps. Higher quality pieces generally have well made, secure clasps.

While these are just some basic tips and will take some practice to implement, with time you should be able to judge the quality of most unmarked pieces quickly and easily.

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