Tag: Designer Cards

Inspired by a Book!

Woodland thanks H2O (2)

This week our Hostess, Francis Byrne, who  is also our team leader, has challenged us to make a card that is inspired by a book.  My card was inspired by Hansel and Gretel.  Why a child’s book you ask.  Well because I always have a book I’m reading, but I don’t read books that easily translate to a cute card.  I read military, or murder and detective mysteries.  Romance novels bore me out of my mind.  They’re too predictable.  For example I think Daniell Steel really only wrote one book.  All the others are the same story only the characters names and occupations are different.  I chose instead a book my mother read to me when I was young and sick.  It was both memorable and terrifying because at the end of our street was where the forest began in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  A lot of my elementary school pals played in that forest but not me!  So this is another easy, peasy card.

The Steps:

Step 1:  The card measures 6 x 4.75″.  Score an 8.5 x 11″ piece of white cardstock at 5.5″.  Fold over for a top fold card.  Cut a mat using the larges die from Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1120 – Stitched Rectangles

2017-07-30 12.38.42

I used a piece of wood look cardstock from Michael’s Craft Store. 

Step 2:  I used a discontinued die set from Karen Burniston when she was with Elizabeth Craft Designs called 914 – Outdoor Edges – 3 die set to cut a trees in the background look.  I cut a 3″ x 5″ rectangle from dark Green Cardstock.  Then used Removable Scotch Tape from Staples to attach the tree edge in this set to the very top of this rectangle and cut the “tree edge”.  Adhere this to the wood look layer.  I attached it with the lower edge of the wood layer just above the “stitch” line.

Step 3:  Cut out all the pieces for all 3 of Karen Burniston’s: https://karenburniston.com/woodland-animals-die-set/

Step 4:  The 5 trees are from a discontinued Karen Burniston set called Evergreen Pivot Card.  However, she re-released this set when she went on her own.  Below is a photo of the new one and the link: https://karenburniston.com/evergreen-pivot-panels/

Evergreen Pivot Panels

Step 5: The sentiment “thanks” is an Elizabeth Craft Designs die: https://www.elizabethcraftdesigns.com/products/thanks-1

I cut it once from yellow cardstock and once with green cardstock.  I glued the yellow over the green offset just a little.

Here’s a photo of all the elements of my card.  I like to get everything ready so I can try different layouts:

Once I like it then I start gluing things in place.  Here’s another quick look.  The sentiment “thanks” on this little forest scene is because I’m going to add it to the top of boxes of homemade brownies and cookies for my town’s Firehouses.  I live in California, 2 hrs. by car east of Yosemite.  Every year there is a fire in one of California’s beautiful forests.  And every year our boys and girls are sent in to relieve the ones up there that are completely exhausted.  Besides our hot dry summer days (it’s supposed to be 102 on Sunday) they carry 80lbs. of equipment on their backs.  One yr. that I delivered a similar package, I arrived just as one of the relief shifts were off their turn and returning back to the fire house.  You can’t imagine what they looked like.  Covered in black and grey ash, and could barely walk.  The shift going out to replace them, picked up their pace to each grab one of their returning house mates, and help them get into the fire house to shower, eat and sleep.  They will all do the same thing the next day…..for days! :

Thanks so much for taking a look!  I sooo appreciate my followers and remember you can ask any question and I will get right back to you!

Other Products Used:

Amazon:  Sookwang Clear double sided adhesive

CutterPillar Prp

Beacons Kids Choice Glue

Sizzix Big Shot Pro

 

National Sandcastle Day

Front seaside H2O

Inside seaside H2O

It’s a new month and a new Hostess who is Nicky Foden.  Because today is Sandcastle Day, Nicky has challenged us to put a sandcastle, sand or any beach theme.  One of my favorite die sets is Karen Burniston’s Adirondack Chair Pop Up.  The one I own is one she designed when she was with Elizabeth Craft Designs.   She has revisited this set at her new site:  https://karenburniston.com/adirondack-chair-pop-up/

The Steps:

Step 1:  Karen has an assembly video for this die set.  Click on the link above and you will find two videos.  One is for the original look of the Adirondack and a second one to make the chair look upholstered!  So the first thing I do for a pop up card, is to master the pop mechanism.  No worries, this one is easy!  I cut the “chair” pop up from white base weight cardstock or 80lb.  I use a heavy cardstock because I assume it’s going to be opened a closed a lot!

Step 2:  My base card is a 5.75″ square when folded.  This is the card that you will cut the chair into the fold.  Depending on what you will use for inside mats you may want to cut the two mats with the chair.  I chose for the bottom (under the chair” side) I measured  where I needed to out sort of a square under the chair.  And then to cover that hole when I attached the “sand” mat, I just adhered the same color cardstock under the chair and adhered the larger mat on top.  Both the “sky” layer or as I’m calling mats, measure 5.5″ square.

Step 3:  Cut two 5.5″ squares from white cardstock.  Using Elizabeth Craft Designs: “Earth and Sky”   I stenciled clouds with Aqua Marine Blue PanPastel.  Adhere this sky background mat to the top inside of the base card. The second one you will use on the front of the card.

Step 4:  Using Karen Burniston’s:  1038 – Tropical Scene

Tropical Scene

I cut the “waves” in white and blue for both the bottom inside and the front of the card.  I also cut the “Palm tree/sand dunes and “sea shells” and “sun” from this same set above.  I cut the little sand mound pc. twice. Once with the light brown cardstock and once with white cardstock.  I colored the little palm trees with Copic Markers.  Then I cut them off and adhered them to the light brown one right over the light brown trees.

Note:  This is a personal endorsement.  I do not receive any income from this company in either currency or products.  I have always felt that Karen almost always,  includes little decorator dies that you can use for so many projects with or without the die set they come with.  I’ve used these little sea shells and sun a lot.  For this project I used them on the front, inside, and in the bucket on the inside.

Step 5:  The two “Palm Trees” and “Pail” on the inside is from a discontinued die set from Karen B. that is called:  Palm Tree & Pail”.  I love this palm tree.

Palm Tree and Pail

Step 6:  Now just adhere all your cut and/or colored as shown on the inside and the front.  (I also created a personal sentiment on my computer and printed out on white cardstock.  I cut it out with a nested die set set and adhered it to the bottom of the inside of the card centered on the lower inside over the “wave section”.  I took the pictures before I added it to the card because it has the “receiver’s name on it.”  I don’t have her permission to post it on the internet.  Here’s another quick look:

Inside seaside H2O

Side view seaside

Front seaside H2O

Thanks so much for taking a look!  I know you’re time is precious.   Here’s the link to the challenge blog to see the rest of the design team’s cards for inspiration.  We can’t wait to see yours!  Crazy 4 Challenges

Other Products Used:

Michael’s Craft Store:  All cardstock

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

CutterPillar Pro

Elizabeth Craft Designs:  Clear Double Sided Adhesive 10mm

Beacon’s Kid’s Choice Glue

Christmas in July!

Cardinal H2) (2)

Yep, this month’s host for the challenge blog is the talented Karen Ostergard,  the only member of the Design Team that I have met in person.  Somehow, thanks to FB, I feel like I know them all!  Karen has challenged the team, and you, should you take the challenge, to make a Christmas themed card this week over at: Crazy4Challenges

The Steps:

Step 1:  Cut a rectangle from white cardstock that measures 5″ x 6.75″.  Then put this through an embossing folder that resembles snow.  I used one from Darice called Dot.  I like it because the dot’s are small and close together.  The folder is exactly 5 x 6.75″.

Step 2:  Make a base card by scoring an 8.5″ x  11″ of red cardstock at 5.5″ on the long side.  Fold over for a book fold, and trim to 5″ x 7″.  Adhere the embossed layer to the front of the card.

Step 3:  I purchased this die set from Elizabeth Craft Designs: Garden Notes – Birds 1

As of this writing 7/10/19 it was on sale for $4.95! Click on link above! You get both birds!  (the Cardinal I used this week and the little garden bird I used on the card on the right:

Birds die set

 

Color Challenge H20

Cut the Cardinal bird out of white cardstock and color with Copic Markers R35, R37 and R39.  The branch is Copic Markers E70, E71, and E74. Bird face – Copic 100 Black. Bird nose – E31.

Step 4:  Using these two die sets from Elizabeth Craft Designs:

765 – Sprig with Berries     and     1088 – Garden Notes – Holiday Holly & Berries

Sprig and Holly

I cut the “Sprig with Berries” twice from an Olive cardstock and then added some ink shading with a darker green ink and finger dauber.  I cut a few of the “Holly leaves” in each size and from the same Olive green cardstock. The “branch” pc. from white  card stock and colored it with Copic Markers E70, E71  The berries cut from red cardstock.

Step 5:  I used this discontinued die set from Karen Burniston called: “Iron Fence Pop-up” and cut the fence die pc, from black cardstock.

Fence Pop UP

Step 6:  Assemble the card by adhering the black fence to the front of the card lining up the bottom of the fence with the bottom of the embossed layer.  Now add the “Sprig with Berries” and “Holly and Berries” where you like them.  I started with gluing the “Sprigs” end to end, then the “Holly and Berries”, and last attached the Cardinal on with foam dots.

Cardinal H2) (2)

Step 7: The sentiment is this one from Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1235 – Merry Christmas

Sue C Merry Christmas

I have to give a testimonial and review of a product that I had never heard of but decided to try.  It’s called StickySpecks.  It’s basically a sheet of clear double sided adhesive.  But, most of these kind of products are one solid sheet of adhesive poured over a sheet of non stick backing.  But StickySpecks are millions of tiny little “specks” of adhesive separate from each other, but hard to see the separation with the human eye.  I tried this product out with the Merry Christmas cut die sentiment.  I used Silver Mirror Stock and hoped this worked.  There are so many small negative pieces in die cuts like this.  When you lift intricut dies like this from adhesive sheets, a lot of the time in the small neg. holes the adhesive in those areas come up too.  It’s difficult to pull that excessive adhesive off without making a mess.  With StickySpecks, only what you want lift off the sheet easily and the negative pieces don’t.  Result:  No mess, easy, clean, precise sticker!

Here’s a YouTube video

Well, that’s it!  I have received no monetary compensation for this review.  In fact, I’m sure they don’t even know I exist…but I do and I highly endorse this product.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Other Products Used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Michael’s Craft Store:  All cardstock

Beacon’s Kids Choice Glue

Put A Bird on it!

Pink House H2O (2)

It’s a new month with new challenges!  This week’s challenge is put a bird on it.  There’s 3 on this card!  I recently acquired Art Impression’s Holiday Mansion 4926 and HM Garden Set 5096: 4926 – Holiday Mansion   5096 – HM Garden Set

Ai Holiday House dies stamps

Both of these sets include the stamps and matching dies.  Ai also has a “Holiday” themed stamp and die set, as well as a Valentines Day set too, giving you so many different looks.

4927 – HM Accessory Set:   4927 – HM Accessory Set

4977 – HM – Valentine Set: 4977 – Valentine Set

I am nuts for this set because it looks different depending on however you color it or decorate it.  Here’s a picture of the same two sets but in a different color scheme:

Blue ai house H2O

Pink House H2O (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The blue one I made right away and gave it to my best girlfriend.  The pink one I made for this challenge and went a little nuts with the decorating.  I do have some tips that will help you get better results with stamping and cutting these adorable stamp and die sets.

The Steps:

Step 1:  First stamp the “house” stamp on white cardstock.  I knew I wanted to fussy cut the house to be adhered to a hand made background.  Also, there is no die in the set that cuts out the outline of the house.  This is what the house dies do:

House white template

They cut out the windows and doors.  There are two shutter stamps and matching dies.  So here’s TIP #1:  If you look close at the stamped house on the right above, when I taped the dies to the stamped image and ran it through my cutting machine, I was off just a little bit.  In particular, the arch on the door.  You’ll see, at the top of the arch, I cut off part of the bottom of the stamped “porch cover”.  So the tip is to tape these dies to a strip of white cardstock in order to make a template.  This allows you to use this template to see exactly where to tape the dies.  It’s hard to see when the die is upside down on your projects because you know longer can see the blade

Tip #2:  You can stamp the house on white cardstock as well as the accessory stamps on this same layer and create a scene using only the stamps.  Or, a combination of both, like only cutting out the house dies but not the accessory stamps in the scene.  In this case you will REALLY want to use a template.

Step 2:  I stamped the “flower pot” accessory stamp a bunch of times on white cardstock.  This gives you lots of options for not only how many you’ll actually use, but what colors you like best with the rest of the scene.  Any you don’t use you save for another project!  I stamped colored and cut all the rest of the accessories once.

Step 3:  This step is optional but I think is what makes it so fun, is to have a little surprise behind the two doors that open, and also that you see through the windows.  For this I used Ai: 4745 – Talk Much Set

2018-07-01 20.14.32

I stamped this little tea scene and then cut the colored scene in pieces so I could place the table scene through the front door and the Chandelier through the top left window.

Close uo open doors

Then I put a couple of stamped, colored and cut flower pots in the other two.

Step 4: I used this set from Elizabeth Craft Designs:992 – CountryScapes – The Woods 1

2017-11-08 20.29.00

I only used the left side of the tree.  I cut the trunk from brown cardstock and the leaves from green.

The fence was cut with an Elizabeth Craft Designs 1134 – CountryScapes Nantucket Arbor & Picket Fence.  As of this day they didn’t show it available now.  However, I cut two of the fences out of white cardstock.

Picket Fence die

The last thing is to cut two “grass edges” from this set that is also no longer available but is a set by Karen Burniston 914 – Outdoor Edges – 3 die set

2018-03-19 14.44.39

From green cardstock, I cut one edge with the wavy one and one with the Grass edge.

The last step is to assemble your little scene as shown below:

Pink House H2O (2)

Thanks so much for taking a look.  I just think this set is adorable and I will be buying the other two decorator accessory sets because I can’t wait to use this set for Christmas, Halloween, and Valentines Day!

Other Products Used:

Michael’s Craft Store: All cardstock

Beacon’s Kid’s Choice Glue

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

CutterPillar Pro

 

Sketch Week!

Sucker h20

It’s sketch week again, which is always the third Saturday of the month.  Here’s the link to the challenge blog:  Crazy4Challenges      You’ll also find the Linky if you would like to take the challenge.  So here’s how I made my sketch challenge card, sagging “sucker brads” and all.

The Steps:

Step 1:  I didn’t have any dies that would cut that wavy scallop edge in the sketch.  But I remembered a bucket of craft scissors he found in a dumpster behind where he works and was taking out the trash from his bus.  Yep, in that cute bucket was a pair of scissors that cuts a scallop edge!  I just hand cut the lower half from designer paper that reminded me of the colors of lollipops.  I started with a strip of this paper that measures 6.75″ x 3″ and just sort of eyeballed what would be about 1/3 of this 5 x 7″ card.

Step 2:  I generated the sentiment on my computer and printed it out on white card stock.  I used the smallest die in Elizabeth Craft Designs :1113 – Stitched Circles.

Step 3: I cut a lollipop from Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1180 – Lollypop.  I used the same hot pink for the silhouette pc. that I chose for the background card stock.  Cut the spiral from white.

Step 4:  Score a pc. of 8.5 x 11″ card stock at 5.5″.  Fold over and trim to 5 x 7.

Step 5:  Cut a background that measures 4.75 x 6.75″ and adhere to the front of the base.  Adhere the sentiment oval as shown.  Then the lollipop.  For the stripe and bow on top I just cut a 1/4″ x 6.75″ pc. of white card stock and used the same bow that comes in the “Lollipop” die set.

Step 6:  The four lollipops representing the x’s in the sketch are brads from The Eyelet Outlet.  They are sagging and not lined up because I cut the “brad” part off of them and adhered them with Beacon’s glue.  However.  I put the finished card on a card holder and went to bed.  When I got up the next day,  the last 2 had slid a bit!  LOL  I decided to share it anyway because we all have those unfortunate mishaps.  Here’s one more look and thanks for stopping by:

Sucker h20

Other Products used:

Michael’s Craft Store:  Card Stock and Designer Paper

Beacon’s Kids Choice Glue

CutterPillar Pro

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

 

Vellum Butterflies and Flowers

Butterfly wood h20 (2)

This week’s challenge is to put some wood or wood look to your project over at: Crazy4Challenges

I fell in love with this pink wood look paper from Michael’s Craft Store.  I have used it on several projects.  Here’s a little “keepsake” baby card I made for a friend’s granddaughter with this same paper on the front and inside.

C4C - 427 Little one  2018-03-22 21.55.27

Here’s the steps to how I made the card for this week’s challenge.

The Steps:

Step 1: The card measures 5.25″ x 7.25″.  So score an 11 x 8.5″ piece of white card stock at 5.5″.  Fold for a “book fold” and trim to the finished size.  Cut a pc. of designer paper that measures 5 x 7″ and adhere to the front of the card.  Using the largest die from the set below, cut an oval from pink card stock.  Adhere this oval to the front of the card (centered). 1113 – Stitched Ovals

Stitched Ovals

Step 2:  I love the look of using Vellum with dies that have a silhouette pc. and an overlay pc.  I think it gives them a sort of ethereal look.  Plus, vellum comes in several colors, like pink, yellow and pastel blue and lavender.  I used white  and these two die sets.  I cut 3 of the overlay (fancy one) and body pc. from white card stock.  I cut 3 of the silhouette with the vellum.  Then adhere the fancy winged layers to the vellum layers.

1072 – Small Butterfly

Small Butterfly

Step 3:  I used a die set from Elizabeth Craft Designs that apparently has been retired.  But it was called 901 – Daisy.  I’m glad I got one because I love this set.  But it is an older one.  I cut 3 daisy silhouettes from vellum, 3 overlays and leaves from white card stock and the flower centers from pink card stock that I used for the oval.

2018-07-21 14.30.05

Step 4:  Using the die set below, I cut one bucket piece and 2 handle pieces from white card stock.  I colored the bucket piece and 1 handle piece with PanPastel Silver Metallic.  The other handle piece I colored only the beaded area with a Copic Marker and then cut the part away from the rest of the handle.  Then I glued this piece to the silver handle pc.

Garden Notes - Galvanized Bucket

Step 5:  The sentiment is this die cut once with dark brown card stock and once from a little darker pink card stock then the oval.  Glue the pink over the brown, slightly offset.

1288 – Thanks

Thanks

Step 6:  Now just arrange all the above elements how you like them.  Here’s another quick look at this card:

Butterfly wood h20 (2)

Thanks to YOU for stopping by for a look and here again is the link to the challenge.  This one is fun because you can really make anything, with any theme, as long as you throw a little wood on it!

Other Products Used:

Michael’s Craft Store:  Card stock

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Beacon’s Kids Choice Glue

For Unconditional Love…

May sketch h2o (2)

May sketch inside

It’s sketch week!

I usually like to show the sketch but for some reason I was unable to cut and paste.  However, here is the link to the blog:  Crazy4Challenges

My granddaughter runs a kitten rescue called “The Kitten Stage”, so I made this in honor of what she does.

The Steps:

Step 1:  To make the “two triangles” base, I used a double sided card stock from LawnFawn.

Step 2:  I used Elizabeth Craft Designs:  1116 – Stitched Circles.

Stitched Circles

Using white card stock, cut two circles using the second to the smallest die in the set above.  I then created the front sentiment on my computer and cut it out with the third to the smallest in the same set.

Step 3:  I used these two die sets from Frantic Stamper for the little dog and cat.  I cut them from white card stock and colored them a bit with Copic Markers.  Then I adhered them to the two smallest circles.

Frantic Stamper dies

Step 4:  The card measures 5.5″ x 5.5″.  So score a 11″ x 8.5″ at 5.5″.  (First, create the inside sentiment on your computer and print out on white card stock for the base) Fold over and trim to a 5.5″ square.  This is the step that using a double sided card stock is great.  I just cut a 5.5″ square and cut it in half on the diagonal.  Then I just flipped one to the other side for a perfect two triangle base.  Adhere the two triangles to the white base card and add the 3 circles as shown.  I added a bakers twine bow.

That’s It! Here’s one more look:

May sketch h2o (2)

May sketch inside

Thanks so much for taking a look.  This is an easy sketch, so jump in there and show us what you got!  Here’s the link:  Crazy4Challenges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Blessings

Easter Cross h2o

This week’s challenge is “Back to Metallic or Foiling”

Since we usually work ahead on the challenges, I was still making Easter cards.  So when this publishes it will be the Sat. after Easter and so will next Saturday’s card be Easter themed!

The Steps:

Step 1:  I love Spellbinders 3D Embossing Folders.  As you can see, the embossing is lighter in the areas that look like the background for the Lily Arch.  The Arch is really emphasized embossing.  Plus they’re huge!  The embossed area measures 5 x 7″!  From white card stock, cut a rectangle that measures 5.25″ x 7.25″.  Insert into folder and run through your machine.  I then used Black PanPastel to emphasize the embossing.

Spellbinder folder

Step 2: Using the below die set cut two of the overlay die with white card stock adhere to two together so it is double layered.  I then used clear Wink of Stella over the butterfly to give it a little shine.  Next, adhere it only at the body as shown to the embossed layer.  Bend the wings up and add 3 self adhesive silver pearls down the body.   1072 – Small Butterfly

Small Butterfly

Step 3:  Using Spellbinders Crosses, cut a cross with silver mirror card stock.  I love this die because it also embosses at the same time!  Adhere the now silver embossed cross to the embossed layer as shown by putting a foam dot on all 4 ends of the cross.

Spellbinders Cross

 

Easter Cross h2o

Step 4:  Create a base card by scoring an 8.5″ x 11″ at 5.5″ and fold over as a book fold.  Trim to 5.5″ x 7.5″.  Cut a rectangle that measures 5.25 x 7.25″ from black card stock.  Adhere to the base card leaving an 1/8″ on all sides.  Trim your finished embossed layer to 5″ x 7″ and adhere to the black layer.  That’s it!  Four easy steps!  Thanks so much for taking a look!

                          Other Products Used:

Elizabeth Craft Designs:  Clear Double Sided Adhesive 10mm

Michael’s Craft Store: Black and white card stock, silver pearls

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

 

Easter card inspired by a sketch!

April C4C sketch h2o (2)

Yep, my favorite challenge is Sketch Week!  But this time is also Easter week, so I made my card an Easter theme.  You know, “two birds/one stone”!  Plus, this one is fast and easy!  So let’s make this.

The Steps:

Step:  Pick a designer paper or card stock   I chose a paper sold by sheet from Michael”s Craft Store.  But the sketch is generic for what ever theme you want. so choose a print that goes with the object that will be featured in the circle.  Cut a rectangle from your choice that measures 5.25″ x 6.75″.

Step 2:  Make a base card by scoring a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of card stock at 5.5″.  Fold over for a tent card.  Trim to 5.5″ x 7″.  Adhere the rectangle from step 1 to the front of the base card.

Step 3:  Using the 5th largest die in Elizabeth Craft Designs 1116 – Stitched Circles:  https://www.elizabethcraftdesigns.com/products/stitched-circles-1116

Cut a circle with Blue Card Stock.

Stitched Circles

Using the middle die in Elizabeth Craft Designs 1254 – Entwined Circles: https://www.elizabethcraftdesigns.com/products/entwined-circles

Entwined Circles

Cut an entwined circle with white card stock.

Step 4:  Using Elizabeth Craft Designs: 1459 – Spring Basket and Die set Bunny:https://www.elizabethcraftdesigns.com/products/die-set-spring-basket

Die set - Spring Basket Die set - Bunny

Cut 4 eggs, the bow and 4 grass pieces from the Spring basket die set.  Cut all the pieces for the bunny and assemble him.

Step 5:  From Elizabeth Craft Designs 1467 – Words 3 Happy Holidays: https://www.elizabethcraftdesigns.com/products/die-set-words-3-happy-holidays

Die set - Words 3 - Happy Holidays

Cut the words “Happy” and “Easter from blue card stock.

Step 6:  I cut two fishtail banners: one white and one blue by hand.  (The white one slightly smaller than the blue)  Adhere the white over the blue and then add the “Happy Easter” words to the banner.

Step 7:  Assemble the rest of the card as shown:

Thanks so much for stopping by.  We hope you’ll join us this week for the “Sketch Challenge”

Other products Used:

Sizzix Big Shot Plus

Beacons Kids Choice Glue

Clear Double Sided Adhesive 10mm

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