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Have you signed up for my Stamping With Karen Mailing List yet? Whether you sometimes visit my blog or if this is your first time here, please join us by signing up in the Mailing List Sign Up Box!

Each Tuesday, you will receive an email newsletter with the latest Stampin’ Up! news and any special offers, plus at least one tutorial for a card or another project or papercrafting tip. Stampin’ Up! updates us on Tuesdays so that is a good day to get in touch with you!

If you like getting new stamping ideas, this is for you! These projects are exclusive to my newsletter.

As a special gift for signing up, you will receive a PDF called “A Dozen Creative Gift Wrap Ideas”. You can update the ideas with current products.

Dare I say — the holidays will soon be upon us! The Holiday Mini Catalog will come out before we know it and I like to send out special 12 Weeks of Christmas emails with one holiday project each week. These projects ONLY go to my Mailing List subscribers! You won’t want to miss those for some holiday inspiration early on!

Keep on top of all things Stampin’ Up! and learn how to use those great products in papercrafting! Sign up in the Mailing List sign-up box in the upper right corner of my blog or the pop-up box! If you are on your phone, the red signup box may be at the bottom of this post.

Here is a link to sign up!

The August 2024 Paper Pumpkin Kit

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Here is a peek at the Paper Pumpkin Kit for August 2024. If you want to treat yourself, which we all should do now and then, just subscribe to Paper Pumpkin and enjoy the surprise in your mailbox once a month when the newest kit arrives!

Bring on a birthday bash with these elegant birthday cards made with rose gold details! You will get all the supplies you need in this kit! You’ll have materials to make not just ordinary birthday cards with this kit, but one extra-special design! Plus get a FREE extra stamp set!

Here are the details about the Time For Cake Paper Pumpkin Kit which will mail out right after August 10th:
• Makes 9 cards, 3 each of 3 designs
• Project includes printed card bases, coordinating envelopes, and labels
• Embellishments and rose gold cord
• Coordinating colors: Moody Mauve, Night of Navy (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Petal Pink,
Pecan Pie, Pretty in Pink, Wild Wheat

Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin by August 10th! No risk, no obligation! Try it out and if it’s not for you just cancel. If you love Paper Pumpkin but you will be on vacation or busy one month, just skip a month. Easy peasy!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN!

Click this link above to see what these special birthday cards will look like!

Mediterranean Blooms Hello Card

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This Mediterranean Blooms Hello Card came about from just getting out a package of designer paper and looking over all the patterns. This is a good way to start when you want to make a card but have no particular design in mind. When a certain paper strikes you, start with that and see where it takes you!

For this card, I liked the large “tile” design of the designer paper, and I thought maybe it would pair well with the smallest blue and white design. The card base is Night of Navy. The designer paper is the Mediterranean Blooms Designer Series Paper. I love this paper with the look of hand-painted tiles, greenery, and citrus. I used two different patterns on this card plus some Balmy Blue cardstock to help the large tile design stand out a little from the background paper.

The designer series paper used for the background layer on the card base (the small design) is cut at 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″. If you want a wider margin of the Night of Navy around the edge of the card, just do the normal size of 4″ x 5 1/4″. The large tile design is cut at 5 3/8″ x 2 3/4″. Now to get the floral tile in the center of this panel, I had to use a ruler and figure out where to cut the paper on the sides to center that design. So you may have to “waste” a little designer paper to do this, but save the scraps! You can always use them another way! The Balmy Blue cardstock is just strips to adhere along the sides of the large tile design. Mine were cut at 5 3/8″ x 1/2″ but they can be wider if that is what you already have. Just adhere them to the back of the panel so that there is just a thin amount showing. The Liquid Glue works best for this because you have that “wiggle” time to get those strips adhered straight and even.

The greeting is stamped in Night of Navy ink on a Basic White scrap of cardstock and diecut with a small rectangular die in the Country Side Corners Dies. The greeting is in the Simply Said Stamp Set. I wanted a bolder greeting to stand out better than the ones in the Citrus Blooms Stamp Set that goes with the paper.

For the little blue bow, I used white Baker’s Twine in the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack. But I colored it with the Light Balmy Blue Stampin’ Blend Marker. Just lay the twine on a scrap piece of paper, like computer paper, and gently rub the marker along the twine. Turn it and make sure the twine is colored all the way around. I adhered the bow to the greeting with a Mini Glue Dot. I also added two Rainbow Adhesive-Backed Dots in Balmy Blue.

I made another card using the smaller size tile design in the background behind the oranges!

When I started, I didn’t know what I was going to make, but I’m really pleased with how this card turned out! Use your package of designer paper for inspiration when you are stuck!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Frames & Flowers Marvelous Card

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This Frames & Flowers Marvelous Card was a fun and easy card to make. with just two diecut pieces. Mainly what you need is just the Frames & Flowers Specialty Designer Series Paper. This paper is unique because in the package you get three sheets of regular designer paper with floral and greenery designs on one side and a generic design on the other side. You also get three sheets of diecut greenery elements, like ephemera, that you can use on your card or project. It’s fun to play with all these pieces and build your card design.

For this card, I started with a Lost Lagoon card base. The designer paper layer is just one of the designs I picked out from the Frames & Flowers package. This piece happened to already be cut to this size, and I liked it showing off a bit more of a margin of the Lost Lagoon.

The two circles are diecut using the Spotlight On Nature Dies. These circular dies all have a design of some kind around the perimeter. I cut the larger one out of Lost Lagoon and the inner out of Basic White. Before adhering together, I stamped a greeting on the Basic White circle with Lost Lagoon ink. This greeting is in the Perennial Lavender Stamp Set, which I didn’t notice is retired. But you will have other greetings that you can use for any occasion.

After I had the basic card design made, I played with the diecut pieces in the Frames & Flowers Designer Paper. This is one of the fun parts! Ultimately, I chose two colorful foliage pieces and added an orange flower. I glued everything on flat on the card although I could have popped up the circles with Stampin’ Dimensionals or the foliage and flower. Do whatever you like. For some embellishment, I added three Lost Lagoon Tinsel Gems in the 3-pack.

The Frames & Flowers Specialty Designer Series Paper is backordered right now as I write this but is due back in stock the week of August 5th. It was very popular because it was something new and different with the included diecuts! Maybe you already have it so maybe this card will give you another idea! And if you don’t have it, keep an eye out for when it is back in stock for some fun cardmaking!

Shop Stampin’ Up! HERE!

Thanks So Much A Little Latte Card

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This Thanks So Much A Little Latte Card is one I made a little while ago but don’t think I posted. This A Little Latte Suite Collection is still available as one of the Online Exclusives and in stock! It’s such a fun group of products, especially the designer series paper, so don’t miss out! Remember that Online Exclusives are not available in catalogs, just online, so Stampin’ Up! doesn’t have to wait for a new catalog to release new products. However, they can disappear whenever Stampin’ Up! decides not to reorder them so be sure to get what you want!

The card base is Pecan Pie. You could also use Early Espresso cardstock or even match one of the cup colors. I chose two different patterns of the A Little Latte Designer Series Paper for the card layer. The top layer has all the cute little cups and spoons. The bottom layer is probably really meant to be swirly coffee patterns but I thought it could also look like a wooden table top on which to set the coffee cups! To hide the seam between the two, I added a strip of Lemon Lolly cardstock.

The coffee cups were all fussy-cut out of the designer series paper. I didn’t order the dies but knew I would be happy with the designer paper, stamp set, and embellishments. That’s the great part of a Suite. You can order the whole thing using one order number or you can see a number of products that all go together and pick and choose what you want!

The greeting is stamped from the Latte Love Stamp Set in Pecan Pie ink. It is then die cut and layered on a piece of Calypso Coral cardstock to help it stand out. I think the rectangle die I used is a retired one but you can use something similar, like maybe the Everyday Details Dies. Behind the greeting I added some Lemon Lolly twine wound around in several circles and then twisted and adhered to the back. You’ll find the twine in the Baker’s Twine Three Color Pack.

For another embellishment, I used the Adhesive-Backed Swirl Dots which were a little hard to get a hold of for awhile! They are so cute to use with this A Little Latte Suite but you can also use them on other kinds of cards and projects.

Here is another card I made previously with this Suite.

Remember that Stampin’ Up! Bonus Days are going on now in July during which you will receive one $5 coupon for your next order in August with every $50 purchase in July.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! TODAY!

Back-to-School Sales Tax Holidays

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It’s that time of year again! Didn’t school just get out for summer vacation? When you no longer have children in school your life doesn’t revolve around school schedules anymore! It’s a big life transition actually!

The 2024 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday season begins this weekend! There are thirteen states and Puerto Rico offering a sales tax holiday for school supplies during July and August. Products that are eligible according to the statute include “items normally used by students in a standard classroom for educational purposes.” Not every state participates, but if yours does, why not take advantage?!

Please note that you must place your order with Stampin’ Up! during the tax holiday period to receive these items tax-free (which is midnight on the first day to midnight on the last day of the tax holiday). Also, keep in mind that this is a state sales tax holiday; the state statute may not apply to county, city, and special jurisdiction taxes.

Please note that Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Wisconsin have suspended the sales tax holiday this year.

The chart in the photo above of course is not clear to read. I have to shrink things down to fit them on a blog post, but just click on that photo or CLICK HERE to go to the chart on the Stampin’ Up! website to see the list of eligible items and dates of the particular state holiday.

Save a few pennies, at least! AND use your Bonus Coupons if you have them in August if that is when your state tax holiday is!

Nests of Winter Thinking of You Birds Card

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I’ve been playing with this upcoming suite that will be in the Holiday Mini Catalog in September after making some cards at a virtual Stampin’ Up! event for Demonstrators. I’m a little surprised at how much I like this Nests of Winter Suite Collection.

To make this card, I slightly copied one of the three cards we made at the virtual Creativity Now event using this diecut frame. The card base is Crumb Cake but I completely covered it with a 5 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ piece of the Nests of Winter Designer Series Paper. I tried several different papers, but I needed something not too busy for the background.

To make the frame, I chose Shady Spruce cardstock. Garden Green would have been another good choice. The other day I just placed the frame die haphazardly on a piece of cardstock and diecut it. I wasn’t thinking that it needed to be straight and that actually, it is better to cut the piece of cardstock in the size of the rectangle you want and then center the die inside that piece. The die itself does not cut out the border. On this card, I popped up the leafy frame with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The birds are stamped from the Winterly Tree Tops Stamp Set with Memento ink and colored in with Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. I almost used Watercolor Pencils as we did on a couple of cards we made at Creativity Now. I used the Winterly Tree Tops Dies to cut out these two birds. You will be able to purchase both stamp set and dies in a Bundle. I popped up the birds, also, on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The greeting is in the Winterly Tree Tops Stamp Set but I only used a portion of the stamp. I chose to use the Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Write Marker to ink up just the words on the stamp I wanted to use. I stamped on Basic White, then diecut this banner shape using the Stylish Shapes Dies. It was the perfect size for this card.

One of the embellishments in the Suite is the Earth Tones Shimmer Gems. These are so pretty, not too bulky, and come in different colors. I used five of these whitish gems to place randomly around the birds. I think they are really pretty and add just a touch of sparkle! You will like these for fall cards and projects, not to mention the holidays.

This is a sneak peek and I know it’s hard to wait when you see things you like but can’t buy yet! But I do like this Suite and think you will, too.

Have You Seen the Circus Celebration Kit in the Kits Collection?

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If you or someone you know loves the circus, this Circus Celebration Kit in the Stampin’ Up! Kits Collection is the kit for you or them! I think this is one of the cutest circus themes I have seen! What child (or adult!) could not be super-excited to receive this card in the mail for their birthday or whatever occasion you want it to be? Years ago Stampin’ Up! sold circus-themed designer series paper, maybe a stamp set, that was very cute. I remember my daughter being home for a visit and made a scrapbook page for a friend with the paper. We no longer have that, but now you can purchase this Circus Celebration Kit and think about circus days while you make the cards!

Make magical birthday cards with the Circus Celebrations Kit! This DIY card-making kit has all the pieces you need to create four birthday cards in two circus-themed designs with adorable animals doing tricks for your audience. The playful designs are perfect to celebrate birthdays for all ages. This stamp-free kit makes it even easier to craft than most, so it’s great for beginners!

Kit includes:
* Predesigned projects
* Step-by-step instructions
* Precut pieces (No prep work! Get right to crafting)
* Makes 8 cards: 4 each of 2 designs
* Folded card size: 5-1/2″ x 4-1/4″
* 8 preprinted envelopes
* Enough adhesive to complete projects
* Printed die cuts
* A 9-7/8″ x 6-1/2″ x 2-3/4″ printed designer box for storage or crafting on the go

Product colors: Copper Clay, Crushed Curry, Granny Apple Green, Night of Navy, Poppy Parade

If you need some cards for children or want some easy-to-make cards that children would be able to make with you, this is really a cute kit for any of those reasons! No stamping involved, so just punch out the diecut pieces and design your cards. If you want to make something else besides cards, the supplies are yours to do with what you want!

Check out the other Kits in the Stampin’ Up! Kits Collection HERE!

Hurricane Beryl!!

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Morning Update! We made it through the night! Woke up at 4 am to strong wind gusts and rain on and off. Power went off at 6 am. Hubby just got wifi back up for a few minutes with our backup thing. It felt like the storm was over a little while ago but right this minute it is REALLY gusting! Lots of tree branches down in the yard. I think we still will get a lot of rain this afternoon, but at least Beryl is moving through. With no power I can’t watch TV and find out everything that is going on but we have a radio on.

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Hurricane Beryl is on it’s way to our house. We’ve been preparing all day and this is what the radar looks like as I go to bed (perhaps for only a couple hours). A few days ago, it was just supposed to go into Mexico and I wasn’t even paying attention. Then it was going to possibly go into the southernmost part of Texas. Then it might get closer to Houston…..and now the eye is likely to go over our area with very gusty winds, lots of rain, and possible/likely power outages. Sounds like fun, right?!

I’m posting this now just in case I don’t have power or wifi tomorrow! Or for a few days!

Goodnight!

Don’t Miss the July Paper Pumpkin Kit!

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This is the new Paper Pumpkin Kit for July, Painted Petals! I love it when Stampin’ Up! makes a special Paper Pumpkin box with a hint of what is inside! Can you even resist this pretty box? This kit includes beautiful watercolor florals, friendship-themed sentiments, and pretty embellishments.

The July kit details:

· Craft beautiful cards with unique watercolor designs and pretty layers!

· Makes 9 cards: 3 each of 3 designs and 9 coordinating envelopes

· Precut paper pieces and embellishments

· Coordinating colors: Calypso Coral, Gray Granite (Classic Stampin’ Spot), Melon Mambo, Mossy Meadow, Old Olive

· Kit comes in a beautiful coordinating box!

Subscribers can also shop the exclusive Every Celebration Dies add-on, which coordinates with our July, August, and September kits. One of the dies in the add-on directly coordinates with a stamp in the July kit!

Paper Pumpkin Add On Dies July Aug Sept Sq Ad

The Add-on details:

· Item number: 164991

· Name: Every Celebration Dies

· Price: $12.00 USD

· Availability: available for purchase on the online store starting June 11 and while supplies last.

· Includes: 3 dies

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN BY JULY 10th!

JOIN PAPER PUMPKIN HERE!

Attention Shoppers Gift Bags Birthday Card

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Yesterday I posted a card using the Attention Shoppers Bundle and today I have another one to show you another way to use the stamp set. This Attention Shoppers Gift Bags Birthday Card is one you can make without the cute shopping cart but using the stamps only.

This is also a lesson in making your own designer paper! Just stamp your own background! I always like doing random stamping like this. It just feels good to stamp and stamp and stamp over and over again! Sometimes you develop a nice rhythm to it!

This card starts with a Bubble Bath cardstock card base. Instead of using the cart stamps or dies, I made a birthday card by stamping the gift bags with Memento Ink all over the piece of Basic White which would be the front of the card. I used the Attention Shoppers Stamp Set and of course, if you want the coordinating dies, it’s a good deal to buy the Attention Shoppers Bundle and save 10%. I colored in the bags and tissue paper with Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers but I could have used Watercolor Pencils or reinkers and the Water Painters. I used all sorts of colors of markers so use whatever you like!

The birthday greeting is in the stamp set also. I stamped it in Bubble Bath ink on a thin strip of Basic White and layered it on a piece of Bubble Bath cardstock. Only took me about five tries to get it right! I either cut it too close to the words or I didn’t cut the layer right or I put the flagged end on the wrong end! For some embellishment and sparkle, I added three Iridescent Faceted Gems.

This was a fun card to make with all the stamping and coloring. If you don’t want to do any coloring, stamp all the bags one color to match the card base…or stamp them in different colors but just don’t color them! Here is the card I made yesterday with this Attention Shoppers Bundle.

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! HERE!

Attention Shoppers Cart Card

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I hope you and your family had a Happy 4th of July last night! We went to a place close by to see fireworks that is easy to get to and get back home. For many years we have gone to see fireworks with the same couple in our neighborhood so it’s a lot of fun!

Now that the fireworks are over, you might be going shopping for 4th of July sales the rest of the weekend! I think the Attention Shoppers Bundle is a fun one! I love making the shopping cart! I have friends who LOVE to shop so I thought this Attention Shoppers Cart Card would be a fun card to send!

The card base I chose is Coastal Cabana. I don’t use this pretty color often enough. For a fun look to the card, I added a strip of the Full of Life Designer Series Paper which has so many pretty colors in it and fun designs. This strip is 2″ x 5 1/2″.

For the card’s focal point, I cut a Deckled Rectangle out of Basic White on which to place the shopping cart. If you remember, it’s a good idea to use Adhesive Sheets before you cut out the shopping cart and wheels. Just apply it to the back of the cardstock and then die-cut. It’s like making your diecut into a sticker so you don’t have to try to put glue in tiny areas. I used Silver Foil for the cart but you could use cardstock as well.

This is one of those stamp sets that is just fun to play with and create your own scene. The Attention Shoppers Stamp Set has five images you can stamp and then customize them for your card. You get a shopping bag, a bottle (of wine? soda? ), a plant, a bunch of flowers, and a birthday cake. With the Attention Shoppers Dies, you can cut out the pieces!

After coloring and diecutting your “purchases” you need to figure out their placement and see how they “fit” in the shopping cart. Glue those items down first and then the cart over them. I put the plant on the bottom rack of the cart just as you might do in the store when your cart gets full. The greeting is in the stamp set. I stamped it in Coastal Cabana ink and diecut with a rectangle in the Nested Essentials Dies. To help it stand out against the white cardstock, I ran a Melon Mambo Stampin’ Blend marker around the edge to look like a layer. The greeting is popped up on Stampin’ Dimensionals.

As I looked through my embellishments, I liked these Adhesive Backed Hearts & Flowers (retired) for the cute little hearts, perfect for someone who loves shopping!

Remember, during July for every $50 you spend at Stampin’ Up! you will get a coupon code for $5 to spend during August. It will come in your email as soon as you place your order!

SHOP STAMPIN’ UP! ONLINE HERE!

Happy 4th of July!

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I hope you and your family have a wonderful July 4th!

Stampin’ Up! Bonus Days Begin Today!

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It’s time for a favorite promotion—BONUS DAYS! Get rewarded for all the crafting supplies you’re already going to buy! When you shop July 3-31 and spend $50, you will earn a $5 coupon! Make sure you save all your coupons because you can redeem them (ALL of them) between August 1–31. There’s no limit to how many coupons you can earn! You may want to print out the email(s) and keep good track of the coupon codes!

Earn a $5 coupon for every $50 spent (before shipping and tax).
All coupon codes will be emailed directly from Stampin’ Up! right after a qualifying purchase has been made. Make sure your email in your account is current.
If you earn multiple codes from a single order, you will receive one email with multiple codes. If you earn multiple codes from multiple orders, you will receive separate emails for each code earned.
Orders started before the promotion begins will not count toward earning coupon codes. For example, if you add items to your cart before July 3 and wait to purchase until that date or later, then those items will not qualify for earning coupons. You must add items to your cart and complete your purchase during the earning period.
There is no limit to the number of coupon codes customers can earn per order or throughout the earning period.
Starter Kit orders are excluded from this offer. All other order types qualify.
For workshop orders, each customer who reaches a qualifying amount will receive a coupon code to their provided email address.

Bonus Days end on July 31 at 11:59 PM MT.

Then, beginning August 1, you can redeem your coupon codes when you order!

Redemption Period: 1–31 August 2024

There is no limit to the number of coupon codes you can redeem on an order during the redemption period. If using multiple codes, they must be separated by a space.
Coupon codes may be redeemed one time only. They cannot be redeemed after August 31.
Coupon codes may be redeemed for any product (excluding Starter Kits).
Bonus Days coupon codes can be applied to new prepaid Paper Pumpkin subscriptions.

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Here’s something you might like to purchase to earn a coupon code – The Stampin’ Glass Mat Studio! This was available to new Demonstrators who joined during Sale-A-Bration but now anyone can purchase it! This is a heavy-duty glass mat with a ruler and grid lines for measuring. It protects your surface and gives you a large crafting area. Plus, you also get a reusable cloth for cleaning your stamps and a silicone mat with square palettes for mixing colors or holding your stamping supplies. You will find the Glass Mat in the Online Exclusives! #163987 $60.00

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Speaking of Online Exclusives, there are a lot of new ones to choose from beginning today! If you see something you really like, grab it early. The Season of Green & Gold Suite Collection looks to me to be especially beautiful for the holidays! Just check out the link in the banner or first sentence to view ALL the Online Exclusives.

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One more thing! There are two new Kits in the Kits Collection category! One is the Circus Celebration Kit and one is the Garden of Thanks Kit! Go take a look and I’ll put all the information in a future blog post!

Happy Shopping!

New Things At Stampin’ Up! Tomorrow!

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Several new things are coming tomorrow, July 3rd at Stampin’ Up! I don’t have links today, you will have to check back tomorrow on my blog post when everything is LIVE!

New Online Exclusives!! Including Christmas and Halloween, believe it or not! This banner does not show everything at all. Your best bet will be to look in the Online Store tomorrow under Online Exclusives.

BONUS DAYS! Spend $50 and get a $5 coupon in your email right after you order (check your spam folder if you don’t get it or call Stampin’ Up!). Use the coupon or coupons you earn in August! Just save those emails or record the coupon code. Probably a good idea to do both!

NEW KITS COLLECTION KITS!! (No photos yet!)

GLASS MAT AVAILABLE!! ( It was previously available in a limited way during Sale-A-Bration, but now available for everyone!)

See you tomorrow!!