Color Inspiration Challenge #43

I have two cards for you to check out for this color Inspiration challenge!

Card #1: Eat Cake! Hooray! I really like how the pop-out of the cake turned out. 

Cake!

Card #2: It's your big day! Happy Birthday.

Birthday girl! She's all fancy. :)

Today's cards are for the Color Inspiration Challenge over at KWerner's blog. I had a fun time trying to get these colors to work in an idea (see colors above). Its a lot of colors to work with (I usually don't work with THAT many colors at once) so it truly was a challenge for me. I did two cards for this challenge, both are birthday cards. I thought it only fitting since my birthday was this past Thursday the 26th where I turned 23 years old. I know most of you are like, wow. You're still young! haha. I feel old sorta. I went to the mall to see a movie with my best friend yesterday and I have never seen so many tweens and teens around (well it was a Friday though) and all I could think of was, "Those annoying kids! I don't think I was ever THAT annoying." In all reality I probably was, but at the time I thought I was just being a teen. 

I think I have always wanted to grow up. When I was in elementary school I couldn't wait till I was in Middle, when in middle school I couldn't wait to be in High school, when in high school I wanted to be in college, and etc. Then I got out of college, got a job, got married and now I just am wondering...what is next? I know someday we want kids, but we just can't afford them right now and are just down right not ready for them. So I guess I'm just waiting around for that time to come about 5 years or more from now. My biggest goal is to get a house. I really want to be done with renting. I hate renting and I hate being in an apartment. I want to paint my walls and I want to be able to control my own heat (ours is controlled by the apartment complex). Being on the 8th floor (top floor) of an apartment when someone else controls the heat, is not fun. It is almost 50 degrees outside today and the heat is on. We had to turn our air conditioners on because it was so dang hot in here last night and today. 

I am also glad that my hubby has a job interview Monday and should be getting a call today or tomorrow to set up another interview with another place. He is trying to find a new job after the whole "gun pulled on him and pointed at his face" during work incident. Since this happened 2 days after a cop that he knew got shot to death, it hit him hard and came to the conclusion that Loss Prevention agent was just not what he wanted to do anymore. He, unlike cops, doesn't have ANY way of fighting back. No gun, no uniform to scare them away, no taser, not even pepper spray. Nothing. Just his own strength and might. Since he got transfered to a newer store in about May, I have been afraid for him. He was working in a shady part of town and going against much more angry and aggressive type of people. The closer you get to the city, the less people are civilized and the more violence you find. In a way, I'm glad he's trying to find a new job, but in another way, I'm scared about what happens if he can't get a new one. *crossing fingers* I am hoping for the best for him and for myself (since who knows how my company will do. I do work at a newspaper after all, and they are becoming a dying industry). *sigh* Wish us all luck.

Anyways, I'm sure you all don't care to read my babble. This blog is more for the artsy stuff and less of my blah blah. I also did my Fun-Frilled DT challenge for next week's. Like I've said before, I am trying to be always a week ahead. I liked the challenge for next week, so I'm sure you all will too! I made two cards, however the first one turned out dreadful, so I'll spare everyone from seeing it. Luckily the other card I made for that turned out just how I wanted, so it will be perfect for the Fun-Frilled site. Make sure you check out Fun-Frilled tomorrow, Sunday, to see my take on this week's theme of Mardi Gras. It was a toughy for me, but I love how it turned out. Hope you all have been playing along with it. We love seeing everyone else's take on the challenge! 

Above are the birthday cards. One is for basically anyone (might give it to the hubby when his bday rolls around in March or my dad, haven't decided yet) and the other is for a girl. I had the idea to go with a "its your big day" with the girl cutout being in Designer paper and the others being just standard color stock, then when I thought I was done, I decided to give the "birthday girl" a party hat. :) Hope you enjoy them. 

Lately I've been slacking on the supplies of things. I promise, I will try to include them more now. :)

Enjoy! Leave me some comment love all!

Eat Cake:

- Studio G stamps in StaysOn Timber Brown

- Fiscars scallop punch

- The Paper Company standard colors cardstock

- Orange Peel stickles (for the candle flames)

- ribbon and striped paper unknown

It's Your Big Day!:

- Cuttlebug woman sign (used in my BigShot)

- Green DP by Daisyd's Autumn Collection- Fall into love

- The Paper Company cardstock

- Studio G birthday stamps in StaysOn Timber Brown

- Fiscar's scallop punch

- Darico gem

- View Enterprises Specialty Mat stacks- classic brown (originally used for printmakers)

- ribbon?

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Thank Yous and birthday fun

So after a long day of work and my adult ballet class tonight I decided to do some fun stuff in the craft room. After receiving a package for my birthday from my dad and step mom, I decided that I should probably start cranking out thank you cards. I also finished up my Battle of the Bulge swap's March package, though I might wait to send it out for a tad bit till it is March.

Anyways, here's a quicky post with the thank you card I made. I also want to personally thank on here those who have supported me. Things have gotten rough around here on the home front. I'm not going to go into details, but cross your fingers that things don't get worse. *sigh*

Just your friendly reminder, check out Fun-Frilled! There is some great stuff over there! This week's theme is Mardi Gras. Boy was that a challenge for me!

Ok all, here's the Thank you card. I re-did it I think twice till I was somewhat happy with it. I won't show the stuff I made for my Secret Sister till the swap is done, so just this card will have to do for today. Tell me what you think of it. I love feedback!

Hugs all!

-M

Kind of like an inchy type challenge. :)

Thanks! This originally was a stamp that had a tag stamp around it. I just masked it off, so I just used the thanks! Also, thanks to Michelle for sending me this sweet stamp set (the flowers and the thanks). It made my day. Thank you Michelle!

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Blog contests and such

Just a quick post to all my blog buddies out there. 

Check out one of my fellow Fun-Frilled Design team member, Danielle's blog here

and you could have a chance to win a brand new personal Cricut! All you have to do is comment and be the 1000th comment and if you mention my name in the comment, I could win something too! So check it out and enter for you chance to win! You can enter twice a day even, to up your chances. Good luck all!

Also, I got a wonderful birthday package from my mother today via UPS. It was packed full of new clothes and lots of crafty stuff! Yay! I love presents and packages. My birthday is this Thursday, so it was an early birthday present. I got a new circle punch, chipboard shapes, some letter clear stamps, lace, and lots of other fun stuff. I still want to search down a circle scallop punch to buy one of these days. Someday when my hubby isn't trying to find a new job, we aren't trying to pay off the little debt we have and try to save up for a house, I'll make an online order and purchase new punches and stuff that I really want but can't get at Michael's. 

Hope everyone is having a great Monday. Don't forget to check out Fun-frilled today and everyday. There is always a new card posted everyday. Hope the challenge is just that for you all, a challenge. Don't forget to check out previous posts (like mine every Sunday over there). Make me feel loved by comments here and over there. I don't want to be the loser who has the least amount of comments. haha

Hugs all to you! Happy Monday.

-M

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Fun and Frilly

Ok. So today is my first day's card post for the Fun-Frilled site. Yay! I'm soooo excited!

I hope you all have checked it out and also participated in the challenge. Remember, there is blog candy involved!

Here's just a teaser of the card I made for this week's theme over at Fun-Frilled, which is: "what is fun and frilly to you?"

Check the full card out over at Fun-Frilled here.

I also mentioned over there that I'd put the supplies on here. Here you go, my crafty friends.

- Making memories black lace (at bottom)

- Marvy square scallop punch 

- Pink, black, and white cardstock by The Paper company

- Square: sizzix square #2

- ribbon by ??

- heidi swapp ghost alphabet rhyme lower pink collection

- DP by ?? (I had it in my scarp bin, so it totally escapes me who it is by)

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday and remember to check out Fun-Frilled today!

For those of you who haven't yet, also check out the three posts before this, since I was a busy bee this weekend for the SCS Virtual Stamp Night. :)

Have a great day!

-M

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More Virtual Stamp Night fun

So here are two more cards for the Virtual Stamp night/day, Saturday. Didn't get around to doing as much as I'd like, since friends are coming over soon. I have to do the dishes from our brunch the hubby made. It took me a bit to clean up the craft/spare bedroom also, since it was an explosion of craft stuff for the VSN. I also started to slowly move my clear stamps into clear cd jewel cases. It ready does take up less space and helps me organize them more. I just need to find more cases...the hubby has them packed away somewhere around here.

So tonight we plan on going to this great little restaurant/bar a few blocks away. It is in the old train station building that they converted into a nice Italian place. The hubby and I went there to eat on V-day (great food) and then we decided to bring a friend along to check out their bar later that night. After great drinks and decent prices, we staggered home (since we walked). Tonight, the rest of our buds have decided to join us in chilling at the bar. I'm not a big drinker, I only really like fruity drinks. The cool thing is the one bartender will make basically anything. I never know what to get, so I said, make me a fruity drink. He brings out this green thing in a martini glass called, of all things, "Alien Secretions." The name makes it sound HORRID, but let me tell you, it was wonderful. Like I said before, I don't drink much, but that was great!

Anyways, I got a lot accomplished card wise this weekend, so its about time for me to relax, since Sunday's I work now. Remember to check out Fun-Frilled tomorrow (Sunday) for my card and the last day of the challenge to have a chance to win some cool stuff! 

Hope you all enjoy!

-M

I know, Xmas is over, but the stamps just called to be this way. This is for the "K" challenge, aka. Long Lost Love- use stamps that have been long and lost to you for a while.

Bling!

This is for Challenge J-Window into my soul: had to use acetate somewhere, so I created this acetate sparkle "pocket" where the sequins can move around inside.

This is the inside of the card. You can't see it in the front view well since the card is standing up, but you actually can see this pattern through the clear window when the card is closed.

Just 4U! I love thickers letters!

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KWerner Color Inspiration #42

So below is what I came up with for KWerner's color inspiration #42. Let me just tell you, that those colors just screamed "old look" to me. If I had pure white lace, I would of used it on it too, however I've only got off-white. (I love lace!)

This also is my Virtual Stamp Night (Saturday) "H" aka "You're my obsession" card. I usually don't double up on challenges, since I just think it isn't right, but I just thought they fit for both. I am obsessed with anything older than me. I collect antique hats, I love retro furniture (not 80s though...like the ugly man-couches that my hubby refused to get rid of) and I adore sometimes just watching historic movies and tv specials. There is just something about history that I love. Since I don't have any stamp that says history or old or anything along those lines, I decided upon "through thick & thin" since that is what I plan to do for my friends, family, and true love- stick with them through thick and thin. I will stick with all through thick and thin till we ourselves become antiques. (Ok, I"m going to stop trying to sound like a philosophical rant).

Make sure you check out Fun-Frilled if you haven't already! Always fun over there! :) Remember, my card will be on tomorrow, so be sure to check it out and play along with the challenge so you can win some loot!

I think this turned out well. I'm skipping the 1:00pm VSN challenge-it's melting crayons technique for background paper and I just can't bring myself to get the iron out and make a real mess, so I thought I'd post this before I forgot about it and was beyond the deadline for KWerner's challenge.  If you haven't checked out my previous post, it has all the cards I popped out last night. Check it out! Hope you all enjoy, and be prepared to see more cards later today. :)

-M

Color inspiration #42. Can you dig it?

I love this stamp! I just got it yesterday, and already I love it.

true true.

- Designer paper from DaisyD's autumn fall in love collection

- Fiscar's scallop punch

- Studio G- Through Thick and Thin stamp, in ColorBox primary red/orange (mixed) ink

- Hampton Art- corset stamp, in Adirondack brights sunset orange ink

- K & Company green jewel and pearls

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Friday Virtual Stamp Night on SCS

Ok. So my mom suggested I look into doing the Friday Virtual Stamp night on SCS. I got hooked. 7 challenges, 7 hours, and if you did it all, 7 cards after those 7 hrs. :)

You don't have to do all the challenges, but I was determined to get as close to them as possible. Now they also have another one on Saturday starting at noon till 11pm, though I doubt I can do all of those since we are supposed to get together with friends tomorrow night. But I was determined to crank out 7 cards tonight to complete all the friday night challenges. It was so much fun!  There were some that were REALLY TOUGH! I had a blast. I also re-worked my card-in-advance for next week's Fun-Frilled. I knew it was missing something, so today when I was at Michael's I picked up what I needed and I think it looks ten times better! Yay!

Ok. So here all is the night's challenges. I hope to finish up KWerner's color challenge in the morning tomorrow (obviously it has to be done before 7pm Saturday). I wanted to do it tonight, but after 7 cards, I'm a little pooped.

You can also check out the cards in the individual galleries for each challenge or on my Splitcoast stampers gallery here- My gallery on SCS.

Without further ado, here are the cards of the night!

A: Sketch a little love challenge (sketch challenge)

Blingy heart and fuzzy heart. You'll notice I used these felt hearts a lot tonight. I just love them!

B: For the love of Chocolate. I think this is my Fav. of the night!

I love big type. Yay for Thickers!

New stamp, new punch. Woo!

C: Bittersweet love. Use a stamp set you dislike or never found the right thing to use it for.

This "kid-like" drawing style is just not my style. But I think it works for a kid's card.

D: New Love. Everything you use has to be new within the past 2 months (doesn't have to include cardstock and ink as new though). This is my other fav. of the night. 

The only thing I'm upset about is the It's a Girl stamp. It has a little chip out by the "R". No wonder it was on sale for 2 bucks!

E: One true Love. aka. Monocromatic card with one neutral (white in my case)

Took one of those sparkle hearts and covered it with my blue sparkle. I don't have any punches or plain star paper, so I improvised!

F: Two hearts beat as one. Eh. It's alright. I didn't do the split technique exactly though.

I do love this stamp. I just wish I had a slightly bigger circle punch for it.

G: (last one!) As You Wish. Based on a quote of our choice from Princess Bride. Mine I chose was this said by the Grandpa:

"Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. The End."

  

So my logic behind this was, the 5 black and white hearts are the 5 "pure" kisses. The red popup heart is the one that left them all behind. :) I hope that works. That was the best I could come up with. Also, the colors were chosen since they were my hubby and I's wedding colors. The dot ribbon I actually used in the wedding at the tables, on the invitations and such (I had LOADS extra of that ribbon leftover) so it was me paying respects to my personal love as well.

If you want to see the supplies list, check out the cards on my SCS gallery. It is almost 4 am here, and I don't feel like putting them all up. 

Also, reminder, Sunday is my card post on Fun-Frilled! Make sure you check it out, and I hope you all have been working on your challenge so you can win some fun loot! Have fun all!

Nighty night and happy dreams of crafts!

-M

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Birthday card and such

So today I was sick. So sick in fact, that I stayed home from work. Now this NEVER happens to me. I usually am well enough or tell myself I am well enough to just deal with whatever I have and go to work. This morning however, I spent all morning basically in the bathroom with a stomach ache that wouldn't go away. I drank 3 bottles of water and ate some crackers in hopes it would flush out whatever "badness" was in my system. I then went back to bed. I woke up an hour later, read some Harry Potter (I'm trying to finish book 6 before the movie comes out) and after that another power nap. I woke up eventually and felt not 100% good, but better. 

I then decided to make some cards in hopes that it would calm my head and stomach. I got my Fun-Frilled card already done for next week (my goal is to be always a week ahead, so I don't stress about it).  It was a tough challenge, since I don't have much for the theme, but I think it will do.

Among the cards I made, I created the following birthday card for my step-dad. Seeing as his birthday is Thursday (exactly a week before mine, which is Feb. 26th) I thought I should try to get it out. It won't be sent out till tomorrow, but at least he'll hopefully get it in the general time frame of his birthday. I also made another card, which technically can go with next week's Fun-Frilled theme (besides the one I made specifically for the theme), so I'll wait to post that till sometime next week. I also made one card, which I think is hideous, and therefore not even worthy of giving to anyone I like or even posting here. Only the good stuff is worthy of blogging. :)

The fun part about the birthday card, is it is a punchout kind of card. I haven't made any of these kind before, so it was fun. I know the bling, sparkle and scallop are really not "manly" but hey, guys can have bling too! lol... I know it looks simple, but it was a challenge to get all it to line up and things to work inside and out.

Hope you all are having a great day/night (whenever you read this). Make sure you check out Fun-Frilled everyday for a new take on the daily theme, and I hope you all can join in on the challenge. Especially since there is some blog candy for it this week there!

Enjoy the card!

Celebrate!

'cuz its Your Birthday!

I getting better at stamping these puppies!

These turned out great, and they took very little effort!

Happy Birthday on the inside! kinda like, Surprise! Happy Birthday!

- marvey 2 in circle punch

- gold and white paper by Paper Reflections

- designer green paper on inside of card: K&Company Berry Sweet 4x6 mat paper

- stars: Holiday cheer foam stars from Michael's

- fiscars scallop punch

- Darico self-stick gems

- stamps and ribbon??

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Valentine's Day eve & KWerner's color Challenge #41

This has become on of my favs. This is for KWerner's Color Inspiration #41

I love "levels" of stuff on cards.

I am giving this to my hubby for V-day. Shhh...don't tell him. He is banned from reading my blog till tomorrow. :)

Can you believe I got this cute popup heart in Target's $1 bin?

I couldn't resist a little stickle sparkle.

So this is my last V-day cards till next year. They are also for KWerner's color inspiration challenge #41. I was glad to use colors I am comfortable using, since after all, these were basically my wedding colors (minus the gray). 

I had a lot of fun with these. I tried not to look at any samples of other's cards and no sketches, these were just me, being random. My hubby has my valentine's day present locked in the spare bedroom, so I can't make anymore cards tonight. We're going to the ballet tomorrow early afternoon downtown, so I'm excited. Finally a V-day that we're not hours away from each other or having to work.

Hope you all enjoyed the cards! Also, another plug for Fun-Frilled. Check out Fun-Frilled, and starting Monday the real fun begins. I've also been told there will be a giveaway, so CHECK THEM OUT! Join in the fun at Fun-Frilled and get some blog candy! Have fun all!

Here's the supplies:

Love U card:

- floral paper: Making Memories Love Story red dot floral

- Michael's Made with Love felt heart

- Studio G flowers and love stamp, in ColorBox black ink

- Flowers colored in with markers by Kuretake winter collection

- U from Target's $1 scrapbooking collection alphabets

- scallop punch by Fiscars

I heart U card:

- Heart paper by Chatter box's pink on Red designer paper

- Technique Tuesday's holiday borderline, in ColorBox black ink

- Heart popup from Target's $1 scrapbooking collection

- I heart you stamp by studio G in ColorBox black ink

- heart filled in with X-mas Red stickles

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Great news; surprise revealed!

Ok, now for the great news of my surprise you've all been waiting for! Yay!

Ok, so I have been asked to be part of the design team for a new card challenge site called 'Fun-Frilled'. This is making me SOOOOOOO excited! I have only really been doing cards/papercrafts for a short time, and already I am truly addicted.  Today was the official announcement/start on the site. The first week's challenge starts on Monday, February 16 with one of the designers showing off their take on the challenge each day. Each week is a new theme, and each day of the week will feature a card by each designer on "their day." My first card will be featured starting on Sunday February 22! Sundays will be "me" day on Fun-Frilled. So, make sure to check it out (not just on my day but everyday!).  Mark your calendars for Monday Feb. 16th, and make sure to check out who's on the design team with me at Fun-Frilled.

On that note, I am heading to bed early. I haven't been sleeping well at all this week and I am swamped at the paper these days, so I think I earned some good long sleep. 

Check out Fun-Frilled and support me! This is such a big thing for me, and I want everyone to come and share it with me and the rest of the design team!

Woooooooo!

Nighty night.

-M

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Trying to change things up a bit

Another quick post.
I've been playing around with some html on my blog. I found this nice site that helps you if you want to take a blogger template and change/tweek certain things. (You will now see I changed the background image to my blog.) I'm in the process of tweeking things with it. I want to make custom headers for the sidebar sections too someday. Right now, I am content with what I have, though come certain holidays, if I feel real ambicious, I might change the blog to be festive. (can't count on anything for certain, you never know when I feel like being lazy.) I'm not 100% sure if I like the current background, but I thought it matched the "old paper" look I have going.

"The surprise news" is building over here. Can't wait to tell you all about it. No, I am not pregnant. No I am not moving to a distant land. I'll give you a hint, it has to do with the internet and paper crafts. That's all the clues I'll give you, since I promised I would be secret.

Anyways, tonight I thought I would play around with some html, since I need to brush up on it. With the way the economy is right now, everyday I am afraid that I'm going to be kicked to the curb because of our company's financal situation (or my hubby's company too). All I know is I need to be prepared for the worst. If I keep with my web experience, I just might stay alive in this job market. *sigh* I am praying that things turn around these days and that the newspapers here don't die away. "Oh crystal ball, magic ball, in the future will there be such a thing as a newspaper at all?"

Chin up and smile on, we will all get through. If anyone has ideas on good html/web design stuff (I currently know photoshop, illustrator, inDesign, Quark, a little bit of Flash and a hint of html) to get me going. My goal is to create a new website for my parent's business (I think their current website is...well...terrible.), but right now I don't even know where to begin when it comes to the code. I can crank out a great layout in Photoshop, but then I get stuck after that since I don't have any programs like Dreamweaver. Let me know if any of you know of good tutorials, books, etc. or even have ideas that I can try out to demo. :)

I know this really doesn't have a whole lot to do with papercrafts or crafts in general, but blogging buddies sometimes know certain ins and outs in the internet world.

Night all to you and dream of good days.(Or morning...it is 3am-ish here)
-M

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Surprises and cats

Just a quick hello. Sorry no card posting today, been very busy. Instead I'll leave you with a photo later in the post.

As far as the weight loss update, you'll see that I have now lost a total of 10.2 lbs since the beginning of January. It has been roughly 5 weeks since I started, so I am glad I have lost that much thus far. My Battle of the Bulge swap truly has helped me to keep with my diet and exercise, though I really want to eat bad at every turn.

This weekend had its ups and downs. On Friday I got some really AWESOME news, which will remain a secret for now- when it is all ready to go, then I'll make a big deal about it on here. This in turn gave me this somewhat high during that day. It even kept me positive after stopping by the going-out-of-business sale at the Cropping Station that was my local family-run scrapbook, etc. store. I am sad to see it close, since now the closest scrapboook, etc. small business to me is in Quakertown or New Hope- both are close to an hour or 45 minutes away. I have a Michael's and an A.C. Moore about 20 to 30 minutes away, but its just not the same.

 I then wandered over to Michael's- which my hubby told me NOT to do. Of course they were having a sale, and you know how I am with sales. So I spent money there. After an emotional-filled yesterday of telling why I was afraid to tell him I stopped at Michael's and the fact that I think I have a Sale-addition, I vowed to not shop for a while. And I hope to keep with it. Over the weekend, we are going to have to stop at Michael's to try to return a broken punch they sold me (damn you!) but I told him that he needed to accompany me there, or else I was screwed with my vow of no shopping. *sigh*

Because of my happy secret I first mentioned, I spent my Saturday evening and Sunday morning working on the project (if it hadn't been for our friends stopping over on Saturday night, I probably would of got it done then. :) )

So this weekend has had its great ups and downs, but I guess that is life. I am so excited for my secret news, so once I can talk about it, I will probably be typing in giganto bold letters. :)

Hope everyone is having an awesome Monday (if there is such a thing as a good Monday...haha). 

I shall leave you now with a few cute picture of my beloved feline friend.

-M

Our cat C.J. likes to sleep/lay in weird spots. This is his favorite when we are on the computer. He lays on the couch, then rests his head on the computer table (an old kitchen table that has both my hubby and I's computers on it).

This always seems to me that it would be uncomfortable. (I know I know, our furniture is hideous, as well as our decorating. I blame the hubby for his ugly man couches and nailing (yes nailing) our posters to the wall. We have concrete walls, so you can't use push pins.

However, the cat's idea must be, "You see me, now pet me please!" :)

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