Monday, March 02, 2026

Ch. #139--Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of: Crafting by the Numbers—Lucky #3: Use 3 Gems on Your Project

 Badge for Monthly Challenge
 
Hello everyone and welcome to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog! It is the first Monday of the month and it is time for our latest challenge to begin! We hope that you and your families continue to stay healthy and safe out there. 
 
Since we are not your typical challenge blog, it is important for you to understand how things work in order to be sure you are eligible to win any of the prizes offered. If you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and you can find out all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details' tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog). For your convenience, a summary of the most important rules can also be found in the right sidebar under the heading 'General Rules'.
 
Right now, it is time to get down to the business of our latest challenge. Here is what you need to know...

 

Challenge #139

Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of 

Crafting by the Numbers

Lucky #3: Use 3 Gems on Your Project 

The Path of Positivity turns 13 this year! While the number 13 has long carried a reputation for being unlucky, we’re choosing to embrace it as a symbol of growth, perseverance, and creative courage. After all, 13 years of inspiration, kindness, and community feels pretty lucky to us. Since this year marks an important number for us, we've decided that NUMBERS should be the overall focus in our theme for 2026 (click here if you'd like to read more in depth about our overall theme for 2026)!

Throughout the year, our monthly challenges will be inspired by specific numbers. Whether numbers speak to you mathematically, symbolically, spiritually, or simply as a design prompt, we hope this theme invites you to think a little differently, stretch your imagination, and—most of all—have fun. Let’s make this a year where numbers truly count.
 
Our twist this month is all about the NUMBER THREE. Across cultures and traditions, the number three represents harmony, perfection, completeness, creativity, and divine presence. 
 
The number three has a thoughtful relationship to creativity, often serving as the foundation for artistic expression across various mediums. It is known for both inspiring people in an artistic manner as well as aiding in the capacity of self-expression. It encourages us to embrace individuality and then to go on and share it with the world. It forms the backbone of narration and art. 
 
In the world of storytelling, there are generally three main parts—a beginning, a middle, and an end. This three-act construction is a key staple in both theatre and film. It provides a clear structure for narrative advancement and emotional investment. The beginning introduces the elements of the anecdote, the middle develops tension, but it is the ending of the story that resolves it creatively. 
 
Folklore and mythology are filled with examples of the number three. There are often three tasks to perform as demonstrated in "The Three Little Pigs". The motif of three siblings who all display different qualities or roles is evidenced in the Russian Fairy tale, "The Three Brothers" and the Native American folk tale, "The Three Sisters". The motif of three wishes is common in stories involving magical beings like genies, fairies, or other supernatural creatures. Often, the three wishes come with a lesson or consequence, showing the value of wisdom in making decisions. This concept is manifested in The Arabian Nights tale, "Aladin", as well as in The Grimm's Brothers fairy tale, "The Fisherman and His Wife." These are just a few examples how threes turn up. There are many others as they are often used to convey significant themes like metamorphosis, harmony, and the completion of a cycle, thus making it an effective instrument in both storytelling and symbolic traditions across various cultures.
 
When we look at art, the concept of joining two contrasting ideas will often generate a third, new and original concept. For ex., combining a classical technique with some modern interpretations will often result in a creative, contemporary reinterpretation. In colour theory, the three primary colours—red, blue, and yellow—form the fundamental components of artistic creation, contributing a simple yet compelling palette from which boundless hues can materialize.
 
Similarly, the "rule of three" is a powerful rhetorical device, famously discussed by thinkers like Aristotle, where ideas are grouped in threes to make them more noteworthy, influential, or monumental. Examples include expressions such as: "Friends, Romans, countrymen"; "Blood, Sweat, and Tears"; "Stop, Look, and Listen"; "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"; "Mind, Body and Spirit"; and finally, "Past, Present and Future". The rhythm and sense of completeness created by three elements resound deeply with human understanding, making it a lasting tool in the art of communication and creation.
 
Across spiritual systems, the number three is often considered a holy number, symbolizing the divine trinity found in multiple spiritual teachings. In Christianity, it represents the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is often seen as a symbol of divine completeness and perfection. In Judaism there are the Three Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. In the Hindu tradition, there is the Trimurti which consists of: Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver), and Shiva (Destroyer). This triad represents cosmic creation, preservation and destruction. There is also the Osiris Triad from Ancient Egypt consisting of: Osiris, Isis and Horus. This particular triad represents kingship, resurrection and divine lineage. Finally, there is the Capitoline/Indo-European Sky Triad from the Roman religion consisting of: Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. It is said that they worshipped together on the Capitoline Hill in Rome. Together, these recurring triads across divergent cultures and time periods in our history feature how the number three has routinely served as a compelling symbol of unity, balance, and the dynamic forces believed to govern both the cosmos and human existence.
 
As demonstrated, three frequently symbolizes completeness and harmony, appearing in everyday patterns like beginning, middle, and end. Across cultures, it is often seen as a number of creativity, stability, and meaningful connection. In the next step in our creative journey of crafting by the numberssimply add three gems to your project. We're keeping the twist simple and fun. By incorporating three gems into your project this month, you can explore how small groupings create visual balance and add a sense of intention to your project. Whether subtle or bold, let those three little details bring balance and sparkle to your design.

Remember, the twist is completely optional and you don't need to follow it in order to win. However, in order to be considered eligible for this month's goodies, remember that general types of projects/posts will not qualify for the honours and prize UNLESS they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Additionally, even if a project may qualify as positive, if your post promotes negativity, hatred or anything of an abhorrent nature, your project will be disqualified. Honours and Prize include:

  • $6 worth of images from Scribbles Designs, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
  • A badge for the following honours: Top Pick, Most Inspirational, Random Winner, DT Delight.
 
References:
Aristotle, 2013. Rhetoric. [online] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rhetoric-Philosophy [Accessed 28 February 2026].
Astrolink (n.d.) Number 3 in numerology. Available at: https://www.astrolink.com/en/article/number-3-numerology (Accessed: 27 February 2026).
BibleStudy.org (n.d.) Meaning of Numbers in the Bible: The Number 3. Available at: https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/3.html (Accessed: 27 February 2026). 
Baker, H. (2015). The Significance of the Number Three in Folklore. Folklore Journal. Available at: https://www.folklorejournal.com/number-three (Accessed: 28 February 2026).
Cicero, M.T., 2002. On the Orator. [online] Available at: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8884 [Accessed 28 February 2026]. 
Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024) Capitoline Triad. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Capitoline-Triad (Accessed: 28 February 2026).
Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024) Osiris. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Osiris-Egyptian-god (Accessed: 28 February 2026).
Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024) Trimurti. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Trimurti (Accessed: 28 February 2026).
Enotalone
(n.d.) The symbolism of the number 3 explained. Available at: https://www.enotalone.com/article/religion-and-spirituality/the-symbolism-of-the-number-3-explained-r17146/ (Accessed: 27 February 2026).
Field, S., 2005. Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. [online] Available at: https://www.screenwriting.info [Accessed 28 February 2026]. 
Harris, P. (2017). Magic and Morality in Folklore: The Three Wishes. Folklore Traditions. Available at: https://www.folkloretraditions.com/magic-three-wishes (Accessed: 28 February 2026).
Inspyria (2024) The Symbolic Meaning of Number 3. Available at: https://inspyria.com/en/retreat-culture-blog/the-symbolic-meaning-of-number-3 (Accessed: 27 February 2026).
Kabbalistic Numerology (n.d.) Number 3 meaning. Available at: https://kabbalisticnumerology.org/numbers/number-3/ (Accessed: 27 February 2026).
Spirituality Shepherd (n.d.) Spiritual meaning of number 3. Available at: https://spiritualityshepherd.com/spiritual-meaning-of-number-3/ (Accessed: 27 February 2026).
Pollock, J., 2017. The Rule of Three: Why We’re Wired to Love Triads. [online] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com [Accessed 28 February 2026].
Reiser, M., 2020. The Three Primary Colors: How They Create Every Color You See. [online] Available at: https://www.coloradocollege.edu [Accessed 28 February 2026].
Smith, M. (2012). The Symbolism of the Number Three in Fairy Tales. Folklore Online. Available at: https://www.folkloreonline.org/symbolism-three (Accessed: 28 February 2026).
Wisdom of the Spirit (n.d.) Spiritual meanings of the number 3. Available at: https://wisdomofthespirit.com/spiritual-meanings-of-the-number-3/ (Accessed: 27 February 2026). 
WNO (2019) Three is The Magic Number, Wales National Opera. Available at: https://wno.org.uk/news/three-is-the-magic-number (Accessed: 27 February 2026).
World Numerology (n.d.) Numerology Meaning of Number 3. Available at: https://www.worldnumerology.com/numerology-single-digit-numbers/numerology-meaning-of-3/ (Accessed: 27 February 2026). 
 
Chat GPT was used to help me polish some elements of writing and to also format my references. 
decorative border of footprints
 
Now check out what my awesome design team came up with to inspire you. Clicking on each team member's name will take you to their blog where you can check out the details for their inspirational creations.

 
http://scrappyhorses.blogspot.ca
framed image of Katrina's creation

 
 
 framed image of Kathy's creation

My incredible design team never fails to impress me. Each member brings a distinct perspective and a keen understanding of the theme. Even now, I am continually amazed by the depth of talent reflected in their creations. Each of these imaginative pieces has beautifully embodied the idea of Crafting by Numbers—Lucky #3: Use 3 Gems on Your Project, and I hope they have encouraged you to begin your own creative journey.

So what are you waiting for? Create a project and/or post that is positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature and join our link up. How about stretching yourself by also opting to follow the twist?! While it isn't mandatory, we'd also love to find out how this month's twist affects your own life. How are you influenced by numbers? Do you rely on any spiritual or cultural interpretations to help you process the various ways that number influence your life? As it is the third month of the year, we are continuing our Crafting by Numbers journey with the number THREE. As such, this month it is time to use three different gemstones on your project. If you want to share your process on how you decided your project, you can write a sentence or two in the body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on this post if you'd like. Finally, remember that we're trying to create a Path of Positivity so if you have some time, please visit other people participating throughout the month. 

Please join us again next week when we will [hopefully] post the Top Picks for Challenge #138. Then, be sure to join us again on March 16th when we'll be back with our midway featuring more great projects. 
 
If you ever have any questions be sure to send an email to decossesdynamitedoodles {at} yahoo {dot} ca (don't forget to replace {at} and {dot} with the appropriate symbols), or just leave me a comment.

We look forward to seeing you participate!

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Link Up Below:
If you have any problems linking up, please be sure to let me know by leaving a comment on this post.

Ch. #139--Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of Crafting by the Numbers
Lucky #3: Use 3 Gems on Your Project 
This is the place to link up something that you have created during the month that you consider positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Entries for this challenge will be accepted from March 2nd until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on April 5th, 2026

SEVEN entries MAX. Please click on the 'Challenge Details' tab located at the top of the blog to see all the rules. A summary of the most important rules can also be found in the right sidebar under the heading 'General Rules'. If you would like to be a Guest Designer in a future challenge, please add the letters GDT after your name.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Winners & Design Team Delights for Challenge #137 (January)

Badge for Monthly Challenge

Hello to all our wonderful crafting friends! I hope that you all continue to stay safe & healthy out there in whichever corner of the world you are located! 

Right now, it is time to present the winners for Challenge #137 (Anything Goes with the Opt. Twist: Crafting by the Numbers—First Time: Create a NEW Project). First we'll share the names of the Most Inspirational and the Random Winner and then we'll move on to showcasing our DT Delights. Who are all the lucky peeps? Well, let's find out.

Without further ado, here are the choices...


Drum roll, please....
 🥁🥁🥁 BBBbbbrrrrrrrrr pish 🥁🥁🥁
 
 In the category of Most Inspiring, our winner is...


Arnoldo, you are entitled to a lovely, one of a kind personalized badge for your blog as the Most Inspiring choice for Challenge #137 which you can find below...  
 
Most Inspiring Choice Badge
 
decorative border of footprints
The Random Winner for this challenge (chosen by Random.org), 
based on all eligible participants is…

Michelle, you have won $6 worth of images or sentiments (digital paper packs not included) from Scribbles Designs, our on-going sponsor providing a prize for the project chosen as a Random Winner for each of our challenges in 2026.

http://buyscribblesdesigns.blogspot.ca/
 
Michelle, you are also entitled to a neat and unique personalized badge for your blog as the Random Winner for Challenge #137 which you can find below...  
 
Random Winner Badge
 
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Big Congrats to...

arnoldo & michelle

If you are our random prize winner for this challenge, please send your message to popwinners {at} gmail {dot} com (be sure to replace 'at' and 'dot' with the appropriate symbols), with the subject heading, "RANDOM WINNER PoP Challenge #137" to make arrangements to receive your prize. Please note that I am rather behind these days so it may take me a while to get back to you but I promise I will. I am currently caught up with the mail received in this account.

decorative border of footprints
Now it is time to announce our DT Delights from this challenge. Thanks to the people who took the time to join along our Path during the month of January for Challenge #137. We had a total of 27 entries. Check out the ones that really caught our attention...

Kelly--chosen by Katrina…  
 
framed image of DT Delight Choice #1

Katrina said this:
"My DT Delight is Kelly (#16). The beautiful colors in this card caught my eye immediately! I also love the idea of using the same stamp every month to explore different creative ideas and mediums. I look forward to seeing more!"
 
decorative border of footprints

Becca--chosen by Kathy…

framed image of DT Delight Choice #2

Kathy had this to say:
"My DT Delight is Becca (#06). I love cards that include details, and Becca's anniversary card has lots of details that I love: patterns, textures, a favorite bible verse, and a lovely “home” embellishment. But my favorite detail is the wonderful little row of houses dancing across the middle of the card. I love them!"
 
 
decorative border of footprints

Creative Congratulations to you all!


Thank you to those who played on our Pathway during the month of January. As always we greatly appreciate you sharing your incredible talents with us.

For our DT Delights chosen for this challenge...

Kelly and Becca
 
You are entitled to the special Challenge #137 DT Delight Badge which you can find below...

DT Delight Badge
 
Well, that is it for this one. Please join us again on March 2nd (as long as everything goes according to plan), when we will be back with our newest challenge.

Do your best to continue stay safe, healthy and positive out there in your daily life and hopefully we'll see you all again soon!!!

Until next time,

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Monday, February 16, 2026

Challenge #138--Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of: Crafting by the Numbers—Dynamic Duo: Create 2 Matching Projects…Midway

Badge for Monthly Challenge
 
Hey folks! Welcome back to the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog! It is the third Monday of the month and that means that it is time to present the midway for Challenge #138. It is my fond hope that each of you and your own families continue to stay happy, safe, and well, wherever it is you live in this big wide world of ours. 

As we are a unique kind of challenge blog, it is important for you to understand how things work. Please be sure to check out the START POST FOUND HERE for the specific details related to this month's challenge, and you can find out all the general details you need to know in order to participate, by clicking on the 'Challenge Details' tab (located at the top of the blog). For your convenience, a summary of the most important rules can now be found in the right sidebar under the heading 'General Rules'.
 
Right now, it is time to continue with our midway. Here is a refresher of the details for our current twist:
 

 

Challenge #138

Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of 

Crafting by the Numbers

Dynamic Duo: Create 2 Matching Projects

 
The Path of Positivity turns 13 this year! While the number 13 has long carried a reputation for being unlucky, we’re choosing to embrace it as a symbol of growth, perseverance, and creative courage. After all, 13 years of inspiration, kindness, and community feels pretty lucky to us. Since this year marks an important number for us, we've decided that NUMBERS should be the overall focus in our theme for 2026 (click here if you'd like to read more in depth about our overall theme for 2026)!

Throughout the year, our monthly card challenges will be inspired by specific numbers. Whether numbers speak to you mathematically, symbolically, spiritually, or simply as a design prompt, we hope this theme invites you to think a little differently, stretch your imagination, and—most of all—have fun. Let’s make this a year where numbers truly count!
 
Our twist this month is all about the NUMBER TWO. Across cultures and traditions, the number two represents duality, balance, and partnership. It also reminds us of cooperation and harmony. 
 
Duality is responsible for balance in the universe--the idea that everything exists with an opposite. For ex., light and dark; mind and body; love and hate; positivity and negativity. Without all these different opposing forces, nothing would have any relative value to us. One needs to go through sadness in order to truly understand the value of happiness. One needs to be exposed to cold to appreciate the comfort of warmth. If we were only to ever experience one side of an opposing force, our existence would be rather monotonous. However, it is important to understand that duality suggests that all of these opposite forces are not actually battling each other. Instead, they are interconnected and complementary. They cannot exist without each other. In many spiritual traditions, the concept of yin and yang captures this beautifully, with the number two reflecting the harmony of complementary forces. Judaism teaches us that humans have the ability to choose between good and evil. Hinduism also embraces the symbolic expressions of duality as complementary forces. In the Qurʾān, the concept of mīzān (the Arabic word for balance/scale) covers this concept. Duality can be a powerful tool for personal growth. When we understand that these opposing forces are actually two sides of the same coin, we gain insight into the fact that these concepts are interconnected with our lives and the world around us.
 
The number two also reflects the idea of companionship, partnership and cooperation. In order to come together to form a valid connection, at least two people must be present. A minimum of two sides are needed to collaborate, to have a meaningful rapport or exchange or to provide mutual support. In Christianity, the idea of coming together to connect and gather have theological connotations. In the old testament, two or three people had to come together in order to convict someone of a crime or sin (1 Timothy 5:19). In the New Testament, Matthew 18:20 states, "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I with them". This is often interpreted as the presence of Christ in community and Christian fellowship. Iconic duos throughout history have demonstrated how the power of two can lead to greater accomplishments than any one individual person might achieve.
  
In the next step in our creative journey of crafting by the numberswe explore the concept of being interconnected and complementary by celebrating the beauty of things that go together. Whether it’s a card and envelope, a bag with a matching tag, or two other coordinating projects, let this challenge inspire you to create a perfectly paired duo.
 
Remember, the twist is completely optional and you don't need to follow it in order to win. However, in order to be considered eligible for this month's goodies, remember that general types of projects/posts will not qualify for the honours and prize UNLESS they are also
  • $6 worth of images from Scribbles Designs, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
  • A badge for the following honours: Top Pick, Most Inspirational, Random Winner, DT Delight.
  
References:
Dinis, R. (n.d.) Hidden duality: the elephant in the room of business psychology. LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hidden-duality-elephant-room-business-psychology-ricardo-dinis-p6etf (Accessed: 3 February 2026).
Furkhan, H. (n.d.) Metaphysics, duality & entropy: a path to personal growth. LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/metaphysics-duality-entropy-path-personal-growth-furkhan--htorc (Accessed: 3 February 2026).
rshi3620 (2020) The power of two: exploring the significance of the number 2. Medium, 27 January. Available at: https://medium.com/@rshi3620/the-power-of-two-exploring-the-significance-of-the-number-2-e0cf315710ed (Accessed: 3 February 2026).
The Holy Bible, New International Version (2011) Matthew 18:20. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Topical Bible Studies (n.d.) Where two or three are gathered. Available at: https://www.topicalbiblestudies.com (Accessed: 20 January 2026).  
Unknown. BibleStudy.org (n.d.) Meaning of the number 2 in the Bible. BibleStudy.org. Available at: https://www.biblestudy.org/bibleref/meaning-of-numbers-in-bible/2.html (Accessed: 3 February 2026).
Unknown. HighExistence (n.d.) The nature of duality. HighExistence. Available at: https://www.highexistence.com/the-nature-of-duality/ (Accessed: 3 February 2026).LeadingInContext.com (2019) What is duality? Leading in Context, 6 November. Available at: https://leadingincontext.com/2019/11/06/what-is-duality/ (Accessed: 3 February 2026). 
Unknown. LIVE YOUR LIFE ON PURPOSE (2021) How to leverage the paradox of duality to add more meaning and efficiency to life. Medium, 6 August. Available at: https://medium.com/live-your-life-on-purpose/how-to-leverage-the-paradox-of-duality-to-add-more-meaning-and-efficiency-to-life-59e3830a0b2d (Accessed: 3 February 2026).
Wikipedia (n.d.) Ardhanarishvara. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanarishvara (Accessed: 3 February 2026). 
Wikipedia (n.d.) Mizan. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizan (Accessed: 20 January 2026). 
Wikipedia (n.d.) Yetzer hara. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yetzer_hara (Accessed: 20 January 2026).
Wisdom Library (n.d.) Duality and balance in philosophy. Available at: https://www.wisdomlib.org (Accessed: 20 January 2026).
decorative border of footprints
To help inspire you further down the path of Crafting by the Numbers—Dynamic Duo: Create 2 Matching Projects, check out the wonderful projects my Design Team had the opportunity to create. Clicking on each team member's name will take you to their blog where you can check out the details for their inspirational creations.


http://scrappyhorses.blogspot.ca
 framed image of Katrina's creation

 
 

framed image of Kathy's creation

framed image of another of Kathy's creations

Thanks again to my remarkable design team! As always, each member brings a distinctive creative perspective that I deeply admire. Every one of these designs captures the theme Crafting by the Numbers—Dynamic Duo: Create 2 Matching Projects beautifully, and I hope they’ve inspired you throughout this challenge to create a handmade project of your own. Be sure to visit these talented ladies to see how thoughtfully their projects incorporate the twist.
 
Why not join us, if you haven't entered already? Create a project and/or post that is positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature and join our link up. How about stretching yourself by also opting to follow the twist?! How are you influenced by numbers? Do you rely on any spiritual or cultural interpretations to help you process the various ways that number influence your life? As it is the second month of the year, we are up to number TWO in our Crafting by Numbers journey. As such, this month it is time to create a matching project.  Be sure to check above for some specific ideas if you aren't sure how to get started. If you want to share your process on how you decided your project, you can write a sentence or two in the body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on this post if you'd like.

Also, I know that the participants would love for you to go and pay them a visit. Remember we're creating a Path of Positivity to follow one project at a time and we'd love to see you somewhere on that route even if it is just by leaving a comment on an entry from someone who has touched you somehow with their project and/or post! You can find our list of participants and enter our latest challenge yourself by clicking HERE and scrolling down to the bottom of the post.

 
GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY…
Please show your support to our wonderful sponsor, Scribbles Designs, by going over and checking out their work and saying hi if you have the chance. You may also just find an image or two to add your your collection!

http://buyscribblesdesigns.blogspot.ca/
Thank you so much to this awesome Canadian company for their
continued support of this challenge blog!



Don't Forget...

Winners for challenge #137 will be posted next Monday if everything goes according to plan. You can find the Top Picks post HERE.
 
If you ever have any questions be sure to leave me a comment.
 


 
 
We look forward to seeing you participate!

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