Honey, does this microphone make my bottom sound big?

If you are looking for a way to make your bottom bigger and your top end a little less bright, the new Cloud Microphones JRS-34 may be just what you are looking for.

It's going to surprise you.

Review of the Cloud JRS-34 Ribbon Microphone

By Greg Phelps

I have always wanted to try out a ribbon microphone. Noting the JRS-34 came out as a brand new creation from Stephan Sank and company, I jumped on the opportunity.

Look out smooth and fat... here I come.

Ribbons are typically quite dark and that's one of the reasons you really don't see that many in the voice over world. Some of them actually just sound really great... as is the case with Cloud's new JRS-34.

A Little History Direct From Cloud's Website:

We make 'em like they used to.

The story begins in the 1930's at RCA* with Harry Olson developing the 44 and 77 series ribbon microphones. Mr. Olson was followed in his post by engineer Jon R. Sank, for whom the JRS-34 is named. He was charged by RCA with improving on Harry's best mics. He did just that with the BK-11, a direct descendant of the 44 series. It's been an inside audio secret for many years among top engineers that the BK-11 is the most advanced ribbon microphone in the world. Jon Sank passed away in 1998, but before he died he passed more than 50 years of skill and technology to his son, Stephen Sank. Trained by his father beginning at age 10, Stephen's studies continued to build upon lessons learned from the original RCA Laboratory Studies. Today, Stephen and his wife Cynthia continue the family tradition of developing quality hand crafted ribbon microphones in collaboration with Cloud Microphones. With modern appointments such as Cinemag transformers, neodymium magnets and an optional phantom powered JFET circuit, the Cloud JRS-34 takes the next evolutionary step in the immortal BK-11 / 44 series microphone design line. All Cloud products are completely built in the USA.

The JRS-34 Experience!

The JRS-34 is a true beauty. It is all chrome and surprisingly light weight for its size. It comes in both an active, requiring phantom power of 48volts, and a passive version.
The active version is very nice for us folks who don't have a preamp that goes to 11. (yes it's a Spinal Tap reference) Typically a ribbon requires quite a bit of gain but the active circuitry makes the Cloud ribbon usable on most any preamp.

The sound of this mic is like putting on a nice warm blanket and cuddling up to a fire on a cold day. In my opinion, too many of today's microphones are cold and bright. Cloud has succeeded in building a microphone that is not too bright and not too dark. It's also very smooth. The JRS-34 is also a very quiet microphone. All in all a very nice package.

I put the JRS-34 through about every kind of read you can think of. It's not perfect for everything. You can clip it and it's not one I would suggest for those screamer ads but it works great for long form and for commercial work but only if you want your work to sound fabulous.

The thing I found most interesting about this microphone is that adjusting it's sound can be done by moving it closer or farther away. Once you dial it in....you get a very rich and creamy sound while still being able to hear the upper ranges very easily. This ribbon mic will give you everything you can ask for in a mic except that overly bright sound we have all heard and have begun to loathe. If you want proximity effect, the JRS-34 will give you all you could ever want. Pull it back some, and it will give you a nice big bottom and still offer you some wonderful clarity through the mid and upper bands. The JRS-34 is one for the mic locker without a doubt. I highly recommend trying one out... be warned however, you will want one.

Take a listen for yourself. Here is a little sample of what the JRS-34 sounds like with both a male (Greg Phelps) and a female, (Diane Maggipinto).

Diane's Voice using the JRS-34
Greg's Voice using the JRS-34

More Information About These Files

Here is the signal chain:

EMU 1212, Mackie 1402 VLZ3, Summit Audio Everest.

Settings on the Everest were the same for both male and female voices. Input at 5.6 Drive bus at 4 and output at 6. The JRS-34 active version was used in making these files. The male voice was recorded with the JRS-34 12 inches away and the female at 8 inches away. No processing was added.

Any Comments?

If you have any thoughts about the JRS-34 mic or comments for Greg Phelps, be sure to add them and continue the conversation!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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Looking for a great present for a child with a flair for the dramatic?

Want to know the ins and outs of voice acting for kids?

Voice actress and teacher Sunday Muse's new book "You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!" is an absolute must for the aspiring voice actor in your home that educates using accessible terms that children can understand.

The book also has a special section for parents that prepares them for the business side of what their children will encounter, including a Q&A with 3 top tier voice over agents.

If there was ever a getting started in voice overs guide for kids, this is it!

Want to learn more? Enjoy this review of Sunday's book!

Free Yourself... Do Cartoon Voices!

Have you ever tried to do a cartoon voice?

Sunday Muse relates that doing cartoon voices offers the opportunity to play with all those silly little voices that live inside each one of us (you know they are in there!), emphasizing that the most important thing is to have fun!

Much like how caricatures are exaggerated representations of people depicted in drawings, Sunday reveals that each of us is capable of becoming a cartoon through self-expansion coupled with bigger facial expressions and body movements, noting that your cartoon is an exaggerated version of you.

When you make a face, your voice has a tendency to change. You can build a whole repertory of characters based upon emotion. The images, faces, fonts, and colours used in this book are perfect for youngsters and clearly communicate the energy needed to do this kind of voice over work with children of all ages, even those who may have limited attention spans.

"You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!" is full of practical instruction that can be taught to the youngest child and takes make belief up a notch to a higher level of focused creativity.

Sunday loves being able to pass along all the tools that took her years to learn, and in this book, she shares tips freely in conjunction with appearances throughout the pages by 6 great kids dubbed "The Cartoon Gang," including Shemar, Juliana, Mark, Andrea, Liam, and Zoe.

"You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!" includes:

Chapter 1 - Wake Up the Ol' Voicebox!
Chapter 2 - How to make YOUR voice a CARTOON Voice
Chapter 3 - Choose a "Cartoony" Character
Chapter 4 - Create your own story or script
Chapter 5 - Play with some scripts
Chapter 6 - Think like a professional
Chapter 7 - Put To Use What You Have Learned
Chapter 8 - What Parents Want to Know About the Industry

A Must For Your Library

Sunday stresses 3 main pointers throughout the book that are easy to remember and implement for your child. Truth be told, they are great grounders for talent of any age! You don't have to be a child to benefit from Sunday's insight or learn from her. She teaches teens as well and also instructs adults if interested.

Near the beginning of the book, Sunday explains the difference between "normal talking" and "cartoon talking," introducing children to character development through a series of questions designed to use their imaginations to create a unique voice.

An accompanying CD, complete with a personal introduction from Sunday Muse, demonstrates various techniques and examples that are best used when following along with the book. I also recommend that you use the book as an ongoing reference for warm ups and rehearsal.

When your child works through a character, guided by Sunday's outline, you'll be amazed by the transformation that occurs!

The information included in the book is excellent for immersing your child into the world of cartoon voice acting.

By following Sunday's instructions, they'll get to know more about their voice, exercise their talent, and discover their own personal reservoir of untapped creativity, experiencing fully what it is like to be a cartoon voice actor.

Sunday is the voice of Cheer Bear from the Care Bears, Baby Binky on Rolie Polie Olie, Freddi in Time Warp Trio, Pepper in Jane and the Dragon, Gibby from The Wumblers, Lara in Willa's Wildlife, and George's puppet Wally from Arthur and many more voices you might recognize from popular cartoon shows and movies.

Her students have gone on to book roles in major cartoons such as "Family Guy" on FOX, "Arthur," "Babar," "Busytown," and "Super Why" on PBS.

How Can You Get Your Copy?

Visit Sunday's website at this link to order your copy of "You Can Do Cartoon Voices, Too!":

http://sundaymuse.com/book.htm

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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Did you grow up reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Mother and actress, Gwyneth Paltrow had a great time narrating this modern classic in a collection of recordings called "Brown Bear & Friends" (Macmillan Audio 2008) penned by Bill Martin Jr. with illustrations by Eric Carle.

Brown Bear and Friends

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See, first published in 1967, began a great collaborative friendship between author Bill Martin Jr. (1916-2004) and author / illustrator, Eric Carle. Entertaining and enriching the minds of generations, three of their books, specifically, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?; and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? are included in "Brown Bear & Friends". The newest addition, Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? is also on the CD. Collectively, Martin Jr. and Carle's collaborative efforts have sold more than eleven million copies worldwide.

A GRAMMY Nominee in the category of Best Spoken Word Album for Children, the Brown Bear & Friends CD was directed and produced by Laura Wilson, with music by Kessler Media Productions, published by Macmillan Audio in 2008. Brown Bear & Friends has 11 tracks and runs for 1 hour.

Tracks 1-4 are Gwyneth Paltrow's narration, tracks 5-8 feature the Spanish translation of the books read by Adriana Sananes, Bill Martin Jr. narrates Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See on track 9, and tracks 10-11 feature an interview with Eric Carle.

Gwyneth Paltrow Voice Over Performance

Academy Award-winning actress and mother Gwyneth Paltrow, narrated the four books mentioned above with motherly tenderness. Her interpretation of Brown Bear was more relaxed and bed-time like, making safe performance choices that honored the original tale. Paltrow took more artistic liberty in subsequent tracks better exhibiting her acting skills, yielding a more exotic, imaginative performance complete with creative musical accompaniment. Paltrow differentiated her characters well while maintaining a strong narrative. I listened to this CD with my three children and they all loved the reference to the Macaroni Penguin. Another observation was that the narration for Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? was more engaging because it was about hearing not seeing, something that makes a big difference when listening to an audio recording. Polar Bear, Polar Bear, in my opinion, was for that reason the most memorable story.

Spanish Voice Talent Performance by Adriana Sananes

What a lovely surprise it was to have the stories translated into Spanish, featured as hidden tracks (5-8) on the disc, performed by voice actress Adriana Sananes. Such lively recordings! I appreciated how Adriana Sananes used her versatile voice to express a vibrant interpretation of books which translated well into Spanish. I found Sananes' elasticity, diction and mastery of her vocal range to be incomparable. Her characters were very interesting and I must say that I especially adored her Baby Bear voice. From the start, it was clear that Adriana was a trained voice actress and I'm pleased that the producer decided to go with someone of her caliber to introduce these books to the Spanish and bilingual Spanish / English listening audience.

For those interested, Teresa Mlawer provided the Spanish language translation for Bill Martin Jr.'s books. Mlawer is a widely respected translator and the president of Lectorum Publications, the largest U.S. distributor of children's books in Spanish.

Do you have any comments or thoughts you'd like to add?

Looking forward to your reply,

Stephanie

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Published by Listening Library in 2006, Dustin Hoffman breathes life into one of Dr. Seuss' most beloved stories, reminding us that "a person's a person no matter how small" as narrator of Horton Hears a Who!

Aside from Hollywood and literary celebrity status, what else made this audiobook stand out?

Learn more about what I thought of this performance here at VOX Daily.

Horton Hears A Who!

If you've ever read or watched the original version of Horton Hears A Who!, you will be sure to love this 16 minute narration performed by Hollywood actor, Dustin Hoffman. I think Dr. Seuss would approve! This recording was one of three tracks on a CD I borrowed from our local library featuring two other Seuss tales, including "Horton Hatches the Egg" narrated by Billy Crystal and "Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose" narrated by Mercedes McCambridge.

Dustin Hoffman Voice Over Performance

While listening to Dustin Hoffman's performance, I was thrilled to pinpoint three areas of immediate interest including his clear narrative, intricate character development and certain elements of post-production. I appreciated his bold, artistic choices, including giving Horton's character an endearing lisp and a slower vocal delivery. It was marvelous to hear how Hoffman was able to create distinct voices for each character role while maintaining a consistent narrative throughout. I don't think I've ever said this about post-production, but there were some particularly cute effects on the Who's voices. The voices, all belonging to Dustin Hoffman, were entertaining and touching.

If you're curious about where you can find this recording, Audible Kids carries it and you can download the Horton Hears a Who audiobook here for only $2.95.

Should you be interested more recordings, there are eleven complete Dr. Seuss stories for $13.95, "The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites" (Unabridged) featuring performances by John Cleese, Billy Crystal, Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Dustin Hoffman, John Lithgow, Walter Matthau and Mercedes McCambridge.

Additionally, nine other complete Dr. Seuss stories in "Green Eggs and Ham and Other Servings of Dr. Seuss" (Unabridged), featuring performances by Jason Alexander, Michael McKean, and David Hyde Pierce are also available.

Have you listened to Dustin Hoffman narrate this story?

Leave a comment with your thoughts!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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Who doesn't know this timeless tale by Hans Christian Andersen?

Cher narrated this beautiful children's classic in 1987, part of a series of audio recordings for children on the Windham Hill label.

Learn more about Cher's interpretation of this classic story and the ethereal music that accompanies her velvety voice.

The Ugly Duckling

First published on November 11, 1843, Andersen's The Ugly Duckling weaves a melancholy tale of prejudice, rejection, and cruelty culminating in a singular moment of redemption and belonging as the ugly duckling discovers over time that he is not an unattractive duck after all but a handsome, princely swan.

Cher's Voice Over Performance

Cher's rich contralto voice tells the tale of The Ugly Duckling with dignity and grace. Serving as narrator, and also providing voices of numerous characters, it was clear that each voice was developed and purposeful. I found the older voices she performed to be entertaining and most colorful. You could keenly feel the sorrow of the bewildered water foul. Cher did very well conveying his fellow creatures' bitterness as cold comfort in the midst of unfavorable circumstances.

Cher narrates over some exquisitely beautiful music performed by Celtic harp player and spoken word artist, Patrick Ball, including the following pieces:

1. Sheebeg Sheemore
2. Lullaby
3. The Munster Cloak
4. Ode to Whiskey
5. The Three Ravens
6. Mrs. Judge
7. Down by the Sea
8. Carolan's Ramble to Cashel

Although poignant, there are moments of hope amidst despair, particularly at the end when just as the ugly duckling has lost all will, he is adopted, praised and takes his rightful place, buoyed by a confidently triumphant narrator.

This recording is great for listening to with children during quiet time or just before bed, perhaps even on a car ride to lull littler ones to sleep.

About Cher

Cher, born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, is an American pop singer-songwriter, actor, director and record producer. She has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Any Comments?

Looking forward to hearing what you think!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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Addendum, added on Friday May 15, 2009, re: Benjamin Kurzweil's version:

Shortly after listening to Cher's work, I happened to receive a CD from Danish voice talent Benjamin Kurzweil narrating his literal interpretation from the Danish manuscript of The Ugly Duckling and was able to gain more insight into Andersen's tale.

I found Benjamin Kurzweil's version of The Ugly Duckling very enchanting. Possibly this is because of his accent and also the depth of his voice and how Benjamin chose to colour the words. Another aspect that was evident to me was how well Benjamin had researched this story and how intimately familiar with it he was.

Benjamin Kurzweil's recording of The Ugly Duckling on "Mankind, Kind Man - and Other Short Stories" is available through Apple iTunes.

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Have you watched this documentary?

Today we'll explore the voice over performance of presenter Alanis Morissette, Canadian musician and concerned environmentalist.

Global Warming : The Signs and the Science

Hosted and narrated by singer Alanis Morissette, Global Warming : The Signs and the Science (2005), takes viewers across America to meet people from every walk of life who share stories uncovering the reality of climate change. Meet fascinating scientists who work at the edge of climate change and hear about their latest findings, both unsettling and indisputable, proving that global warming is clearly about much more than "just the heat".

Alanis Morissette's Voice Over Performance

As a professional singer, Alanis Morissette has a pleasing voice and knows how to phrase, intone and amiably deliver some of the most critical information about our earth and how we can clean up the air we breathe, among other things. Alanis' empowering voice is persuasive, authoritative and engaging. Her voice makes you want to make a difference.

About Alanis Morissette

A dozen years after the breakthrough debut of Jagged Little Pill, an album which earned four Grammys, sold 30 million records and spawned a dedicated worldwide fan base, Alanis Morissette remains not only an enduringly popular artist, but one whose success stems from a fierce commitment to authenticity and, to an equal extent, vulnerability.

Have you watched Global Warming : The Signs and the Science?

If you'd like to learn more about this product, you can visit the PBS web page for Global Warming: The Signs and the Science. This documentary is available on PBS Home Video.

Looking forward to hearing what you think.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

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Are you a fan of Pixar's movie Cars?

Do you love NASCAR?

Let's take King for a test drive and see how Richard Petty does behind the mic.

Pixar Cars Shake 'N Go™ King

I confess, I was living under a rock and hadn't seen Cars until the Christmas holidays this past year (2008). After watching the movie, I decided to get King for my son because not only had he asked Santa Claus for a blue car, the film was still fresh in his mind and I happened to grow up watching televised broadcasts of races nearly every Sunday with my dad while visiting with my grandparents. Needless to say, I was more than familiar with his hero, Richard Petty, and had a special appreciation for this particular product.

Released in 2006, the Mattel Shake & Go "Cars" Racers puts the control of speed and power into kids hands, suitable for children ages 3 years and up. Mattel says that kids can act out their favorite scenes for the movie "Cars" with the 4 stylish and collectible vehicles in this assortment including the characters Doc (voiced by the late Paul Newman), Mater (voiced by Larry The Cable Guy), King, and McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson). All the cars have their own specific engine sounds and phrases that will be activated as kids SHAKE the cars to rev them up and then watch them GO!

An aside: The car can be turned off by flicking a switch for times when it is not in use. Kicking the car by accident, putting the toy away and accidentally shaking it, or trying to sneak it into your house to wrap up for your kids can also trigger engine sounds so be careful if it's meant to be a surprise!

Richard Petty Voice Over Performance

Richard Petty did very well in the movie (as did his wife, Lynda), and the Mattel Shake 'N Go King featuring Petty's voice was very authentic and will bring back memories for some and inspire others as this racing giant delivers sound encouragement through his voice. Petty recorded two lines that are triggered by shaking the car and releasing it. The voice over happens once the wheels are securely on the ground, just before the car takes off.

Petty says "You're one gutsy racer", and "You've got a lot of talent, kid!" as the car revs and prepares to zoom down your hallway.

About Richard Petty

Richard Petty, The King (b. 1937), #43, is the best-loved race car driver of the 20th century. Petty Enterprises relates, among other things, that Richard Petty achieved 200 Career NASCAR Winston Cup victories, is a 7-time Winston Cup Champion, 7 Daytona 500 victories, had 27 victories in one season (1967), and was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1997. For more information visit Richard Petty's Wikipedia listing or go to PettyEnterprises.com.

What Do You Think of the Shake 'N Go King toy?

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

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Do you remember the Curious George book series?

I fondly recall the stories written by Margret and H.A. Rey from my childhood and am pleased to share a review of this book and CD favorite narrated by Don Wescott in 2005.

Welcome to the first product review featuring voice over on VOX Daily! I hope you enjoy this new column and I look forward to hearing what you think.

One of my children received an audiobook for Christmas, and as I mentioned before, one of the first things I did upon his opening it was to check who the narrator was.

Don Wescott, a voice over professional based in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, USA, was the narrator of this wonderful product.

Now, it's time for the review!

Read-Along Fun With Curious George

Published and produced by Houghton Mifflin (August 1, 2005), this read-along book and CD faithfully narrates the first adventures of Curious George, written over 60 years ago, bringing to life the tale of a monkey plucked and ferried from his jungle home all the way across the ocean to experience urban life among humans, living like more of a child than a house pet with the Man in the Yellow Hat.

Geared for children ages 3 - 8, the read-along book / CD included music, sound effects and voice over narration, offering two tracks to choose from, one with page-turn signals for younger readers and the other without for more experienced readers.

The product is perfect for use and enjoyment during story time at home, in the car on road trips, and as an engaging tool in the classroom. Other stories are available on CD and also cassette. CD stories include Curious George's First Day of School, Curious George Goes to a Movie, and Curious George Feeds the Animals.

Don Wescott Voice Over Performance Review

The voice over was warm, used a variety of vocal range and color, and was a clear hit with pint-sized audiences, captivating their imaginations for the entire run which lasted 13 minutes and 4 seconds, quite a feat. Don Wescott's use of inflection combined with his storytelling technique was masterful and entertaining.

Narrator Biography

Don Wescott graduated from Boston University in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcasting. In addition to a successful career in broadcast radio and advertising through the sixties and early seventies, Don Wescott was the main promotional voice for PBS and narrated programs for Odyssey, American Experience, The Many Worlds of Nature, and more than 70 NOVA series shows between 1973 and 1996.

Visit Don Wescott's website for a more extensive biography.

What Do You Think of Read-Along Fun with Curious George?

You're welcome to share your thoughts about the product or narrator here by adding a comment below.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Stephanie

Curious George Product image via bibliomom.com

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While the holiday season is still upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to introduce a new column on VOX Daily that I hope will do more to encourage generosity the whole year round as well as recognize people for their work.

This new column will also do much to promote the use of voice overs and help to increase sales of products that include voice acting.

Want to know more?

It All Started With A Gift

This Christmas, while opening some presents, two of our children received audiobooks, one of which happened to be narrated by someone I know. I always check for credits on cartoons, movies, audiobooks and the like to find out who recorded the voice over, and this time I was pleasantly surprised to see Don Wescott's name listed as the reader for Curious George!

After some consideration and discussion, I arrived at the decision that a new column should be added to the VOX Daily blog, called "Reviews", where reviews of any voice over product may be filed.

Why Add Reviews?

My intention through this weekly column is to provide the voice over community with a good place to hear about what their peers are up to, a vehicle to promote great products that use voice over, and also a way to recognize voice over professionals and the companies they worked with.

There are many products that I'll be reviewing here on VOX Daily that are waiting in the wings, including a review of the Curious George read-along audiobook I mentioned earlier featuring Don Wescott.

This is just a small way that I can help to shine more light on the good work that is being done and I'd like nothing more than to share the stage with as many people and their work as possible.

How Will This Work?

That said, if your voice is being used in a commercial product such as a talking toy, an audiobook, animated film, or documentary the invitation is open to you, should you choose, to send a package to me including the product to be showcased on the blog in a future review that will include a link to where the product may be purchased as well as a link to the voice artist's website.

The products, once reviewed, will be donated on your behalf by Voices.com to a deserving charity that could put the gift to good use or to a public library.

Just to be clear, I am not relying solely upon people to send in items.

I will be reviewing products that are in my possession, borrowed items from libraries, and may also review items belonging to others, all of which must indicate the name(s) of the voice artist(s) who recorded the voice overs.

Raising Awareness and Giving Credit Where it is Due

Knowing who recorded the voice overs is key as one of the main objectives, aside from raising awareness for voice acting and products that use voice over, is also to shine the spotlight on voice artists and their performances.

Donated items sent in for review, while not expected but certainly appreciated, will be quite helpful when it comes to fulfilling my objective of giving the voice artist responsible public recognition.

If You'd Like To Donate An Item For Review, Mail To:

Attention Stephanie Ciccarelli
VOX Daily Reviews
C/O Voices.com
130-100 Collip Circle
London, Ontario Canada
N6G 4X8

Thank you!

Best wishes,

Stephanie

©iStockphoto.com/Mr_Vector

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