# Skeletal Fountain



## witcheswalk

Step 1. The Structure

You are going to want to pick some dishes, or boxes, or pots, or what have you to make the general structure of your fountain. Hot glue them all together using the dowel for support. In place of dowel you could also use PVC or any other solid cylindrical object depending on how wide you want the shaft of the fountain.

View attachment 11905

It doesn't look like much right now, but just wait!

Step 2. SIDE TRACK***

So I wanted some large bones but the dollar store didn't carry any large enough (Although I was sure I had seen them there before!) So my roommate came up with a pretty great and easy (and cheap) idea. We took childrens foam swords and cut the blade off, then using extra foam and a lot of tape we molded the ends to look like bones and then covered the entire thing in tape to make it look more like a bone and to add some stability to it.

View attachment 11906

I'll be using this idea again, it was SUPER easy!

Step 3. Glue Guns 101

This is the step where you get to start gluing on the skulls. I picked up a glue gun and a tonne of glue sticks at the dollar store so I wasn't afraid to be VERY liberal with the glue. Make sure to plan our where all of your bones and skulls are going to go in advance so you are certain they will look good and will all fit.

View attachment 11907

Starting to Glue

View attachment 11908

All the skulls glued on to the base, it's starting to look a little like the finished product!

Step 4. The Tedious Part!

Paper mache the entire project ...that is all. Look up directions on how to make the perfect mix and how to mache the project. We used two parts water one part glue and it worked out quite well. Make sure you are getting as much detail as possible, it will really pop out in the next step

View attachment 11909

After two solid hours of two people mache-ing it was done! ...now to dry.

PART 2 IN THE NEXT POST


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## witcheswalk

Step 5. TP Maché

This is a very crucial step in getting a cool texture without having to spend virtually any money! All you need to do is get a bowl of water, a paint brush and a roll of toilet paper. fill the bowl with water and dip your brush in then put the toilet paper on the project and moisten ...continue all around until you have covered your project in at least three layers of TP. This will take a while to dry but will be rock hard when it does and will give a cool effect!

View attachment 11910

Just needs to be painted now!

That is all the pictures I have for now, the project wasn't entirely dry tonight so we called it quits and will paint it tomorrow. I will post more pictures once the entire thing is done though!

Happy Haunting!

Mason


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## xrockonx911

I really like that.... nice and easy steps.... but a really cool project at the end.
Thanks for posting this.


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## blackfog

WOW witcheswalk!!! Very impressive and with easy accessible objects to use. Can't wait for more. Everytime I think I have enough to work on you all come up with something else I want to do.....the list keeps growing lol!


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## Mistress of the Abyss

Omg that looks good! Me want more more more!!


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## Terror Tom

That's looking great.


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## propboy

nice write up adn great looking prop!!!!


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## crazy xmas

Very nice work TY for the step by step!


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## phil121

Thats looking awesome can't wait to see more


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## Cortney from the coven

WOW! That is very creative! I love the idea!


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## xJane

Very cool! I love papier-macheing. I may try to conquer this. Can't wait to see the finished project.
xJ


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## Saffyre

Very cool looking! Did you mache inside the top bowl or just leave plastic showing? Will the finished item actually have water in it? Can't wait to see it painted.


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## kittyvibe

I cant wait to see more!


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## witcheswalk

No I didn't mache the inside of the bowl. I think I'm going to get one of those misting foggers to put in there ...if not it will have red water in it.


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## skullnbones

wow! I love it! I can't wait to see the final product and see where you put it! Great Job. This might be my first project, the price is right!


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## Spookilicious mama

*Awesome!! Great job!*


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## witcheswalk

As promised, here is the conclusion to my skeletal fountain project tutorial.

Step 6. Paint!

I started with a base coat of a dark grey.
View attachment 11938


Then we added lighter grey high lights. 
View attachment 11939


and lastly, when it was drive we added some moss for effect! ...and we're done!
View attachment 11940




I haven't decided what my next prop will be to build this year but I'll be sure to keep posting the new builds as I go along!


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## Effie

That's just incredible! It looks like something you might find at HomeGoods but you'd pay a LOT of $$ for there!! You're so creative! Thanks for the tutorial ~~ will be on the lookout for your next one!


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## korigirl

This is really amazing! It just looks so creepy and awesome. I really want to try this out!


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## Brimstonewitch

Very impressive. I love the creativity!


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## GiggleFairy

This is awesome! And I had a brain fart when I initially looked at this and thought the fountain looked like a floor lamp. I'm going to use your concept and whip this 'ole ugly lamp I have into a new one as well.


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## jayb

Outstanding! Wow, the TP really added a great effect, I have a few projects that are lacking that very thing, thanks!


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## TK421

*WOW!! That is so cool! If I have the time, I'm stealing that idea!*


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## Uruk-Hai

I am definitely going to give this a go but use a flame caldron I have on top instead of a fountain. Thanks for the inspiration!! Looks amazing!!


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## Hearts1003

Omg! Love!


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## korigirl

I'm a newbie to creating my own props so I've never done paper mache before. For the skulls, did you have to use relatively small pieces of newspaper to ensure you got the detail or does it matter what the size is?


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## kittyvibe

yes this looks so awesome, thanks for the many pics and info. 

Questions- 

lighter highlight paint- hand painted or sprayed on?If hand, did you sponge it on and wipe it some? The technique looks great for a "bone" look. Any tips here?


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## blackfog

Job well done! I agree with Effie It really does look like something you would find in the stores! Thanks for sharing how to make it!


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## Crunch

That's a sick looking fountain! If I had a place to put something like this, I would consider it. I just don't know where I would put it  I had a humidifier, once a long time ago, it created that sort of "fog" using just regular water and some sort of pump style thingy in the middle. If you could find a cheap one of those you'd be laughing! SO COOL!!


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## Gorey Vidal

Very nice! What I like is how you made those horrible Blucky skulls look halfway decent!! I would probably make this into a light tower to frame a doorway instead of a fountain. Heh, I have an old lampbase that I could use...


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## cinders

This is a fantastic project. It looks great. Thanks for posting the tutorial. I really want to make a couple of these, maybe using the flame cauldrons as someone posted earler. I think I still have a bunch of bones and skulls from last year just waiting to be turned into something as wicked as this!


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## Gorey Vidal

It's too bad the library computer I'm on right now doesn't support thumbdrives. I would be downloading this right now. I wonder, would you be willing to email a pdf version to me so I can print it out?


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## korigirl

Can anyone suggest what type of paint would work best for something like this?


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## Stinkerbell n Frog Prince

We're borrowing this idea and revamping it into a large floor candle sconce. We're using an old floor lamp as our base changed the fixture to make a fake candle using a coffee can, new fixture and a large flicker bulb. 

We're in the midst of paper macheing but will post pictures when we get finished.


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## funhousejoe

i am assumeing the paint you used was some sort of exterior grade paint to waterproof it?" or did i miss something in the instructions?


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## deoblo

awsome job ....great idea...........love the pics....


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## jpbaily1

Simply AMAZING.


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## korigirl

Stinkerbell n Frog Prince said:


> We're borrowing this idea and revamping it into a large floor candle sconce. We're using an old floor lamp as our base changed the fixture to make a fake candle using a coffee can, new fixture and a large flicker bulb.
> 
> We're in the midst of paper macheing but will post pictures when we get finished.


Can't wait to see your version!


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## SmartisSexy

I actually put the base and skulls of this together last night and will begin the paper mache process when I get home from work today. I got a giant plastic pot from Walmart for my top because I am going to use this as my new candy dish by my front door for TOT'ers. Thanks for this idea it is versatile and pretty simple with a great looking result.


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## Crunch

Where did you get your bones and skulls? At the dollar store as well?


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## Sudden

Great work i like this technique!


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## SmartisSexy

My dollar store had no bones so I just used foam scraps I had laying around the garage from my tombstones. I cut them to all different lengths, wrapped them in tape and basically shaped a bone out of tape by going round and round about 6 times. Came out just as realistic looking as the plastic bones and the foam sword idea. I am starting the toilet paper tonight, will post some pics when I near completion.


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## UCIooBAkeeP

I'm working on a version of this cause I think it's an awesome project. I found a table at the thrift store that has a hole in the top of it so i'll put my mister in it for affect. I used some expanding foam insulation to make the bones because my town has limited halloween supplies and driving three hours to get everything I need is impossible. I have some small skulls I got on clearance from Spirit Halloween last year that I'm going to drill holes in the bottom of and put some halloween led lights in for added affect. I'll post some pics in a few days.


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## piratehouse

Holey shemoly, that's awsome!


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## skullnbones

please! for the love of all that is Halloween! please won't someone post a picture? i can't wait to see the finished creation.


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## savagehaunter

that is a good use for those cheesy skulls from dollar tree. the fountain looks great so far.


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## UCIooBAkeeP

This is what I have so far on mine. I did rearrange the skulls a little better and hot glued them in now I have to paint it and the skulls have orange halloween lights inside of them. The top has my mister in it which has a four color changing light in it. Hopefully I'll get some decent pics of it after it's done and the mist and lights are on. I'm not going to paint the skulls tho.










ok fired it up with the lights off and this is what I got









Now i'm excited to get it painted and finished up!!!!!!


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## SmartisSexy

This is mine. I didn't like the bowl for the base so I used the large skulls for the base. Mine is my candy dish for by my front door.

http://www.halloweenforum.com/members/smartissexy-albums-various-projects-picture52402-untitled.html


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## UCIooBAkeeP

ok I need some opinions here. I dry brushed a lighter grey then dry brushed straight white. I'm thinking of adding a drab green for another color. Should I add the green or leave it as it is now. I'll do another picture after I get the mister fountain in the top.


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## deoblo

they have some Antiquing black paint they use on ceramics and brown you brush it on and then you wipe it off and the paint stays in the cracks giving it a old looking feeling .....but that's just what i would do....


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## UCIooBAkeeP

deoblo said:


> they have some Antiquing black paint they use on ceramics and brown you brush it on and then you wipe it off and the paint stays in the cracks giving it a old looking feeling .....but that's just what i would do....


Great idea, I used that when I was painting ceramics many many moons again. I have my sealer to put on and dry then i'll add some antiquing.

Thanks for the great input, I appreciate it


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## deoblo

no problem im sure it will turn out great or should i say greater


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## Crunch

UCIooBAkeeP said:


> ok I need some opinions here. I dry brushed a lighter grey then dry brushed straight white. I'm thinking of adding a drab green for another color. Should I add the green or leave it as it is now. I'll do another picture after I get the mister fountain in the top.


I would add some more colours to look more like the skulls you have there. More bone colours, I think that's what it needs IMHO.


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## UCIooBAkeeP

ok here goes. i think I'll take another pic after dark tho this just doesn't do it for me


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## korigirl

UCIooBAkeeP said:


> ok here goes. i think I'll take another pic after dark tho this just doesn't do it for me


Very nice!!! Looks great! Did you use toilet paper for the texturing??


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## UCIooBAkeeP

I made the bones from great stuff then covered them with about three layers of tissues then painted, dry brushed, sprayed it with a matte finish sealer spray, and then added brown stain for antiguing. I'm excited to see it going after dark and the lights in the skulls going in different sequences.


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## UCIooBAkeeP

ok here it is all done and lit up at night. Unless someone can think of something I can add to it I believe I'm done with it.


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## JustWhisper

Those all look great. You posted a really nice tutorial and looks like everyone ran with it and did a bang up job.


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## deoblo

awsome looks great hope to see more of your props ..........


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## korigirl

Okay, here's my version, finally finished!! I didn't stray from the directions because I was afraid I would just ruin it, so it looks a lot like the original. 

Glued together:









Paper mached:









Toilet Papered:









Painted dark grey/black:









Highlighted:









Close up:


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## skullnbones

yahoo! i love it! it turned out great. i cant wait to do this project!


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## deoblo

nice job love the detail thanks


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## UCIooBAkeeP

awesome job!!!!


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## Stinkerbell n Frog Prince

*done*

Finally finished our version... used a floor lamp, rewired to take a standard based flicker bulb.


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## spyderqueen

That is so cool. I want to make this but am wondering what it would look like as a actual water fountain. I am thinking.. water spilling out of the top or perhaps drill some small holes a few inches down from upper rim. maybe have "blood". I am new to this and excited to get started so thanks to all for the ideas.


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## thalius Darkrune

might have do do something like this... thinking on with some twisted angels or something..... now you got me thinking!!!


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## walk7856

I love this look! Curious to see the finished project!!!


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## BadKat

*Was inspired*

To make my own! It came out really well and I had a lot of compliments on it!


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## Ghouliet

Very creative idea. I have a couple of questions. Why did you paper mache it? What exactly did the paper mache add to the project? Would the look be much different if after you got the basic shape together you simply dry locked it and painted it? 

How well does the paper mache hold up once you use a liquid in the fountain.

Also, this fountain looks amazing but I could not help but think with a little tweaking on the type of base and the top, this would make an awesome cemetery entry column. I also wondered about doing it on one of those lamps that face upward, adding maybe a green or purple light in it.


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## UCIooBAkeeP

USing a torchette with a colored bulb would be awesome. I did mine with a table that the center came out of then I put my mister fountain in it. After I used the snot rag mache on it and had it all painted and ready the way I wanted it I used a sealer on it. The mist coming down over it didn't bother it at all, my base for the bones was the expanding foam so that helped too. 

With the snot rag mache it gave me a lot of texture to the bones so I was able to dry brush on the white for contrast. I think the material you use is just a matter of what kind of texturing you want the bones to have.


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## MissMandy

Any particular kind of toilet paper? lol


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## notjustaphaze

I must add this to my list of projects for 2012..Ya'll did an amazing job on all your different versions..


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## witcheswalk

Wow!

I haven't logged on to this site much since posting that tutorial two years ago. I'm really glad to see it was well received and that people have taken the idea and ran with it. There's a lot of really cool ideas getting thrown out and the prop is changing and evolving in some really interesting ways.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to get around to posting some of the other props I've made over the last two years, so standby for some more "budget friendly" props!

Happy haunting!

- Mason


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## SmartisSexy

I took this idea and used it for a candy dish.


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## Bryan316

The best part of this project, is none of us will build two of these the same!


I'm looking at making our blood fountain over the winter. This method of construction will work brilliantly. We're building it like a wall unit, with a skull spewing blood, into a small half bowl, and dripping into a large half bowl where the pump will be located.

The best part of this technique, is we can either use plastic bones, real bones, carve our own bones, whatever we want! We can base coat dark and highlight with light colors, or vice versa for more differences.

But the toilet paper method REALLY adds texture. That's a secret weapon if I've ever seen one!!!


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## annamarykahn

Bryan316 said:


> But the toilet paper method REALLY adds texture. That's a secret weapon if I've ever seen one!!!


yeah, it really gives that stone or petrified look

will have to remember to use this method someday

amk


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## KATZILLA

very creative & cool !


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## budeena

We use adhesive ground coating (the material used for stucco on houses) for any props that will be exposed to the weather and this prop would be a good one to use it on. Truthfully I think the prop looks better before you put the msche on but that is just in my opinion. Nice work!!


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## CupcakeKiller702

I have an old torchiere lamp. I would like to cover that sucker up with this method, and find a way to put one of those fabric flaming plastic pots at the top. Cool.


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## 556boyer

It would be cool to make one of these but have room for a tiki torch and have it be an actual flaming skull/bone torch


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## trendyhalloween

Sounds really cool! Do you have any picture? Maybe I can help you out...


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## loonistoon

Help! I've completed this project up to the TP however I'm stuck on the paint.. What kind of paint do I use? When I walk into Home Depot what do I ask for?


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## crmcfresno09

How did u high light the waterfall korigirl


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## korigirl

crmcfresno09 said:


> How did u high light the waterfall korigirl


Well, it isn't a waterfall, more of just a tower. However, once you have your flat color (I used dark gray for mine), you take your highlight color, white, off white, cream, whatever color you want, and then use a dry brushing technique. This means you put a small amount of paint on your brush, do NOT add water, and start to paint. In order to not put too much paint on, I dipped my brush in the white paint and then dabbed the paint brush on the plate I was using (that was holding my paint) until it seemed like there wasn't too much paint on my brush. Just start painting lightly and it should really only show up on the high parts. It really only works if there is already texture there from the underlying layer of toilet paper.


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## McBernes

Nicely done! I'm a big fan of the Ol' Dollar Store too. There are a lot of cheap thing there that can be repurposed.


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## Deviant Doll

Wow, what a fan-freakin-tactic idea! Great pics and tutorial!


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## newbies13

I've got to admit, the first few images I was like what is this terrible garbage... but I kept going and have found much ignorance in these thoughts. The final product is epic looking.


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## Yaniva

That looks great!!!


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