Mina's Journal

I am here now .... MinaMaries xxx...

Vintage kids images for your projects.

Grab yourself some more gorgeous pics from Beatrix Potter to use in your projects.   So I've been making free printables for a while, thought it would be a good idea to have images available so people could utilise them as they wish. The printables I make are intended for all manner of papercraft: * Scrapbooking * Journaling * Card Making * Letter writing * Decoupage * ModPodge * Decor Click the pics to get the bigger size (better for printing)...right click and 'Save Image As' Happy crafting xxx

The imagery of Beatrix Potter brings back nostalgic memories (no - I'm not that old). Public Domain is a wonderful thing for long time crafters like me.... Grab yourself these wonderful pics to use in your projects. Click the image to get the bigger size, then right click and 'Save Image As' Have fun with these xxx

So I've been out in NetLand doing stuff, feel that journey is kind of over and have come home. The last couple of years have felt bland-ish, so trying to think of another (online) direction to move in. My profile should now read something like: Empty nester wot wants to do something, but doesn't know what. Life has changed, as it does (Life is a series of changes), and as is right in the scheme of things. All this technology about but I've got bits of paper and notes all strewn about... trying to find that new direction I mentioned earlier. My fav technology = pen and paper. No rush...mull it over. Think I just let things evolve and see what I end up with! xxx

I am inundated with self imposed work! I cannot sleep for ideas that spiral, circle and grow. I want to do so many geeky online things... hmmmmm.... While I was studying, I kept getting told that I should hone/focus and stop spreading myself so thin. Indeed, I did try to do that - and got bored as hell. In my final year, a kind tutor told me 'Just go with it'. I was so close to finishing that it probably didn't matter much at that stage - but that was permissible freedom - thrown down by authority - and I went wildly off in lots of directions - happy as hell. And still do. I could not imagine sitting down all day doing logos, business cards or having to be polite to difficult clients - I could just see myself going quietly batty. I'm not averse to hard slog, - kind of welcome it. My folks told me I like to do things the hard way. I'm not a sheep. I don't just follow, never have. If I can work out an alternative way to accept things and make my life happi...

For the longest time, I have been wanting colouring pages to suit me - the adult lady. Pages that weren't just abstract. Pages of a girly nature - Princess type pages for women, Mums, Aunts - Nannas. I wanted pages that were nostalgic of my youth - stuff I could relate to. Good old retro stuff. I decided to make some. Click on the pic to go get them. I am actually making a heap more - this is just the start. Well, what can you do with these pages? Any dang thing that captures your fancy! There's plenty of space for text - and adding your own colour if you wanted to. Anyone who's lived a bit of life could relate them to their own life stories - how about a new journal of your own memories? Use them for: Journaling Writing prompts - creative and personal Diary Collage Scrapbooking Cards Framed prints Wall decor Posters Memories/memoirs notes There are plenty more things I'm sure you creative types could think of! Have fun :) xxx...

I told myself I was going to slow down - and then didn't listen to myself. I can't believe how the time has got away from me. Was kind of burnt out at the end of last year -so thought I should take it easy a bit. Hmmmmffff! Since I last posted - Took on another year of study. Took on Editing tasks. Became a Nan to two more boys. Recently did a website for a Motivational speaker. Business cards for people in Oz, and a doctor in the city. Worked on graphics galore to try and stay ahead with posting on Craft Found. Had a birthday and made myself worse for wear. Went into hospital twice.  Got crazy mad about getting broken vintage and retro sewing machines and making them work. I have a journal (of sorts) to try and keep on top of things - often I'll make graphics and 'lose' them in a myriad of file folders. With that I made a half-hearted attempt at computer organisation, which ended up just plonking 95GB of files from the laptop onto an external ha...

I've been getting into Public Domain comics in a big way over the last week or so. Great to funky up scrapbooks and journals - so for those petrol heads out there... Click on the pic to go get some. ...and for the younger set - a trio of friends for paper play.

As a designer I am in love with visuals. Public Domain works are so distracting! I am discovering and appreciating even more artists! I find that I just want to read...all day long. I downloaded a heap of stuff to 'read later' and ran out of Broadband data ha ha. That doesn't happen very often, so that's okay. I am gearing up for Valentine's Day now - getting some collage sheets ready for papercraft. Here are some journal/writing pages available for free download, over at Craft Found - adapted from the work of Walter Crane - more info at the post. Too damn gorgeous. Its a bit messy over there at present because I was mucking about trying out colours and something got 'stuck'. Should be right soon. SelfAvenue.com continues to do well. I had goals for that site, which were reached pretty quickly. I handed over the Chief Editor role to Justine, who came on as Editor - to further develop a new idea. I have stayed on as an Editor. It is reall...

...over at Craft Found... some felt-y looking things inspired by felt ornaments I've seen online... some people are just sooo clever! Christmas baubles... Christmas hearts....  ...and some good ol' Christmas puds... Click on the pics to go get 'em! Also a fun quiz Are You a Procrastinator at Self Avenue... Go Check it out. :)

A little over three weeks ago I started a hub called 'Self Avenue' a self development/improvement site. Writing about personal development is a good way to explore your own thoughts/ideas/attitudes/behaviour - and at the same time you might help others who are in similar situations. I am not in the industry, do not know the jargon but thought I had something to share. I write from layman perpective - a-la experience, saying what worked for me and what didn't. My Editor Justine Crowley has (among other things) published four books on the subject and provides an industry-credible voice. I did not imagine it would take off so. Counsellors, Doctors, Life Coaches have applied as writers as have Mums and Bloggers - so there'll be a good mix of stuff coming up. If you think you might like to write for Self Avenue , from whatever walk of life you're from - take a gander here . Yes, you get paid :)

Self Avenue Buttons for writer blogs/websites:  Right click and save these. Then upload to your blog or website. Link them to your Self Avenue profile page, where a list of your published articles will be. Fill out your Self Avenue profile to send readers to your blogs/sites also. Go to the trouble of doing this once then forget it...its a wee ad just doing its thing. Links are our friends.  :)

Made some printable Large Vine Frames Could use them for picture frames (resized of course!) Five colours. You can go grab them here .

Sometimes you just need a good laugh! This SOOOO made my day... a wee bit rude in places, but so damn hilarious! If you have seven spare minutes - do yourself a favour and watch it. So after telling myself to slow down a bit, I went and got myself three new projects to do (What's with that?) One of my other blogs is Maori Printables . I started it because I wanted to contribute something positive to offset the (sadness?) I felt at the Maori statistics situation. At that time, Maori sites were of a really serious nature (and still are as far as I can tell). I wanted to make something uplifting, in a fun way.That was not 'too deep' or unapproachable. So while I couldn't fix (statistics) things I could still do SOMETHING to help shed a different light on the culture. It's found a little following with kindergartens, Kohanga Reo, and primary schools. I am not a teacher or fluent in the language - my 'work' has been at home, so most of the posts are j...

I find I cannot bear bad news stories. Have just spent the last ten minutes or so weeping about a horrid incident in the South Island. There are phases where I won't watch the news for weeks on end, or buy newspapers. I can't stand cruel stories. Reinforces a notion - that people are just animals - through the ages and generations they dress and talk differently and have different technologies to play with, but basic behaviour doesn't change. You'll always get those ones that will do something extraordinary. Brings up other thoughts like - how society/environment conditions a person, how some people think they can control others, how some people can't control themselves, how some people are just dumb and others are just plain nuts. (I have to go on about this) - how some people are strong, and how the will to live is amazingly inherent. These themes have resurfaced time and again across different cultural histories - so an old saying is true in my head - we ar...

My yummy things came from Avon today. I ordered a lipstick but it was the wrong colour so I got my girl to go swap it. Means I've got to wait, but that's okay. I've learned to be more patient. I don't wear much makeup. Lipstick. That's it. Sometimes a bit of foundation. Not often. It's really hard for me to find lipstick I like. It has to be matt/matte. I need it lasting - don't want to be one of those gals always looking in the compact mirror and applying in public. It has to be VERRRYYYY plum-my because that's the only thing I think suits my complexion. Boyfriend got me a lipstick for a treat. Half price at $25. Grandaughter age 3 - makeup mad - took it out of my purse and into the other Nanna's car - waving goodbye to me with the thing in her wee hand - had to laugh. I've not been one for this make-up-girly-kind of thing - but I think I'll have a go at it. I've put my next order in... :) Oh and got some pots... :)

My visits to the city are cursory at best. If I have to go - its quick. In and out of stores. Takeouts - drive throughs. Yesterday was different. I found a cabinet. $20. Went to go get it. Great nick, Queen Anne legs - mate said it was mahogany - but I don't know. I just love it. Was also Darcy's birthday. Piled him and his brother into the truck -  loves McD's, those kids. Been years since I went into one of those joints. They've really spruced things up.   I figure they must pretty much look all the same... but I was a bit wide-eyed...   All in all - a fun day. Happy Birthday Darcy!  :)

Edit these in 'Word'. Just open the file and change the text. Just click on the pic to go get them. :)

Just some ideas... click on the pic to go see... Am working on a Beer Box Journal, coming together quite nicely. Have made pockets and strip holders built into the thing. Am up to making the extras: tags and wee notebooks to go in the pockets and holders. :)