My Story
Hi, I’m Kristin. I am a surface designer and a jewelry designer. My creative path started years ago in high school when I dreamt of being an artist. I grew up in a time when the “starving artist” mentality was prevalent and because neither drawing or painting came naturally to me, I never pursued my dream. Instead I made the practical choice and became a speech-language pathologist. It wasn’t until I was well into my career, that I began to invest in my creative side.
When my mother bought me a vintage Singer sewing machine and she taught me how to sew a straight line, I was hooked. The part of sewing that I loved the most was searching through all the beautiful fabrics available and then picking out patterns to showcase in my designs. I loved cutting out patterns as I imagined what the fabric could become. I often dreamt of making my own fabrics, but because I wasn’t an “artist” I never thought that I could.
One of my other favorite things to do was to "thrift" and hunt through yard sales. I was drawn to vintage fabrics in stunning florals or modern designs. I loved the idea of repurposing fabrics to create one-of-a-kind bags and accessories; pieces that had a history, a patina, and a vintage flair. The other flea market find that I hunted for was old vintage tins. I began to cut up the tins, just as I had with fabric, and create little pieces of art in the way of jewelry. They were the perfect way to mix my loves, thrifting and designing with pattern and color.
While designing jewelry and sewing have been a great source of joy and creativity, they still did not feed that desire to be an artist. In the spring of 2023, I stumbled upon a course offered by Bonnie Christine, a surface pattern designer. I took the plunge and invested in myself and my dream. I am happy to announce that I am now crafting the creative life that I have always wanted by becoming a surface designer and illustrator.
If you have read this far, thank you so much for taking an interest in me. I hope that you will browse through my site and please, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. You can also follow me on Instagram and Facebook @tinboxdesigns. Thanks and I wish you all well!
~Kristin