Kristen Robinson

A New Publication from Stampington - Art Quilting Studio

Press Release provided by Stampington & Co.

Art Quilting Studio will be making its debut in 2009! A new creation from the cutting edge publishers of Somerset Studio, Somerset Life, Belle Armoire and other amazing delights. I am awaiting this amazing collection of treasures much like a treat I am anticipating  on Christmas Morning. I have no doubt the publication will be full of inspiration, wonderful creations and artistic wonder. I encourage you to submit your work....the search is on for Art Journal Quilts, transformed Vintage Quilt Tops and much more. To view the press release in full - which features the work of my talented friend Ruth Rae, either click on the photo above or click here scroll down to the bottom of the page and save away. For now I must gather patience and wait for the arrival of Art Quilting Studio.

Rochambeau - Featured Blog

Photo Courtesy of Constance Muller ©

As promised a new blog feature.....A Scoop of Divinity - Blog of the Week if you will. I have started off with a dose of pure beauty. Rochambeau is a blog full of beauty, grace, charm and whimsy. Packed within the pages are images that dance amongst fields of imagery and amazing delights

Photo Courtesy of Constance Muller ©

Constance creates bags that are better classified as amazing treasures. Haute Couture is alive and well in this house of creativity.

Photo Courtesy of Constance Muller ©

Fairies disguised as dolls flit amongst the posts beckoning the reader to take a closer look. A celebration of flora adorns this gorgeous lady with flowing skirts.

                                                                                                  

Photo Courtesy of Constance Muller ©

So take a trip to Rochambeau - immerse yourself in beauty. Fill your soul with the grace that emits from the pages and celebrate the amazing creativity that is Rochambeau.

Thank you dear Constance for the wonderful photos and delight you bring into my world. Until I return next week I wish you well.

XOX

P.S. I Love You - Get Out Your Handkerchief

                                    

We have all felt tears stream down our faces however I must admit it has been a long time since I have felt the hot liquid escape my eyes for 127 minutes. Words put to page generally move my heart in this way it is not often a film can acheive the same outcome.

P.S. I Love You moves one to the core. Presenting questions to the viewer, questions with answers deeply rooted within us. A story that asks us what we would do if our days were forever changed, if all we knew, all we loved suddenly left us behind. A story that leaves one wishing the hour was earlier to make phone calls, journal, write letters and reflect. A story that has moved me in a way that has been buried within my soul, a place I did not know completely existed.

Treat yourself to a reminder about life, love and the ability to create each day no matter what it might be. Gather up a stack of handkerchiefs, the one(s) you love and enjoy the journey of 127 beautiful minutes that I can guarantee will touch your heart in ways you might not even know existed or perhaps forgot all about.

XOX

A Book of Heroines - My Latest Work in Somerset Studio

Nurture your minds with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic makes heroes.-- Benjamin Disraeli Earl of Beaconsfield

Heroes and Heroines. Those we elevate within our hearts and minds. Those who touch us, influence us and walk with us if only in our thoughts. When presented with the opportunity to create a conglomeration of  Heroes, I must admit I struggled a bit. Unsure how to approach the topic, as there are so many which are heroic in my eyes.

The romantic in me won out and I found myself consumed in a pile of novels; novels which are tried and true and have influenced my life. The choice in my hands was now whether or not to celebrate the Heroines who penned these exquisite masterpieces or rather portray the characters that they so lovingly created.

Fiction won out, the ladies who were created on paper beckoned to dance amongst ensembles of ephemera and ribbons.

Heroines who in their own way showed a quiet strength to adversity. Proving the depths of their character, challenging others in their thinking and views. Surviving heartbreak and enduring struggles while standing by family and friends. I give you  my Heroines who although are only characters in novels teach us all something about ourselves and perhaps the way we should treat and be treated by others.

To read my article and peruse amazing articles and artwork such as L.K. Ludwig's Amazing Field Guide, Deb Trotter's Ofrendas del Heroes and A Hero In All of Us - A Tribute to Brianna By  Iva Wilcox pick up the latest Somerset Studio in book stores and on line today.

To Link or Not to Link - That is the Question

                            

I must admit there are times I am a bit overwhelmed by the power of blogging and the responsibility that comes with it. I wonder if there is a secret manual out there that no one really sees but exists all the same, on the terms of blogging. When I began to blog I did so as a vehicle to meet, share, and learn about others. Yesterday a group of friends and I were engaged in a conversation about blogging and the effect it has on others as well as ourselves. How and where do we find time to be consistent? Do we add links or do we not add links? Do we talk just about our artwork or put ourselves out there as well? I could go on and on for days as this has truly opened a well within me; a well of blogging questions and etiquette. Ideally a blog is exactly what you want it to be, putting out there what we want to share. In my eyes the gift of blogging is truly the abundance of lessons that are learned, beauty that is absorbed, sharing that is so openly put out there and often time the extra kick we all need. At times I find the need to hold back a bit, if I share too much what will others think I wonder? 

So where am I going with all of this you might ask. Well, I am making a few changes to the look of my blog...links will now be housed in my ABOUT page. I am always so honored by others sharing themselves and their work so openly whether it be artwork or writing, I have no desire to remove or condense my links as they are truly portals to brilliance. I look forward to hearing others thoughts on this, so please share with me and if you do not feel comfortable posting e-mail away.

UPDATE - The Links are back in town on the front page.....my idea of going to a 2 column blog did not work out how I had envisioned a little housekeeping and there is plenty of room.

Kicking the Habit - Drive Thru That Is

   

I have kicked the habit. Drive thru habit that is. About a month ago I decided my morning drive, after completing the drop off, should not include the daily stop at my favorite drive thru coffee shop. To be honest I was beginning to feel like a junkie, feeling out of sorts until the said coffee was delivered into my hands. To some this may not seem BIG however to my wallet it is. $3.85 x 30 roughly equates to 1/3 of the price of Kumon classes or one new pair of shoes, I was literally drinking away education and accessories  . I must say I did not do this for reasons attached to poor service or poor product but rather it started as a challenge to myself to put more time back into my day, which surprisingly adds up to 18 to 20 minutes on average which is a bit amazing as the coffee shop is only 1.25 miles from the house. Given that gas prices are now hovering close to $4.00 and the cost of everything has risen this definitely adds more punch to the money I am saving. My favorite coffee drinks are no longer a necessity for me but a treat. Preparing my morning jolt at home has become ritualistic and soothing, while classical music plays in the background the steam leaves my Espresso Pot (which lovingly takes only the space of a stove top burner), I froth a bit of milk add the two Splendas and relish in the idea that at home I too can be a Barista. I would love to hear about what items you have taken out of your day to add more time and money to your life.

A Wee Snippet

A little sneak peek that I am able to share with you in the latest Altered Book I have worked in. Jan's book (who sadly does not have a blog to share her incredible work) Layers was a divine assortment of amazing colors, textures and artwork. Now off to open the latest box which contains another wonderful book for me to play in.

A Long Overdue Update

It seems as though my journey to Washington took me further away then I anticipated. Beauty and the calm wisps of nature were exactly what my mind and soul needed. It has been a difficult time here as I have sadly lost a dear friend whose generosity and kindness stretch far beyond that of the norm. Arriving back home last week was as wonderful as traveling alone for a few days. Warm cuddly arms beckoning for Mommy were exactly what I needed. Life is slowly returning to normal.

                                                                                        

Two days of incredible classes with Susan Wooldridge brought enlightenment, balance and the delightful experience of word gathering. If you do not own Susan’s books PoemCrazy and her newest Fools Gold I highly recommend both of them; two treasures that I find myself flipping through daily, re-reading and absorbing over and over again.

The location of Artfest is amazing. Fort Worden is a historical and architectural masterpiece. Victorian homes which once housed officers line the streets while the ocean meets the rocky shores of the beach in the background. Terrific trees reach towards the clouds, simply put it is charming and beautiful.

For now I leave you with a snippet of fresh beauty as the sun rises above the water....in my next post I will introduce you to a group of wonderful friends both new and old.

Haute Handbags, Off to Artfest Next Week and a Happy Birthday to Top it All Off

What a pleasure to be included amongst such talent in the latest issue of Haute Handbags. Amongst creations from Sandra Evertson, Lelainia Loyd (who is also a birthday girl this week Happy Birthday), Deb Trotter, and so many others I can not list them all here. Wonderful creations lie upon the pages of this treasure, inspiration surmounts and the desire to create a custom bag will fill you I promise.

The next order of business...next week I leave for Artfest it is hard to believe we are on the cusp of April already (where have the last 4 months go I wonder). So I am packing up my bags and hitting the air, then the road oh, and a ferry too. I expect to have lots of photos and fun stories to share with you all.

                                  

And last but certainly not least it is Ruth Rae's birthday let's all wish her a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, stop by her blog when you can. (Thank you Karen for this perfect photo).

There is so much more to share with you but for now it will have to keep as time is running away from me.

The Lady's Lace

The lady is all the fashion gliding about wearing her fantastic lace upon her neck. Others look upon her in awe wondering where she might be going with her finery displayed for all to see. A ball perhaps, a soiree or an evening at the opera.