KRin's Bio

KRin Pender-Gunn has had a few name changes in her life (don't ask my age as a punch in the nose often offends...). I started out as Karen Pender many years ago when I was born in Sydney. When I started living with Ian around 1988, I took his surname as a sign of respect as we didn't intend to get married then. I changed my first name to KRin in June 2001 as a sign that I had started a new phase of my life after Ian's death, and it wasn't too big a change from Karen really. I didn't want to offend my parents, who took time to choose my name in the first place.

After lots of changes in life, I have settled down to two main occupations. I trained as a library technician at Box Hill early in the 90's and now work very happily part-time at the Cancer Council of Victoria. This was after a rather miserable 9 years at La Trobe University where my skills were not (how can I say this politely?) appreciated. I do intend one day to write a couple of books (maybe when I retire?) : one will be on the Crystal Palace – the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, the other on an American oil company called Sinclair (which has a brontosaur as its logo). This interest is a remnant of a love of paleontology from younger times. I love to study and do research and have done lots of study. I had great plans at one time to be a botanist but life sometimes changes.

I'm also a craftsperson. Particularly a toy maker and a cross-stitcher. Many people ask where I first developed an interest in cross-stitch and I have to say in all honesty, I have no idea (and that's not because I have a memory like one of those things with holes in it...). My mother was a dressmaker and I can always remember sewing. I took some courses at college in the 80's and did all sorts of crafts. I even taught macrame at one time! During my time in Science Fiction fandom I did a lot of toys for arts shows. These included a felt Alien (from the film of the same name) and a felt Deep Space 9 ship (Star Trek). Recently, I have been doing small felt bears: plain pink and purple ones for Relay for Life, other dressed for friends and to sell at auctions for charity. Three of my bears recently were auctioned at Lights, Action, Camera 4 in Toronto Canada in October 2001, where one raised over $200.

I belong to an online Australian Cross-stitch group and have met other cross-stitchers from around Melbourne. I have made animal cards to sell for fund-raising for the Cancer Council of Victoria. I like bright coloured designs and bold designs – no angels or cute teddy bears for me. I have also developed an interest in beading with cross-stitch and am trying out various Native American designs.

Keep an eye out for photos at a later date.