Michelle Muncy Featherston’s Black Door Boho!
By Cindy Ladage
A lifelong Pawnee resident, Michelle Muncy Featherston’s Black Door Boho offers fun options for those looking for something for their homes. Outgrowing her home studio, five years ago Michelle moved into a booth at the craft mall. Kim’s Countryside Marketplace is located at the junction of highway 104 and Route 55 offers antiques, vintage, home décor and more.
To see Michelle’s latest project, check out her public Facebook page.
Michelle began her creative journey after a health scare. “I’ve always liked crafts, and after my heart surgery, in 2018, I picked up macrame, it is a good therapy, it takes your mind off things.”
Already an experienced photographer that offers photo coverage for weddings, senior portraits, sports events and more. Working as Featherston Photography, these days Michelle has expanded her creative experience with macrame. “I started making wall hangings and moved forward then with covers for jars, mug rugs, plant hangers, then I got into resins a few years ago.”
When asked what resin is, and how it works, Michelle said, “It is an epoxy mix. I put it in a mold, and add color, or leave it, then pour it in a mold and leave it for 24 hours. Then I take it out of the mold.”
Making coasters, beautifully crafted hands, and more, the resin is a great addition to her booth. Besides her booth #19 at the Countryside mall, Michelle also has a booth in Bunker Hill, Illinois at the craft mall, Country Vibes.
“I also crochet,” Michelle said adding a new craft to her talents. “I want to get better at that.”
Admitting that she doesn’t follow a pattern, this has been beneficial in the long run, allowing her to create her own personal style that is easily viewed when visiting her booth!
After working for 25 years at the Village of Pawnee, a job that she loved, Michelle is enjoying a second career with her crafts and booths. “I like doing it, working with my hands. Here, at Kim’s Countryside Marketplace, it is like another family, we all work together” she shared about the camaraderie that the vendors at the craft mall offer.
“After retiring from a job that I enjoyed, now I have the best job ever, I can do this at home,” Michelle said sharing that she has been lucky from the get-go with jobs both during her work career, and her retirement as well.
Besides Michelle’s beautiful crafts, she shares a booth #18 with Nancy Pearson Simpson, who creates handmade purses. What is especially nice with Nancy’s purses is that she includes different sizes, shapes and colors. She even offers the popular cross body bags that make it easy to carry, shop, travel etc.
Michelle’s booth has glassware, books, resin candle holders, containers, cutting boards and more. There are also wine glasses with resin designs macrame wine holders, macrame jar holders, place mats, and plant hangers crocheted towel holders, hats scarves and more!
A busy grandma, Michelle who grew up in Pawnee, went to school and worked here, she has two children, Miranda Galloway, and Dalton Featherston. Her daughter Miranda has seven children. Michelle has four grandsons, one, Jordan is a Springfield firefighter, Mason is an army medic that will work as an RN at St. Johns, Drake is the army, Briar will be going into the army in June. Three granddaughters include Alyssa who is a dispatcher for the Illinois State Police, and little Aria is six, and Loxley will be two in May!
Michelle is available for special craft orders, as well as for photography sessions. You can reach her at 217-691-2162 or find her work in person at the craft mall! Retirement looks good on Michelle, and she keeps adding beautifully crafted items for your home, office and beyond!