Featuring Shirley MacNulty!!!

Shirley MacNulty.......

Shirley and her husband divide their time between Wilmington and Sugar Mountain, NC.
Below she tells us a little about her self and her various handcrafted talents~

My main crafts are Knitting, Preserved Flowers and Sewing

- I design knitwear for South West Trading Company http://www.soysilk.com/ and One Planet Yarn and Fiber and have designed for Coats and Clark, Blue Sky Alpacas and Alchemy Yarns of Transformation.
- Technical Edit knitting patterns for One Planet Yarn and Fiber and also individual knitwear designers
- Designed a petit point needlepoint ornament for the Blue Room of the White House in 1997
- Chosen as the representative from Maryland to work the Maryland square in a piece for the United Way and Hallmark in the mid 1980's
- Author of Knitting for Fun and Profit, knitting book published by Prima Publishing
- Articles in Threads, Cast On and INKnitters Magazines
- Knitting Designs published in Cast On and INKnitters magazines and pending in Knit 'N Style and Creative Knitting

Affiliations
- Charter Member of the Association of Knitwear Designers (certified as a Designer, Author, Tech Editor, Gallery Designer, Teacher, Publisher and Retailer)
- Designer Member and also a Retail Member of the National Needle arts Association
- Member of The Knitting Guild Association where I helped write and served as first Chairman of the Master Knitting Committee for 4 years
- Member of the Blue Ridge Fiber Guild

Personal - married for 50 years to Bradford S. MacNulty - 2 adult sons, 2 adult grandsons, 4 adult step grandchildren and 4 step great-grandchildren
BS Nursing form Columbia University
Owner Bay Country Boutique, small retail needlework and gift shop since 1982 (now sell through the Great Train Robbery Emporium in Banner Elk and at CJ's Boutique in Clemmons, NC and The Prissy Hen (antique shop) in Cameron, NC (opening April 1,2008)

What are the web addresses people can find you at?
e-mail only - baycountry@bellsouth.net and baycountry@skybest.com
Shirley has a blog address but doesn't use it very much.....
http://www.baycountry.blogspot.com/

What is your favorite color combination?
No special favorites - do not like orange

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it?
I did a lot of knitting as a small child. I also did sewing and embroidery. The thing I remember most, and it was written up in an on-line newsletter in 2006, I knitted my father a pair of argyle socks for Christmas when I was in 7th grade and this was in 1946

What inspires you?
My inspiration comes from nature and also from reading magazines and catalogues.

Where do your ideas come from?
My ideas come from nature, magazines, knit designs come from reading fashion magazines and following fashion trends. I normally try to stay with more classic designs that will last a lifetime, not as much by the way out trends.

Does the atmosphere affect your creativity?
I would say I work better on cooler days, not on the hot 100% humidity days

Where do you create, in a workroom/ studio or in a park?
All over. My knitting is portable - and I do the pressed flower designs on the dining room table usually. I do nto have a separate studio - my things are spread out all over the house and under the beds and in closets, even in extra bathtubs.

What are your favorite materials?
Natural yarns - soy, bamboo, corn, wool, alpaca for knitting and flowers from my garden for my Preserved Floral Designs

Any tips of wisdom on selling handmade stuff?
I have been doing this for years. When I was younger I used to do a lot of shows, back before the days of having individual tents for the purpose. We really had to fight the elements. For multiple day shows, the worst part was having to dismantle everything and pack up each night and often have to walk a distance to the car. I have not done any shows for the past two years - the last one was so bad as had to shut down one whole afternoon due to severe thunderstorm watch.
As for advice, check out the show before doing it. Some may sound great, but turn out to be duds. I have done shows and sold nothing, other times have had great shows. The best shows I did were in the 1980's in Southern Maryland where we used to live. Nothing has been as good since we moved to North Carolina in 1990.
I also find that there is great discrepancy in the cost of shows - from free to several hundred dollars, even for outside space.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
Cooking, gardening, socializing, work on the Computer

What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists?
Everything that you think will sell doesn't, but be patient.


Do you have any current projects that you want to describe, techniques to share, give picture of?
I am always working on new knitting designs for yarn companies - I have more ideas for garments and household items that I have time to knit. I also love to garden.

In ten years I'd like to be...
I hope I will still be alive and still creating

Refreshment through ranting

Isn't it annoying how fast time goes by and how full our calendars get? For the last few months our family has had something scheduled and when it wasn't the family is was my own calendar. My resolution was to make more quality time for myself and I'm not sure what happened but I have been forgotten. Don't get me wrong, although January was hectic I made sure I took time out for myself and things didn't "build" as far as stress. But for the last month I have been in constant overdrive and think that I have come to the crash and burn stage.... I somehow forgot my commitment to myself and have since been neglected. But I see the light at the end of the tunnel and the end is in sight. At the beginning of this week I began to take charge again and melted some of my stress away with a nice long lavendar soak, aromatic candles and a good book. I am starting to regroup and refresh through activities of enjoyment and can feel the stress dissipating. It's so nice to regain ground and feel alive, refreshed and centered.

I have tried to become more aware of my surroundings to find peace in nature and in return have found peace within myself. I have enjoyed the birds flying and the beautiful blue skies. Even though it has been chilly these last few days I especially love the crisp air in the morning and the smell of it. A week and a half ago we received a beautiful snow fall (small and shortlived) but beautiful none the same. It reminded me of home and how much I missed the scenery and yes sometimes even the snow. I enjoyed taking pictures of it and reveled in its beauty. This week while walking in the mall (YES you can find peace at the mall if you look hard enough) I enjoyed smiling at stangers. I absolutely love the feelings it evokes within me as well as the reaction created. Sometimes the encounter is quite funny because it is unexpected. The stranger is almost bewildered that a friendly hello was generated in such a cold and fast world.

Even though I have been on the go, on the go and on the go this entire month there have been several things that I have enjoyed doing even though the time came and went quicker than a bat of an eye. I made my way to the gallery hop and celebrated my beautiful friend, Latoya's bday. I enjoyed getting to spend some time with her and my friend Cami. I celebrated my daughter's 3rd birthday. I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE IS ALREADY 3!!! Where in the world did the time go? I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy watching her grow and learn. (same with Gavin) It's amazing how their tiny mind works. I cried at the end of the night when the realization hit me that time only speeds up and she'll be gone before I know it with a life of her own. So today I cherish the time I have with both of them and bask in their childhood. I went to West Virginia to celebrate the first birthday of a dear little girl. The drive was refreshingly beautiful (it always is) and spending time with dear friends and family is time well spent. How can you go wrong? I had the best time hanging out with my husband on Valentine's Day eating dinner out then watching the movie JUNO...go see it if you haven't. WOW and chilling with my son Gavin watching Spiderwick was so much fun. Throughout the movie I could tell he was a little scared when I saw his hoodie shade his eyes off an on. My In-laws came down from NY to celebrate my husband and my birthday which was nice. It's always nice to feel loved by so many people. I was able to have lunch with Shayne again which was nice. (TWO DATES IN ONE MONTH!!!!) That's unheard of and it was needed.

As you can see I have been quite busy and this is only a fraction of what my schedule has been like this past month but when I look back on it I wouldn't change a thing. I was able to be surrounded by people I love and cherish and I felt and feel loved. Thanks for letting me rant.....I am truly blessed and now I am further refreshed.

***Look for the snow fall pictures soon.....***

Featuring Christine Davis!!

Christine Davis is a native German currently residing in Charlotte, NC. In 1992, while still living in Germany, Christine studied silk painting and dying. She makes a variety of silk art ranging from wall and window hangings to beautiful silk scarves that can be worn. Each piece is dyed by hand, creating unique one of a kind results. Christine uses abstract patterns as the primary subjects of her silk art.

Currently Christine's art can be found on line but also at CJ's Boutique

Location
6000 Meadowbrook Mall CourtSuite 7A

Clemmons, NC 27012

phone 336-766-9355
email cjsboutique@bellsouth.net
Boutique hours:
Tues - Fri 10 - 6 and Sat 10 - 3

A little bit about her art:

• Dyed paintings and wall/window hangings use Habotai 8 mm silk stretched and glued on coated metal wire circles or squares.
• She also creates vibrantly colored fabric which she transforms into 'wearable art', such as scarves, ties, broaches and more.
• Most recently Christine started experimenting mounting her Silk paintings onto Canvas.

Her work has been on display in several different local events & she qualified as one of the finalists in the “Art with Heart” Emerging Artist competition in 2006 and 2007.

Christine's beautiful work can be found at the following web addresses and are available for purchase and custom orders:

• http://www.freewebs.com/silkydesigns/
• PORTFOLIO of her work features almost everything she has painted in the last few years: http://picasaweb.google.com/Christine.U.Davis/DesignsOnSilk
• http://www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/christine-davis.html
• ETSY: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5335614

Below are a set of questions that were asked of her and her responses.......
What is your favorite color combination? blue & more blue :)

What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? How and why did you make it? I cannot remember... :(

What inspires you? Nature, my kids

Where do your ideas come from? all around me, church, nature, my kids,...

Does the atmosphere affect your creativity? absolutely

Where do you create, in a workroom/ studio or in a park? I create in the sunroom off my kitchen, i get inspired and have some of my best ideas while showering or driving - always have a notepad close by

What are your favorite materials? Silk

What is your favorite thing to do with your creativity? I have been known to make donations to charity, mostly to http://www.artwithheartauction.com/ which benefits domestic violence victims & services

Why should people buy handmade? Pride, quality, Originality

Any tips of wisdom on selling handmade stuff? I wish. :)

Apart from creating things, what do you do? working at Bank of America

What has been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists? Don't give up

***In ten years I'd like to be... <-- less in debt then now? :)

Other links or information you want to share? http://www.dharmatrading.com/ <-- which is where I buy most of my supplies from. I will keep other events & links coming.

Below Christine takes the time to describe the techniques she uses with her beautiful art.

Techniques used:

• The Serti (closing or fence) technique is the silk painting technique where designs are formed with gutta or water-based resists, which are applied to white silk that has been pre-washed, dried and stretched (on a stretcher). Once the gutta or water-based resist has dried, it acts as a barrier for the dye or paint—keeping the color within the outlined areas of the design and allowing you to achieve sharply defined borders. (Without this barrier, the dye or paint would flow into more of an abstract, undefined pattern.) After the dye or paint has been properly set, the clear gutta or resist is removed and a defining line the color of the original fabric remains. Colored guttas and resists are also available that are meant to remain in the fabric.
• Detailed patterns without resists can be achieved by instead priming the prewashed and stretched silk with a stop-flow primer which is left to dry before painting on the dyes or paints. The color will stay where you put it, rather than migrating. Allows for freehand painting without gutta or water-soluble resists.
• Watercolor-like effects can be achieved by applying dye or paint to silk that has been pre-washed and put on stretcher bars whether or not you are using resists (but not if you are using stop-flow). Dyes or paints are applied to the silk with a paint brush, mist sprayer, eye dropper, or other tools to achieve abstract effects. Spraying the silk lightly with water before adding color increases the flow of the dye or paint. Sprinkling silk salt on the piece when still wet, and leaving till completely dry before brushing off the salt, produces interesting textural effects. Applying alcohol to dye-painted silk also creates beautiful effects.

The process:

• Step 1: Pre-washing your silk
• Step 2: Preparing your design
• Step 3: Making a Stretcher Frame
• Step 4: Stretching your silk
• Step 5: Applying gutta or resist
• Step 6: Applying dyes or paints
• Step 7: Setting/Fixing the color, either with heat, steam or a chemical fixative

Your scarf:
Once you have worn your scarf and it needs to be washed, please use a mild soap and delicate setting, or hand wash using cold/warm water.
If your scarf has a gutta design, please iron on the back side.