this IS the banner we are looking for!

finally!



here it is, guys... the banner we've all been waiting for. im quite happy with it (especially considering how many late nights we've spent together). it's much brighter and more playful than the old one.

*note the pile o'knitimals and knitimals-to-be in the basket to the right... yep, those need to be sewn. tonight. for tv. at 5am friday. ouch.

anyway, this is the banner to be looking for on Friday (or saturday or sunday), and i think it really embodies everything greenstarstudio is about.



especially that part.

see you at artscape!
xoxo, danamarie

wear your knitimal (heart) on your sleeve

gosh its been what?... 3 years since i last made these...4? does anyone remember? marybeth? well, for my newer friends out there (or, if you, like me, can't retain information longer than a few months, apparently), this is a very exciting time! i am proud to bring back the felted knitimal pin. i'm not sure why i stopped making them (oh, perhaps the 14, 000 other things i started doing?), BUT, they were popular and well loved and a great little grab bag addition to any festival purchase. i won't be putting them on etsy, so if you want one, be sure to drop by my booth at artscape and grab up a handful of them before they're gone (again) for the next 3 or 4 years. xo, danamarie

getting cozy: new for artscape

first some thoughts:
*When you purchase one cup of coffee (or tea) in a disposable container every day, you create about 23 lb of waste each year. -Ideal Bite

*About eighteen percent of garbage we produce is composed of disposable containers, of which hot beverage cups represent a large portion.Styrofoam cups are the worst culprits, as it never degrades. Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam cups every ear. Even 500 years from now, the foam coffee cup you used this morning will be sitting in a landfill somewhere. -The Recycler's Handbook

OUCH.

i DO TRY as much as possible to use a travel mug when i get coffee anywhere other than my own kitchen, but let's be honest... you don't always plan for coffee and you don't always carry a mug.

BUT, you can keep a coffee cozy in your glove box, purse, jacket pocket or desk drawer.
a disposable container every now and again is one thing... but do we really need to dispose of the little cardboard sleeve that keeps our fingertips safe?

better yet--- do we really need to look so dorky doing it? of course not!

Now you can wow your barista and start a trend with a hand felted knitimal coffee cup cozy. it may not be much, but using a cute wooly knitimal cozy instead of a piece of cardboard is just one more small thing that you can do to help the environment. Think of it this way, you'll be throwing away a lot less cardboard and you'll look smarter doing it! It's easy to tuck away and a great way to mark your cup as your own in the carpool, at office meetings, crowded cafe tables and more. Plus, instead of giving your name at the counter you can say "call me environmentally savvy and just plain cool, thank you very much!".

the original Knitimal Coffee Cozies (pictured above) are 100% wool, hand knit and hand felted and use no machines at all in their production. They feel nice and soft in your hand and hug your coffee cup nice and snug. They fit standard cafe issue paper coffee cups.



if you're looking for a slightly less "fancy" version, you could also opt for the newest coffee cozies, made from recycled felt--- still hand sewn (no machines!) but not hand knit. either way, they're better than paper waste and you can find them at artscape this weekend!

Tomorrow, get your morning coffee in style, wouldya?

wanna save $$$ at Artscape?

here it is! mason is celebrating artscape '08 with savings.
print this page & bring it with you to Artscape for a whopping 10% off all orders up to $100 and 20% for all orders OVER $100!!!
you can find us in booth #163 (on mt. royal avenue, in front of the Fox Building). see you soon! xo, danamarie

making progress...

i turned in at 4:57am. yes, i had considered just staying up till daylight, but i have a weird thing about that. like the day doesn't count if i didn't sleep in between "days" (i don't consider midnight a new day, i consider waking up a new day). but, since my last bout of procrastination, i did manage to turn out some more knitimal soap (now i need to wrap it) and got some more sewing done. feeling very awake now... today (the new day that happened after i slept a few hours) is goin' great.

procrastination 102: "things i did when i should've been painting, or at the very least sleeping"

so, it's 3:39 am and not much has changed... except i decided i needed a new banner for my booth.


this is a legitimate project. the old one (which i love for sentimental reasons) is over 3 years old, a little banged up, and not as vivid as it once was. i got as far as rolling the old one out for measurements and painting the base color before mason decided he needed to lay on it and rip the guts out of a stuffed lamb tuggy on it... and so, i'm off to procrastinate again.


12:33-- bake new knitimal figurines for soap. now, this isn't exactly procrastinating, since i WILL use these, but it's not high on the priority list.




1:37: visit the kitchen again, last cup of coffee, notice and then photograph how much the two yams look like animals.
(l) a mole & (r) clearly a worm.

3:30 am... blog about procrastinating.

procrastination 101: also known as "things i did when i should've been sewing"

it's 12 am and i have stayed awake under the guise of "needing" to finish sewing some new knitimals together. but you know what? i'm tired. not sleeping tired... more like BORED tired. and really, i have no business being bored. i have a 3 page to-do list. and yet, i've spent the last 2 hours doing anything and everything but sew.

it's true.



9pm: begin a marathon of the SAW quadrilogy. a.) those of you who know me know that THIS is not all that shocking. i have a strange fascination with really horrific thrillers. it's the story telling, i swear. but b.) i do recognize that this particular image is disturbing in it's juxtaposition.




9:30: take a picture of how sleepy the dog is.



9:35: take notice of, and then a photograph of, how amazing the dog's toe hairs are.



11:00: make second pot of coffee. Do you like this coffee pot? My brother designed it. yep. i think that's pretty cool, too.


11:37: brush the cat; spend 15 minutes sneezing, then photograph the cat. I know, i know--- i never talk about him. His name is Finnegan and by his own choosing, he lives strictly in the bathroom.

ok. i'm going to go sew.

4 days...

well folks, about 3 hours ago i cut the webbing between my thumb and fore finger on my left hand... with scissors. yep. how gross is that? scissors?! that freaks me out. scissors are for paper, not flesh. alas, i am neosporin-ed and sporting a Backyardigans band aid and feeling better. What was i doing? why cutting felt, i was! and then i was bleeding. a lot.


perhaps this is why i shouldn't be crafting well into the night.



but how can i help myself? artscape is HUGE! you have to come prepared. and it's not just me... my friends are crafting themselves silly too! and what do we get from all this insomnia and scissor accidents? lots of cool new stuff just waiting to go home with you!
changing subjects slightly: Recyclimals (also known as things i haven't cut myself while making)
so, what's a recyclimal, eh?

it's essentially a "recycled" knitimal (you probably put that together yourself, right?). well, loving a knitimal is easy---
loving a Knitimal that has already been loved, uses existing reclaimed fabric and is STILL made without any new electricity or machines? SO much easier.

while i love knitting, and the process of generating a piece of soft sculpture, completely from the ground up, there is something to be said for working with materials already on the planet and in need of some good lovin'. i have this sweater... well, i HAD this sweater, and i loved it wholly. wear and tear wore and tore the dear thing until wearing it wasn't an option anymore.

...making a brand new kind of Knitimal out of it, however, seemed the only option.

as an artist, i am trying to be as aware as possible of my footprint. i already don't use a sewing machine (the only electricity i need to work is a lightbulb in my studio... and it is energy efficient). i buy yarn locally and in massive batches, so i don't have to drive too often to get it; my 2D work is primarily collage based and i keep and use scraps of everything... so why not apply that to the art dolls as well? exactly my point.

and so, i am happy to introduce the Recyclimals (Recycled Knitimals). one beloved sweater, cut up and pieced back together by hand, stuffed with clean, reclaimed soft poly filling and bits of old sweater. just as super soft as an original Knitimal, those soft sculpture sweeties made with only the finest materials and like all Knitimals, they're made without a pattern and is completely unique.

recyclimals, like knitimals are "art dolls"--- they make great gifts for new babies, art lovers, doll collectors and those-hard-to-shop-fors who love the one-of-a-kind. each knitimal comes with a hand drawn name tag (which features the 'story of the knitimals'), a 'caring for your knitimal' tag.

there are 4 knitimals up for adoption in the shop right now and there will be plenty more up for grabs at Artscape!

want to win your very own Recyclimal, for free?
stop by the BEST table at artscape and add your name to the mailing list

want to win a $40 shopping spree in my etsy shop? stop by my booth at Artscape this weekend and sign my mailing list. Already on the mailing list? Post a comment here and be in the running. Last but not least--- stop back here on Wednesday for a printable coupon (or coupon code for you out-of-towners!) you can use this weekend at Artscape (or online).

i'm off to paint a new banner.
xo, danamarie

artscape in 6 days and counting!... and piles...

... now don't let that naive smile fool you; getting ready for artscape 2008 is no joke. artscape, you might not know, is actually the largest free, outdoor art & music festival in the NATION. yeah, the nation. as in the country. as in america. that's big. and its here... in baltimore! go figure. *i*, for one, am very proud of being a part of artscape.

... i am also very tired, being a part of artscape.

yes, its 3 days of very hot weather, random periodic rain showers, giant crowds, tons of sounds and smells (and hand cut fries; also known as "festival fuel" in my booth) and even (and this hurts me to acknowledge) a performing monkey ( i am now changing the subject because the monkey upsets me greatly, though i'm sure he makes some children quite happy, and in that way, the monkey, whose name i believe, is django, and i are similar; and the idea that django and i might be kindred spirits in that way upsets me more).

what artscape also is, is a time of great sleeplessness, great preparation & great new finds. it's also a time of great big piles.



piles of paperwork (the logistics of such a show must be monstrous... but you wouldn't know it on this end. note the folder and all the mailings i have been collecting from them).




piles of work waiting to be made. everything here will find its way to artscape next weekend... except it'll be sanded, refinished, collaged, painted, sealed, and packaged.




piles of knitimal parts waiting to be sewn, stuffed and sewn again. some already have names and name tags... others will find their names once i actually "meet" them, in their final 3D form.



piles of paint (and more boxes), waiting to be applied.




and of course... the most important piles; piles of booth display, merchandise, tent walls, table clothes, signage and more.

piles. piles. piles.

so, rest assured good friends, i am amidst piles, but its a good thing.

*** also a good thing: stay tuned for an ARTSCAPE COUPON (printable and bring-with-able for big savings at the show); a chance to win a greenstarstudio gift basket; and a chance to catch me on the news (along with a few of my good friends from B.E.S.T.. I'm going to blog about some of my newest products too, so you know what to expect and what to lust after! ***

speaking of lust--- for any of you local folks looking at greenstarstuff on etsy; if there is anything you would like to purchase off etsy before artscape, please do and i can bring it with me to artscape and save you shipping. just let me know!

and don't worry out of towners--- if you don't live in Baltimore, or DO, but won't be coming to the festival, there's going to be a comparable discount in my etsy shop all of artscape weekend (why should you be punished?).

i think that's all for now.
ok... where did i put those scissors?
xo, danamarie

trunk show & greenstargoodies

Want a sneak peak at what the BESTers will be offering up at Artscape this year?... well, Double Dutch will play host to BEST this coming Sunday, July 13th for our first ever trunk show! There will be yummy eats and delicious drinks, as well as new work from BEST crafters.

Stop by between 11am and 5pm, meet BEST members, have a snack, and do some shopping. Also, enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Double Dutch for a future shopping spree! (Winner will be notified via email on July 14th, 2008.) We'll see you there!

Now, *I* won't be there, but i have sent along a whole bunch of these terribly exciting goodie bags that you can (AND SHOULD!!!) definitely pick up. Each pack has: a sticker, a new Knitimal pin, a coupon for FREE SHIPPING on an etsy purchase and possibly the best part, a 10% OFF COUPON valid for the entire 3-Day run of Artscape. Yep. SO, go out and see what my fabulous colleagues and friends have to offer, and pick up a little something for yourself. THEN, be sure to come visit me at Artscape. I'll be posting about it everyday (give or take) as we count down to the nation's LARGEST outdoor Arts festival.
See you soon! xo, danamarie

BEST Trunk Show
Sunday, July 13th, from 11am - 5pm
Double Dutch Boutique
3616 Falls Road
Baltimore, MD 21211
410.554.0055