New Year, New Cards, New Sales!

I'd be remiss if I didn't first come clean about something...

As much as I love the fanfare and excitement of getting a new calendar (and i DO really, genuinely enjoy that), I'm not a fan of New Years Eve/Day etc. Call me a scrooge, but I think it's a little overblown. I don't disagree with the sentiment of starting anew, or making life goals, or even the idea that you could stand to improve some... heck, we all could. But I don't agree with the whole "waiting for one particular day each year and only doing it then and if you mess up on Jan 4th, the whole year is ruined and the goal was stupid in the first place" thing that seems to accompany much of the hullabaloo. I mean, any day is a new day, right?

If people were half as motivated to make a change or even a quarter as committed to enjoying the day on, say, March 28th, as they are on January 1st, maybe I'd get behind New Years. Otherwise, to me it's just another excuse to throw the baby out with the bathwater and say "meh, guess its all down hill from here".

Well, i dont believe in down hill!
Every second of the day you can make a change. Its not always easy, sure; I have down days... down hours. Down minutes. But I would never write off a day entirely--- and i certainly wouldn't write off a year.

So, there you have it. My admission--- I'm not a fan of New Years. EXCEPT of course, that i get a chance to buy and fully organize and highlight and color code a brand new calendar.

Nevertheless, a new year is upon us, and if you're like me, you likely got some wonderful gifts this holiday season. Maybe they were gifts of experience (rather than gifts that come wrapped in boxes and bows). Now would be the PERFECT time to say thanks! Why not bring back an old, and sadly oft lost, tradition of letter writing and card sending? Why not incorporate the kids into the deal? Afterall, you're never too young to be thankful, right?

In addition to a slew of new goods on sale in the shop, visit the Cards section for tons of cool cards you can use to let people know you're thankful for them, there for them, love them and support them, EVERY DAY!

And of course, if you're looking for a sweet deal-- maybe you'll want to stock up for NEXT Christmas with some adorable ornaments? Everything in the HOLIDAY section of my shop is an additional 40% off if you use this very special code in the Message to Seller section at checkout. Code: "BLOG40". Due to volume of sales, I can only honor the discount if you include the code, so remember: BLOG40.

Happy Shopping... and happy new EVERY DAY!
xoxo, danamarie

Happy Holidays!

it had to be done.

happy holidays folks!
xoxo, danamarie

cool moms know...

(colored by the littlest bean herself! image courtesy of mama to the bean, jenmenkhaus)

Say Thanks the handmade way! my blank winter themed Knitimal greeting cards were spotted on CoolMomPicks! These super sweet cards are a great way to reflect on the bounty of the holidays & get kids involved in the act of saying "THANKS!".

many thanks, shop update & giveaway!

How could I possibly wrap up EVERY show I've been to in the past month? I couldn't... Suffice to say, I am SO thankful for all of you, who make a real effort to shop local and spread love throughout your communities, by buying art and gifting the handmade. I couldn't do what I do without your constant and generous support.

This year has been jam packed with wonderful opportunities, press, praise & warm feedback. And, as soon as I have a chance to do so, I will share some of those wonderful stories with you!

The constant "packing up, setting up, breaking down, repeat" of the past few weeks has really afforded me some good exercise and a lot of time to reflect on the work I do. It's tedious, time consuming & often difficult, but always totally worth it. So thank you!

I managed to move most of my stock (a good and bad thing as I look ahead to what promises to be a VERY busy spring) but...now that the show season is behind us, i'm stocking up the shop like crazy! There's something for everyone in there ( i promise). Now's a great time to relax and take advantage of all sales & special offers floating around out there in cyber space, and greenstarstudio is no exception!

Looking for a last minute gift, or just the opportunity to shop from the comfort of your own home? maybe you saw some things you liked at a show, but didn't snatch them up right away... well, have no fear!

I'll be shipping (via first class mail for small items & priority mail for knitimals & large orders) EVERYDAY thru 12/24, so it's not too late to get something great!

AND, as a special thanks, for all your support this season, if you mention the code: "FREETREE" in your message to seller at checkout, you'll get a FREE knitimal ornament thrown in too! This is an offer available only to blog & newsletter readers, so do make sure you include the code when you check out, in order to take advantage of the giveaway. (Orders must be placed by 12/24 to take advantage of the ornament giveaway).

Happy Holidays!

xoxo, danamarie

More Shows this weekend!

I can't believe I still have two more shows on my holiday calendar!

it's been a very busy season. Lucky for all of us, though, there's still plenty of good stuff to be found!

"Yes, there's another chance to shop handmade for the holidays in the Baltimore area. The Squidfire Art Mart moves from its original location at the Lyric Theater to a larger arena, the DuBurns Arena on Boston Street in Canton.This event is this Saturday, December 12 from 11 - 6. This new space not only has parking but guarantees more vendors that get to have a 10 ' X 10' space! Look for more mini- boutiques instead of just table top stores! Members from BEST that will be participating in this show include greenstarstudio, dandelion blu, thebrokenplate,sugar paperie, sweetpepita, jennyjen42, Yummy & Company,worndress, jenmenkhaus, Lana Bella, JerseyGirlDesign, CEK Custom Designs, & Tlane."

(thanks JennyJen42 for the post!)

And if that's still not enough-- your last chance to get greenstargoods (in person) is Sunday, December 13th at Last Minute Maul, at School 33! 10-5pm, 1427 Light Street. Phew!

Cloning & time travel...

So, this weekend I will splitting myself in thirds and spreading out all over the state. OUCH. Luckily, I have wonderful crafty friends in the BEST ladies and we'll all be pitching in to help each other out. So, while I may not be there, you'll be able to find my work at three different shows over two days.

On Saturday, you can find my work at the BEST table at the Charm City Craft Mafia's Holiday Heap-- at St. Johns church on St Paul Street. I wont be there, because I will be running the BEST booth over in Greenbelt, MD, at the Greenbelt Festival of Lights.

Join greenstarstudio, Jen Menkhaus, Sweet Pepita, TigerlillyShop, Jersey Girl Design, Yummy & Company, and DandelionBlu for two days of shopping and demonstrations, workshops and presentations, by dozens of artists.
The Festival takes place indoors at the Greenbelt Community Center, Saturday, December 5th from 10-5 and Sunday, December 6th from 11-4pm.

On Sunday, my work will still be for sale at Greenbelt, but I will have moseyed over to Out of Hand; Sunday Dec.6, 10am - 5 pm; Knights of Columbus Hall
201 Homeland Avenue (on the edge of the Notre Dame campus just off Charles Street)
Baltimore, 21212

Should be fun. And insane. Come out and help me not lose my flippin mind. Thanks.

Shop Handmade & help put food on some tables...

It has been a difficult year for many Marylanders because of the tough economy. Many are without jobs and without food. In an effort to help those in need this holiday season, several BEST members will be donating a percentage of money from the the sales of their handmade items from December 1-14. Buyers will have a unique opportunity to support handmade and help feed hungry Marylanders.

The Maryland Food Bank provides nearly 14 million pounds of food annually to 1,000 Network Partners - including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, low-income day care centers, after-school programs, senior centers, rehabilitation centers, and other feeding programs. They supply food for over 50,000 Marylanders each week who otherwise would go hungry or not eat enough, including families with children, the elderly, the homeless, the homebound, low-income workers, the recently unemployed, and people with AIDS and other health problems. For every $1 contributed to the Maryland Food Bank, they are able to provide 3 meals to Maryland’s needy families and individuals.

From December 1st through 14th, the following participating BEST members will be donating a percentage of their sales:

blockpartypress- 10% of Etsy sales
sweetpepita- 10% of all Etsy sales
jenmenkhaus- 10% of all Etsy sales
glowgirl - 10% of all Etsy sales
yummyandcompany- 10% of all Etsy sales
atelieradornments - 10% of all Etsy sales
lanabella - 10% of all Etsy sales
lolamiren - 10% of all Etsy sales
thebrokenplate - 10% of all Etsy sales
tigerlillyshop - 10% of all Etsy ring sales
greenstarstudio - 10% of all Etsy sales

Take some time to visit these Etsy shops, support handmade and know that when you make a purchase between Dec. 1 - 14, you will be helping to provide food and services to someone in need this holiday season. Here are some other ways to support the MD Food Bank:

* Make a direct monetary donation

* Purchase and donate food through the Food Bank's “Virtual Food Drive”

* Deliver the food directly to the Maryland Food Bank at 2200 Halethorpe Farms Road. Please call 410-737-8282 to arrange your delivery.

* Volunteer Opportunities

(Thanks Tamara, of BlockPartyPress, for organizing this drive & writing this lovely post).

Cyber Monday! Free Shipping all day!

Well, it's Cyber Monday... which is the new "Black Friday" and to celebrate, you can get a whole lot of stuff and save money on shipping...

Yes, all day long, anything you pick up in the shop will ship for FREE! Just load up your cart, checkout and pay, then I will refund your shipping costs. Its very easy. You don't even need a code!

And, since we are in the midst of crazy show season, if you attended a show and are looking to pick up something you saw there or if you're searching for something you just don't see listed in my shop, just email me and ask--- if I have it, it's yours and the shipping will STILL be free!

Plus, keep an eye on the shop all day for updates and new listings... recycled plastic ornaments, greeting cards, masks, wallets and a whole lot more.

xoxo, danamarie

BAZAART preview party tonight (and free shipping thru Monday!)

Why spend Black Friday battling at the Mall?
Why not try a GREEN Friday? Free Shipping in my shop all weekend. Just fill your cart and check out. I'll send you a revised invoice within a day, then you pay. Much easier than driving all over town, right?

Local? Why not come out to Bazaart at the American Visionary Art Museum? Friday is a special preview party- for a nominal ticket price, you'll get first dibs on all the good stuff AND free open bar and lite fare.

Or, come on out on Saturday (10 to 5) for free!

Wanna know what's in store for ya?
I've got *brand new color your own holiday card sets* recycled plastic ornaments* slim profile felt wallets* coffee cozies* Color your own OoAkie kits* organic cotton onesies* baby hats* bibs* coloring books* Recyclimals* gift tags* postcards* keychains* soap* tshirts* brooches* magnets* stickers and more... And of course, brand new Knitimals!

So, why not save yourself the running around today, eh?

See you soon!
xo, danamarie
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Black Friday & "Something" Saturday at Bazaart!

I'm not sure what you call the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but I know where I'll be when it rolls around... For the past 5 years I have been fortunate enough to juried into the MOST amazing show of the Holiday Season, and this year I'll be introducing some BRAND NEW GOODIES too! So, if you're looking for a great Mall-ternative for Black Friday, this year? You can find me and 2 of my good buddies from BEST; (your's truly- Greenstarstudio, my very talented bird loving friend- JennyJen42 & and maker of a million cool things- Tigerlillyshop) at Bazaart at the American Visionary Art Museum!

Friday Evening • November 27 • 5:30–8:00PM:BAZAART Preview Party & Sale Beat the crowds! An opportunity to get the first shot at the original creations by 50 regional artists and craftspeople prior to the Saturday Bazaart extravaganza (see 11/28 listing). Spend a relaxing evening strolling among Bazaart artisans and their wares while nibbling light fare and enjoying a special beverage. Location: American Visionary Art Museum, Jim Rouse Visionary Center, 3rd Floor. Admission to Preview Party & Sale: $20 at the door.

Saturday • November 28 • 10AM-5PM • FREE ENTRY: BAZAART: Artful Holiday ShoppingAmerican Visionary Art Museum's Annual Holiday Marketplace of original creations by 50 regional artists and craftspeople. Painting, sculpture, papercrafts, metalwork, jewelry, textiles, mixed media, and other work that simply defies categorization! FREE ENTRY. Location: American Visionary Art Museum, Jim Rouse Visionary Center 3rd Floor. Note: Bazaart shoppers are welcome to tour the entire Jim Rouse Visionary Center for Free! Ongoing exhibitions include the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre automata, Baltimore Screen Painters, Emily Duffy's Bra Ball and more.
***********I'll be posting some "sneak peeks" at what you can expect to find in the Greenstarstudio booth, over the course of the week. Mark your calendars now; crack open that piggy bank; and get ready for the best darn show around!