Scary!

The scaffolding is up. The priming starts in an hour. Paiting starts tomorrow. Hot started an hour ago! Stop by and say hi! I'll be at the Giant at the corner of 32nd and old York Rd, from about 9:30 to 5pm tomorrow. Wish me luck!
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May Charity of the Month: Relay for Life

are you feeling generous?


i am.



i don't know exactly when it happened, but i can't recall a time in my life when my art and my personal beliefs have not been intrinsically connected.




i've always wanted (and still have every intention of doing so) to run my own non-profit; a special place for creative people to give back and get a little acknowledgment and success of their own, in return. i love teaching. i love watching kids get involved, get motivated and "get it" (and adults too, for that matter).


any opportunity i have to GIVE always feels right to me.


i can't help but acknowledge how fortunate i am, how much i have and how much i've been able to make of what i have...



... and i've reached a point where it feels right to actively contribute to meaningful causes as often as possible.






last month, i made a wonderful decision to donate a percentage of my etsy profits to the maryland society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and in that month, with the help of some very generous and aware patrons, i was able to raise $100 for the cause!

giving feels good.


and the better i feel, the more productive i am.

the more productive i am, the more i have to give...

...infinity.


SO, i've decided that greenstarstudio is OFFICIALLY sponsoring a different charity each month and donating 5% of the profits from all etsy sales to said cause. The charities will be listed along the side bar, with opportunities for people to donate anytime they want, directly to the cause, long after the designated month ends.


and its with that, that i introduce the May cause of the month: the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. i'm not sure i know ANYONE who hasn't lost a loved one to cancer; who hasn't helped a friend with their own battle; who hasn't been affected, in some way, by this disease. I am choosing to support this cause, and this relay team in particular, because my brother-in-law lost his mother, Connie, to ovarian cancer when he was in high school. and because the first funeral i ever attended was during my 7th grade year; my best friend called my house in tears in the middle of the night because her mother had lost her battle with breast cancer. and because, however small it may seem in the grand scheme of things, i still can't believe that earlier this year, i had to say goodbye to my best four-legged friend, who's body had turned against her. and because it's the only way i know how to help the survivors and those struggling and fighting their own battle--- i can't cure it, but i can sure as heck help raise money for the those who might and those who need them to.

from now until June 1st, 5% of ALL etsy sales etsy will donated to Carrie & Bob's team.

I've just completely re-vamped and stocked the etsy shop... so go ahead and UN-STOCK it!

If you'd like to skip the purchasing part and just make a donation directly, please go here: make a donation

thank you so much.
peace, health and lots of love.
xoxo, danamarie

that's one GIANT mural!

i'm about to turn this...

into this...

or maybe it's the other way around... either way, starting this saturday, april 19th, I'll be painting my latest mural on the back side (loading dock area) of the Giant Supermarket in Waverly (off 33rd street). my panel is approximately 29' by 19' and i'll be working on it for the next couple weeks (if you want to stop by and bring me lemonade or a chiropractor). this mural project (there are 3 other artists working on 5 other panels) is kicking off the 2008 mural season and made possible by the baltimore city office of promotion and the arts, whom i love and i can't wait to see how they turn out! also-- for you local folks, we're supposed to get a fair amount of media coverage on saturday, so i'd like each of you to sign up for a different news station and/ or newspaper and comb through the sound bites and photos for any mention of me.... since i'll be painting and not so much able to watch tv. xoxo, danamarie

metamorphosis part 1

well folks, in a month or so there will be yet another public place hosting a greenstarstudio creation. this time, it's the towson chamber of commerce , and just what are they hosting? glad you asked... this sketch and stark white fiberglass butterfly will soon merge into one 3" x 3" collage & paint covered butterfly beauty! if all goes according to plan, that is. stay tuned...

how we embroider

I'm juggling quite a few projects these days (which, in order to maintain sanity, I am only discussing one or two at a time... Conversely, I am working on them all at once. And I wonder why I had a migraine last night?). Anyway, todays highlighted project is rebuilding the sadly diminished knitimal collection. For months the pieces have been knit but balled up into little "pre kinitimal" packets... Like knitimal sushi rolls, waiting to be sewn. Yesterday I managed to sew up 2 dolls (have I mentioned before that sewing all those seams by hand takes HOURS? And why did I have that migraine last night?). Today, however, I'm embroidering. Yet another entry for the softies, this little guy is (as the category requires) "embroidered to death!).

Little mason has taken up residency on my lap (he's not feeling well and was up all night crying. And WHY did I have that migraine last night?!?), SO this is how we embroider today.



Stay tuned for new project updates like: painting the butterfly, mocking up the mural color and new coloring books.



Oh, also, if you're local... You can pick up a drawing of mine, entitled "at the door" at the MAP (Maryland art place) "out of order" silent auction this evening. Tickets are $40 and serve not only as donations to this wonderfully necessary organization, but also get you music, food and open bar! Plus a chance to bid on and take home some local art!



Xo, danamarie

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The verdict!

Well, she watched me sewing this little guy together for hours, and as soon as he was all stitched up she said "I can see it you made it, please?"... And has been drawing while holding him ever since.

This is Quaid the plaid quail, and he's going to be entered in the "pink or plaid" category of the 2nd annual softie awards (which I will keep you posted on, of course... I can't figure out how to include links when I'm doing posts from the mobile... I'll just owe it to you, or you can follow the link to the left, in the side bar.

Alright, more new knitimals to sew up!
Xoxo, danamarie
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Pencil dog

Well its not perfect, but its only the second dog sweater I've ever made, and this one was without a pattern. This is, most likely, mason's costume for the costume contest at the March for the Animals in 2 weeks. I mentioned a "storm" coming... I barely even have time to write a post, its so insane. I have a number of shows coming up and maybe 7 knitimals on hand (eek!); i'm starting a new mural for Baltimore city in 2 weeks and designing a butterfly for the Towson Chamber of Commerce and going to Florida to teach another workshop. And that's just the next 2 weeks. AND just what I can remember off hand. Sigh. Busy is good right? And I just remembered the folders of digital pictures on my desktop that I've been setting aside to post for, oh, I don't know, 3 months? I will. Soon. I promise. On that note, there's only a few days left to add your donation to the pack! The March is April 20th and mason and I would love to walk up with a huge check. Please click on the link to the left and make a donation. Thanks! Wish me luck... On second thought, I'm heading to bed. Xo, danamarie

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Calm before the storm

This is the calm. Tomorrow, i'll show you the storm. xo, danamarie
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the aforementioned storm

... and when the calm is over... yes, the storm. so, mason's destruction of this poor innocent ladybug is a perfect visual analogy for the way my head feels. literally, my allergies are wrecking my face and all of its interior parts. figuratively, my brain is swelling with good & wonderful (but no less pressure inducing) projects on the horizon. "what projects?" you may ask... stay tuned.

so nice

hello friends! happy friday! well, i did the big drawing and am happy to announce that Hello Pineapples has won herself a sweet little tooth fairy Knitimal! thank you ALL so much for dropping by... those stories of nice were SO nice, and i love that you all posted so quickly and freely. let's keep that going. if nothing else, let's make the greenstarstudio blog a hot bed of "nice"!

you know what else is nice? everyone who subscribes to the mailing list (the one on the top, left side of the blog) is going to get a secret code, which they can use for 20% off any purchase on etsy, from now til July!!! yep. that's nice.

also nice, puppies who sleep with their butts in the air.

xoxo, danamarie