The upcoming Academy Awards aren’t just celebrities’ night to shine.

Artisans who donate items for their swag bags, such as Tina Dean Allen of Stafford County, are hoping their glamour will help boost awareness and appeal of their work as well.

Allen, who crochets accessories from plastic yarn or “plarn” made from plastic bags and VHS tape, has designed a tote bag that will be displayed at the GBK Academy Awards Gift Lounge on Feb. 23 at The W Hotel in Beverly Hills. Celebs who visit the lounge can pose with the tote for publicity stills, and take home one of her Petite Pocket Purses as an example of how eco-chic upcycled plastic can be.

“It’s a wonderful experience to share with the world that plastic can be ‘haute’. My products are not only recyclable, but will likely outlast the user,” Allen said in a prepared statement.

She first showed her products along with other members of The Artisan Group, a close-knit community of talented artisans, at the GBK Emmy Awards Gift Lounge last September. Actresses Nia Peeples, Kathryn Joosten and Catherine O’Hara posed with the eco-purse on display.

Allen posted the pictures taken there on her website, http://www.tinadeandesigns.com, and the resulting publicity helped boost sales of her line of handmade products.

“This was a learning experience and a way to get my name out there,” Allen said at the time. “It’s a great marketing tool, and it was exciting.”

In addition to purses and totes, Allen creates kitchen and bath baskets.

“My baskets are also great accessories as they are a stylish and conscientious way to organize, and wash like a dream,” she said. “In that sense, my designs are not limited to the women of the house, but are also a wonderful gift for any “go-green” member of the family.”