Today is Chinese New Year! Yay! I made some decorations to celebrate. (Also because my brother is hosting a Chinese New Year's Party and he asked me to make some decorations. He noted that for my hard work, I'd be paid in homemade dumplings. I thought it was a fair trade.)
I made this dragon banner:
Dragons are a traditional way of celebrating Chinese New Year. Dragons are a symbol of China and are thought to bring good luck. If you've ever been to Chinatown during Chinese New Year, you've probably seen the traditional Dragon Dance. If you've never seen a Dragon Dance, check out this YouTube video (it's under a minute):
The video is from Flushing in Queens, NY, where there's a very large Chinese population (and people say the yummiest Chinese food).
I used gold foil circles to add that festive feeling.
I made the head out of a patterned piece of paper. I thought that a little bit of tone-on-tone patterning made it a tad more interesting.
I'm in *love* with this stencil-ish font I created in Illustrator. I'm going to have to make a stencil with the full alphabet because it's just too cool!
I used spray adhesive to attach the black layer to the red layer and I accidentally sprayed the wrong side of the black layer at first (eek!) so stuff keeps sticking to it. Got to laugh stuff like that off, right?!
And I made this super crafty centerpiece:
This is a stylized calligraphic version of the Chinese character for "Year of the Ram." (2015 is the "Year of the Ram" — sometimes called "Year of the Sheep" or "Year of the Goat" — the Chinese character refers to all of those animals.)
And here are little circles for each of the Chinese zodiac signs:
Happy New Year to you! If you'd like to wish your friends a happy new year in Chinese, here's a website with some easy phonetic pronunciation. As for me, I'll be eating dumplings!
Thanks for stopping by!
Awesome centerpiece. HaPPy ChInese nEw yEAr Julie and Julie’s Mom!
Awesome centerpiece. HaPPy ChInese nEw yEAr Julie and Julie’s Mom!
Awesome centerpiece. HaPPy ChInese nEw yEAr Julie and Julie’s Mom!
Awesome centerpiece. HaPPy ChInese nEw yEAr Julie and Julie’s Mom!
Awesome centerpiece. HaPPy ChInese nEw yEAr Julie and Julie’s Mom!
Those are some seriously cool decorations. I hope your brother loves them.
Those are some seriously cool decorations. I hope your brother loves them.
Those are some seriously cool decorations. I hope your brother loves them.
Those are some seriously cool decorations. I hope your brother loves them.
Those are some seriously cool decorations. I hope your brother loves them.
Thanks so much for the peek into one of my “gaps” as I have never experienced Chinese New Year before. It looks like so much hard work for the dancers and drummers. But Fun, too.
Thanks so much for the peek into one of my “gaps” as I have never experienced Chinese New Year before. It looks like so much hard work for the dancers and drummers. But Fun, too.
Thanks so much for the peek into one of my “gaps” as I have never experienced Chinese New Year before. It looks like so much hard work for the dancers and drummers. But Fun, too.
Thanks so much for the peek into one of my “gaps” as I have never experienced Chinese New Year before. It looks like so much hard work for the dancers and drummers. But Fun, too.
Thanks so much for the peek into one of my “gaps” as I have never experienced Chinese New Year before. It looks like so much hard work for the dancers and drummers. But Fun, too.
Hey Julie! This is a great set up for a party! Wonderful job! The dance is actually a Lion Dance. I always called them dragons too, but it is a Lion Dance, which is very traditional. My kids are in a Chinese immersion program and are half Chinese, so I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Have fun!
Hey Julie! This is a great set up for a party! Wonderful job! The dance is actually a Lion Dance. I always called them dragons too, but it is a Lion Dance, which is very traditional. My kids are in a Chinese immersion program and are half Chinese, so I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Have fun!
Hey Julie! This is a great set up for a party! Wonderful job! The dance is actually a Lion Dance. I always called them dragons too, but it is a Lion Dance, which is very traditional. My kids are in a Chinese immersion program and are half Chinese, so I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Have fun!
Hey Julie! This is a great set up for a party! Wonderful job! The dance is actually a Lion Dance. I always called them dragons too, but it is a Lion Dance, which is very traditional. My kids are in a Chinese immersion program and are half Chinese, so I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Have fun!
Hey Julie! This is a great set up for a party! Wonderful job! The dance is actually a Lion Dance. I always called them dragons too, but it is a Lion Dance, which is very traditional. My kids are in a Chinese immersion program and are half Chinese, so I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years. Have fun!
Will you have the cut designs for sale on your shop? You should They are a lot of work and so beautiful.
Will you have the cut designs for sale on your shop? You should They are a lot of work and so beautiful.
Will you have the cut designs for sale on your shop? You should They are a lot of work and so beautiful.
Will you have the cut designs for sale on your shop? You should They are a lot of work and so beautiful.
Will you have the cut designs for sale on your shop? You should They are a lot of work and so beautiful.
Wonderful! Love that alphabet! And the animals are terrific! Great job! And if I had made the mistake of putting the sticky on the wrong side, I might have sprinkled black glitter over it after it was correctly placed–kinda big, but still!
Wonderful! Love that alphabet! And the animals are terrific! Great job! And if I had made the mistake of putting the sticky on the wrong side, I might have sprinkled black glitter over it after it was correctly placed–kinda big, but still!
Wonderful! Love that alphabet! And the animals are terrific! Great job! And if I had made the mistake of putting the sticky on the wrong side, I might have sprinkled black glitter over it after it was correctly placed–kinda big, but still!
Wonderful! Love that alphabet! And the animals are terrific! Great job! And if I had made the mistake of putting the sticky on the wrong side, I might have sprinkled black glitter over it after it was correctly placed–kinda big, but still!
Wonderful! Love that alphabet! And the animals are terrific! Great job! And if I had made the mistake of putting the sticky on the wrong side, I might have sprinkled black glitter over it after it was correctly placed–kinda big, but still!
Amazing as always. You deserve a lot more than dumplings. My question….how do you have the time for all you do. I know “art” is your job but still it seems like you fpget so much done. Are the rest of us just lazy. Anyway, you go girl! All is looking fine!
Amazing as always. You deserve a lot more than dumplings. My question….how do you have the time for all you do. I know “art” is your job but still it seems like you fpget so much done. Are the rest of us just lazy. Anyway, you go girl! All is looking fine!
Amazing as always. You deserve a lot more than dumplings. My question….how do you have the time for all you do. I know “art” is your job but still it seems like you fpget so much done. Are the rest of us just lazy. Anyway, you go girl! All is looking fine!
Amazing as always. You deserve a lot more than dumplings. My question….how do you have the time for all you do. I know “art” is your job but still it seems like you fpget so much done. Are the rest of us just lazy. Anyway, you go girl! All is looking fine!
Amazing as always. You deserve a lot more than dumplings. My question….how do you have the time for all you do. I know “art” is your job but still it seems like you fpget so much done. Are the rest of us just lazy. Anyway, you go girl! All is looking fine!
I respectfully disagree. Lion Dance and Dragon Dance are two different things. There is a large lion head visible in the foreground of the video, but the main activity in the dance is a Dragon Dance. A Lion Dance is generally done with two people in a Lion costume. A Dragon Dance is done with a Dragon puppet and a team of 7-15 dancers.
I respectfully disagree. Lion Dance and Dragon Dance are two different things. There is a large lion head visible in the foreground of the video, but the main activity in the dance is a Dragon Dance. A Lion Dance is generally done with two people in a Lion costume. A Dragon Dance is done with a Dragon puppet and a team of 7-15 dancers.
I respectfully disagree. Lion Dance and Dragon Dance are two different things. There is a large lion head visible in the foreground of the video, but the main activity in the dance is a Dragon Dance. A Lion Dance is generally done with two people in a Lion costume. A Dragon Dance is done with a Dragon puppet and a team of 7-15 dancers.
I respectfully disagree. Lion Dance and Dragon Dance are two different things. There is a large lion head visible in the foreground of the video, but the main activity in the dance is a Dragon Dance. A Lion Dance is generally done with two people in a Lion costume. A Dragon Dance is done with a Dragon puppet and a team of 7-15 dancers.
I respectfully disagree. Lion Dance and Dragon Dance are two different things. There is a large lion head visible in the foreground of the video, but the main activity in the dance is a Dragon Dance. A Lion Dance is generally done with two people in a Lion costume. A Dragon Dance is done with a Dragon puppet and a team of 7-15 dancers.
Happy New Year and wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous during the year of the sheep! Super awesome decor, LOVE! He definitely needs to make you lots of dumplings and maybe a big red envelop too, hehe!!! Enjoy!
Happy New Year and wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous during the year of the sheep! Super awesome decor, LOVE! He definitely needs to make you lots of dumplings and maybe a big red envelop too, hehe!!! Enjoy!
Happy New Year and wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous during the year of the sheep! Super awesome decor, LOVE! He definitely needs to make you lots of dumplings and maybe a big red envelop too, hehe!!! Enjoy!
Happy New Year and wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous during the year of the sheep! Super awesome decor, LOVE! He definitely needs to make you lots of dumplings and maybe a big red envelop too, hehe!!! Enjoy!
Happy New Year and wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous during the year of the sheep! Super awesome decor, LOVE! He definitely needs to make you lots of dumplings and maybe a big red envelop too, hehe!!! Enjoy!
I was born in the year of the ram plus I was born an Aries. Double whammy! Happy New Year….
I was born in the year of the ram plus I was born an Aries. Double whammy! Happy New Year….
I was born in the year of the ram plus I was born an Aries. Double whammy! Happy New Year….
I was born in the year of the ram plus I was born an Aries. Double whammy! Happy New Year….
I was born in the year of the ram plus I was born an Aries. Double whammy! Happy New Year….