Happy Chinese New Year!

Thinking about New Years yet?  Perhaps not as Christmas (if you celebrate) is only a few days away.  But!  It is right around the corner!  Before you know it, we will be in 2015....

Since it is coming up I have a New Years card to share.  Not just any New Year though, Chinese New Year.  That is even further away, February 19th, but I was so inspired by the sparkly cut paper, I could think of nothing else... so why not?!  Here is how this came about....

I was working on my tutorial for the Top Dog Dies blog (which should be featured later this week) using the Top Dog Dies Flower Mosaic A2 Mat Die.  I cut this out using glittery red paper.  I then carefully cut the flowers out using my snips.  When I was done, to what do my wondering eyes should appear, but this remnant of red glitter that reminded me of some Chinese Decor.  Once I got that in my head, I couldn't get it out and thoughts of a Chinese New Year card was borne.

I adhered the glitter layer to my card.  Then I stamped lantern images, from Lawn Fawn's Lunar Lights set, on white.  I used my gelatos and smeared some yellow in the middle for the lantern glow and then used the red around the edges.  I cut and mounted my lanterns and hung them with gold string.  Finally I stamped my sentiment on white and mounted it above the lanterns.  I am really happy with the final look, it just feels right.

Just for fun, I thought I'd share some info I found on Chinese New Year.  Do you celebrate it?  Know anyone who does?  What are your/their fave traditions and/or fave stories around it?