Chinese New Year for Friday Mashup

Pssstttt....it's Friday and you know what that means! Another Friday Mashup challenge is here! This week Heidi has an excellent challenge for us, one that will make you think and get creative. Heidi gives us this background:

Feb.10 the Chinese New Year begins and its the Year of the Snake. In China, it is known as the Spring Festival, runs three days, and ends with the Lantern Festival. As part of the celebration, it is traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and "longevity". On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes. The Chinese New Year tradition is to reconcile, forget all grudges and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone¹.

For this challenge, you could incorporate Chinese symbols, an image of a dragon or lion representing the traditional parade dance, a snake or two to symbolize the Year of the Snake, or a red envelope. To mash it up, use the faux paper lantern technique on your project.

I wont lie, this challenge was very hard for me. Oriental design isn't a style I particularly care for and I didn't know how to translate it all to a card. I decided to use the snake from the Zoofari set (retired) and then the red, black and gold that is associated with oriental decor. I used the paper lantern technique on my snake panels.

This is a really unique challenge, so head over to The Friday Mashup to see what the rest of the design team has come up with and then be brave and try it out yourself!

1. Make a project with a "Chinese New Year (Year of the Snake) Theme".
2. Or Make a project using the "Paper Lantern Technique".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a project for the "Chinese New Year featuring the Paper Lantern Technique".

Supplies used(all supplies SU unless otherwise noted):

Stamps: Zoofari, Loving Thoughts, Baroque Motif

Paper: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Black DSP

Ink: StazOn Black, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Versamark

Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Basic Black Brads, Gold Embossing Powder, Heat Gun, Paper Crimper, sponge