Friday, February 20, 2015

Chinese New Year meets Moo Mania and Art Journal Journey


Yesterday was the start of the Chinese Lunar Year 4713, so I am celebrating Chinese New Year today with Moo-Mania and More, whose fortnightly challenge is Circles.  I'm also joining Art Journal Journey, whose challenge this month is Birds, Beasts, and Humans. 

This is the year of the sheep or goat, whichever you prefer.

I happen to have a stamp of a sheep, purchased at Michael's (a big box US craft store) for $1.00 (USD).

It's obvious I was able to get my printer working earlier this morning, but my scanner is still not playing nicely with my other bluetooth devices.

I have positioned my AB on my computer desk under the OTT light, and some of the gold in the joss papers shows better than others.

Some of the joss papers are circles,

as are the Chinese coins, which represent the Moo-Mania challenge.

Although the lanterns I used in my art aren't red,

the traditional Chinese New Year color, they do represent the lantern festival and the lanterns people hang in temples, or carry to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.

Sheep, the eigth symbol in the Chinese Zodiac, are considered quiet, calm,  peaceful animals. Like their animal counterpart, people born in the Year of the Sheep are seen as calm individuals. These may not be beastly beasts, but I hope they fulfill the Art Journal Journey category.

I hope your Chinese New Year was filled with happiness and good cheer, even if you don't or didn't celebrate it.  Much like Mardi Gras, you can appreciate Chinese New Year from afar, even if it doesn't interest or impact you in your daily life.

Thanks for visiting, and your lovely comments, which always mean so much to me.

19 thoughtful remarks:

Divers and Sundry said...

I'm quite taken with this spread. I like the way you've composed it, and I like the color and texture. This one really appeals to me.

I was reading up a bit on the sheep-or-goat issue and read that the word in Chinese doesn't distinguish between the 2 without further description -that the word means any hoofed animal that bleats and that the issue of which one it is is strictly a Western problem. I started thinking I bet this posed quite a problem for the first folks attempting to translate the Bible into Chinese. Here's one of the articles I saw: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/world/asia/chinese-new-year-sheep-goat.html

Anonymous said...

What a totally cute spread. Love the colorful Chinese papers. xox

Valerie-Jael said...

Lovely. colourful pages. Thanks for joining us at AJJ and Moo Mania and More! Hugs, Valerie

~*~Patty S said...

Your pages are brilliant and full of warmth and color and interest for the big celebration E!
Yesterday was Mr Magpie's birthday too so lots of celebrating going on :-)
Happy Lunar New Year.
Have a lovely weekend.
oxo

TwinkleToes2day said...

I really like this spread Elizabeth with it's lovely vibrant colours and lots of interest to feast the eyes.
Wishing you a good weekend ahead, whatever you get up to (hugs) ;o)

Craftymoose Crafts said...

The string of lanterns at the top really make this spread shine! Great papers. Below zero coming tonight so glad I have no where to go! Have a nice weekend.

Nancy said...

This is beautiful- color, balance, interesting theme and papers. Wow!

Halle said...

Awesome pages Elizabeth!! Love the colors and design!

Halle said...

ps...I didn't realize that Moo mania challenges included sizes other than the Moo card size. Good to know! I may try and participate occasionally. now that I know!

Lorraine said...

What a great way to incorporate both of those challenges. Loving the red and gold!

froebelsternchen said...

An AMAZING Chinese New Year Celebration on this pages.. everything goes beautiful together and all the elements are wonderful!
LOVE what you have done here Elizabeth!
Happy Sheep/ Goat Year to you too!
Hope that it will really be a quiet one for our globe!!!

Happy weekend and a BIG
♥ THANK YOU ♥
for participating in both the challenges!
Yippieh!
xxx
Susi

Helen said...

great spread, Elizabeth!! love the traditional Chinese colours.

Rosie said...

Fantastic pages.

Thank you for joining us at MOO-MANIA & MORE.

Have a nice weekend

johanna said...

yes, this spread is a wonderful celebration of the chinese new year! love the joss paper, the round elements and the golden Dresden-scrap lanterns. awesome in every way... and how apt to have a sheep stamp (and for a bargain... why don´t we have michael´s here?!). a very coherent creation, terrific!

Linda Manning Findley said...

Wonderful job "E" ... love all of it and wish you a great New Year, Chinese or another ...

Krisha said...

Wonderful LO of the Chinese New Year. I think this is one of my favorites.............I do love all the color!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wonderful pages! Love how you have balanced your pages with such wonderful Chinese style! We have a big Dragon Dance Parade in Manchester with lots of other activities going on in the streets and galleries around China Town. Hoping to go tomorrow with Grandies but weather forecast is not good - we'll decide in the morning! Hugs, Chrisx

Darla said...

I like everything about this spread. Can't believe you had a sheep stamp to use for the occasion.

Darla

Linda Kunsman said...

fabulous composition Elizabeth! I have a container of Asian stamps, Joss and other papers but haven't gone to them in awhile. You have me thinking about them now:)