Sunday, February 7, 2016

Year of the Monkey

Tomorrow (February 8, 2016) is Chinese New Year.  This is the Year of the Monkey.

I created one of my annual tip-ins that I will eventually add to the book of tip-ins I made for this annual event.  This is the front, and I have watermarked the side with my watermark that I needed to leave unembellished.

I created lots of layers for this side, beginning with the Chinese Zodiac joss paper I glued over the used file folder I painted red on this side and cut to size (5.5 inches X 8.5 inches/13,97 centimeters X 21,59 centimeters).  Next I added book text, over which I added a different type of joss paper, this time with lots of gold that was difficult to scan.  Finally, I included the beautiful lanterns from ARTchix Studio (sent to me by my friend Cindy McMath).  They are also known as German Scrap and even have "Made in Germany" on the pieces you cut away.

As an aside, although I couldn't find a link to their brick and mortar shop online, ARTchix Studio have digital downloads, but no German Scrap.  I'm super fortunate to have received this, and use it sparingly when I create Chinese or Asian art.

More gold joss paper was layered over another Chinese Calendar joss paper.  Finally, I added the words that were computer generated, along with an oriental coin.

For side two, or the back side, I first painted lots of colors on the substrate, my used file folder.  I relied heavily on my computer when I generated the various texts, including February 8, 2016, Year 4714, Year of the Monkey, and
  this cute little monkey I turned into a black and white image, since I have no color ink for my printer.

I also created a mirror image and printed the images.  I have NO punch that size, or circle cutter, and I'm not very good at free hand fussy cutting when I don't have an exact line to follow.

The joss paper on this side of the tip-in is smaller, but exhibits the same design as the one found on the front.  It also has less gold on it, so was easier to scan.

Since some of the joss paper, the book text, and the used file folder were scraps, I am once again joining Moo-Mania and More where we show our "Scraps" this fortnight.

On my way to punching holes in my tip-in so it would fit in my Chinese New Year book,

I took time to peruse my previous tip-ins, as well as ones I received from others who participated in various Chinese New Year swaps I hosted over the years.  I really enjoyed looking back at this art that dates back to 2004.

Thanks as always for your visits, your support of my art, and your wonderful comments.  Don't forget to visit Moo-Mania and More for a ton of inspiration on how to use your scraps.

Today is possibly one of the world's most watched television shows:  Super Bowl 50.

For those of you who live in countries other than the US, that ball the players are holding and used in this game is an inflated oval with a bladder contained in a casing made of leather and known as a football.  It is not to be confused with rugby or soccer, whose balls are round!

It's a bit hard to believe this is the 50th Super Bowl, since some of us weren't even born when the first one was played.  According to Wikipedia:
The game is the 50th edition of the Super Bowl, first played in 1967 in anticipation of the 1970 merger of the American Football League and the National Football League; the league emphasized the "golden anniversary" of the game throughout the season with various gold-themed initiatives (including the adoption of gold-tinted logos across all NFL properties), as well as temporarily suspending the tradition of naming each Super Bowl game with Roman numerals (under which the game would have been known as "Super Bowl L"), so that the logo could prominently feature the Arabic numerals of 50.
The show will be seen worldwide, on CTV in Canada, BBC Two in the UK, Seven Network and Foxtel in Australia, Sat. 1 in Germany, W9 in France,  TV5 and Hyper in the Philippines, and on pay per view television in The Netherlands and Czech Republic.

I told my friend Erika who is a New England Patriots fan that this is the year of the animals (Panthers and Broncos).  Little did I realize I would be watching a LOT of animal football today, because I am not hosting my annual football party.  Instead, I'll be watching the Kitten Bowl on the Hallmark Channel, the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet, then the Super Bowl on CBS with like minded animal lovers and sports fans who are hosting. Now I must pack and get some sleep before joining my out of town friends for a true animal bowl.


14 thoughtful remarks:

Cindy McMath said...

Elizabeth, I love your Year of the Monkey pages! So glad you are using the lanterns. My German scrap is waiting for me in Canada with most of my other supplies. Thanks for dropping by my blog. Now that I've figured it out I will try to post more often.

Valerie-Jael said...

Your year of the monkey pages are fabulous, you always put so much thought into your pages, and that makes them extra, extra special. I hope you have BIG fun watching all of your bowls today, and enjoy the time with your friends, hugs, Valerie. Thanks, too, for joining us again at Moo Mania and More!

My name is Erika. said...

First of all I love your Chinese New Year piece. Those little monkeys you printed were super cute and perfect. I love using Joss paper and all those types of Chinese accessories, but those lanterns are just gorgeous! You are lucky to have them. I'd love to see more of your book sometimes. And yup, kind of sad about the Patriots not playing today, and I guess if we had the name of some local animal like the Mountain Lions or Black Bears we might have made it further, but I am also going to watch the Puppy Bowl and I did not know about the Kitten Bowl so I need to check that out. 3 of the puppies on the Puppy Bowl are from New Hampshire, so maybe they are the New England team for today! Happy Watching. We can compare cute little critters and commercials this week!

Divers and Sundry said...

I hear there was an Otter Bowl! http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/otter-bowl-at-the-monterey-bay-aquarium/37755990

My son is an international football fan and calls the U.S. version hand-egg ;)

Annie said...

Your Chinese New Year art page is fantastic. So many great details are included. And I love the red and yellow color use. How fun to look back at all the art created for your book that was not only made by you, but by others as well.

Cappuccinoandartjournal.blogspot.com said...

LOVE!! Love Love your Lunar New Year page -- I am really a fan of Asian joss paper and I love what you did. I plan on making Lunar New Year pages for my altered book but have been too busy to do it yet -- t lasts two weeks so i have tie. The giant parade here in SF is in two weeks. And the Super Bowl? The natives are restless -- most of the locals cannot wait to have the whole thing over with. They made a huge mess downtown with a bunch of tourist stuff that snarls traffic and looks tacky. Do you need a joss paper packet??? I have some pre-made that I planned on selling in the Etsy shop that I have never gotten around to opening???? I would be happy to send you a pack.

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow! I love your Year of the Monkey page! We often go to the Dragon parade in town - not this year though! The atmosphere in Chinatown is brilliant! I won't be staying up for the Super bowl - doesn't start here until 10.50 - when my middle son was younger we used to! He was a fan of the Dallas Cowboys! The Kitten and Puppy Bowls sound like fun!Just getting back to 'normal' -which for me is anything but!! Hugs, Chrisx

froebelsternchen said...

Great pages Elizabeth!!! I always learn interesting things at your blog - Thanks a lot for sharing with us at Moo Mania & More ! ♥♥♥

I am a born as a rabbit in the chinese zodiac -- that is all I know .... so... this is NOT my year now I guess--lol!
Have fun watching the superbowl with your friends!!!
oxo Susi

Janet said...

Love your Chinese New Year pages...and your book of swaps is great. Enjoy the game!!

Meggymay said...

Love your page to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the red monkey images look quite cute. Hope you enjoyed the super bowl. I have been watching Rugby games this week end. It is the start of the Six Nations matches between England.Ireland. Scotland. Wales. France and Italy all on TV over the coming weeks, this is the sport my family watch.
Yvonne xx

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Hope you enjoyed all the animal bowls!I am now caught up with all your beautiful pages and rusting experiments! I'm sorry to have been so absent lately, but I am struggling with trying to be a "working" artist and finding time to visit online. Sometimes, I just need to turn off the computer to get anything done.

Darla said...

Chinese New Year is widely celebrated here. I really like your happy pages with the cute monkey. I also like using joss paper although this year I didn't manage any art related to the day.

~*~Patty S said...

Your lovely Chinese New Year tip in is inspiring me to get out some of my Asian collage fodder. You combined some wonderful bits and the German scrap lanterns really are a fabulous touch.
What fun to have a book of tip ins on that theme.
Back when I was doing more retail therapy I bought quite alot of the scrap.
Thanks for making me remember...I should/could be using some of that up too.
I watched the Super Bowl with Mr M and enjoyed the commercials AND half time very much. Since our son lives in CO now we were cheering for the Broncos.
Your animal bowl shows sound very entertaining.
Oh and ArtChix does have an etsy shop with some fun offerings ... but no scrap: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ARTchixStudio
Happy Year of the Monkey E!
oxo

Halle said...

Love the lattern stickers across the corner....they really pop on the fab tip-in