Preparations for the Dragon Year

Are you all set to usher into the Year of the Dragon? CNY goodies, check? CNY decorations up, check? If you have a party to hold at your place and are out of ideas on how to decorate, here are some inspirations you can get your hands on. 

1. '福' Chopstick Cases

What You'll Need:

-- Wooden Chopsticks

-- Colored Papers (A4/A5) - depending on the length/size of your chopsticks

-- Mini Chinese Character Stickers

-- Double-sided tape

-- Scissors

-- Bone Folder (optional)

*Play around with the color or design of papers and stickers to match your decor/theme.

I got the really simple steps in making this chopstick cases from Omiyage and created my own.

This webshop owned by Marisa and Elias, selling Japanese stationery, paper, craft supplies and many more. Check out their site for other interesting products to purchase and/or creative DIYs to impress your friends and family!

2. Table Lanterns

All you need is to look as far as simple pieces of colored papers to create an atmosphere. Thanks to the crafty peeps at Design Sponge, the lantern idea below is the perfect way to stay to theme on a budget. You could fill it with votive candles or even use these lanterns to cover a cylindrical vase filled with flowers.

What You'll Need:

-- Cylindrical Glasses/Vases
-- Colored Papers (A4/A5) - depending on size of glasses/vases
-- Colored Tissue Paper (optional)
-- Ruler
-- Pencil
-- Scissors
-- Double-sided tape
-- Tea-light Candles /Votive Candles

Steps:

1. Measure the height and circumference of your glass and cut a piece of tissue paper that is the same height and 1/4″ wider than your measurement.

2. Put a strip of double-sided tape down the length of your glass and wrap the tissue paper around, securing both ends onto the tape.

3. Measure and cut a piece of colored card stock that is 1″ taller and 1/2″ wider than your glass measurement.

4. Fold the cardstock in half lengthwise and starting at the fold line, make a series of cuts that are approximately 1/2″ to 1″ apart, making sure to stop about 1″ from the edge.

5. Unfold the cardstock and stick pieces of double sided tape along the top and bottom, and all along one of the short edges.

6. Wrap around your glass, lining up the top and bottom of the glass with the top and bottom of the cardstock.

7. Light a candle and carefully insert it into the glass.

3. CNY Themed Vases (for candies/snacks/flowers)

(For Flowers)

What You'll Need:

-- Vase

-- Fake Peach Blossom Flowers (3 stalks or more. from Rocher Center, 3 for S$2. Chinatown is selling 5 for S$10)

-- Dried Sponge (from dad's friend's florist at Whampoa Market)

-- Paper Ribbons, Mustard and Dark Brown (from Spotlight)

-- Moda Vera Red Marshmallow Wool (from Spotlight on sale for just S$2!) / any suitable ribbons you can find at home

-- CNY Ornaments (from Rocher Centre for S$0.50 each)
-- Double-sided tape
-- Scissors

Steps:

1. Wrap the vase with paper ribbon until it is completely covered.
2. Tie the Marshmallow Wool around the top of the covered vase.
3. Place the flowers and sponge into the vase and arrange them nicely.
4. Cut a few lengths of the brown paper ribbons and crush them into a ball/rock shaped-like form, then place them in the vase so that the sponge will not be seen.
5. Shred the brown paper ribbon to create more volume to the entire vase.
6. Place CNY ornaments on the shredded paper ribbons.

(For Candies)

What You'll Need:

-- Vase

-- Paper Ribbon, Pink (from Spotlight)

-- Moda Vera Red Marshmallow Wool (from Spotlight)
-- Candies (from Rocher Center, for S$1.20/100g for sweets and S$2/100g for chocolates)

-- Red Packets
-- Chocolate Coins (mom and pop stores)
-- Any suitable ribbons you can find at home (love this ribbon I found, so oriental but sadly there was only one)

4. Paper Fan Ornaments

Feeling bored with your plain dinning chairs? Why not try making a few paper fan ornaments to brighten the look of your chairs and the whole house? That's what I did for mine :)

Tutorial Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4ch-aLBGFk

5. Paper Fish Ornaments

Here are my 'kissing fishes'.

Tutorial Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3K7W6k3xJU&feature=related

6. The Lucky 8 Ornament + 2 Fishes

Tutorial Videos: The Lucky 8 and Ang Pao Fishes

7. Chinese Lucky Characters (using Red Packets)

During the Day

 At Night

Fu/Fu Dao is one of the most common chinese characters used during CNY which means Blessing, Good Luck, Good Fortune.

This was done by Mom last year when she got her inspiration while dining at Cafe Cartel, and I thought it would be good to do a couple more for the house this year.

Ji means lucky, auspicious, propitious.

Chun which is Spring in Mandarin means welcoming the new season.

Here's a site (Top 10 Chinese Lucky Characters) on other words you can make.

Now, adding a few more CNY decorations, flowers, and lights, your house can look from plain jane to looking like this.

During the Day

At Night

Lights which I also used during Christmas really does help brighten the place a lot. I simply changed the flowers in the vase according to the season/theme of the party. I was also lucky to find this porcelain egg-shaped jewelry box and placed 2 netted oranges to give a more finished look to the whole decor.

8. CNY Plants

 

  During the Day

At Night

I think occupying space with the right plants is important as well, and it's not just about bringing in abundant luck and prosperity but also to enhance the entire house.

Pussy Willows known as Yin Lou in Cantonese is one of the plants that we always get every CNY. I like the texture of its little furry buds and the entire plant allows for many ornaments to be put up!

9. Kusudama Flower Ball Lantern

This is another CNY lantern that you can make, I think it's really pretty, seeing the ones in the tutorial video. Mine's not completed, am still thinking if I should hang it up. Don't want to overdo the entire house at well.

Tutorial Video: Kusudama Flower Ball

10. DIY Lampions

Happened to chance upon on a post on WeddingSpot featuring how they used Chinese Lanterns for weddings and like they mentioned, the lanterns definitely set the scene of the place. So instead of hanging them up on the ceiling, I left them on the floor to give a different feel.

What You'll Need:

-- Lampions (Diaso. They sell other sizes and shapes but I went with the traditional ones)
-- Crimson Red Paint (Diaso)
-- Gold Strings (for the red lampion)
-- Moda Vera Red Marshmallow Wool (for the white lampion)

Again, with the addition of lights and a vase of fake Peach Blossom Flowers, Peony Flowers and White Azalea Flowers together with the Lampions, they make the house livelier and a sense of warmth.

11. Outdoor Decors

-- Mini Lantern Lightings (from Bukit Merah)

12. Paper Fortune Cookies made by Kimberly Crawford at For the Lover of Paper. Have yet to get my hands on making them for my CNY reunion gatherings and you should too!

If you are into making CNY goodies and desserts, check out some of the many amazing recipes at Bread et Butter.

"Why buy them, when you can D(o).I(t).Y(ourself)? Have fun!"