Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet

Chinese New Year is coming soon!  We've been so engrossed in Valentine's day crafts lately, that I almost forgot about the holiday.  But today we're rectifying that mistake.  Last year we made these 2 really easy dragon puppets.  (Definitely check them out because they were super cute and super easy.  Plus, I included free printable templates!)

This year we're keeping with the dragon theme and making this Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet from recycled cardboard!  It's an upgraded version of last year's craft because you can actually move this dragon around!

Recycled Chinese New Year Dragon Puppet

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Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

So our move is currently underway!  Eeek.  The movers just took away our boxes and we're doing some "urban camping" in our apartment (aka sleeping on air mattresses and living without a tv and toys) for the next week. While this is happening, Chuck and I are still trying to find moments to create.  Today I'm going to share with you a super easy tutorial for a folding popsicle stick fan that we recently made.  Yes.  It really folds.  Pretty neat, right?

Make a Folding Popsicle Stick Fan

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The idea came to me after watching a tv show explaining how women make traditional folding fans in Asia. After the episode ended I knew I had to adapt the steps for a kids' craft.  This fan doesn't open as smoothly as its real counterpart.  But it's still a neat kids' craft because it highlights a traditional art form.   Now let's get making!

Cherry Blossom Tissue Paper Flower Craft (Tree printable included!)

I know, it's a little early for cherry blossoms crafts.  But this mama is seriously over winter.  Buh-bye!  With yet another snow storm scheduled to come tomorrow, this tissue paper cherry blossom tree craft is my attempt to kick winter in the face.  Hiyah! 

Ahh, cherry blossoms... so beautiful... so springy...

Like the tree?  You can use it for your kids' crafts too!  I turned my painting into a pdf so you can just download it and print it out....

Two Chinese New Year Dragon Crafts

Ready for a fun Chinese New Year Craft?  Chinese New Year is one of those really fun holidays that I enjoyed celebrating as a kid.  Yummy food, wearing new clothes, red envelopes filled with money, and watching cool dragon and lion dancing?  Come on, what's not to love?  Since the holiday is just around the corner, I showed Chuck some lion dancing videos (Youtube to the rescue!) and then thought it'd be fun if we did some dragon crafts together:

Two Chinese New Year Dragon Crafts

Little background about me- Growing up I always felt like a "twinkie."  Yellow on the outside, white on the inside.  You see, I looked Asian, but I didn't always feel that way.  Now that Chuck's getting a bit older, hubby and I are trying to figure out how two twinkies like us pass down their cultural traditions. (Ehh... it's a work in progress....)

This craft is one way that we're trying to pass down our tradition.  And, in the interest of full disclosure, Chuck really enjoyed making the handprint dragon.... but he wasn't too keen on coloring my paper bag dragon pieces.  However, once I colored and glued everything down for him, he enjoyed playing with it like a puppet.

So, do you wanna see how we made these two dragons?  (I've got templates too!  Ooh la la!)  Keep on reading!

(And if you like this craft, definitely check out this dancing Chinese Dragon Puppet.  It actually dances and is made from recycled materials!)

Make a hockey stick hobby horse and dragon

Did I make a hobby horse from a hockey stick?

Yup.

And why stop there?  Why not make a hobby dragon too?

Rawr.

Chinese New Year

Happy Valentine's Day!

I know, Chinese New Year was last week and today is Valentine's Day.  But, I just wanted to post these photos because hubby, Chuck, and I celebrated the New Year with family members that we love very much.  (And isn't love what today is all about?).

Hope you have a wonderful day enjoying the company of loved ones.

(I didn't have my camera on me, so special thanks to Esther for taking these photos on her i-product.)

Make marbled paper with shaving cream

Look at what Baby Chuck and I made the other day: 

No, it's not a Rorschach test.  It's a piece of marbled paper.  And guess what?  We made the marbled effect using shaving cream and acrylic paint.  Pretty right?  I think we'll use it to make some Chinese New Year envelopes... or hubby's valentine.  I'm not sure yet  Hmm..

If you'd like to make your own marbled paper, keep reading:  (Original recipe found here)

Materials:
- baking tray
- heavier weight paper (we used watercolor paper, but I think card stock would be good too)
- craft paint (or maybe food coloring would work too?)
- shaving cream (white foam kind)
- old towel
- ruler/ unused credit card

Directions:
1.  Prep your area and child.  Decide where you want to do the activity.  Set up the materials beforehand.  Cover your work area with something to protect it.  Decide where you want to place the papers to dry.  Place a towel near you so that you can easily wipe your hands. Place your ruler / unused credit card near you for easy access.  (This is a pretty messy activity, so I recommend you plan things out first.)

2.  Make sure your piece of paper is smaller than the baking  tray.

3.  Spray your shaving cream into the baking tray.  Use your hands to smooth it around so that you have a nice even layer.

4.  Add in random lines of craft paint.  (We chose reds and yellow, but you could do all sorts of colors if you want.)

5.  Use your fingers to swirl the paint around.  (Note- You don't want a big blob of color.  It looks prettier with swirls).

6.   Place your paper into the tray so that it comes in contact with the shaving cream/ paint mixture.  Lift the paper up.  Wipe the excess shaving cream off the sheet with your ruler/ unused credit card.  Don't let the shaving cream sit too long on the paper, otherwise your paper may get soaked and rip.

(Isn't it neat?  Any parts of the paper that came in contact with the shaving cream will remain white while the parts that came in contact with the paint will get colored.)

7.  Let your beautiful sheets dry.  (Added bonus:  They'll smell shaving cream sweet.)

(Sorry I didn't take any photos of the process.  Chuck and I had fun doing the activity, but I had to keep a close eye on him so that he wouldn't eat the shaving cream.... or wipe it on himself or our couch.)


Update:   I ended up making Chinese New Year envelopes out of the paper.  They're unexpected, thrifty, and lovely.

Make a rattle-drum

Chinese New Year is quickly approaching.  To help get us in the mood, I made this rattle-drum for Baby Chuck using directions I found in a book of crafts. Do you like the black and white?  I chose those two colors to give it a modern look.

DIY Musical Instrument:  Cardboard Rattle-drum

Wanna make your own?  Here's how I did it.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! Hubby, Chuck, and I celebrated last night by eating dumplings and drinking a fake-pho (faux-pho?) that hubby made.  I really wanted Baby Chuck to wear something Chinesey, but didn't have time to do any shopping.  (Plus, I was feeling cheap.)  So, I made this hat (modeled after this one) out of some materials that I had lying around the house:  a paper plate, used ribbon, construction paper, and some Christmas tinfoil.  

Hope you have a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family.    

Gong Xi Fa Cai

Happy Chinese New Year!

Today I'm going to celebrate my Chinese heritage two ways: