Celebrate Lunar New Year: The Dragon! (2024)

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Saturday February 10th is Lunar New Year, year of the dragon!

I love celebrating the new year with the Eastern world.

It's the Chinese Zodiac year of the dragon...so let's make an acrylic dragon cake topper. (do you know anyone who's a dragon? I married a dragon!)

Chinese Dragon Cake Topper cut from black acrylic on xTool S1 Laser Cutter.

As a craft enthusiast, I love the vibrant festivities of Chinese New Year, a celebration steeped in rich traditions and cultural significance.

It's the year of the Dragon, a symbol of strength, prosperity, and good fortune.

Let's make a simple party with decorations, meaning and a little cake!

In the spirit of renewal and fresh beginnings, consider making a Chinese New Year resolution tree.

Decorate a small tree branch with red and gold ornaments, each containing a handwritten resolution or wish for the coming year.

This Spring Festival symbolic tree will serve as a beautiful reminder of your aspirations and dreams.

Let's get started with this Cherry Blossom bouquet.

Creating beautiful paper flowers using a Cricut Maker 3 for Chinese New Year decor is a fantastic and creative project.

Follow these detailed steps to achieve stunning results:

Materials Needed:

Cricut Maker 3machine
Cricut Design Space software
Colored paper in various shades (2-3 shades of red is ideal)
Green paper for leaves (optional)
Acrylic paint in Metallic Gold
Paintbrushes
Tree branches
Glue gun and glue sticks
Vase or decorative container
Floral foam or Glass pebbles for stability

Full Video Here

Step 1: Design Your Flowers in Cricut Design Space:

Open Cricut Design Space and choose or design your preferred flower shapes.

Adjust the sizes as needed. You can find pre-made flower designs or create your own.

(Last year I made them in Pink--see full post here)

Step 2: Load Paper and Cut Flowers:

Load the selected colored papers onto the cutting mat, ensuring they are firmly secured.

Follow the Cricut Maker 3 instructions to load the mat into the machine.

Use the software to select the appropriate material setting for paper.

Start the cutting process.

Step 3: Curl the Paper Flowers

Once the flowers are cut, gently remove them from the cutting mat.

Lay them flat on a slightly padded surface.

Use a ball tool to press the paper and make the petals curl inward a bit.

Step 4: Paint the Paper Flowers:

Using gold metallic acrylic paint and a dot tool, add decorative dots to the centers of each flower.

Allow the paint to dry completely before handling.

Step 5: Attach Paper Flowers to Branches:

Once the painted flowers are dry, use a hot glue gun to attach them to the tree branches.

Arrange the flowers in a visually pleasing manner, alternating colors and sizes.

If you created leaves, glue them strategically among the flowers.

Step 6: Secure and Display:

Ensure that the flowers are securely attached to the branches.

Adjust as needed.

Place the branches in the vase or decorative container, securing them in place with floral foam or glass pebbles.

Step 7: Finishing Touches:

If desired, add additional decorative elements such as red and gold ribbons or small ornaments to enhance the festive look of your Chinese New Year decor.

With these steps, you'll have a stunning and personalized Chinese New Year decoration that combines the modern technology of a Cricut Maker 3 with traditional elements of paper crafts.

In the spirit of renewal and fresh beginnings, consider adding Chinese New Year resolution tree element.

After decorating your branches with red and gold flowers, add a handwritten message on each flower containing a resolution or wish for the coming year.

This symbolic tree will serve as a beautiful reminder of your aspirations and dreams.

No Chinese New Year celebration is complete without the iconic red envelopes, known as "hongbao," filled with good wishes and sometimes money.

Create your own personalized hongbao bunting by crafting envelopes from red paper.

Fold the envelope over twine and seal with a gold wax seal.

Add dragon motifs or even Chinese calligraphy for an extra touch of authenticity!

Video process here.

Chinese folk art painting, rooted in ancient traditions, embodies the essence of Chinese culture through vibrant colors and symbolic motifs.

Often depicting nature, daily life, and folklore, these paintings utilize brushstrokes and delicate detailing.

Traditional subjects include birds, flowers, and rural scenes, reflecting a deep connection to the country's rich heritage.

I copied an image fromChinese Folk Designs by WM Hawleyand painted it on a black base painted rock.

Not exactly perfect brush strokes, but it was fun to paint!

Check out my youtube video here.

FREE Acrylic Dragon Cake Topper SVG and XCS!

The xTool S1, a versatile laser cutting machine, becomes an invaluable tool in transforming a simple sheet of black acrylic into an intricate symbol of cultural richness.

If you haven't ever cut black acrylic with your laser cutting machine before, it's a dream!

Start by designing a Chinese dragon template that suits the size of your cake--or use my free file!

I've got the file available to you FREE and I sized mine at 8 inches to match perfectly with this 6 inch cake.

More details on the xTool S1 on this post!

Materials Needed for Acrylic Dragon Cake Topper:

xTool S120W LaserCutting Machine
Black Acrylic 3mm (Acrylic Sheets)

Step 1: Software and Cutting

Upload the dragon svg or simply click the xcs to use it in xTool Creative Space.

Size the dragon to the desired size.

Once the design is ready, securely place the black acrylic sheet onto the xToolS1's cutting bed.

Use the measure area and click the process button.

The precision of the machine ensures that every curve and detail of the dragon template is accurately reproduced onto the acrylic.

The laser cutting process not only guarantees precision but also allows for intricate detailing, capturing the essence of traditional Chinese artistry.

As the xTool S1 tirelessly works its magic, the unmistakable outline of the Chinese dragon takes shape.

Black acrylic is the easiest of the cast acrylics to cut using a diode laser, like the xTool S1.

It just takes one pass to be completely cut, gorgeous and ready to use!

The sleek and modern aesthetic of the black acrylic enhances the visual impact, providing a striking contrast against the cake's backdrop.

Once the cutting and engraving are complete, delicately remove the black acrylic dragon from the cutting bed.

Take a moment to admire the intricate design and appreciate the flawless execution made possible by the precision of the xToolS1.

Carefully place the Chinese dragon cake topper atop your New Year's cake, and witness how it becomes the focal point of attention, symbolizing strength, good fortune, and the vibrant spirit of Chinese traditions.

This handmade masterpiece, crafted with the precision of the xToolS1, serves as a unique and meaningful addition to your Chinese New Year celebration, blending modern technology with ancient cultural symbolism.

The Year of the Dragon offers endless possibilities for crafting joy and embracing the rich cultural tapestry of Chinese New Year.

So, gather your crafting supplies, immerse yourself in the art of creation, and let the dragon's spirit guide you towards a year filled with prosperity, strength, and good fortune.

Gong Xi Fa Cai! (wishing you a happy or prosperous new year!)

That's it!

Crafting joy for Chinese New Year: create vibrant decorations, lucky symbols, and intricate designs to usher in prosperity and happiness.

Celebrate the Lunar New Year and year of the Dragon with these fun, vibrant and meaningful crafts!

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Here's more ideas for Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year Festivities!

Enjoy the Spring Festival!

Felt Fortune Cookies

Chinese New Year: Rabbit (still lots of carry over ideas)

Chinese Zodiac

Year of the Dragon: 2012

Celebrate Lunar New Year: The Dragon! (2024)

FAQs

Is Lunar New Year the Year of the Dragon? ›

In 2024, it will be the Year of the Dragon. Those (like this author) born in dragon years, recently including 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964 and 1952, according to the zodiac system, are said to be visionary leaders with a strong sense of self, energetic, determined, idealistic and independent.

What is the lucky color for the Year of the Dragon in 2024? ›

2024 is the Year of the Dragon in Chinese astrology. The Dragon represents strength and success. Lucky colors for this year are golden, yellow, green, gold, silver, and purple. Each zodiac animal has its own set of lucky colors, creating a vibrant canvas of fortune in 2024.

What color Dragon is 2024? ›

East is associated the wood element, and its corresponding color is cyan or green; this is why 2024 is called the Year of Green Dragon.

Know More ›

What do dragons symbolize? ›

Together, they form one of the most powerful monsters dating back to antiquity. The dragon is a symbol of evil, in both the chivalric and Christian traditions. In the Orient, it symbolizes supernatural power, wisdom, strength, and hidden knowledge. In most traditions, it is the embodiment of chaos and untamed nature.

Know More ›

What number is associated with dragons? ›

The number nine is special in China as it is seen as number of heaven, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 (9×13) scales—81 (9×9) Yang and 36 (9×4) Yin.

See Details ›

Which fruit represents luck on Chinese New Year? ›

Citrus Fruits: For Luck and Prosperity

In Lunar New Year traditions, revelers believe tangerines, oranges and pomelos bring good fortune.

Does Lunar New Year have zodiac? ›

Each year in the lunar calendar is named after an animal, derived from Chinese folklore. The zodiac animals follow one another in an established order and are repeated every 12 years: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

Get More Info ›

Does Chinese zodiac go by Lunar New Year? ›

Therefore, the Chinese year usually begins several weeks into the Western 365-day year (usually between January 21 and February 20), not on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar. As is ancient tradition, the Chinese zodiac attaches animal signs to each lunar year in a cycle of 12 years.