123-Pictures How to make Chinese New Year Lanterns using Red Packets

123-pictures ...

If you like to make Chinese New Year Lanterns for your home decor, refer to the picture here is one or two simple designs that you can make for yourself using Red Packets.

For this design, you need

14 red packets
double-sided tapes or staplers
streamers for decorations with plastic pearls and a little CNY golden deco charms.

It is rather easy to find the first two items if you do not have red packets overseas you may use long envelopes to achieve the effects.

The third item might be a little bit of a challenge to obtain, in Singapore you may be able to purchase them from shops in Banda Street HDB flat in Chinatown or your handicraft shops in the shopping malls.

1.Fold all the 14 red packets tapered towards the centre of the sealed end making a wedge
2.measure off 2cm from the folded end and draw a line towards the same longer side of the red packet, every red packet should look something like a parallelgram.
3.cut away the two unwanted sides of the red packets, now you have a red packet that looks something like a wedge
4. trim the edges into scallop shape as shown in the diagram
5.join by stapling once or twice the folded sides of the red packets, 7 red packets for the front, 7 for the back. Careful to staples along the folded lines and not beyond.
6.join the front and the back section of the fan shaped decor together using strong double sided tape or glue
7. attach streamers at the point where the red packets converge, as well as on the sides of the fan for a more elegant feel.
8. complete your artwork by attaching a red string of about 12-15inches on the top of the fan-shaped decor for hanging on walls or ceiling for 3 dimentional view.

The more colourful the red packets, the brighter the fan, the more golden the red packet the more attractive.

Hope you enjoy making this simple lantern.

You may make this as a gift to your loved ones, or offer to make for your friends for a small token.

Red Packets: see the pictures of the Red packets printed with fine words the Chinese use to give tokens of cash as a blessing to the younger ones on New Year or newly weds or bosses to employees, or younger ones give as present to older ones on birthdays instead of buying gifts, parents give as blessings to their children on certain occasions like baby first month, Chinese New Year, birthdays, weddings, etc.

"Gong Hei Fatt Choy!" (Congratulations on your Prosperity! in Cantonese)