2026 Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year!  2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse.  Year of the Horse symbolizes energy, freedom, and forward momentum.  Adding that this is a rare Year of the Fire Horse, we see boldness, passion and action.  Not quite the traits of a Rooster, but it doesn't hurt to give these a try.  

This year's Chinese horoscope says that Roosters can expect a dynamic year filled with opportunities for growth, but they must adapt to the fast-paced energy of the Horse to succeed.  Well, I think I'll sit this one out.  From what I've read of what Roosters can expect, it's basically stepping out of our comfort zone.  I plan to this summer when I board a plane for New Orleans and the UFDC annual convention.  Outside of that, I'll continue to keep my moderate pace. 

Some people thrive on excitement.  I don't.  If I did, sewing and fiddling with doll costuming and needle felting and hours of embroidery work would all go by the wayside. 

This February, and we're more than half-way through now, I've been focusing on the colors red and gold, and celebrating the Lunar New Year as I do each year.  These bright, high-energy colors will all be packed away by the end of the month, giving way to March's green, so, let's enjoy them now.

And that is the theme of this journal post!  Chinese New Year, and how I've decorated.

On the right is my little tabletop tree that has a permanent residence on the end of this table.  Each year I add an ornament or two and last year's Mandarin oranges didn't make it.  I should have hung at least one, but the soy sauce and fortune cookie won out.  There's a pop-up Year of the Horse card and a fortune "cootie catcher" for fun.

Ellowyne got a cheongsam early on and I decorated her home with lanterns and a horse banner.  Sybil, her cat, is on the carpet playing with the long tassel.  

I do have fun making up stories around her and Sybil!

Ellowyne's cheongsam was not my finest hour although it does look nice in the photo.  Working with this jacquard will drive even the most patient person to the liquor cabinet.  It frays when you look at it.  Its difficult to see, but she's wearing those black glitter platform shoes with this and they look so pretty.

I dressed up one of my Gene dolls that had been in the bridal gown, into my favorite outfit, Mandarin Mood.  The story cards that went with the Gene costuming are such treasures.  In this story, she gave a Chinese food catered party for her friends, and the pool was prepared for a mini dragon boat race.  

Another Gene is dressed in Shanghai Siren.  I think this is the doll the outfit came in.  This dressed doll is a staple in my collection.  I brought both out to the living room just to irritate my husband.  LOL   Beautiful costuming.  Beautiful dolls!

And Tamara Casey finally made the cheongsam pattern to fit the RTB101 dolls.  I'd asked her about doing this a couple of years ago, and she said she'd consider it.  I was thrilled that is was available so I made Lacie this lovely dragon dress.

1950's San Francisco Chinatown.  Yes, it is now part of Journey Through Time collection for her.  

After having made Ellowyne's, I learned everything I needed to know to make this one better.  That fabric is still a nightmare to work with though.  This time I fray-checked every edge then did an overcast stitch on the edges.  This jacquard would not iron well.  And I need a new iron.  The Syn setting gets too hot, so I lay a piece of batiste over the fabric before pressing.  

The cheongsam's of the 50's had one common denominator that I noticed and that was the use of one frog on the slant and one at the neck.  These I carefully did with embroidery thread.

Five snaps down the back.  If you try this pattern, I would add a quarter inch to the back seam edge while cutting.  This was the main thing I did to make the cheongsam fit better and be able to use the recommended snaps.  Ellowyne's was fastened with hook and thread loops because there was not enough width to the back.

Also with Lacie's gown, I did a careful placement of the pattern to get a full dragon on the front.  The collar pieces were cut on the red of the fabric only.  The gold embroidery does not like to be cut and turned inside out on tiny pieces.

I love the sexy side slits in this traditional cheongsam.  

Lacie's wearing the gold cage heels from Grace's Chinese New Year box from 2024.  Or was it 2023?  Black heels would look nice as well.

I made gold tipped, black lacquered hair sticks.  Presently, I prefer not to pierce her ears, but maybe in time.

Her book mark for her Journey book is just about as ornamental and fancy as it gets.  A beautiful green dragon amidst plum blossoms and a tassel below a Chinese knot which was taken from an earring.  I also made up one of the mini moon cake boxes I had for her.

I wanted to make her a purse, but I carefully hid my mini purse frames from myself.  Maybe tomorrow I'll remember what I did with them.

I hope you'll enjoy the selection of Chinese New Year images below. Anne and Grace are once again in their dresses.  And I can't help sharing once again, Ellowyne Asian Dreams.  I LOVE that doll.

Happy Chinese New Year!  It is nearly spring!