Celebrate Lunar New Year: The Dragon! (2024)

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:

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 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.

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.

FREEAcrylic 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.

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.