Wealth and prosperity

   Happy Chinese New Year!    
(as usual, I'm about a day or so late. But then again... what else is new...? ) 

New Year is all about tradition and good will. So let me take this opportunity to present you with this project. Completed off-and-on for 2 weeks by three people (myself, my mother and my aunt), this monstrosity of a project is completed with the best of intentions. The paper that it's made of are printed in festive colours and good-wishing phrases. The urn is filled over the top with the representation of old Chinese gold ingots (that includes the interior of the urn, too.) Each paper ingot contains one bona fide Canadian penny to represent the wealth contained within and overflowing out of this urn. Around the neck are 5 gemstones representing the 5 elements. And finally, small plaques wishing the viewer a prosperous year is hung from the sides. With a project as festive and goodness-bearing as this one... hopefully even photos of it will bring you a little bit of good luck in this year.  

P.S.: Did you know that "Gong Hei Fat Choy" doesn't really mean "Happy new year"? First of all, it's in Cantonese, which is a dialect spoken by folks from Hong Kong and some parts of China. So it's not the "Chinese" spoken by 1.3 billion people that you are thinking of. Two, "Gong Hei" means "Wishing you well" and "Fat Choy" means "get rich." The phrase is a common good-luck phrase that is uttered by friends and family to wish each other a happy and prosperous year. But to say it's "Happy new year" is basically like saying "Auld lang syne" means "Happy New Year" in English!

Artisan's Note
1. Pattern credit: The original pattern was created by teachers Yuan-Shin and Ing-Ting and was published in this book: mishe.web66.com.tw/ch60/CH1/17… by the Ming-Shen Publishing Company. Modifications has been made to the original model to shrink it it size.
2. Equipment: "Good luck" Joss paper, glue, hot glue gun, pennies, plastic jewels, corrugated paper, decorative plaques.
3. Paper: Urn = Sides + base + rim = 1038 individual pieces of paper. Gold ingots: 296 pieces of paper (and 138 pennies). Grand total: 1334 individual pieces of paper. Plus one for the rim and one for the bottom. 
4. Size: 12" (30cm) x  12" (30cm)
5. Time: It took 3 people, on and off, for 2 weeks.