Best Wishes....2014! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!

Hope you all had a safe and wonderful NYE.  Whew, 2013 went out with a bang around my area.  Lots of illegal fireworks in the neighborhood, (fireworks are illegal in most of Los Angeles, but that certainly does not stop anyone from shooting them off, especially in my neighborhood - hahaha) and what was I doing?  Well I spent it with a few friends from work eating at our usual restaurant with 12 dishes between us and then a good chill at the nearby Mc D's for a drink, non-alcoholic.  It was nice especially since it will be the last time before one of my buds leaves.  After that it was a quiet night of crafting for me and that is what I'm going to share with you today.  :)

BTW, this turned into a longer post than expected.  It's filled with lots of pictures so if you don't have time to read my drivel just look at the pictures.  (lol)  Now I chose this image because I have been wanting to stamp and color her since I saw the previews back in November!!

It's technically a red envelope with a tag.  I was planning to make it in to a card but changed my mind and glued down what would have been the opening.  Now it's an envelope with Mieko from Sister Stamps peeking out.  Isn't she sweet?!  She's enjoying her mochi balls while ringing in the new year.  To read more on Mieko here's a link to the Sister Stamps blog post.

As I mentioned there is a tag and here it is up close...

Ta-da!  I stamped and colored Mieko in the center of some big white space.  You probably can't tell but I added some gold & black flecks to her kimono to break up all the red.  Hopefully in the later picture you'll be able to see it.  Added some sakura flowers, from Island Scrapbooking, and used a popular AmyR sentiment stamp.  The ribbon is a red and gold sparkly one that I purchased at Daiso and to cover the punched hole I used some of the red & gold paper.

Once you pull out the tag with Mieko on it there is something left behind.  (haha)  Pretty cool yea?  I did make it in to a window and didn't have to waste any paper to do it!  Woo hoo!

Kinda like the idea of putting a sentiment, or in this case, numbers inside the window and then the "Best Wishes" below it.  The 2014 are number dies from CC Designs.  The red and gold paper is Lokta paper from India.  I covered the red cardstock with it.  I embossed the back side of the card, which I will show you in a sec, and for the finish some pretty flowers from Petaloo here and there.

Here is the back...

Oops! I just realized that my watermark covers one of the words.  Well if you don't recognize the kanji it means "Joy".  I stamped Love, Happiness (because there is no peace symbol) and Joy, from Crafters Companion, on the back and embossed it with clear powder to make it stand out.  I used the circles from the window in the front and also cut a window circle (is that a crafty word? hehe) of the Lokta paper to go around.  As you can see there is that cool embossing folder, from Lifestyle Crafts (Woven EF0011), I've been using if quite often now.  I also added that pretty red and gold ribbon to the top for another touch of sparkle.  Here's a close-up of the back...

Wow, that is some RED yea?!  hahaha.. Sorry my picture skills need some work, especially with reds... Just look at the black parts and the golds if you can. (hahaha)  Okay, okay winding down to the end... I know finally yea?!  hehe, sorry who knew it would take this long!  Eep!  Anyhoos, I'm happy with the end result of what started before Christmas and ended a little after the New Year began.  I hope you all have a wonderful start to 2014 and may it be fulfilling and prosperous!

Now it's time to eat some mochi!!  Itadakimasu!!   Hou'oli Makahiki Hou! Akemashite Omedetou!  Happy New Year everyone!!  May it be blessed!!

Hugs,

Lilo