Happy Year of the Rat

Happy New Year!  It's officially the beginning of the Year of the Rat, the first animal in the Chinese Zodiac and kicking off the Spring Festival in Asian countries, celebrating family and good fortune for the coming year.  This is the 3rd in the series Mitzi has drawn for AuroraWings, available HERE in png and HERE in jpg at AuroraWings.com.  Also available on Etsy in png HERE.

As soon as I saw this image, though, I thought it would make a fabulous retirement card or congrats on a new job card, using either the sentiment "Congratulations on leaving the rat race. Happy retirement" OR "Congratulations on your new job. You've officially entered the rat race." I really think it's suitable for a male or female and quick and easy to color, too.
I used Copics and a sticker sentiment and corners and kept it CAS for a change.

I'm entering this in the DL.Art January Linky Challenge, Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #123 AG, Simon Says Wednesday Besotted with our Pets, Classic Design Challenge January 2020 AG, and 2 Crafty Critter Crazies January.

My Wish for 2020

So sorry I haven't been around.  The holidays were a blur and I was late with everything, as usual.  Not a whole lot of crafting being done, either.  However, the FB challenge at the Stamps by Aurora Wings Group page is in full swing and here is my DT inspiration.  We are no longer offering Blog Challenges, but the monthly FB challenge gives you the same opportunities to win prizes, with the exciting twist that you can now enter past projects, as well as coloring only, which we hope will encourage more people to share their beautiful work.  

The gorgeous image I've used is Abundance, available exclusively HERE at AuroraWings.com.  Here is what Mitzi says about the inspiration for this image.

"Abundance" ©Mitzi Sato-Wiuff/Aruarian Dancer Created for the Enchanted Visions Project's monthly theme, "Abundance". Inspired by the ancient Chinese art of placement, Feng Shui, this image incorporates many items deemed auspicious according to Feng Shui -- goldfish for wealth and prosperity, peaches for health and longevity, peonies for beauty and romance, all presented in the shades of red and gold, which are believed to be the colors that activate positive chi.

I've colored in Copics, using the approximate colors in Mitzi's original.  I've wanted to attempt this image for quite awhile and really enjoyed the challenge.  I thought is was perfect for a New Year's Wish, although it would also be perfect for Thanksgiving using a "Thankful" sentiment, or any occasion you want to offer heartfelt wishes.

Here's a closeup of Abundance.  I've cropped the image to focus on the central portion of the design.  After coloring, I decided the fade out I'd done around the edges tended to wash out the important elements so I fussy cut around the fish tails to fit the Spellbinders Grand Oval I used to mat it.  "Wish" is a Tim Holtz die and "my" was done with the "Haunted" alphabet die from QuicKutz.  I backed the textured metallic cuts with a deep red to help them stand out a bit more.  The lovely DP is from K&Co.

Wishing you all Abundant Blessings in 2020!

I'm entering this in the DL.Art January 2020 Linky Challenge, the Outlawz Twisted Thursday AG, the Outlawz Festive Fridays Celebrate or AG, Lil Patch of Crafty Friends C#122 AG, Simon Says Wednesday Fun with Florals, 613 Avenue Create AG w/optional Twist-Make it shiny and Classic Design Challenge #1 January.