The Year of the Snake!

Hello Everyone, 

Yes, it's time to celebrate Chinese New Year that  begins on the 10th of February. 

This year's sign is all about ME!

This is the year of the Snake.

My granddaughter and I share the sign of the snake.  She was born in 2001. 

We have so much fun acting like snakes. Especially on vacations...

I'm a metal snake, and my attributes are considered to be firmness, rigidity, persistence, strength and determination.  The metal person is controlling, ambitious, forceful and set in their ways as metal is very strong; and they are self-reliant and prefer to handle their problems alone. The metal person is also materialistic, business oriented and good at organization and stability. 

 However the metal person can also appreciate luxury and enjoy the good things in life. 

Yep! That's me...  

The Giant Panda is symbolic of China. It is easily recognized by the large, distinctive black patches around its eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. A Pandas diet is 99% Bamboo. 

The table runner is a 2013 calendar from a local Chinese restaurant where we have dinner occasionally.

While having dinner at the restaurant the last time we were there, I asked if I could have four place mats and the calendar. They were very nice and gave them to me. I had the delicious green tea in my tea box and the little red cups were a gift along with a tea pot that looks like a Chinese Tea House. 

To see The Tea House tea pot Go Here. 

The Fortune Cookie napkin rings are really Christmas ornaments I made. I have more to finish before our next Christmas sale at church. They have holly decor on the other side, and inside is a paper fortune.

The Fortune cookie is a crisp cookie usually made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil with a "fortune" wrapped inside. A "fortune" is a piece of paper with words of wisdom or a vague prophecy.  The message inside may also include a Chinese phrase with translation or a list of lucky numbers used by some  as lottery numbers, some of which have become actual winner numbers.

 [from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

Chopsticks originated in ancient China as early as the Shang dynasty (1766-1122 BCE), replacing the fork. 

The first chopsticks were probably used for cooking, stirring the fire, serving or seizing bits of food, and not as eating utensils. Chopsticks began to be used as eating utensils during the Han Dynasty. (just learned - Chopsticks, when not in use, are placed either to the right or below one's plate in a Chinese table setting). 

I learn something new EVERYDAY!

I was in the grocery store shopping and found this Heart shaped bamboo. 

LUCKY BAMBOO

According to the ancient principles of Feng Shui, these stalks bring feelings of purity and happiness.  Carefully cultivated in distant provinces of Asia, the giving and receiving of these plants is a centuries old tradition. By placing Lucky Bamboo in a well-lit room of your home or office, you will achieve the peaceful sense of well-being flows from your "chi" in the Lucky Bamboo.

The Lucky Bamboo is shaped in a heart to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day 

The Chinese Red Envelope filled with money is given to a young person by an elder as part of the Chinese New Year Celebration.

*The Year of the Snake 2013* 
Thanks for visiting My Cozy Corner.
Linking to:
Thursday 
Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday
No Minimalist Here for Open House Party 
A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Party
Bernideen's Tea Time Blog for Open House Thursday
Friday 
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
Saturday 
How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday (Valentine's Day)
xo
Betty 

Tablescape # 40 Chinese New Year

2012 Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year annually falls on different dates.  In 2012 it is January 23, which marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. 

I love the Chinese New Year's Parade and all the traditions that go into making the 15 day celebration memorable...

Young children receive Red Envelopes with money during the celebration.

I was raised in the San Francisco bay area and the Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco was a big deal even back then.  The Parade was started in the 1860's by the Chinese in San Francisco as a means to educate the community about their culture, the Parade and Festival have grown to be the largest celebration of Asian culture outside of Asia. 

I love Chinese food and I'm fairly good with chop sticks.  When I do go out to dinner I always want to eat Chinese food and I bring extra pairs of chop sticks home for my granddaughters.

This tea house tea pot  was a gift from a dear friend.  She volunteers at the Cancer Society Thrift store and bought it for me.  She knows I love tea pots.

~Very Cute~

When I was a girl around 10 years old. (circa 1950)  My mother would take my younger sister and I to a little  Chinese  restaurant in San Jose.  We would sit in a little cubicle at a table and the entrance to the cubicle had black curtains covering the doorway.  Something like this photo.  And the best part was a little Chinese man dressed in a black changshan and wearing a rounded black hat would come in through the curtains and take our order then quickly and quietly leave us to our visiting. As we pretended we were in a China tea house.
That was the day I fell in love with China.
and of course reading the book
 'The Good Earth' by Pearl S. Buck made China even more appealing for my bucket list of places to travel.

This is my sign in Chinese Astrology.

I am a snake! A metal snake 

Attributes

Firmness, rigidity, persistence, strength and determination. The metal person is controlling, ambitious, forceful and set in their ways as metal is very strong; and they are self-reliant and prefer to handled their problems alone.  The metal person is also materialistic, business oriented and good at organization and stability. 

Black tea eggs

Yield: 18 eggs

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cook: 9 minutes 

Refrigerate:overnight

12 cups water

18 large eggs

1 cup Chinese black loose-leaf tea leaves

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

4 cinnamon sticks

* In a large stockpot, bring water to a hard boil over medium-high heat.

Carefully place eggs in pot.  Cook for 9 minutes.  Remove eggs from water, 

and immediately place in an ice bath.

*Add tea leaves, soy sauce, and cinnamon sticks to stockpot.  Bring to a hard boil.  Remove from heat.

*Using the back of a spoon, crack egg shells.  Place eggs in prepared water.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Carefully peel eggs before serving.

Noodle dishes, which represent a long life, are appropriate to serve during 

the Chinese New Year celebration.

The fish candle holders are a part of my childhood.  I remember my mother placing the beautiful green fish in the center of our dinner table.  I love these fish. 

For More traditions, go to Chinese New Year Post 2011 Here

Resources:

Dinnerware Ralph Lauren Claridge Gold  - gift for 50th Wedding Anniversary

Tea cup and saucer -Arita Hand Painted Made in Japan

Red Envelope and Snake charm - World Market

Tea Pot - no markings

Vintage Fish Candle Holders - no markings

Thank you for visiting My Cozy Corner and I hope you enjoyed my Chinese New Year Tablescape.
I'm joining
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
No Minimialist Here for Open House Here Thursday
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday
and 
At the Picket Fence for  Inspiration Friday

Please link back to the wonderful blogs for more inspiring visions.
Have a great weekend
xo
Betty 

Tablescape # 20

Happy New Year - Again!
Chinese New Year

February 3, 2011

Hello Everyone!

The beginning of the lunar year is Feb. 3, and the Chinese mark the occasion with parades and parties-and a long list of traditions intended to bring good fortune in the months ahead.

This is the year of the Rabbit.

I'm joining Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday with a little Chinese tablescape and a few customs to observe:

1.  Sweep for success. 

Clean your house from top to bottom to expel the dust and disappointments of the past year and usher in the bright future. ~ We bloggers have been cleaning for a month now.

Decorate with plants or flowers, symbolic of rebirth.  But remember: All work must be done by midnight on Feb.2.  If you clean on New Year's Day you'll push luck right out the door.

2. Dress for the occasion.

Buy new clothes to wear on New Year's Day; they represent new beginnings.  Even better, get something red-it's considered a lucky color.

3. Add luck to your menu.

Have dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve with your family, consuming fortune-boosting foods like mian gao (sweet sticky rice cakes), dumplings, and a whole fish, symbolic of progress, togetherness, and abundance.

Chinese Tea pot, tray and cups:  A gift from dear friends for our 50th Wedding Anniversary

Chop Sticks: China Town in San Francisco years ago

Orchid: Michael's Craft Store last year

Art Work: A dear friend was moving to assisted living and wanted me to have the  fabric painted water color.

Black stand: The stand from my $5.00 Nativity Scene I bought at a garage sale.  

Table Runner: A 2011 Chinese calendar turned over. I will be giving it back to my Granddaughter this week.

It's amazing where my inspiration comes from.



For more traditions, go to Parade (Click here).

Thank you for visiting My Cozy Corner and I hope you have enjoyed our little Chinese New Year celebration.

I'm also joining

My Cottage Charm for Treasures and Trinkets Thursday

Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday

Bargain Hunting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday

and

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

Please link back to these inspirational blogs.  

Have a great weekend

xo

Betty