Creche How-To Make a Nativity Stable

I think Nativity creches that are designed as caves are beautiful but I decided to go with a stable because my figures are antiques from Germany and I think a barn complements them.

Beautiful and decent-sized Nativity creches are expensive! Because the best ones are rustic, I decided to build my own.  It was fun to gather the "supplies": branches, twigs, eucalyptus and redwood bark ... plus some palm fronds (they were not actually "fronds" but those hard pieces below the fronds with the long, grassy tips) that fell from a huge palm tree.

Tools I used: jig-saw, hack saw (for when I didn't want to make noise) heavy-duty stapler, and a hammer. And lots of white glue!

DO click on each photo for a nice, clear, larger view!

Front View

I cut the base size of my bottom ply-board to 8" deep x 18" wide. That's the great thing ... you can make it any size you want!

I then glued and nailed (from the bottom) the rear supports (funky 1x2s).  The two side supports are 12". The center support is taller at about 14".  Cut the end of the center support at an angle (to accommodate the roof).  My center support had a hole in it which inspired me to take apart an old 15 watt lamp and insert the cord.  It would be easy to drill a hole for a light.  Make sure the bulb clears everything by an inch or so.

Onto the front.  I cut two 1" diameter branches to 12" high and glued them about a half inch back from the front. Then I glued and stapled a curved piece of strong bark to the branches.

Rear View

Here you can see how the cord is stapled down the center rear support.  The light bulb is NOT touching the front bark as it appears here!

Ignore the back twigs in these photos and just concentrate on the roof which is two pieces of masonite board (I just happened to have) the right a little wider and overlapping the left and glued in place.

I ripped and glued strips of my grassy palm tree to each side of the roof, weighed the "thatch" down with boards ... and let it dry overnight.

Next day I added bits of bark to the front and glued any loose strands of roof.

I cut and glued strips of ply-board on the base between the supports. In the back I also glued a ply-board strip towards the roof (which you can see in the third photo).  The back wall is twigs cut to fit between the ply-board strips and glued in place.  (The horizontal, twirly twigs along the back are just for looks.)  Then I added two twig rails to the sides.

I added some straw to lay in the bottom and that may be enough.  For now I'm pleased with it ... so happy it has a light!  Let me know if this has been helpful to you.

St. Patrick and the Holy Trinity

"Even the plants of the field tell about God.
The shamrock has three leaves but only one stem.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three gods,
 but one God."     ~ St. Patrick

I think that a gif illustrates the concept plus it is fun to make.

Nativity Angel Craft

I made this little 5-1/4 inch angel from a  25¢ thrift-store doll!

Here's how:

1) Cover hair with masking tape.
Wrap lightweight cardboard around body.
Glue on lightweight cardboard wings and ribbon.

2) Cover the entire thing with gesso.
Make the back reasonably flat.

3)  Cover the whole thing with a plaster-type product;
I used Fix-All  (love that stuff!).
Put plaster in the bottom to make it flat, steady.
I stuck a curved wire in the back for hanging.

4)  Paint with acrylics!  Add a little glitter
to the headpiece and VOILA! . . .
a rustic little angel!