Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Homemade Nativity Christmas Tree Decoration


This Christmas tree decoration is so cute and fairly easy to make. I think the hardest part is finding the wooden clothes pins.
You need:
three wooden clothespins (I couldn't find the rounded top ones, the flat top ones work fine)
three scraps of material different colors of your choosing
skin tone paint
other acrylic paints that match material you chose
blush or red chalk
hand saw
hot glue gun
jute twine
wooden star painted yellow

1. cut one clothespin the size you want the baby with the hand saw.
2. paint all heads skin tone.
3. paint the two large clothespins desired colors. Paint wooden star.
4. cut fabric to a size that fits the clothespin (a little longer than the clothespin and about three inches wide )
5. when paint is dry, glue fabric to clothespins. Apply glue on top of head and to the sides and where ever else you figure it needs.
6. once all figures are clothed, cut the jute twine into the length you desire, remembering to leave extra room for a knot at the top and to be glued between Mary and Joseph. Tie a know about an inch and a half from the top of the twine. Glue painted star on the knot.
7. glue the twine between Mary and Joseph, leaving room for an opening so the decoration can hang on a tree.
8. put lots of glue where baby Jesus is to be glued (but not too much that it will show).
9. some glue may need to be applied to the back. Try to do so in a manner that you can pull the fabric over to hide the glue.
10. draw on eyes. Put blush on cheeks with a cotton swab.

6 comments:

  1. These were very fun to make. I found the clothespins at www.yodershardware.com they have the rounded head. Great idea!

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  2. Thanks for commenting. I am glad they were fun for you to make. I enjoyed making them too!

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  3. The clothes pins are available at my dollar tree sotre too.
    Too cute!

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  4. Thanks for sharing your pattern. My mom, sister and I exchange ornaments every year at Thanksgiving. I can't wait to make these for them!

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  5. My mother-in-law and I hosted a craft day for five of my nieces and nephews today, and we made these ornaments. The three year old was able to paint the gold stars and the next older two were able to paint the clothespins. The oldest two cut the pins for Baby Jesus, painted the faces, and did all the gluing. My mother-in-law and I arranged the fabric around the pins. It was a terrific group project, and the ornaments are just so cute. We are going write the date on each, and start an annual ornament-making tradition! Thank you for the idea and directions!

    ReplyDelete
  6. My mother-in-law and I hosted a craft day for five of my nieces and nephews today, and we made these ornaments. The three year old was able to paint the gold stars and the next older two were able to paint the clothespins. The oldest two cut the pins for Baby Jesus, painted the faces, and did all the gluing. My mother-in-law and I arranged the fabric around the pins. It was a terrific group project, and the ornaments are just so cute. We are going write the date on each, and start an annual ornament-making tradition! Thank you for the idea and directions!

    ReplyDelete