Easy Nativity Ornament Tutorial

 

This is an easy Nativity Ornament you can make with crafters of 

almost all ages. I used it with my Awana Cubbies group this past week 

(3 & 4 year old group). All I needed was a bit of prep so they could be successful.

I started out with some Craft Sticks, some yellow poster board, some cotton fabric scraps (I'm a quilter after all!), a bit of ribbon, glue and a stick on star.

Dh cut down some of the craft sticks for me using tin snips. He cut one at 5" for Joseph and one at 4" for Mary, retaining the end of the 4" stick for Baby Jesus. We drilled a hole in the end of an uncut stick for the support backing.

After drilling the hole, I used a 10" length of ribbon, running it through the hole for a hanger.

I used a threader for my serger to thread the ribbon through the hole.

I had the Boybarian punch three 1" circles from yellow poster board (card stock should work just as well), cut one piece of swaddling clothes at 1 1/2" X 2" for Baby Jesus, a piece of cloth for Mary at 2" X 3" and a piece for Joseph at 2" X 4".

All the prep work was finished and we were prepared for crafting time!

Each of the three cut sticks received glue and a yellow halo circle. We set these aside for a couple of minutes as the halos wanted to slide around. This was a great time to go play a game (though the crafters wanted to continue the project!).

When we came back, each crafter put two dots on for eyes. We used a Sharpie, and it did bleed a little bit :( It did not bother the Cubbies, so we moved on.

We placed the fabric, pretty side down, on the table. We spread glue on the back of the craft stick, trying to keep the glue in the same size as the fabric height.

Push first one side and then the other onto the back. Smooth the fabric into the glue. If you use cotton fabrics, the glue should come through the layers enough to hold the fabric in place. Do this for each of the three people.

Spread glue on the back support stick, place Joseph on the glue, spread glue on the front of Joseph and press Mary into that glue. Finally, put some glue on Mary and place the Baby Jesus in the very front. They look best when they are kind of wonky all at different angles :)

Above the family, stick a shiny star sticker.

If necessary (I considered it important when working with little hands), use a binder clip to hold the layers together until the glue has set.

Write the year (and child's name, if they are the crafter) on the back of the ornament :)

Design Wall Monday ... more UFO blocks!

in my sorting and organizing I have come across a LOT of UFO blocks from various swaps ... here are some up on my wall. I think I have more of the Red/White/Blue ones somewhere, I just can't think where they would be!

I am close to being done with my organizing of my Sewing Dungeon. I am SO itching to getting back to work on various projects!

For more design wall inspiration check out Patchwork Times.

Organizing is not Fun

Though it sure is fun to find things I hadn't seen since our move!  These five boxes (notice 4 of them are Dish Packs) were all unpacked in the last two days ... not everything has been organized into its eventual home, but it sure is nice to have more boxes unpacked and floor space cleared in the basement.

 

BUT I really do not enjoy organizing all of the fabrics and patterns (and other goodies) as unpacking and petting all the fabric sparks creative ideas and I would much rather work with the fabrics than organize them.

Why am I focusing on something I don't want to do? We are having company later in the month for a Christmas party ... and I would like to have some *away* space to send the younger generation. IF I don't get the basement organized, there will be no place to send them *sigh*

Maybe the next post will have pictures of an organized sewing area and family room in the basement :)

Project Quilting ... I didn't get it done in time

This is the project I started for Project Quilting's Offseason Challenge.

It may have been a challenge with a two week deadline, but I have not been able to accomplish it in the time given - if I didn't have kids at home and if I weren't involved in various things ... maybe I could get things done. 

AND this quilt insisted on being big.

 I've never done a Stained Glass style quilt before so I was winging it. Not the best way to do a quilt ... next time I'll know how to do some things in an easier fashion and save TONS of headaches!

I am loving how it is turning out, just wishing I had it finished!