Simple Nativity Scene

12 days 'till Christmas already?!   WHAAAAT?

Yup, that's right! I hope everyone's holiday season isn't too crazy!

How's that holiday shopping? It seems to get harder and harder every year.

For those of you looking for an easy-peasy piece of holiday décor that would also

be great as a gift for a church-goer or who likes the sacredness of the Christmas season,

I have a beautiful and elegant wooden nativity scene!

All you need are a few salvaged items from your basic crafts pantry.

 

 

Supplies Needed

Jumbo Popsicle Sticks

Wooden Figures

Raffia

Jute Cord

White Felt

Wooden Bead

Rolled Paper Floral Wire

Snowflake or Star

Shell (optional)

Brown Stamp Pad (optional)

 

First, distress your popsicle sticks with a brown stamp pad.  It's really up to your personal style.  I wanted to give this a primitive and antique feel, but you can leave it plain if you'd like.  Second, hot glue all your sticks into a triangle form.  I made sure to make one flat so that it could stand on its own when not on a Christmas tree.  Next, I cut out a semi-circle piece of white felt for Mary's veil, then hot-glued the curve to the crown of her head.  I then cut a piece of the rolled paper wire for Joseph's can and curved the top to create a small cane.   For Baby Jesus, I cut a small piece of felt and wrapped it around a small wooden bead.  I hot-glued the little bundle into a tiny shell.  

 

After the Mary and Joseph figures were hot-glued onto the floor of the stable, I hot-glued a couple pieces of raffia on either side of the couple and then placed Baby Jesus at the very center.  To finish it up, I glued a "North Star" (snowflake) at the apex of the stable roof and then glued a piece of jute rope onto the back for hanging on a tree.

 

There you have it!  A cute little nativity that although primitive,

makes a great and meaningful gift. 

 

See you next week!

Erika @ PC



Rustic Wedding Centerpiece

Hello, Crafters! 

Anyone going down to check out the Hawaii World Class Wedding Expo this coming 

Friday and Saturday at the Convention Center for some great ideas for your special day?

Well because of this big event coming up, this week we're going to be making some

 cute centerpieces for a rustic or country garden themed wedding.

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Supplies Needed 

Two 4 inch wood slices

One 3 inch wood slice

 Hot Glue Gun

Twine

1 1/2 inch Burlap Ribbon 

Scissors

Spanish Moss

One Pint Mason Jar

Small chalkboard hanging (pictured later)

Extra Fine Deco paint pen (pictured later)

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 Tea Light Votive (I used the metallic silver David Tutera one.)

Tea Light (Flameless or not. Your choice.)

Flowers 

 

 

Excuse the upside down picture.. My computer was being finicky.

 

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 Let's get started!

 

 

 First, I hot glued the smaller wood slice to the larger one and then hot glued the 

other large slice on top where they met.  I dotted some hot glue at the places where the slices overlapped and stuck on some of the Spanish moss.

 Next, after removing the lid from the mason jar, I cut about a 10 inch strip of burlap ribbon and hot glued it around the "waist" of the jar.

 

Then, I wrapped about 20 inches of twine around the ribbon and made a bow.

 

Next, hot glue the mason jar to the top wood slice.  This is when I also hot glued the 

votive to the larger of the slices on the bottom and stuck in the tea light.

 Here is the littlest chalkboard we got in this year.  Isn't it adorable?  Because I wanted the table number to be permanent, I decided to use a paint pen instead of chalk.  You could also use a Bistro chalk marker because those aren't erasable on this surface as well despite it being a chalkboard.

(The only chalk that is removable would be the actual compressed "school" chalk.)

 I hot glued the chalkboard to the base on the small wood slice.  Here is where you could add more Spanish moss on the bottom side of this as well.

 

Now all there is left to do is add your flower arrangement!  The pink roses with the glittery dew came in our Christmas shipment this year and the small white flowers are something we carry year round in our wedding section.  Aren't they beautiful?  Of course, you could always fluff it up a bit! Maybe with some thin branch tips in the bouquet? A little glitz with some glitter, rhinestones or sequins? Maybe some coarse gold or silver mixed in with some water in the jar?  

The possibilities are endless!

I hope this helps inspire all the husbands and wives to be and shows that a DIY wedding is 

definitely worth the work!  You get to be original and unique by having total 

control over your decorations and favors.  

 Be sure to check us out at the Wedding Expo this Friday and Saturday for 

more ideas and inspiration!  

See you there!

 Erika @ PC