The Town of Bethlehem

       The  land  of  Palestine  is divided  from  north  to  south by  a  central  range  of mountains  which  runs  up through  this  narrow  strip of  country  like  a  spinal column.  About  five  miles south  of Jerusalem  a  ridge  or  spur  shoots off  from  the  central  range  towards  the  east. On  the  terminal  bluff  of  this  ridge  lies  the town  of  Bethlehem.  On  the  west  it  is  shut in  by  the  plateau,  and  on  the  east  the  ridge breaks  steeply  down  into  the  plain.  Vineyards cover  the  hillsides  with  green  and purple,  and  wheat fields  wave  in  the  valleys. In  the  distant  east,  across  the  Dead Sea,  the  mountains  of  Moab  are  penciled in  dark  blue  against  the  sky.
       At  the  present  time, 1919,  the  town  has eight  thousand  inhabitants.  Its  flat-roofed houses  are  well  built  and  its  narrow  streets are  clean.   It  is  a  busy  place,  its  chief industry  being  the manufacture  of  souvenirs of  olive  wood  which  are  sold throughout  the  Christian  world.  Its  principal church  is  the  Church  of  the  Nativity, which  is  built  over  a  cave  that  is  one  of the  most  sacred  and  memorable  spots  on the  globe.  It  is  believed  that  this  cave  is the  place  where  Christ  was  born,  and  a silver  star  inlaid  in  the  stone  floor  is  intended to  mark  the  exact  spot.  It  was  then used  as  the  stable  of  the  adjoining  inn, and  in  its  stone  manger  the  infant  Jesus may  have  been  laid.
       At  the  time  of  this  event  Bethlehem was  a  mere  village  of  a  few  hundred  people. It  might  have  been  thought  that  Jerusalem, the  historic  metropolis  and  proud capital  of  the  country,  the  chosen  city  of God  and  seat  of  the  temple  and  center  of worship,  a  city  beautiful  for  situation, magnificent  in  its  architecture,  sacred  in its  associations  and  world-wide  and  splendid  in  its fame,  should  have  been  honored with  this  supreme  event  in  the  history  of the  Jews.  But  an  ancient  prophet,  while noting  its  comparative  insignificance,  had yet  put  his  finger  on  this  tiny  point  on  the map  and  pronounced  upon  it  a  blessing that  caused  it  to  blaze  out  like  a  star amidst  its  rural  hills.  "But  thou,  Bethlehem Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me  that is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel;  whose  goings  forth have  been  from  of  old,  from everlasting." And  so  proud  Jerusalem  was  passed  by, and  this  supreme  honor  was  bestowed  upon the  humble  village.
       Great  men,  as  a  rule,  are  not  born  in cities.  They  come  up  out  of  obscure  villages and  hidden  nooks  and  corners.  They originate  closer  to  nature  than  city-born men  and  seem  to  spring  from  the  very soil.  The  most  noted  birthplace  in  Scotland  is  that  of  Burns:  it  is  a  humble  cottage with  a  thatched  roof  and  a  stable  in one  end  of  it.  The  most  celebrated  birth- place in  England  is  that  of  Shakespeare, and  again  it  is  a  plain  cottage  in  a country village.  Lincoln  was  born  in  a  log  hut  in the  wilds  of  Kentucky,  Mohammed  was the  son  of  a  camel  driver,  and  Confucius the  son  of  a  soldier.  The  city  must  go  to the  country  for  its  masters,  and  the  world draws  its  best  blood  and  brains  from  the farm.  It  was  in  accordance  with  this  principle that  the  Savior  of  the  world  should be  born,  not  in  a  city  and  palace,  but  in  a country  village,  and  that  his  first  bed should  be,  not  a  downy  couch,  but  a  slab of  stone. by James Henry Snowden 

• "Oh little town of Bethlehem'' carol by Phillip Brooks
• The Old City of Bethlehem
• Star Full of Bethlehem - clip art for church bulletins...
• Is there a rational explanation of the Star of Bethlehem?
• The old road from Jaffa's Gate...

by Reawaken Hymns

''Ring in the Christ that is to be''

 Poem by R. H. S.

"Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

"Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

"Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

" Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

"Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be."

Simplicity of The Narrative

       Though  surcharged  with such  tremendous  meaning, carrying  a  heavier  burden of  news  than  was  ever  before committed  to  human language,  yet  the  simplicity with  which  the  story  is  told is  one  of  the  literary  marvels  of  the  gospels. This  event  has  inspired  poets  and  painters and  has  been  embroidered  and  illuminated with  an  immense  amount  of  ornamentation. Genius  has  poured  its  splendors  upon it  and  tried  to  give  us  some  worthy  conception of  the  scene.  But  the evangelists  had no  such  purpose  or  thought,  and  their  story is  told  with  that  charming artlessness  that is  perfect  art.  They  were  not  men  of  genius, but  plain  men,  mostly  tax  collectors  and fishermen  untrained  in  the  schools,  with no  thought  of  skill  or  literary  art.  Yet  all the  stylists  and  artists  of  the  world  stand in  wonder  before  their  unconscious  effort and  supreme  achievement.  No  attempt at  rhetoric  disfigures  their  record,  not  a word  is  written  for  effect,  but the  simple facts  are  allowed  to  tell  their  own  eloquent and  marvelous  tale.  The  inspired  writers mixed  no  imagination  with  their  verities, for  they  had  no  other  thought  than  to  tell the  plain  truth;  and  this  gives  us  confidence in  the  trustworthiness  of  their  narrative. These  men  did  not  follow  cunningly  devised fables  when  they  made  known  unto us  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord Jesus  Christ,  for  they  were  eye-witnesses of  his  glory.  by James Henry Snowden

• Investigating the Eyewitness Accounts of Jesus Christ (Part 1) - J. Warner Wallace  and Part 2
• Good Reasons to Trust the Gospels As Eyewitness Accounts

Who were the wise men and why were they called Magi?

        The term Magi was anciently used generally throughout the East, to distinguish philosophers, and especially astronomers. Pliny and Ptolemy mention Aribi as synonymous with Magi; and it was the opinion of many learned in the first ages of Christianity, that the Magi who presented offerings to the infant Savior in Matthew 2:1 came from Southern Arabia for it is certain that "gold, frankincense and myrrh,'' were productions of that country. They were philosophers among whom the best parts of the reformed Magian system, which was extensively diffused, were probably preserved. They were pious men, also, who had some acqaintance, it may be, with the Hebrew prophecies, and were favored themselves, with divine revelations. They are to be regarded as members of the old patriarchal church, never quite extinguished among the heathen; and they had the special honor to present the homage of the Gentile world to the infant Savior. - Hend. Buck; Watson

A Byzantine mosaic of the three Magi depicted in Persian clothing.

Assemble and Paint An Alpine Christmas Cottage Ornament

The backside and frontside of our Popsicle Alpine Cottage.
It has been painted and the glitter added.

       To make an alpine Christmas cottage out of Popsicle sticks you will need the following supplies: tacky craft glue, twine for the hanger, acrylic paints in white, red, brown and green, a small bottle brush wreath, two cotton balls, transparent glitter, 10 small Popsicle sticks, 21 Larger Popsicle sticks, masking tape, hot glue and white school glue. 
       Clamps to hold wooden craft sticks in place while these dry come in handy for this project!

The front and back of the Christmas cottage before the painting and other details are added.
See cross-bracing craft sticks on the back; the beginning Popsicle sticks
are first glued on top of these for strength and accurate position.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Line up 10 large Popsicles side by side and then use masking tape to hold them together right down the center of the group. 
2. Now glue two more Popsicles, spaced two inches apart perpendicular to the rest, to hold the bulk of the sticks in place permanently. Let these dry in place. Remove the tape once everything has dried.
3. Build a roof in the same way using five Popsicle sticks. Clip the ends on each side to form a pitched roof.
4. Glue on two supporting sticks on top of the right and left sides to form an inverted "V'' shape that reinforces the pitched roof line. See photos above for correct placement. Let these sticks dry.
5. Now glue the roof and front of the alpine cottage together, overlapping just one Popsicle at the ends. The cross-bracing on the walls of the cottage should face to the back of the ornament. The cross-bracing along the roof-line should be facing the front of the cottage.
6. Now glue on the large window and shutters to match the scaling you see in the detailed photos above.
7. Draw, with a soft pencil, a wavy line across the roof cross-bracing, in order to mark the place where you will be gluing the ''snowdrift'' across the roof. 
8. Unravel a cotton ball and glue this directly to those wooden sticks carefully in order to keep the snow in place.
9. Cover the entire pitch of the roof on the backside of the ornament and layer unravelled cotton batting on top of it. Let all of the cotton dry while the cottage is standing on it's bottom edge.
10. Apply more glue and transparent glitter if you like.
11. Next, paint the wooden surfaces to match those shown in the photo above. 
12. For our window, I cut window mullions in a diamond shaped pattern from white paper and glued these to the painted surface for more detail.
13. Hot glue on twine for hanging to the backside of the ornament.
14. Hot glue on a white, bottle-brush wreath to the front above the window.
15. Glue on more glitter snow inside the nooks and crannies of the window pains and shutters too!

More ideas for dollhouse window treatments:

• Mullion Garden View Windows
• A brick dog house for winter weather

A Historical Event

       The  story  starts  with  the place  and  time  of  the  Savior's  birth.  Jesus  was born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea, in  the  days  of  Herod  the king.  There  are  many myths  and  legends  floating through  the  world  that  are  often  beautiful and  useful,  but  they  hang  like gorgeous  clouds  in  the  air  and  are  ever changing  their  shape  and  place.  They are  growths  of  the  imagination  and  lack historic  roots  and  reality.  They  are  chary of  names  and  dates  and  hide  their  origin in far-away  mists.  However  powerfully and  pathetically  they  may  reflect  the needs  and  hopes  of  the  human  heart,  they are  unsubstantial  as  dreams  and  afford no  foundation  on  which  to  build  our  faith. Heathen  religions  are  generally  woven of  this  legendary  stuff.  The  Greek  and Roman  divinities  were  all  mythical.  But the  scientific  spirit  has  swept  these  imaginary deities  out  of  our  sky  and  rendered belief  in  them  impossible.  Our  religion must  be  rooted  in  reality  and  cannot  live in  clouds,  however  beautifully  they  may be  colored.  We  refuse  hospitality  to  anything but  fact.  Give  us  names  and  dates, is  our  demand.
       The  Bible  responds  to  this  requirement. Christianity  is  an  historical  religion.  The gospel  narrative  begins  with  no  such  in- definite statement  as  "Once  upon  a  time'' but  it  starts  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea.  The town  is  there  and  we  can  stand  on  the very  spot  where  Jesus  was  born.  The  narrative places  the  time  of  his  birth  in  the days  of  Herod  the  king.  History  knows Herod;  there  is  nothing  mythical  about this  monster  of  iniquity.  These  statements are  facts  that  no  keenest  critic or  scholarly  unbeliever  can  plausibly  dispute. So  the  gospel  sets  its  record  in  the rigid  frame  of  history;  it  roots  its  origin down  in  the  rocky  ledge  of  Judea.  Christ was  not  born  in  a  dream,  but  in  Bethlehem. We  are  not,  then,  building  our  faith on  a  myth,  but  on  immovable  matters of  fact.  This  thing  was  not  done  in  a  corner, but  in  the  broad  day,  and  it  is  not  afraid of  the  geographer's  map  and  the  historian's pen.  The  Christmas  story  is  not  another beautiful  legend  in  the  world's  gallery of  myths,  but  is  sober  and  solid  reality; its  story  is  history.  Our  religion  is  truth, and  we  will  worship  at  no  other  altar. by James Henry Snowden

 

The Birth of Jesus by The Bible Project.

Color a Christmas Angel

Description of Coloring Page: angel ornament, inside a Christmas tree, bell, garland, star, candle, decorate a Christmas tree

"Our Christmas tree glows with trim
Bright and shining on every limb.
But the nicest ornament of all
Is an angel, so dainty and small.''

 

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

How to cut a Christmas tissue paper garland:

1. Take a strip of white, red or green paper 3 inches wide and any desired length. Fold paper vertically into thirds. Alternate slits as in Figure 1. shown above.
2. Open and pull carefully apart.
3. Hang is on your Christmas tree.
   

Color a Christmas ''Work of Art''

Description of Coloring Page: child artwork, Christmas Creche, camels, sheep, shepherds and wise men, hammer and nails, backdrop, props, scene, table

"Shepherds Star and Wise Men too,

All appear in our Christmas view.

At school, each does his part

To make this scene a work of art.''

 

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

3 Steps To Make The Stars and Straws Garland:

1. Trace and cut stars from colored construction paper, using many colors, if possible. You may use the pattern above for this.
2. Cut drinking straws 1 1/2 inches long.
3. Thread a needle and string one large star after 12 straw segments; then repeat this pattern over and over until you have a long garland to wrap about your Christmas tree.
   

A Wonderful Fulfillment Of Prophecy

Learn more about the babe in a manger throne.

       His  birth  was  a  wonderful fulfillment  of  prophecy.  The Jews  had  cherished  the hope  of  the  promised  Messiah for  thousands  of  years. Through  all  their  national vicissitudes,  enslavement  in Egypt,  wanderings  in  the  wilderness,  establishment and  growth  in  the promised  land, internal  division  and  external  captivity  in Babylon,  restoration,  and  final  subjection to  the  Romans,  this  hope  burned  on  the horizon  of  their  future  as  a  fixed  star.  It was  this  that  ever  led  them  on  and  held them  together  and  made  it  impossible to  break  or  subdue  their  spirit.  This  was the  dawn  that  filled  all  their  dark  and  bitter days  with  the  rosy  glow  of  hope.
        Yet  the  Messiah  came  not,  and  as  the centuries  slowly rolled  along  they  must have  grown  weary  and  at  times  have doubted.  Skeptics  scoffed,  "Where  is  the sign  of  his  coming?'  But  the great  heart of  the  nation  remained  true  to  its  trust, while  prophets  caught  glimpses  of  the coming  glory  and  white-headed,  trembling old  saints  prayed  that  they  might  live  a little  longer  and  not  die  before  he  came. Perhaps  this  hope  was  never  at  a  lower ebb  than  when  the  Roman  power  was ruthlessly  grinding  the  nation  down  into the  dust.  But  suddenly  at  this  darkest hour  a  blinding  light burnt  through  the floor  of  heaven  and  shepherds  ran  about announcing  that  the  Messiah  was  born!
       Who  can  imagine  the  surprise,  the  wonder, the  overwhelming  amazement  this  news created?  How  many  were  eager  to  go to  Bethlehem  and  see  this  thing  which  had come  to  pass!  And  when  it  was  found  to be  true,  they  rejoiced  with  exceeding great  joy  and  old  men  blessed  God  and said,  "Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy  servants depart  in  peace." Luke 2:29-32
       Yet  why  should  they  have  wondered  at God's  faithfulness  in  keeping  his  promise, as  though  he  could  ever  have  forgotten  it or  failed  to  bring  it  to  pass?  Why  should we  ever  wonder  at  the  faithfulness  of God?  Doubtless  in  some  degree  because of  our  human  infirmity.  Our  sense  of  unity with  God  and  trust  in  him  have  been weakened  by  sin  until  we  are  ready  to doubt  him  as  though  he  were  one  of  ourselves. His  promises  also  are  so  far-reaching and  great,  splendid  and  blessed,  they  so  far surpass  our  thoughts  of  wisdom  and  mercy, that,  even  though  they  have  been  repeated to  us  until  we  are  familiar  with them,  when  they  are  fulfilled  we  wonder at  the  faithfulness  that  will  bring  so  great things  to  pass.  by James Henry Snowden

Phil Wickham sings "Manger Throne"

Preparation For The Event

A Star will come out
of Jacob...

       Near  events  may  have  remote causes.  The  river  that sweeps  by  us  cannot  be  explained without  going  far back  to  hidden  springs  in distant  hills.  The  huge wave  that  breaks  upon  the ocean  shore  may  have  had  its  origin  in  a submarine  upheaval  five  thousand  miles away.

       A  wide  circle  of  causes  converged  towards this  birth;  all  the  spokes  of  the  ancient world  ran  into  this  hub.  When  Abraham started  west  as  an  emigrant  out  of  Babylonia, "not  knowing  whither  he  went," (Hebrews 11:8)  he was  unconsciously  traveling  towards  Bethlehem. Jewish  history  for  centuries  headed towards  this  culmination;  this  was  the matchless  blossom  that  bloomed  out  of all  that  growth from  Abraham  to  Joseph and  Mary.  Priest  and  prophet,  tabernacle and  temple,  gorgeous  ritual  and streaming altar,  sacrifice  and  psalm,  kingdom  and captivity,  triumph  and  tragedy  were  all so  many roots  to  this  tree.  These  were  the education  and  discipline  of  the  chosen people,  preparing  them as  soil  out  of  which the  Messiah  could  spring.  The  great  ideas of  the  unity  and  sovereignty, spirituality and  righteousness  of  God,  the  sinfulness of  sin  and  the  need  of  an  atonement  were in flaming  picture  language  emblazoned before  the  people  and  burnt  into  their conscience.  Christ would  do  nothing  until these  ideas  were  rooted  in  the  world.

       Pagan  achievements,  also,  "the  glory-that  was  Greece  and  the  grandeur  that was  Rome,"  were roots  to  this  same  tree of  preparation  for  the  coming  of  Christ, though  they  knew  it  not.  Greece with  all the  glories  of  its  philosophy  and  art  showed that  the  world  never  could  be  saved  by it's own  wisdom;  and  all  the  laws  and legions  of  Rome  were  equally  impotent to  lift  it  out  of  the ditch  of  sin.  Neither  a brilliant  brain  nor  a  mailed  fist  can  save  a lost  world.  Yet  both  Greece and  Rome made  positive  contributions  to  the  preparation for  Christ.  Greece  fashioned  a  marvelous instrument  for  propagating  the gospel  in  its  highly  flexible  and  expressive language,  and  Rome reduced  the  world  to order  and  hushed  it  into  peace  and  thus turned  it  into  a  vast  amphitheater  in which  the  gospel  could  be  heard.  Greece also  contributed  philosophy  that  threw light  on  the gospel,  and  Rome  gave  it  a rich  inheritance  of  law.

       God  thus  set  this  event  in  a  mighty framework of preparation.  He  got  the world  ready  for Christ  before  he  brought Christ  to  the  world.  He  was  in  no  haste and  took  plenty  of  time  before he  struck the  great  hour.  The  harvest  must  lie out  in  the  showers  and  sunshine  for  weeks and months  before  it  can  ripen  into  golden wheat,  and  the  meteor  must  shoot  through millions  of invisible  miles  for  one  brief flash  of  splendor.  The  centuries  seemed slow-footed  during  that  long and  dreary stretch  from  Abraham  to  Mary,  "but when  the  fullness  of  time  was  come,  God sent forth  his  Son." (Galatians 4:4-7)   by James Henry Snowden

"Jesus Christ Is Born" Mac Powell

Craft a quilled poinsettia ornament

The finished poinsettia quilled ornament covered with glitter.

        This is a quilling project for little ones with small hands and limited hand coordination. It looks terrific when the poinsettia is finally painted and covered with green and red glitter! 

       When adults quill ornaments, much finer cut papers are used and it takes much longer for original quill work to be completed. 

       Because the project can take several days to complete, I find it best to use the tacky craft glue. This will speed up the drying time and limit frustrations for younger students. Set the flower over a heating duct or in some other warm area of the home to encourage rapid dry time.

Supply List:

• several recycled toilet paper rolls
• craft tacky glue
• green and red glitter
• green and red paint 
• small, delicate paint brush
• white school glue
• twine or wire for hanging
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut six petal shapes approximately 1/2 inches wide of approximately the same size from the first paper tube. 
2. Pinch these at opposite ends and glue each one to the other, using tacky craft glue, at one end only to form a poinsettia shaped blossom. (see photo below)
   
3. Now cut down the next paper tube to half it lengthwise. 
4. Cut out 1/2 inch paper curls to shape circular cardboard shapes to fill the inside of the poinsettia. I fit 12 of these shapes for the insides of my poinsettia as seen below and above. However, filling the blossom may be done any number of ways by the same methods.
5. Paint all of the dry poinsettia with red paint.
   
6. After the flower is done, cut one or two petal in by the identical process for the leaf segments of the poinsettia. Tuck these between the flower petals and paint them green.
7. Using a small, delicate paint brush, work your way around the flower covering surfaces with white school glue and glitter. It is easiest to due the leafy shapes with green first. Let these selections dry entirely first before moving on to the red flower. This will prevent the glitters from sticking in the wrong places and mixing together.
8. Loop a twine or wire hanger through any place inside the ornament cavities.
   

Left, is paper toilet roll, clean and recycled. Center it the first stage of the instructions described
above. The outside shape of a poinsettia flower. Right, you can see how I filled this in with
additional cardboard circles. Alternatively you could fill in one of these
with large to smaller oval shapes.

The painted ornament before adding the glitter.

• More quilling for kids at Thrifty Scissors . . .
• More poinsettia crafts and clipart here at our blog...

External Links

See More Quill Work:

• See traditional Christmas quilling by KatySueDesigns
• 20 easy Christmas craft ideas for paper quilling artists...

Multiplying Joy.

Do you know how to multiply

The Christmas joy and cheer?

Listen! I will tell the secret

To each person here.

If everyone makes glad at Christmas

One poor girl or boy,

There will be just twice as muchy

Of glad good will and joy.

Print a frosty little Gibson snowball for the mantel.

        This nostalgic print would look charming on a fireplace mantel or hanging on a tree. You could also tuck it inside of a Christmas card for a special family member or friend. Apply a bit of glue and transparent glitter to it's surface to make the snowy surface come to life...

Gibson's Movie Post Cards "An all around Merry Christmas'' restored for fun and merry making.

How to make a knitter's Christmas bauble!

        To make the knitter's bauble, for hanging on a Christmas tree, you will need the following supplies: a Styrofoam ball, enough yarn to cover the ball, white school glue, two skewers, two beads to fit perfectly on the ends of each skewer and wire for the hanger.
      Apply white school in modest amount to the surface of the Styrofoam ball while you wrap it to cover with the yarn. Too much glue makes a mess that will ruin this project if you are not cautious.
       While you are waiting for parts of the wrap to dry a bit, cut the skewers down to 5 1/2 inches if you are making a medium sized bauble. Cut these pretend knitting needles longer or shorter depending upon the scale and size of the ball you are wrapping for the ornament. 
      Glue small beads to each flat end of your knitting needles. 
      Wrap the knitting needles in a cross position while working the yarn around these, just as they would appear if doing it with real needles inside of a ball of yarn. 
      Shape a hanger from wire, dab the end of it with glue and then push it deep inside the Styrofoam ball to hang.

Left, see the yarn covered bauble hanging. Right, here to see the hook detail.

        The key to making these knitting balls for the tree is to limit the amount of yarn used to cover the bauble's surface so that the ornament won't get to heavy for the branches of a Christmas tree. And also, if you are a frugal knitter, you may only want to use the amount of yarn necessary for these festive trims so that there will be enough left-over for the next textile project!

Turn Popsicle sticks and wooden skewers into winter skis...

       To make winter skies like ours for your Christmas tree you will need the following craft supplies: metal snaps (sewing notions), twine, masking tape, white school glue, hot glue gun and glue, acrylic paints, figurative tissue paper, wooden skewers, fine sandpaper and large Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors.

Above, see two different methods for decorating your skis and ski poles.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the skewers to 4 1/4 inch lengths.
2. Clip off the curved ends of the Popsicle sticks at the bottom of each ski only. With white school glue stick one on top of the other in an 'X' shape. Let dry.
   
3. Cross the two ski poles, one on top of the other. Glue these together securing them in an 'X' formation with a bit of twine or masking tape. This shape will follow the shape of the crossed Popsicle stick skies.
4. You can twist the twine at the top of each ski pole to make the handles and/or use folded masking tape for handles to later paint.
5. Glue silver sewing snaps to the bottom of each ski pole using the hot glue gun and hot glue.
6. Either paint or decoupage the skis in the colors of your choice. Above the photograph shows both possibilities.
7. Once the skis have been decorated, hot glue the ski poles on top of the Popsicle skis. 
8. Tape a wire hanger to the backside of your wooden skis and cover this with paint or additional decoupaged tissue.
   

Make a Flexible Flyer for The Tree

Left, is the sled from underneath. 
Right is the sled from above.

        This Flexible Flyer is a child's sled intended for recreation only. But, when it is only six inches long like these, you can only hang it on a tree... 

       Samuel Allen patented his Flexible Flyer in 1889. While his factory normally produced farm equipment, the sleds gave his workers something to build during slower times of the year, during the winter months.

• I have clipart here of a couple of old Flexible Flyer sled types...

Supply List:

• tacky white glue
• 8 Popsicle sticks - medium ones
• red acrylic paint
• utility scissors or handsaw
• masking tape (optional)
• fine sandpaper

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Make sure the wooden Popsicle sticks are clean and freshly sanded. This will insure that the tacky glue will adhere the pieces.
2. You will need masking tape to hold the sticks in place as these dry. Stick the first two Popsicle sticks in the center of a length of tape very close together with just a slight bit of separation. Then stick two more, one on either side of the center two, after the tips have been sliced off at an angle using a hack saw or utility scissors.
3. Now turn the group over and cut down the sticks for the underside of the sled to fit. These will be glued down on their edges. Use more masking tape to hold these in place while they dry.
4. Once the sleds are dry and firmly glued in place, remove the masking tape.
5. Paint the sled a traditional red or green for the Christmas tree.
6. Tie on a piece of twine for hanging the ornament.
7. If this sled is too simple for your tastes, hot glue a few Christmas garnishes and presents to the top of the sled.

Craft yarn covered mountains for the tree!

This yarn mountain has yarn snow too.

       For some of our visitors, snow topped mountains, lodges and skying are all apart of winter fun. This year I will be posting more ornaments with sports themes. The first few being related to the mountains: the people who live there, the sports they practice and the landscapes in winter. 

Supply List:

• heavy paper or thin flexible cardboard
• decorative yarn (colorful for the mountain)
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• white school glue or tacky white glue
• masking tape
• thin flexible wire for the hanger
• five or six cotton balls
• white or cream yarn (for the snow toped mountain)
• felt to compliment the color of the yarn for the bottom of the mountain.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut out the circle from cardboard that has at least a five inch diameter across it's center.
2. Cut this circle exactly in half.
3. Bent the half circle shape around it's self to form a cone. Tape the cone in place.
4. Cut off the tip of the cone to thread a fine wire up and through. On the inside of the cone bunch up the wire just a bit to sink it into a bit of hot glue. This will hold the wire in place.
5. Wrap the outside of the cone first, starting from the bottom, with the colorful yarn. Squeeze the tacky craft glue around the cone as you do this. Try to keep the wrap as clean as possible.
6. Stop a 1/2 inch from the top, peak of the cone mountain.
7. Continue on using white or cream yarn to represent the snow-caped mountain.
8. Wrap the remaining wire with cotton batting and shape this into a fancy hook.
9. After the yarn applications have dried, stuff the interior with cotton balls to help the mountain ornaments keep their shape.
10. Next using the tacky white glue, spread some generously onto a scrap piece of cardboard and press the mountain's bottom opening on top. Let dry before trimming off the excess cardboard.
11. Cover the bottom of the mountain using scrap felt and glue to finish the ornament.

Left, cut and wrap a cone from cardboard. Center wrap the yarn mountain.
Right, a cotton batting snow cap in this version of the ornament.

Draft and color a paper log cabin for the Christmas tree

        Below is an illustrated model of how a log cabin, made from paper, may be cut and fashioned in such a way as to store it flat until needed. It is "a cabin home'' with pull strings and presto! the walls come together. Make free standing trees too and craft a small frontier display to assemble beneath a table-top tree if you like...

Other types of homes may be made following the above working plan.

How to sculpt mice using cotton batting and dryer lint...

I've added the whiskers here to the mice.

       Learn to handcraft a few little mice for a Christmas tree or for play in a mouse house if you prefer. Children love them no matter what color they are or from what materials you choose to make them with. Every mouse has it's own character and you will enjoy dressing them for the holidays as well.

• Read mouse stories and craft more for them here
• Follow the church mouse companion here. 

Supply List:

• chenille stems
• cotton balls
• dryer lint
• white school glue
• acrylic paint: black and white
• Sculpey oven-bake clay
• thread for whiskers

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Shred white cotton balls into fluff and layer this with white glue onto the chenille stems, winding the cotton around the stems. Once the cotton batting and glue is evenly distributed, you can roll the wire between the palms of your hands to adhere it to the chenille better. This process will also 'even out' the application.
2. Now cut and bend the cotton coated wires into basic mouse armature. See and copy the photos below.
3. Don't forget to twist the mice tails to the armature from behind. 
4. Now layer cotton batting and white glue on top of the armature in order to 'flesh out' the delicate little mouse bodies.
5. Glue on large round ears and eyeballs made from Sculpey oven-bake clay.
6. Once you have fleshed out the bodies to the most believable shapes, dab on white glue and dryer lint to color the white fur further.
7. After the mice have dried completely next to a heating duct, ideally, paint the eyes and thread a needle with white or transparent thread to weave in and out of the mice cheeks. Clip the whiskers to a shorter length at the end.

More Makers of Mice Online:

• How to make mice tutorial by Rosanna makes here - these are painted afterwards
• Needle felted sleeping mice by Sarafina Fiber Art
• Learn to make traditional felt mice by Crumble Cottage here
• Read and see how I make sock mice at one of my other blogs here

Left, standing mouse, wire armature. Center, sitting mice, wire armature. Right, 'fleshed-out' mice
 before adding painted eyes and dryer lint for colorful fur.

Above you can see the grey mouse from different angles.

Above is my spotted mouse from different angles.

Detailed photos of seated mice posed together.

See the dryer lint in a bag. I collected multiple greys, black and browns over time.

White mouse, standing version, holds bottle brush tree.

Paint a wooden flat squirrel ornament

Painted wooden squirrel flat.

       This little wooden flat of a squirrel is painted in a very abstract way using a dry brush and sponge technique. You could just as easily choose to paint him by the same methods using grey colors instead.

Supply List:

• orange, white, red, yellow acrylic paints
• tiny acorn and cap
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• a wooden squirrel flat, unpainted
• soft sponge, tiny brush, medium sized brush all three for application of paint

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Sponge the entire front face of the wooden squirrel one color; a rusty brown is good, if you're squirrel is to be a red squirrel.
2. While the paint is still wet, dry brush in some lighter oranges, reds and yellows.
3. After the surface is dry, paint eye and nose details in black. 
4. Go back with a liquid of soft, pale whites for the high-lighted areas.
5. Hot glue on the real acorn and cap just beneath your squirrel's paws.
6. Use the tip of a pin to add a high-light in the critter's eye.
7. Mod Podge the finished surface once you are satisfied with the results.

Assemble a pipe cleaner doll for your vintage Christmas tree...

A vintage girl shaped using chenille stems
and felt scraps.

        You can assemble this adorable little Christmas Miss using felt and tacky fabric glue. I believe she dates back to the 1960s or 70s. Make a whole series in any color to match your tree trimmings...

Supply List:

• two sheets of craft felt, one navy and the other teal
• gold braid rick-rack
• olive green velvet ribbon
• velvet pink flowers
• tacky glue for fabric
• white lace
• gold embossed paper trim
• a wooden bead for the head
• acrylic paints
• two chenille stems
• gold twine for the hanger

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut two lengths from the chenille stems: one five inches long and the second, seven inches long.
2. Cut and roll felt rectangles to cover both the arm stem, five inches and the leg stem, seven inches. Glue down the edges using tacky fabric glue. let dry
3. Twist the dry arm and leg stems together at the center of both. Pull the longer legs down and the shorter arms lengths above the legs.
4. Pinch the arm lengths in the center up approximately 1/2 inch up and glue inside the hole of the wooden bead for the doll's head.
5. Paint this wooden ''head'' bead using acrylics. Paint the hair, and facial features using a tiny brush for details. let dry.
6. Now cut a half circle for the doll's dress from felt. The half circle should measure approximately ten inches across it's length.
7. Next cut two more circles from the felt. The first smaller circle should be 1 3/4 inches in diameter to shape the doll's hat. The second circle should measure 2 inches in diameter to shape the doll's collar.
8. Decorate the right side of the largest felt half circle prior to attaching it with tacky fabric glue just below the wire arm stems. Use notions like: lace, rick-rack and other gold trims seen in the photo above.
9. Attach the felt skirt beneath the wire arms using tacky fabric glue, also gluing the shorter sides of the felt skirt together.
   
10. Loop a hanger for the doll from twine and thread it up through the backside of the circular hat. 
11. Glue this to the wooden head with the knot underneath and the loop for hanging above. This hat should be allowed to dry before proceeding to the next step.
12. For the collar, cut a slit through the felt only to the center of the circle. Then twist the collar beneath the wooden chin of the doll, covering the arms and skirt waist and glue it in place.
13. Tie a green velvet ribbon above the collar.
14. Now glue flower trims to the hat and additional felt boots and gloves if you like!
    

Pine Tree Gift Tags

        The following gift tags have been altered and colorized by kathy grimm for our visitors to print, cut and stick onto gifts for the holiday season! Do not resale or distribute these from any other website they are the freeware property of our belsnickle blog.

Christmas gift tags in red and green for all your wrapping needs this season, 2024.

Craft a Cotton Batting Frog on A Lily Pad

       A cotton batting ornaments of a frog seated on a lily pad. You could give him an additional crwon to make him a prince if you like but I prefer to keep him all-natural. His flesh is painted but his sharper features are drawn on using a permanent ink pen instead. You can always repaint ornaments like these if the lights on your tree fade the colors out.

 

The painted cotton batting frog from three angles.

        To make a frog ornament similar to this one you will need the following craft supplies: masking tape, tissue paper, white school glue, cotton batting, acrylic paints, and a permanent black ink pen.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Shape the tissues into a frog shape first. See the detailed photos below for guidence.
2. Shape a simple lily pad for the frog to sit upon. See the photos below.
3. Tape a long wire in it's center securely to the bottom of the lily pad so that this ornament may be twisted to a flat Christmas tree branch. This wire should be painted to match those colors of the branches you wish to attach him to. Paint the wire white for a white tree or green for a green tree. This will help to hide the attachment.
4. Fray out a small stack of cotton balls.
5. Using the white school glue and the cotton layer small sheets of the cotton onto all of the surfaces to cover the masked frog. This will take many layers to ''flesh out the frog.'' Be patient and allow each layer to dry before applying more glue and more cotton batting as you proceed. 
6. Once you have fleshed out the shapes with batting apply a final heavy coat of glue and paint the frog using acrylics.
7. After the paint dries use the permanent ink marker to color his eyes and lips.
8. If the paint fades in time, it's o.k. to repaint the frog.

The frog shaped using masking tape and tissue paper; as seen from three sides.

The masking tape covered lily pad is taped to the frog and a wire underneath is taped on to allow
the ornament to be attached to a tree branch from underneath. Four different viewpoints are 
photographed above. Click to see all pictures larger.

Longing For Home

 Longing For Home

Come away! come away! you can hear them

calling, calling,

Calling us to come to them, and roam no

more,

Over there beyond the ridges and the land

that lies between us,

There's an old song calling us to come!

Come away! come away! for the scenes we

leave behind us

Are barren for the lights of home and a

flame that's young forever;

And the lonely trees around us creak the

warning of the night-wind,

That love and all the dreams of love are

away beyond the mountains.

The songs that call for us to-night, the have

called for men before us,

And the winds that blow the message, they

have blown ten thousand years;

But this will end our wander-time, for we

know the joy that waits us

In the strangeness of home-coming, and a

faithful woman's eyes.

Come away! come away; there is nothing

now to cheer us--

Nothing now to comfort us, but love's road

home:

Over there beyond the darkness there's a

window gleams to greet us,

And a warm hearth waits for us within.

by Edward Arlington Robinson, "The Wilderness." 

Celtic women sing "Going Home''

Messiah has come for us all . . .

They journey over the hills of Palestine
 to find a baby King in Nazareth...

Christmas

OVER  the  hills  of  Palestine
The  silver  stars  began  to  shine;
Night  drew  her  shadows  softly  round
The  slumb'ring  earth,  without  a  sound.

Among  the  dewy  fields  and  rocks,
The  shepherds  kept  their  quiet  flocks,
And  looked  along  the  dark'ning  land
That  waited  the  divine  command.

When  lo!  through  all  the  opening  blue,
Far  up  the  deep,  dark  heavens  withdrew;
And  angels  in  a  radiant  light
Praised  God  through  all  the  list'ning  night.

Again  the  sky  was  deep  and  dark;
Each  star  relumed  his  silver  spark;
The  dreaming  land  in  silence  lay
And  waited  for  the  dawning  day.

But,  in  a  stable  low  and  rude,
Where  white-horned,  mild-eyed  oxen  stood.
The  gates  of  heaven  were  still  displayed
For  Christ  was  in  the  manger  laid.

 

"Messiah" sung by Francesca Battistelli