Wise Men Inside the Diorama

Three Kings bearing precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
These gifts are things that a great King would need for his burial.

       Here, the third picture in the series of your creche, are the three Wise Men, who traveled a great distance to see the new King and to bring Him gifts. A tradition says their names were Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar. 

       Paste this picture on cereal box cardboard and color is with crayons, markers or colored pencils. The kings are kneeling on straw, which is yellow. They are dressed richly and in brilliant colors- reds, blues, greens. Each king represents different parts of the world where people have many different colors of skin, so the picture should reflect this idea.

We three kings of Orient are:

Bearing gifts we traverse afar.

Field and fountain, moor and mountain,

following yonder Star.

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Oranges for Christmas...

       Make the bowl of colored construction paper. The oranges may be cut from white paper and colored with bright orange colored crayon. The paper oranges are pasted together to present a piled appearance, and then placed back into the bowl. If desired a few holly sprays, taken from the spray from the clip art file may be put in and among the oranges, to give a Christmas appearance. The design may be displayed on the wall after the picture is finished.

Pattern for orange bowl and oranges.

"An Orange for Frankie" is written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco.

       Children might like to make Christmas orange pomanders for the festive season. To make pomanders you will need toothpicks, cinnamon, whole cloves, and oranges. Spread out newsprint or an old tablecloth onto the surface you will be working on. Give each person their own orange and toothpicks to work with. Poke a design or face into the flesh of the orange and plug each tiny hole with a clove. Once you have finished your design, put the oranges into a pretty dish and cover them generously with the cinnamon. The pomander will perfume the air and keep your home smelling just like Christmas!

Stamped ornaments from Brown Bag cookie tiles

Cookie stamps were sold inside a small wooden catty with decoupaged label.

        These cookie stamps by Brown Bag, 1999 are about half the size of regular Brown Bag cookie molds. They came in a set of four, which I have, but only two are included below so far. Visitors may copy the way that I have painted my own if they wish. I used air dry clay to mold stamped ornaments so that they would be incredibly light weight for the Christmas tree. I hand painted my ornaments with acrylics.

The snowman carries a straw broom stick and wears a top hat and scarf. He has a carrot for a nose.

The Santa is dressed more like a belsnickle here and he carries a small Christmas tree with star on top.

DIY Miniature Cotton Batting Cherries

Cotton batting cherries and stems.

       Here is another very simple, miniature ornament to complete for your feather tree. Small cherries on stems in festive Christmas colors of red and green.

Supply List:

• thin wire
• cotton balls 
• white school glue
• acrylic paints: green, red
• transparent glitter

Step-by-Step Instructions:

• Start by unraveling 5 or 6 cotton balls.
• Cut a length of then wire and apply a thin line of white glue down it's length. 
• Roll small pieces of batting on to it's length between your fingers until the wire is covered evenly with a thin layer of cotton.
• Bend this four inch length wire in half and glue small balls of cotton at each end.
• Build up the balls of cotton until these are the size of cherries. Let dry.
• Paint the stems with green acrylic paint.
• Paint the cherries dark to light from their centers nearest the stem and gradually add more water to the painted surface as you proceed around the cherry.
• Where the red is lightest brush on a thin coat of white glue and sprinkle on transparent glitter.
• Add a wire hook covered with cotton batting and painted a darker green.

Shepherds Inside The Diorama

Two shepherds, two sheep, one staff.

 

       Here are two of the shepherds who were in the fields of Bethlehem and followed the light of the great star to the manger. One of them is a grown man and the other a young boy who has carried his pet lamb as a gift to the Christ Child. Together thy form the second picture with which to make your own Christmas crib or creche.
       Color the figures brightly, paste them on cardboard and cut them out in one piece. The big sheep is gray, but the lamb is white.
       So that the figures will stand up, fold forward the center part of the base, and fold back the two end flaps. Then put it away with the angel until you have the whole set.

While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around

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