Rustic Nativity

Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.
We serve the Creator of the universe, and He has made us in His image giving each of us different kinds of creative skills. 

Bible Love Notes features 1-minute devotions to encourage Christians in their walk with the Lord, but years ago, when I started Bible Love Notes, I also included posts like these.

This simple craft will give you a subtle reminder of our Lord and an opportunity to use some of the creativity He's given you.

And please consider signing up for Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions! You can do that on the sidebar. Thanks! Gail

I found the idea for this simple nativity on Learning to Be Me, and I had to try it for myself. 

Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.

For each set of 3 (Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus), you need:
  • One 6"-2x2             
  • One 5"-2x2
  • One 3"-2"furring strip
  • 2x 1-1/2" ball knob
  • 1x 1/2" furniture button
  • desired paint, glue, jute

As you can see, I decided to make 9 sets, which made sense because we had to buy whole board sizes anyway. 
 
 It took my hubby and me a little while at Home Depot to find the right kinds of wood, which were very inexpensive. (I’d never heard of “furring” but it was exactly what we needed.)


Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.




My hubby cut the wood and sanded it so it didn’t have splinters, but we purposely left it rough.  Then I painted each item with 1-2 light coats of acrylic paint…I liked the wood texture to show through.
Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.
Tied behind back



Then I tied the jute around these to look a little different from the example on the Learning to Be Me site. 


I made the jute look more like arms and tied it behind the figures instead of in front.





Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.

I have a number of beautifully illustrated books that are rarely opened, so I've decided to start placing them on stands for part of my decorating. I thought this was an appropriate place for the nativity.


Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.

But there's lots of places this little nativity will look nice.

Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.
















I'm excited to give these to friends and use them in my own decorating.


I'm so glad you stopped by my blog, and I invite you to check out the main purpose of Bible Love Notes: 1-Minute devotions. I send these quick-read devotions out to subscribers each weekday and I'd love to have you subscribe HERE. ~ Gail

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Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.

Inexpensive and easy-to-make rustic wooden nativity: step by step directions. Great gifts.





15 comments:

  1. So cute :) I would love to make this into ornaments to give as gifts! Pinned - thank you so much!

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  2. I love this!!! I'm going to enlist my woodworker dad to help me. I'd love to give each of my girls one for their first nativities in their own apartments. And hopefully it will be special because, as my granny would say, "I made it with my own little hands." Thanks for keeping me crafty :) I just bought ceramic tiles and plan to experiment with modge podging photos on them. . . you've created a monster!

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  3. I love this idea. What a simple but beautiful design to celebrate what Christmas is all about!

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  4. These were used as centerpieces for our local chapter of Junior Daughters of the King's recent installation. They were so effective. Thanks for sharing how to make them. Merry Christmas!

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  5. I love this idea. I think I can make them with first grade religious class on Sunday.

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  6. How fun! Simple is sweet. And you are right: it looks nice in so many different locations...!

    hugs x
    Crystelle

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  7. Hi Gail,

    Merry Christmas! While at my dad's house today, I picked up pieces of wood he'd cut to your measurements so I can try my hand at your crafty nativity set. When I compare my pieces of wood to yours, though, yours look much skinnier. Are yours 2 inches across? My two inches look much wider than what yours look like in the picture. Just wondering. yours look great, and I"d like mine to look like that too :)

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    Replies
    1. My husband tells me that an official 2x2 is not actually 2x2...nor is a 2x4 actually 2x4.
      But you'll just have a huskier nativity, which should be fine.
      : )

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  8. Such a cute idea!! Thanks for linking up Romance on a dime!!

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  9. What a beautiful idea!! I just love it. Thanks for linking this post up over at WholeHearted Home.

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  10. This is such a great idea! I'd like to have one for myself, and what great gifts these would make! Thank you so much for linking this to Grace at Home--I'm featuring you this week!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Richella.
      It's an honor to be featured on your great blog.
      Gail : )

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