Sometimes the intended life you hope your design takes on actually happens...
I knew it had happened when I saw this photo:
...taken by my wonderfully giving and fantabulous photographer friend Melanie {I am so lucky to be surrounded by amazing photographer friends}
she entered the room upon hearing the following conversation:
Robert {her husband}: "Landon, how come Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus are with all your guys?"
Landon: "That's because everybody was invited!"
Me: "Invited to do what"
Landon: "Everybody is invited to play:)"
Landon: "That's because everybody was invited!"
Me: "Invited to do what"
Landon: "Everybody is invited to play:)"
Seeing and reading this made my heart so happy!!
Love Landon's busy little fingers off to the side.
Love Mary and Joseph's bright marker drawn faces.
Love baby Jesus at the foot of a masked action figure.
Love that in his mind, everyone belongs together.
It was my assignment as a leader over the children in our church's congregation to create a craft for our annual Primary {what we call the organization for the children} Christmas Party. I wanted to design a Nativity set which was easy for the littlest of children to make, a Nativity set of their very own.
One made by their own hands.
One they could hold and play with without Mommy's supervision.
Their very own Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Presenting a tutorial for the little hands in your life:
Supplies:
*3 baby flat clothespins 2 1/2" long
*3 - 3" x 3" felt squares - 1 white, 1 blue, 1 yellow
- on the blue square, cut a small 1/2" slit centered 1" down from one side of the square
{for large quantities, I cut a felt rectangle 9" x 12" - in half to create a 9" x 6" piece, in half again to create a 9" x 3" piece, and then in thirds to create 12 - 3" x 3" squares}
*2 - 5 1/2" pieces of string
*recommend felt glue {I tried both Elmer's and Tacky glue, both with unsatisfactory but doable results}
*fine tip permanent marker
*red crayon
*scissors
These are the instructions for each member of the Holy Family:
{*if the glue is not cooperating for you, you can rely on the ties to hold the felt on the pins - adding one onto baby Jesus if needed}
{sorry, the glue was NOT cooperating for Mary to get the photo for Step 3. this step you fold the corners down on each side of the pin - one boy told me it was like making a paper airplane:) }
{correction for Step 1, its the top 1/3, not 1/4. after Step 6, I turned the pin over before tying on the belt and drawing on his face}
Sweet children ages 3 - 11 busily made these, some requiring more help than others, but all enjoying being able to make them themselves.
Here are some of the children's Very Own Nativities.
Love all the happy faces:)
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. May the tiny hands in your life enjoy having a Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph to join their toys. And may we all find opportunities to bring our thoughts to this Holy Family. After all, as Landon said, "Everyone is invited."
Here are a few beautiful videos depicting the Nativity for you to enjoy with your family:
