It’s only been a few weeks since our nativity craft along ended, but I’m already missing it. Maybe it was all of our wonderful guests, or maybe it was those adorable nativity pieces, but either way, thinking of it gives me all the feels.
Well, if you’re like me and you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to our sweet, mid-century heirloom nativity set, we have good news! We decided to make a variation of our original, wooden nativity set we just couldn’t get enough of. Introducing our mid-century heirloom nativity paper dolls!
Our Mid-Century Heirloom Nativity
If you’re new to this whole thing, I should start by introducing our mid-century heirloom nativity set. Inspired by the set my mom created when she was young, we decided to try our hand at creating our own version (I wish I could show you hers)! If you haven’t seen it, you can read more about our original nativity set here, since our original set is what inspired our nativity paper dolls.
But it turns out our relationship with that beloved Mid-Century Heirloom Nativity set was far from over. We received such a positive reaction from the first set that we got to work on the puzzle of manufacturing it, but to no avail. We did come up with a different solution, though: we decided to make a miniature version with wooden clothespins instead of the full-sized candlesticks. If you don’t want to spend quite so much time, painstakingly painting, this bite-sized, adorable version is for you!
Nativity Craft Along
After those two experiments with the nativity, we decided to launch our nativity craft along! This was SO much fun. We loved getting to support makers around the U.S. with donations throughout the craft along and from the charity auction at the end. There were so many wonderful things we learned. We especially loved getting to meet our guest stars and craft with them (and all of you!)
If you’re interested in reading more about our nativity craft along, see these posts: Nativity Craft Along, Nativity Craft Along: Meet Our Guests, and Nativity Craft Along: Auction Details.
Nativity Alternatives
All these experiences with our nativity helped us realize something: we wanted to make the nativity more accessible to a wider audience. As many of you know, the full-sized nativity set is quite the undertaking. It’s very time consuming, and some of you have mentioned feeling a bit inadequate as far as painting those perfect lines goes. It’s also not the ideal craft for younger children.
We partially addressed these concerns with our mini clothespin nativity. It’s a bit quicker because it’s smaller, but still requires some meticulous care with a paintbrush. So! If you want a fun nativity project related to our full-sized nativity, but that’s a lot more approachable, our nativity paper dolls are right up your alley!
Nativity Paper Dolls
You may have noticed these sweet little paper dolls on our shop–they’ve been up for a few weeks now. We launched these towards the end of our nativity craft along, and we love this quick and easy version of the real thing! Spitting image of our original wooden nativity pieces, these are the perfect option if you don’t feel like your painting skills are quite up to par. They’re also great for younger audiences who aren’t quite ready for the meticulous patience the full-sized nativity requires. All you have to do is print and cut them out! You can find them in our shop. Play with them, hang them on the wall, these are such a fun little craft that’s quick and easy.
Nativity Coloring Pages
When we decided to make nativity paper dolls, we couldn’t help but make some nativity paper doll coloring pages as well! These are a great alternative, especially if you’re looking for a festive, low-pressure activity to do with your kids at Christmastime.
We love that these coloring pages are fun for a wide range of ages, and that you can happily color them any way you like! There’s no right or wrong way to do it, and they’ll look cute no matter what.
We would love to see your variations of our nativity paper dolls and coloring pages!
More Inspiration
If you loved reading about our Mid-Century Heirloom Nativity and all its variations, you’ll love these other quick and easy seasonal crafts. Our Printable cookie box is the perfect little package to send out holiday treats! Patterned Christmas Poppers are also a great way to send little goodies to friends and family. Need a little bit of color for your wall? Try our Cuckoo Holidays Print. And as you’re wrapping gifts, don’t forget about our Paper Holiday Gift Toppers and Holiday Gift Tags, which are such a fun way to spice up your wrapping job. Oh, and if you want to add to your tree decorations, Fair Isle Christmas Ornaments are a great option.