School Christmas Ornament Exchange

Two of our kids are attending a new Catholic school in the area and I thought it was such a great idea that they are asking for a Christmas ornament from each family to decorate the tree year after year. I had a quick look at ornaments at Walmart and the dollar store, but couldn’t find even one remotely religious Christmas ornament, beyond maybe a star or an angel.  I decided to take matters into my own hands…and pull out the supplies I use for my Wooden Painted Saints.

I wanted to make it durable…and cute enough that they will want to bring it out each year and hang it on the Christmas tree in the school lobby!  Do you think they will?

When I originally purchased 100 wooden dolls from Casey’s Wood Products (no, I’m not on commission =), I bought a couple other sizes just to see how I like them. I usually work with the smaller size (just under 2 inches tall), so I used the same size to paint Baby Jesus, and chose the larger size for St Joseph and Mother Mary.

Short and Sweet Tutorial: It’s been a couple months since I have been allowed to paint (too many other things going on!), so I enjoyed painting the figures in their trademark clothes, with the end of a paintbrush to make the dot eyes. 
I tried a few other backgrounds including craft foam and other container lids, but I found this nice white plastic lid to be the best, most durable backdrop, and glued the wooden painted saints to the painted lid with a glue gun. 
I added a paper clip at the top to hang the ornament, also using a glue gun…and covered the mess I made with the glue gun with a craft foam star burst. 
The little star in the background is from supplies I had on hand, glued with glitter glue. 

I’m going to add our family name and the year around the white rim and hopefully we’ll watch for it on the school tree until our youngest reaches grade eight…in the year 2023!

…Sharing at 40 Days of Seeking Him! 

and Catholic Bloggers Network Monthly Round-Up

Did you see my latest project with Wooden Painted Saints: the Super Saints Trivia Cards?
Thinking of making a custom family gift for Christmas?…How about converting to Catholic some classic board games like  Checkers,  Snakes & Ladders and Trouble!

 

Looking for a unique gift to make once and copy for all the Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins? Check out the Catholic Family Calendar Cathletics Craft Kit, complete with 26 templates and a full index of all the patron saints for a year! 
It’s illustrated by our own Kelly…of Kelly Comics fame. =)

Still hoping to embellish your current Advent program?  Check out our latest Cathletics Craft Kit…it can be used for Advent & Lent: the Advent & Lent (3in1) paper chain craft kit for Year of Faith, Season with the Saints and Classic (Treasure Chest) prayer and Catechism challenges!