All photos need a focal point. Perhaps this goes without saying. And, perhaps we all need an occasional reminder!
A focal point is the most important part of a photo. This is what should grab the viewer’s eye. There will obviously be other objects in some of your photos. But the way you compose your photo should make it obvious what the focal point is. [Read more…]
I keep pages and pages of things that inspire me. I even devote entire journals full of inspiration. Photocopies, quotes, lists, drawings, websites, blogs, heroes and artists……sometimes the pages are all over the place and random. Other times they have specific themes. Use today to start using your journal to log your inspiration:
Boo’s Box o’ Princesses and BOYville dolls were such a big hit last Christmas that I decided to commission my friend Stephanie Corfee to make a Christmas Nativity version! I spent the last few days painting Baby Jesus, Jo-Fess (as Boo calls him), Mary and the rest of the Christmas peeps:
I used 2″ peg dolls for Mary, Joseph and the three wise men. I purchased mine from Casey’s Wood Products.
I used an angel peg doll, boy pegs and baby pegs for the angel, shepherds, and baby Jesus (also from Casey’s Wood Products):
I use regular inexpensive craft paints. Here are the flesh and hair colors I used. I mix them together for blends:
I always paint the flesh colors first:
And then work backwards in terms of layers: hair…..
….then clothing….
It makes sense to work on all of them at once and in stages so you don’t sit and watch paint dry!
A little secret I’ll share….for small details I use Chalk Ink markers! They are opaque and juicy…..great for faces and clothing detail. You just need to make sure you spray the finished dolls with a clear protective spray when they are finished.
When my dolls were finished, I printed out the download on to card stock:
I cut out all the pieces and created little easels for the backs of the smaller ones:
Here’s a look at how the manger is created. I printed the download out twice and to add wood panels to the end. Also to make the double sided angel wings.
The finished Nativity scene! Great for a gift or holiday decor. Let your little ones color in the scene as they see fit with markers or crayons:
The sheep and the shepherds:
The three kings with their crowns and camel:
The angel of God:
Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus:
To give it as a gift you can put the pieces into little linen bags…..
And add it all to a jar….so the barn piece doesn’t have to be folded:
Note: I closed my digital shop and I am unable to offer these for free anymore. They are now listed on Etsy but only for $1.00 to help cover the cost of upkeep for this website. Thanks for understanding!
Click here to visit the listing or click the image below:
Make sure to check out the other peg doll projects I’ve done with Stephanie….great for handmade Christmas gifts,
