2011 CM8: Simple Nativity

Jason and I have a friend from church named Price who has been down on his luck the past few years.  Since we moved to the area four and a half years ago, he lost his job, was displaced from several apartments, and has had enough car trouble to fill a lifetime quota.  But through it all, he has continued to be one of the most compassionate, generous, encouraging, and optimistic people I know.  This past year, things finally started to turn around for him.  He found permanent housing, and the government came through with some back payments they owed him.  Acting according to his character, Price has been almost recklessly generous to his friends who saw him through some of his darkest times over the past few years.  Jason was one of these people.  But as Christmas drew near, Price slipped me an envelope with a very generous gift.  I was totally shocked.  Price and Jason are good friends, but I wouldn't say that he and I were ever particularly close, at least not close enough to warrant this.  I fumbled over the biggest "thank you" I could muster.  A few days later, Jason was getting together with Price, and I asked him to re-express my gratitude.  Jason told him how surprised I was to receive such a gift, and Price's answer was, "Jason, you are certainly the more visible one at church, but I want Robin to know that we all really appreciate everything that she does, too."

Jason passed this on to me, and I was floored...absolutely blown away by Price's kindness and thoughtfulness.  So I prayed about it, and I felt like God prompted me to make Price a nativity.  I'd been wanting to experiment with a simpler version of a felted nativity, something that didn't require pipe-cleaner forms or faces, and with that old Christmas clock was just ticking away with so much already on my to-do list, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out something simple.  And here is the result:

I know these pictures are pretty terrible, but this one lets you see the angel's little wings.  As I was making this, Jason said, "I don't think angels actually have wings."  And I said, "Well, bah humbug, Mr. Grinch.  Why don't you go steal Cindy Lu Who's Christmas tree?  Christmas angels ALWAYS have wings."

I think my favorite part of this set is how I still got Mary to kneel.  Looking back at it now, I have no idea how I did it.  I also like how she's a little chubby, 'cause come on, folks.  She just had a baby.

I think this is the first nativity that I actually enjoyed making start to finish.  There wasn't even much tweaking involved.  So if I ever decide to sell felted nativities, they will most likely be of this simplified variety.  (I can't imagine the nightmare of mass-producing the other kind.)  But this first little set was made especially for a very dear friend.  Merry Christmas, Price!