Sprite's Craft Corner

Oct. 28, 2008

Sculpey Clay Nativity

This week I looked at my Sculpey clay and realized that I had a whole bunch. I wanted to make something, but I didn't know what. I asked my mom if she could find some instructions for making Sculpey critters. She found this good website, but it didn't have many animals on it. Then something caught my eye; a nativity. I immediately ran back to my room and started sculpting.

This is the whole nativty.

Tips for how to make your animals--
Ears are very fragile. As you can see, my donkey's ear is broken. So when you make the ear, make it as thick as you can.

The shepherd gave me trouble. I had to redo his face about three times. But don't give up because you will get it right eventually. For the sheep, I only made horns because making the ears made me so frustrated. I should've followed my own tip -- keep trying.

Jesus was kind of tricky because I didn't know how to make the straw in his bed. First I tried a flat yellow oval in the manger. It did not work. It looked like a blanket, not straw. So I made little balls and flattened them for straw.

Overall I thought my nativty was pretty good. Have you ever made a nativity? If you have, please comment. I'd love to use your ideas.

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Comments

Oct. 28, 2008 - i love it!!

Posted by amanda

Sprite, this is AWESOME!!

Does sclupty clay dry well? Is this something you can save or did you have to put it all away when you were done taking photos of it?

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Oct. 28, 2008 - Ear Repair

Posted by Christinethecurious

Dear Sprite,

I think you might be able to fix the donkey's ear:

rough up the broken sites with sand paper.
add a little more polymer clay to the join.
bake it again.

When my Dad experimented with the clay when it was new (years ago, I was a girl then!) he made a model of a policeman from his town. He made the body first, then added clothing and other details, re-baking as he went.

You might want to test it on some scraps you don't care about first, if you are fond of your donkey as he is. In chemistry, you take a small sample of something to experiment on, so you don't use up all you have in case you need more or it doesn't work as you expect it to - cooking too!

Sincerely,
Mrs Guest

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Oct. 30, 2008 - Love the nativity!

Posted by Anonymous

I hopped over to your blog from your mom's site & I must tell you...I love your little nativity. I work with fimo and sculpey, but have not yet introduced it to my little boy (he's 4). Fimo is very difficult to knead, isn't it?!?

Well...great job! I love your little nativity & I thought you should know it! :o)

~Jessica
http://www.homepreschoolingone.blogspot.com

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Nov. 1, 2008 - I like to make crafts too

Posted by kirsten

I like all of your crafts. You made me want to start a blog about my crafts and other things. I am making you a friend. Hope you don't mind.

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Dec. 10, 2008 - Clay things

Posted by artstore

I like your clay people. I have baking clay, and I do not have as much clay.

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Dec. 11, 2008 - :D

Posted by CarpeBanana

You have a great site and some wonderful ideas. I love the faces on your totem pole but had to comment here so I could link you to pictures of our sculpey nativity, which my DD made when she was about 7. It is the bottom photo: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/CarpeBanana/447845/

and yours sure is fancier, but I love ours, too.

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Dec. 17, 2008 - nativity

Posted by mousehouse

I have never made a nativity scene before but I think you did a good job and it looks like it would be fun to make one. Me and tulip (my sister) are trying to put together a stuffed animal play on the birth of baby Jesus, it's very hard to find clothes for them all. MERRY CHRISTMAS.

blessings,
mousehouse

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Mar. 30, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous

I made a nativity just like that after reading this. I made a back ground and floor from fabric and glued it in a shoebox for a manger. I love your site!

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