It’s getting Christmassy: Upcycling and crafting with natural materials

24 November 2020

Post originally written in: Deutsch

Somehow I'm having déjà vu: Lockdown 2.0. We heard that we should make the most of it back in the spring. But no matter how trite and annoying it sounds, it's true. Making the "best" of it, however, means different things to different people. One person uses the time to learn a new language, another throws themselves into home training, and yet another just tries not to freak out when he/she has to settle the thousandth sibling argument. We all set our goals a little differently.
Anyway, Christmas is approaching and maybe this year it really will be the quietest time of the year. Who knows... It's going to be nice and maybe it's a chance to do things a little differently and a little less hectic. For example, we use the time to do a bit more handicrafts - my boys usually only do that in kindergarten or at grandma's house. In the following, I would like to introduce you to a few craft ideas that work super easy, and the materials you need, you certainly have at home or you find them on a walk in the woods.

LAST MINUTE ADVENT CALENDAR:

When it comes to crafting, my motto is: the less complicated the better. The less materials you have to buy, the better I like it. Especially now, in Corona times, when only grocery stores and drugstores are open, I like crafting instructions that make do with materials you can easily get or already have at home anyway. That's exactly the case with this "upcycling advent calendar".

What you need:

Stick/Branch
String (we used yarn)
24 coffee filters
Hole punch
Hole reinforcing rings or Tixo
Glue
Scissors
(black) pen
For the reindeer: red, white and brown paper
For the sheep: brown paper and cotton pads

This is how it's done:
For the reindeer: Draw the template for the antlers on brown paper, circles for the nose on red paper and circles for the eyes on white paper. Cut everything out. Tip: If you want to save time, fold the paper and cut out several circles/antlers at once!
How much antlers, nose and eyes you need depends on how many reindeer and how many sheep you want to make. Of course you need enough material for 24 coffee filters.

For the sheep: Tear the cotton pads apart in the middle (you need five half cotton pads for each sheep!). On the brown paper, draw the template for the head and cut it out. You also need four thin strips per sheep for the legs.

Now glue everything onto the coffee filters. It's easy with the reindeer and also with the sheep. You only have to glue the legs and the body (the five half cotton pads) on first and then the head. Last but not least, our sheep get a funny face and the reindeer get pupils painted on.

RUDOLPH AND THE COFFEE FILTERS

Now you can punch holes in the 24 coffee filters. However, so that they do not tear when they are filled and heavier, you should definitely reinforce the holes. We have done this with hole reinforcers. If you don't have any at home, you can also use Tixo. Stick it on the inside of the coffee filters before punching the holes and then punch the area.

CRIB FROM NATURAL MATERIALS

After the Christmas tree, the crib is probably the most important "Christmas accessory". This year we took advantage of the time, went for a walk in the forest and made our own nativity scene from the "treasures" we found. Honestly, I am really proud of my son and me, because it turned out - in my opinion - quite well.

What you need:

1 board
Moss
Bark
Stick
Cones, nuts, acorns
Scraps of fabric and wool
(Wood) glue

This is how it's done:
First of all, you need enough material. You won't find it in the supermarket, but in the forest. So put on your boots and muddy trousers and head out into nature. Take what you can find, rather have too much than too little.
Important: If you use moss, it is advisable to dry it first. To do this, pour boiling hot water over the moss and then lay it on kitchen roll. If it gets too wet, replace it. Let it dry there for at least a day (better longer) to prevent it from getting mouldy. In general, you should make sure that the materials are clean and dry before you start crafting.

CRIB FIGURES QUICKLY HOMEMADE

I find it not so easy to write a manual here. Depending on what the forest gives, everyone has of course a bit different materials available. Therefore, my tip: The more you have collected, the more you can then try out and fiddle around.
For example, we found a great piece of bark that made an excellent roof. We used an old board as a base and attached the bark and a stick to it with wood glue. The whole thing was then covered with dried moss - voila and our crib was ready. If you don't have any moss, you can also use hay, straw and/or lichen. Don't forget to glue it on, otherwise it will slip!

As for the nativity figures, we limited ourselves to the most essential: the Holy Family. Mary and Joseph were each made from a churtsche and a walnut. The baby Jesus is an acorn wrapped in wool, lying in half of a walnut shell lined with cotton wool. The cloaks were made from an old sock and a cloth diaper. If you like, you can paint faces on your figures.

I love to craft with natural materials. You don't have to buy anything for this crib (except maybe the wood glue, but I think craft glue or all-purpose glue will do).

LOOK AT THE CRIBS

I hope I could inspire you a little. If these very simple instructions are not enough and you want to learn more about building nativity scenes, I recommend Susanne's book "Weihnachtskrippen bauen". My colleague Werner is a "crib specialist" and has also written great articles on the subject. Have a look here and here. At this point I would like to suggest a trip to Wildermieming to the crib hostel. Susanne wrote a great blog post about it. At the moment, however, the Krippenherberge is still closed due to the Corona measures, but should hopefully be open again from 6.12.2020. Please make sure you call before you visit to make sure it is really open.