Build a Manger

Materials

Twelve slices fresh white bread, white glue, liquid detergent, knife, mixing bowl, teaspoon, measuring cup, toothpicks, jar lid, small paintbrush, acrylic paints, and varnish.

To Make Bread-Dough Clay

This bread-dough clay recipe is enough to make 3″ figures of Mary, Joseph, Wise Men, shepherd, Baby Jesus in a manger, lamb, and perhaps enough left over to write your name. Cut crusts from bread, break into small pieces, and crumble into a bowl by rubbing the pieces lightly between your hands. Add 1/4 cup white glue and 1 teaspoon liquid detergent and mix together with your hands. As you knead the dough, it will become like clay and easy to handle. Add more glue if it seems crumbly.

Shape the dough into two balls. Place in bowl and cover to keep it from drying out. If dough becomes hard, dip fingers in water and knead until shapeable.

Baby Jesus and Manger

Break off a small piece of dough and make a teardrop shape for body about 1″ long. Make head about 1/2″ in diameter. Slightly moisten or add glue to head and glue to body.

Flatten a small piece of dough into an oval pancake a little longer and wider than the Baby and curve the edges up. Mount on a square piece of dough. Set the manger aside separately from baby to dry.

Mary, Joseph, Wise Men, Shepherd

Use walnut-size pieces of dough for bodies, and mold into cone shapes. Put a marble-size ball of clay on top of body for head. Moisten head with water or a small amount of glue to attach to body. Shape arms (see illustration) and attach to body. Refer to illustrations and add details such as hands, hats, beards, crowns, gifts, etc. Staff can be made from a toothpick for shepherd.

Lamb

Make a ball about 1/2″ in diameter for body. Make and shape head and attach ears; then glue to body. Completely cover body with very small balls. Toothpicks can be used for legs.

Finishing the Figures

Mix a teaspoonful of glue with an equal amount of water in jar lid and paint each figure with the mixture. This will keep the bread dough from cracking as it dries. Set the pieces aside and let dry thoroughly for about two days. You can leave the figures plain or paint them with acrylic paints. Add details such as facial features and designs with a fine felt-tip pen. Coat each figure with varnish and let dry.

Illustrated by Shauna Mooney