How to Make a Nativity Stable

It's Christmas Time! I love this time of year and its hard not to make something to give to someone else. Sadly nativities are becoming harder and harder to find. Well the inability of finding something in a store can't stop an Instructables member. Here is what I did to make my own nativity stable.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Tools
Hammer
Method to apply paint or stain to wood (paint brush, sponge brush, old rag, hands)...
...and a place to hold it (paint bucket, plate etc.)
Saw

Materials
Paint  or stain
wood, the amount depends on the size you want your stable to be
Nails
stick
Twine, the natural fiber stuff is the best
Moss, preferably from the store but if you want to dry your one feel free to do so! I'm afraid I cant help you with that though
newspaper for protecting the surface you are working on

That's about it! lets get started

Step 2: Plan

For any project you should have a plan. For this specific project I planned for a structure with a base, a back side, and a basic roof that slants off to either side. the front would be completely open while the two sides would have a fence of some sort on it. Than at the two front corners their would be some sticks to help hold up the roof. Look at the drawing for more clarification and the measurements that I wanted, although you may want different measurements if your nativity pieces are of a different size or just for personal preference.

Step 3: Measuring and Cutting the Wood

This is pretty self explanatory so one doesn't really need many if any pictures. Use a ruler and a square (for perfect right angles) to measure out your different pieces that you need. Than use a saw and cut out those pieces. I prefer a jig saw but a regular hand saw should work just fine. Don't forget to cut out all of your sticks out of the board/tree but don't try to be precise until a later step.

Step 4: Paint

Now you paint  or stain your pieces of wood you have cut out. I like to mix two types of paint to get just the right shade but you can to whatever you want. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect. we are not modeling the greatest looking nativity stable in the world. Anyway, for me at least, I like the rough look so I don't like to sand it or get the paint all even and everything.

Step 5: Nailing

First find where you want the nails to go, double check EVERY ONE, and then set them where you want them to go. This next part is a lot easier with someone else to help you. You put the boards where you want them to be nailed then pound away. I recomend starting with nailing the base to the back and then nailing the roof onto the back. Now is when you cut the sticks to the exact size that you want   and then hammer those in. On to the railing!

Step 6: The Railing

This is really easy and a good way to save all the nails you ruined on your path to making this. First you mark where you want the stick than put a nail in right below that. Than you put the stick back and bend the nail over the stick. After that a few good ponds onto the nail to hold the stick in place should be  all you need. Next comes the lashing of the stick. For that I ask that you follow the pictures below

Step 7: The Moss

Finally comes the moss. I recommend you do this in some sort of a container like i did with a cardboard box, this stuff can tend to be crumbly. For the roof you put big globs of glue where you want the moss, then take bunches of moss and stick them on the globs of glue. For the floor, spread some glue over the entire top of the wood, than crumble some moss and spread that on top of the glue. make sure no glue is showing. Than wait for the glue to dry and invert the stable to remove any small pieces of moss that was not stuck to the stable.

Step 8: And Your Done!

That wasn't to hard, was it? Tn just 8 steps (minus the introduction) you now have yourself a b-utiful stable ready for whatever you want to be put in it.