I found it! I found it! Thanks to FB flashbacks! I couldn’t wait to share my ‘most-liked’ pic of 2012 which I mentioned in an earlier post in this countdown series. My youngest granddaughter was curiously, tenderly, passionately, and intently gazing upon Baby Jesus. May she ALWAYS be so drawn to Him!

It’s Day 21 of my Creche Countdown…Christmas week. With no chance of grandkids dropping by (thanks to Covid) gifts have been sitting on the table – unwrapped – for a week or two. I’ve got work to do! Oh, how I miss my grands! Such a different Christmas it is.

Introducing my Teepee Creche – a favorite in my collection for a very long time. It’s a ceramic set I made years ago – perhaps before our kids were even born. Thought I’d give you a close-up of the teepee for perspective. It’s maybe 9″ tall. I used flat clay-colored paint, with a whitewash to bring out the details. I love the natural tones. And…that little angel at the top of the teepee – isn’t she cute?

The focal point of this creche – as with each one – is Baby Jesus. Such sweet little figurines. An Indian maiden, and her faithful partner, lovingly gazing at their newborn Son. The creativity of this set…the attention to detail. Oh my. A papoose for Baby Jesus, in which He’s tenderly swaddled. (If I’m using the wrong term, forgive me!) Whatever it is, I love it.

This multi-piece nativity resides on a bookshelf at Christmastime. I get creative in order to display a few (understatement!) nativities in a small home. See above and below the other nativities that take up residence on narrow ledges. The one above is still to be introduced in my series – maybe tomorrow!

Below, you’ll see a closeup of the three wisemen in my Teepee Creche with flowing robes, and distinctive headdresses. Even the gifts they bring are unique, and the whitewash shows those details. So glad I chose to do this finish. It would have been too ‘busy’ if painted differently and would have lost its charm (in my humble opinion).

Did you see the coyote and the buffalo? How cool is THAT? One of my all-time best memories of this one is of the year my very young son sketched the coyote and teepee! He did a great job (and is still using his God-given artistic talent though he’s progressed from pencil and posterboard to plasma-cutter and pipe, making those phenomenally detailed, one-of-a-kind custom firepits – if you’re a FB friend, you’ve seen them. This Mama is still proud!)

One last creche for today. One that speaks of simplicity! A wooden base and five pieces (dowels fit into holes in the base). The entire set includes other pieces that portray a similar simple Easter scene. Such a precious handcrafted piece of art I’ve had since our kids were little ones. Most likely a craft show find. (For the Easter scene, you flip the base over to use the side that has six holes, then use the tall standing figure, two kneeling figures, the tall star/cross, and two smaller crosses.) Unique and simple and quite lovely. A precious piece, for sure, with Christ at the center of each season’s celebration, as He should be!