Year-Round Display for Painted Rock Nativity Sets Using Natural Elements

You learned the simple and easy way to display your painted rock nativity set.

Here's how to display painted rock nativity scene figures year round using natural elements such as a:

• Piece of slate
• Wooden bowl or plate

Idea 1: You'll need a piece of slate which has flat areas to accommodate all three nativity scene figures. Clean and dry the slate and place the painted nativity rocks on top. You now have a natural, easy, simple way to display your nativity set year round.

Piece of Slate Used for a Natural Nativity Set Display

Idea 2: You'll need a wooden bowl or plate

Wooden salad bowl and charger plate

Fill the bowl with smooth stones and add the nativity figures...

Wooden Bowl + Smooth Stones + Painted Rock Nativity = Natural Display

...or fill the plate loosely with smooth stones...

...rearrange the stones around the larger, Mary and Joseph nativity figures so they are sitting directly on the plate. Add the Baby Jesus nativity figure on top of the stones. 

Wooden Plate + Smooth Stones + Painted Rock Nativity = Natural Display

Up next: Year-round, painted rock nativity set displays using candle accessories.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Traditional Christmas Gift Nativity Set

I wanted to make my own stable to accompany the hand-painted rock nativity sets that I've been painting as Christmas gifts.

On a recent trip to my local craft store, I found an object in the unpainted wood department I used as a stable for my painted rock nativity. 

Here are the steps I followed to create my own nativity stable:

1. The unpainted, wooden letter/key caddy was rotated so that the arched back now became the stable's floor
2. Brown acrylic paint mixed with water was applied to the unfinished wood with a rag, followed by a coat of gloss sealer
3. Thin wood chips were glued along the front sides of the rotated caddy
4. Thicker wood chips were glued to the top of the rotated caddy to embellish the roof of the stable
5. A thin layer of glue was painted on the floor of the stable and natural moss was then attached
6. A large wooden star was painted silver; gold glitter paint was added for highlighting
7. The star was attached to a slim wooden stick and glued to the back of the stable

The before and after picture shows the finished stable. Note that the rounded back of the unpainted letter/key caddy became the floor for the stable.

For another variation of the DIY stable, I removed the star and used a Mother and Child painted rock.

This DIY stable was made using a small wooden letter/key caddy. The craft store also carried a larger caddy that would be suitable for displaying larger or additional nativity scene figures painted on rocks.

Now my painted nativity rocks have gone from being a traditional Christmas gift to a traditional Christmas nativity scene.

See more nativity set display ideas. 


© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks