DIY Jesse Tree Ornament Day 7: Jacob’s Ladder

 
 

Our Jesse Tree

We’ve been using the Jesse Tree to shape our Advent celebration for almost twenty years. Early on we had only a booklet of daily readings, but over the years we added—creating our own devotional series (that carries through the 12 Days of Christmas!) and crafting ornaments to accompany each day’s reading. Now all six of our children, 20s to tot, eagerly join in the celebration. We use the readings on this website and finish each evening with hanging the day’s Jesse Tree ornament.

Find out more about how we celebrate with so many ages here, or scroll down to get crafting! These ornaments are easy to make, but take a bit of time. At the end, however, you’ll have beautiful keepsakes that can be used year after year.

We made ours extra tiny and store them in little boxes made from leftover Christmas cards.

Jesse Tree Day 7: Jacob’s Ladder

A tiny ladder and puffy cloud reminds us of the story of Jacob. 

 

Day 7: Between Heaven and Earth…

Jacob saw angels ascending and descending, a bridge between heaven and earth.

 

What You’ll need

  • Oven-bake or air-dry clay or salt dough (note: salt dough must be stored in a dry place or it will disintegrate!)

  • Acrylic paints, glitter, glue

  • Jewelry-making or needle-nosed pliers

  • Flat-bottomed head pin for hanging

  • Cotton ball or poly stuffing

 

Instructions

1.

Make three small rectangles and two worms from clay.

2.

Shape into a ladder.

3.

Add detail with a toothpick as desired.

4.

Dry according to package directions.

5.

Paint as desired.

6.

Carefully bend bottom of headpin around the top rung and the top of the headpin into hook with pliers.

7.

Loosen batting, stuffing, or cotton with your fingers and glue around the top of the ladder.

 
 
 
 

Resources and Links

Find inspiration for other Jesse Tree Ornament designs at our Jesse Tree Pinterest Board.

For simpler ornaments, use one of our Joy of Advent printables (linked below).

We use Sculpey clay and the materials listed below (affiliate links—support our site without adding to your cost).

 
 
 
 
 

Discover the Joy of Advent

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Rebecca Grabill

Rebecca has been writing since childhood, her first book about a kitten published between homemade cardboard covers in second grade. Although she studied religion and philosophy in university, she continued writing, earning an MFA from Hamline University and publishing multiple picture books (no longer with homemade covers) and a collection of poetry with a variety of New York and independent publishers. She has also published a wide array of fiction, essays, and poetry in magazines and journals and photographs for Getty Images. She balances writing with homeschooling the younger of her six children, launching her young adults, church activities, and overseeing a small flock of chickens in rural West Michigan.

www.rebeccagrabill.com
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DIY Jesse Tree Ornament Day 8: Joseph’s Coat

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DIY Jesse Tree Ornament Day 6: Ram in the Thicket