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 make from leftover Christmas cards.

Jesse Tree Day 3: Noah’s Ark

A cute little boat and clay rainbow add a touch of fun to the Jesse Tree. Don’t be intimidated—this ornament looks more complicated than it is!

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, toothpick for adding detail

• Flat-bottomed head pin for hanging

• One jump ring for joining (small, closed metal circle)

• A few pieces of small fish tank gravel (optional)

Instructions

1.

Shape a small boat from clay. It can have rounded ends like mine, or be a flat rectangle (more likely the actual shape of the ark!). Add a little cube for an upper deck if you’d like.

2.

Flatten a small piece of of clay to be the water and set the boat on top of it.

3.

Use a toothpick to drag lines in the side of the boat to resemble pieces of wood.

4.

Gently push headpin through bottom of the “water” and boat.

5.

Make several clay “worms” and shape into a rainbow

6.

Thread the jump ring onto a second headpin. Bend the flat end of the head pin into a loop so the jump ring is hanging from it. Push non-looped end through the bottom of the rainbow.

7.

Dry according to package directions.

8.

Paint as desired. I used blue glitter on the water and glued on several tiny pebbles.

9.

Carefully insert the boat headpin into the jump ring on the rainbow, and bend to close. Then bend the rainbow headpin into hook with pliers.

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).