Next week we will begin Along the Alphabet Path.
Along with each letter of the alphabet the children will be introduced (or re-introduced as the case may be) to a Saint using the beautiful book An Alphabet of Catholic Saints
Elizabeth suggests making a Wee Felt Saint each week. They are darling, however I decided it might be fun to try my hand at painting instead, inspired by Catholic Folk Toys. So, while I was grocery shopping on Saturday, I picked up an inexpensive paintbrush and a bottle of skin tone paint — I had other colors in my craft bin from some projects I planned last year, which were never completed. I do need to pick up a bottle of blue sometime.
I had never been very good at drawing or painting, but they didn’t turn out too bad! I truly surprised myself and my family. My husband said he was “impressed,” and Captain said, “WOW mom! I didn’t know you were an artist!” It was very cute, and made my day, though I am sure the Saints must have been helping me!!
I painted most of Saturday afternoon/evening and then a couple more hours on Sunday evening. I have only finished A-J, but couldn’t wait to share them with you!
I do need to seal them somehow… any suggestions out there for this amateur?
(Updated to add: I’ll continue updating this post, as I paint more saints.)
A is for Angel…
and also St. Anne…
B is for St. Bernadette…
C is for St. Cecilia…
This was my first, and my favorite! I always loved St. Cecilia as a child, and always thought she was the most beautiful saint in my Picture Book of Saints. My hubby laughed when he noticed that I highlighted her hair! 😉
D is for St. Dominic…
E is for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton…
F is for St. Francis…
G is for St. George…
H is for St. Helena…
I is for St. Ignatius…
J is for St. Joseph…
K is for St. Kateri…
L is for St. Lucy…
M is for St. Martin…
N is for St. Nicholas…
O is for St. Odilia…
P is for St. Patrick…
R is for St. Rose…
S is for St. Sharbel…
T is for St. Therese…
U is for St. Ursula…
V is for St. Vincent de Paul…
W is for St. Wenceslas…
X is for St. Francis Xavier…
Y is for St. Joseph Yuen…
Z is for St. Zita…
I think they’re beautiful! You did a great job—I might have to try that sometime. I love the way you did the painting of their clothes and hair. I’m inspired.
We do the felt saints and we make them together as the craft after the lesson. I don’t do any sewing, just gluing. Did you see them on my blog?
http://ashowerofrosesblog.com/2008/08/cloud-of-witnesses.html
These are great!
Very cute! You did an excellent job!
These are wonderful! Are you going to do Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha for K? 🙂
I love them where did you get the wooden bodies?
These are so beautiful!! You did such a nice job!! (do you want to make another set and sell them to me?)
I’m serious.
Great job!
Absolutely Adorable!!
What a neat idea too!
Wow! These are just what I was looking for. The CatholicFolkToys.com website was incredible to look at – wow! My favs from the website is Pope JP2, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Bernadette. My favs of yours is St. Cecilia (highlights and all) and there is just something about St. Dominic’s smile that gets to me!
I am wondering if my artistic talents can duplicate this idea in such beauty?!
Thanks for all the links and ideas!
Thank you everyone!!
Sara ~ No! I hadn't seen yours!! I will have to go and check them out. Thanks for the link!
Squix ~ Yes… I AM going to do Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha for K, I'm just not quite sure how yet! 🙂
Dessi ~ I purchased the wooden bodies from " A Child's Dream Come True" :
http://www.achildsdream.com
They are quite reasonable; only $4.50 per dozen!!
Jamie & Melissa ~ If I could do it, so can you!! Give it a shot! It is so much fun!
Melissa ~ My hubby has been cracking up about the smiles on St. Dominic and St. Francis! I was trying to replicate the pictures in An Alphabet of Catholic Saints.
Jessica:
Exquisite and inspiring!! We’re also using Along The Alphabet Path, etc. I just ordered the wooden spools today. I think I’ll pass on the felt squares and take your lead on painting…your wooden saints are absolutely adorable! I’m looking forward to seeing the rest…
Simply delightful to be sure! These are incredible sweet, perfect for chubby little hands to hold and just like the wee felt saints – a true family heritage. Be sure to place the family name on the bottoms of each, or at least your initials. You never know which of your progeny someday will tell tales of you and your crafts shown here today. Bravo!
Oh Jessica, How heavenly they are. You are talented in more ways than you know. Your kids will love them. By the way… a clear acrylic sealer in a spray can is usual available at most craft stores. Hope that helps.
Blessings~
+JMJ+
OH!!! I Thought you might want to check out my felt/clothespin saints. I have been making them over the last couple of weeks. I just went and posted about them after I saw yours. Kinda fun~~~
Ok, ok ok… thought I better tell you they are under the Catholic Toys label.
+JMJ+
Those are sooooo good! Soon you will feel like you are in the presence of all of these saints’ holy souls when they are all made, displayed and looking at you and your family all day.
And you can use them again when you put them out for their feast day!
Wow! I love them! Those look great!
You should sell those! I’d buy! 🙂
Thanks for posting so many great ideas!
You did a great job!!! Very cute stuff. 🙂
Uh, is that a No? 🙂
(I’m kidding)
I’m sitting here shaking my head! Looks like you put a lot of time and effort into those. Your beautiful children will learn well!
Totally adorable! St. Helena is my personal favorite!
okay, supermom! when exactly are you making them? Hmmmm… 😉
They are FANTASTIC! What do you mean you’ve never been good at that stuff??? [or what ever you were talking about]
we’re doing the Jesse tree ornament swap this year and our family signed up for Mary. B/C of YOU! I had seen this post [but hadn’t see the photos of the ones you made] and went to the links and thought they were so sweet. So i thought we could do those. *Now* after seeing what you did – i’m thrilled! I like how you painted them all up. i’ll have to go back and reread, but i’m assuming you got the supplies at a craft store.
sorry for the long comment!! whew!
oh, and just to add to my “comment”…
Our LF group *did* make those paper roses which you posted at their first mtg this past mon! they were just adorable. and you’re right, not too difficult at all… just the ending [we moms were like “now, where does this go…how’d you do that???” :o) it was great fun!]
I so can’t keep up with blogs! I don’t read for one week and look at all I miss!!! I just have to say that these wooden saints are absolutely precious. What a fantastic job you did on them. Many years of liturgical celebration use to come, I’m sure.
lovin the streaks on st. cecilia, she must have paid top $$ for those babies
Adorable!! Happy Fall!
Wonderful! Thanks for the update. We are up to St. Joseph, and I’ve been looking forward to seeing your next batch! My 5yo daughter loves the ones we’re painting. Would be happy to send you a picture of ours. Is your address here somewhere? Or can I picture in a comment?
Alright, I'm giving it a go! I've got a few in the works, and I posted photos of the "in progress." Will post final pics when I get them all finished! I had NO idea they were so tiny! 🙂
LOVE the blog!
Pax,
Delena
I LOVE these! So I am getting ready to make some Catholic peg people for a birthday present, so I was looking up peg people on google and found the Crafty Crow's post. As I was scanning on the comments, I couldn't believe my luck to find your link! These are absolutely FANTASTIC! I'm getting ready to do a set for the mass of a priest and altar servers, and perhaps some nuns. I'll have to let you know when I post about it. Thanks so much for posting pictures of all of these! What a great resource! I'm very excited to have found your blog! (wow, was that enough exclamation points for you?…) haha!
What type of paint do you use?
Megan ~ I just use acrylic paint from the craft store.
What a sweet idea! I can't believe you have time to do such fun crafty things! Someday, I hope, I will be organized enough to try it myself. You can use polyurethane to seal them. If you do a couple of layers it will make them super durable–perfect for being held in little hands again and again. Though, watch the fumes!
They're beautiful!! I'm making some for my goddaughter. Thank you for the idea!
What is St. Sharbel holding? Fish bones? I googled him and couldn't figure it out.
If you do a search for "Papal Cross" or "Maronite Cross" you should be able to find a picture of what St. Sharbel is holding.
Oh and have fun painting your saints!! What a sweet thing to do for your Goddaughter. I keep planning on painting some for gifts as well… but I am just SO SLOW at painting them! lol!!
What a beautiful blog! We just love your painted saints, too! Do you let the children play with them? Are you considering selling them? We'd love to list them from our website's Catholic company page! You are welcome to list your blog there, too.
Happy Easter!
Mary
Thank you so much for all you are sharing!! It really helps me out to see how others are doing the Alphabet Path and I LOVE the painted saints!! What did you use for the Angel's wings? Blessings!
Annie ~ The Angel's wings were made from a piece of Sparkly White Felt from the Craft Store. I cut two pieces and glued them together with the gold pipe cleaner halo in the middle, and then attached it to the back of the wood body with hot glue. Hope that helps! 🙂
Yes, that helps!! I was thinking about using a wood form and not having much luck finding one. Thanks again!!
These are SO cute…do the kids play with them alot? Do you have them on display? I love them!
Hi jessica,
I am painting a set right now (like RIGHT NOW) for my son for Easter and was wondering which Saint is for Z. Is it St Zita? Probably doesn't matter too much right now because somehow I only bought 24 pegs instead of 26. At least, I had made an Our Lady of Lourdes/St bernadette set already for my daughter so we would only really be missing Z. Hope the kids are feeling better.
I am thinking that instead of the angel one, I am going to make a set of the Archangels for him (not for Easter though). He is very into St Micheal and I just thought he would like it. When I get them done, I will send you a picture. Just another idea if you were looking to make more, not like you need more ideas! LOL
Thanks!
Yes, Z is for St. Zita! I can't believe I still haven't gotten around to adding our post for Z Week!
The Archangels would be a great addition! Our little Snuggles has a St. Michael (painted by Catholic Folk Toys) and is going to be receiving a St. Gabriel in his basket this year. 🙂
Does anyone have a Canadian source for the pegs?