[Dave Meashey]

For my most recent project I built the stable shown below for my younger daughter, Laura. It was built as a birthday gift for her, and to go with her Nativity set. She has always loved the cheap Nativity set Kathy and I bought at Woolworth's the first year we were married, and wanted a similar structure for her own Nativity set. The standing figures in her set are about 7 ¼ inches tall.

The stable I built is basswood and coffee stir sticks on a plywood base. I built it beam-by-beam and board-by-board using small-scale track spikes and brass wood screws. Well, strictly speaking, the siding was 4-inch basswood with individual planks scribed on both sides of it. The sheathing on the gable ends uses individual coffee stir sticks.

The stable has a power supply which uses three 9v batteries in parallel to power four sub-miniature amber bulbs. Three bulbs are in the rafters, and one is in the center of the star. I hope the small amber lamps will create a glow similar to the olive oil lamps used in ancient Palestine.

To give an idea of its size, the stable is about 13 1/4 inches from the top of the base to the tip of the roof. Laura really loved the gift, and I hope it will become a family heirloom for her.

Yours,
David Meashey

 

[SteveC]

David

Very nice, and I'm quite sure that it will mean a great deal since "Dad" made it for her.

 

[Richard Weatherby]

What is the roofing material? Don't forget to post a photo when it is populated.

 

[Dave Meashey]

Richard;

The roofing surface is dried moss from the craft store. It is glued to the basswood subroof with a glue that is like clear Walthers Goo. (I probably should note that the original stable in the Woolworths set had a moss covered roof.)

Once it is populated, I will add another photo.

Yours,
David Meashey

 

[Terl]

Vey nice. An appropiate holiday gift. I think that you made this for her will always prompt good memories when she uses it.

Terl

 

[Torby]

Are you going to make "Walasite" occupants?

 

[Dave Meashey]

Tom;

She already has the figures. The structure was sized for the existing figures. Besides, my own skill as a sculpter would not do the proper justice - or reverence - to nativity figures, but thanks for asking.

Yours,
David Meashey

 

[Dave Meashey]

Richard & All;

As promised, here is a photo of the stable with its occupants.

It may seem slightly grainy, as Laura took the photo with her cell phone and emailed it to me.

Yours,
Davie Meashey

 

[Torby]

Precious!