CCC 2023 Day 11 ☃️ Giant Nativity Sign
This incredible giant Nativity sign measures a whopping 28 inches wide!
This is an “off-the-mat” project, which means that it ends up bigger than a Cricut machine can cut when it’s all finished.
The bottom pieces come in sections that are stuck together to create the supersized design.
So, despite the huge size, it can still be cut on a regular sized Cricut machine from A4, US Letter or 12×12 inch cardstock on a regular 12×12 cutting mat.
What I especially love about this giant sign design is that all the Nativity characters are made as their own stand-alone layered designs, so you can use them on other projects such as greetings cards and shadow boxes too.
What do you think – will you take up this supersized challenge?
This project is part of 2023's Christmas Craft Countdown.
Materials supply list
Here is a list of the materials that I used to make this project.
Please note that some of the links included in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). You can read my full disclosure at the bottom of the page.
- Cricut machine
- Light blue Cricut cutting mat
- Coloured Card
- Collall All Purpose Glue
- Needle Tip Applicator Bottle
- 3D foam pads
- Sticky tape
- Washi tape / painters tape / masking tape
- Twine or ribbon to hang the sign
This project is suitable for the following types of Cricut machine: Explore Air 2, Explore Air 3, Maker, Maker 3, Venture and Joy Xtra.
Video tutorial
Watch the video below to see how to make this project. Keep scrolling for a written tutorial.
Written tutorial (with photos!)
Here’s how to make your very own giant Nativity craft using a Cricut machine!
Step 1) Download the cutting file(s) & unzip the downloaded folder
Download the files using the box below.
Before you upload the SVG to Design Space, you need to unzip the download folder that it comes in.
Step 2) Upload the SVG file into Design Space
Open up Cricut Design Space and start a new Project.
Click “Upload” and then find your unzipped version of the downloaded files for this project.
The file to upload for Cricut Design Space is the one called svg-giant-nativity-craftwithsarah.svg
This is how it should look after you have uploaded the file:
All the layers should appear “on top of each other” as per the image above. If you see all the layers next to each other instead, that means you’ve accidentally uploaded the wrong file type. If that’s the case, click “Cancel” on the bottom-right of the screen and try again.
Make sure you upload the file which starts svg- in the filename!!
After uploading, the design will show in your “Recently Uploaded Images”.
Click on it and then press “Add to Canvas” to put it onto your Project.
It should load in at 28 inches wide which means it can be cut on 12×12 inch and A4 sized paper.
If you are cutting from US Letter paper then resize it slightly smaller to 25 inches wide. Make sure the padlock icon above the width/height box is closed when you resize so that the height changes in proportion when you reduce the width.
Step 3) Cut out all the layers
When you’re happy with how the project is looking in Design Space, click “Make It” and follow the instructions on-screen to cut out all the layers.
To change the paper size, go into the dropdowns over on the left side of the screen and choose the paper size that you want to use. You need to change it for every single colour.
To save space on your cardstock, you can move things around by clicking and dragging. Make sure when you’re moving things about that nothing overlaps because otherwise, it won’t cut out properly.
TIP: New to cutting cardstock with a Cricut? Check out this in-depth tutorial which goes through every step of the process, including tips for getting the best quality cuts from your Cricut.
Step 4) Stick the Nativity characters together
Unlike with most of my giant sign designs where we stick the base together first, for this Nativity sign we will begin by sticking each individual character together.
Use 3D foam pads and glue to stick the layers together.
My favourite glue to use on papercraft projects is Collall All Purpose Glue.
It’s SO good because it doesn’t “warp” or bend the cardstock like some glues do. You can use as much of it as you want and the card stays perfect – and it dries perfectly clear too!
To make it even easier to apply glue to layered card projects, I highly recommend getting some of these needle tip applicator bottles to put the glue into.
The nozzles are REALLY tiny which makes them perfect for putting glue onto the pieces of cardstock that make up this design.
The foam pads that I use are from “Dot & Dab”, but any foam squares will work. If yours are big then you may need to cut them smaller with scissors to fit inside the edges of the layers.
When adding the foam pads to larger pieces of card, make sure you add some in the middles of the pieces of card so it gives stability to the middles.
If you don’t add any foam pads in the middles then it can “sag” under the weight of the other layers which doesn’t look as good.
Use these guides to see the order to stick the layers together in.
Printable versions of the assembly guide are included in the folder when you download the cut files.
Step 5) Stick the base of the giant sign together
Now it’s time for things to get a little bit trickier!
Take the six white pieces that make up the very bottom of the sign.
Position them so that the edges overlap and the cutout shapes perfectly line up so that you can see you work surface through the holes.
Use washi tape, masking tape or painters tape to hold the pieces in position so that they don’t move as you start to glue them.
Carefully remove the tape from one piece at a time and glue it to the other pieces along the sections that overlap.
When the glue has completed dried, turn it upside down and add sticky tape down all the join lines for extra stability.
Turn the sign the correct way round again and glue on all of the darkest blue sky pieces.
The pieces still overlap along the joins, but you can line them up against the white pieces the outlines are the same size.
Glue the lighter blue sky pieces on top.
If you want to hang up the sign when it’s finished, thread some strong ribbon or twine through the two circles near the top of the design.
Use sticky tape to hold it in place.
Step 6) Add the stable
Take the lighter gold/yellow pieces of the stable and line them up against the existing sign background.
Do NOT stick them to the sign yet!
Instead, glue the gold sections to each other.
You may wish to use some more washi tape to hold them in position whilst you are gluing them.
This is how it will look with all the pieces glued together:
When the glue is completely dry, turn it upside down and add sticky tape down all the join lines.
Add foam squares to the back. You will need LOTS!!
Stick the gold piece to the sign.
Glue the darker gold/yellow pieces on top.
Don’t worry that the tops of the palm tree leaves are not covered – we will be “hiding” this next.
Glue on the palm trees and top of the stable.
Take the brown pieces of the stable and line them up against the existing sign background.
Do NOT stick them to the sign yet!
Instead, glue the brown pieces to each other.
You may wish to use some more washi tape to hold them in position whilst you are gluing them.
Turn it upside down when the glue is try and add sticky tape down all the join lines.
Use foam squares to attach the brown stable to the sign.
Glue the three sand pieces to the bottom of the sign.
Step 7) Stick the characters to the sign
We’re soooo nearly finished now!
The only thing left to do is to glue or foam the characters to the sign, and foam the white star to the top of the stable.
I used foam to give one extra pop of dimension.
For an interactive sign, you could use velcro to attach the characters so that they can be removed.
Here’s how it looks when everything is stuck together:
HUGE Nativity papercraft for Christmas
After adding all the characters onto the base, you’ll have a lovely layered Nativity sign all finished!
If you enjoyed making this giant sign and would like some more to add to your collection, here is a list of the other off-the-mat papercraft projects that I have designed:
FREE - St Patrick's Day Lucky Horseshoe
Make a GIANT lucky horseshoe for St Patrick’s Day. This flower and shamrock filled design looks beautiful when cut from gold and holographic card to give it some shine.
FREE - Valentine's Day Banner
Get ready for the season of love with this giant Valentine’s Day banner. You can add some ribbon in the top if you want to hang it up, or simply prop it up on a shelf without the ribbon using the flat bottomed edge.
FREE - Happy New Year Sign
Make a Happy New Year giant sign to display for your New Year's celebrations.
Use holographic or glitter card to make the fireworks really sparkle!
FREE - Giant Autumn Sunflowers Sign
Sunflowers and pumpkins are the stars of the show for this giant sign for Fall.
FREE - Merry Christmas Giant Sign
How cute are all these little Christmas characters?
Make wall decor that makes an impact with this giant off-the-mat design.
FREE - Giant Halloween Sign
Get ready for the spookiest season of them all with this giant Halloween wall art sign.
FREE - Giant Easter Sign
Decorate your walls for Easter with this amazing and HUGE layered Easter sign.
Giant Spring Sign
What could be more perfect for Spring than these gorgeous pastel coloured blooms?
Giant Summer Sign
Make a beautiful floral welcome sign for Summer that's bursting with colour!
Advent Calendar
Count down the days until Christmas with this larger-than-mat Advent Calendar. Simply pull the sleigh out each day and move it along to the next number to track the number of sleeps until Santa comes to visit.
Giant Christmas Poinsettias Sign
Transform your home for winter with this beautiful poinsettia filled sign.
Snowman Giant Sign
Make an impressive snowman craft with this giant sign that’s FULL of happy little snowpeople. If you’d like to learn how to design your OWN giant signs, read to the end of the tutorial to find out how!
Nativity Giant Sign
This incredible giant Nativity sign measures a whopping 28 inches wide! What I especially love about this giant sign design is that all the Nativity characters are made as their own stand-alone layered designs, so you can use them on other projects such as greetings cards and shadow boxes too.
Happy crafting,
Sarah x