How to Paint: Christmas Angels Peg Doll “Peeps”

The Making of The Christmas Angels

Some of the first peg dolls I ever painted were a Christmas gift for one of my nieces. I wanted to gift a beautiful heirloom toy, but I didn’t have the means to purchase them. I remember finding some blank peg people at a craft store and using whatever dollar store acrylic paints and brushes I had at home in my crafty stash. I think I painted them to look like little Christmas carolers in wintry sweaters and toques. They turned out pretty cute and I was happy with them, and so was she.

I ended up enjoying the process of designing and painting them so much that, since that first set, I’ve painted countless peeps for my own kids, friends, and of course for the wonderful Blythe House 1860 shoppers.

The Christmas season proved to be a popular time for handmade wooden toys, and I quickly designed many Christmas themed peep sets to sell at craft markets. One of the first Christmas themed designs I sold was the “Christmas Angels” set.  I needed something that could be played with, but also beautiful and sturdy. I wanted the design to be both timeless and simple, and I wanted the Angels to look at home on a Christmas tree as ornaments, or in a Christmas village, or in a toybox. Over the years, I’ve perfected the design as I painted and sold countless “Christmas Angels” sets at craft markets and small retail shops.

My Inspiration

I knew that I wanted my “Christmas Angels” peg dolls to be painted in classic Christmas colors, and I wanted them to look and feel like a toy from the past. Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is one of my favorite Christmas stories of all time. I get all giddy when I see carolers around Christmas time who are dressed up as Dickens’ era carolers. So, naturally, the “Christmas Angels” have capes and hoods that make them appear to be Angels disguised as Victorian carolers.

I love Scandinavian design and I am drawn to those colors and simple aesthetic, especially at Christmastime. I chose colors for the “Christmas Angels” that reflect that Scandinavian style. Each color was carefully selected to reflect that vibe.

Lastly, I was inspired by the Christmas season itself and the tradition of Advent (the four weeks of anticipation leading up to Christmas). Each week of Advent has a theme to focus on. Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. I painted each of the “Christmas Angels” to embody the themes of Advent.

The first week of Advent is Hope. And so, the little red Angel carrying a sprig of evergreen is Hope. The second week of Advent is Peace. The green Angel carrying a candle is called Peace. And, the third week of Advent is Joy, which is why the third Angel, dressed in white, is carrying a festive wreath and also wears a wreath as a crown. Of course, The fourth week of Advent ends with baby Jesus being born, and HE is Love.

The Details

I wanted this set to be fairly quick to make since I sell so many of them at Christmastime, so I kept the details to a minimum.

They all have one simple dress color and two have hoods, which make their hairstyles quicker to paint.

I opted out of wings for this set, simply because I imagine that their delicate wings should be kept warm under their cloaks while they’re caroling, although I still add a dainty pair of golden wings from time to time.

The green angel has a hood, a white robe peeking out at the front, a ribbon trim at the opening of her cloak, black bangs for hair, and is carrying a lit candle.

The red angel also has a hood on her cloak, but her cloak is not open at the front. She has white bangs and two long braids sticking out from under her hood. She is carrying an evergreen branch that has a light dusting of snow on it.

The white angel has the most detail of all three. She has a simple white robe but no hood. Instead, her blond hair flows freely down her back. She is holding a dainty wreath with tiny red berries and tied with a red bow. Her head is also crowned with a matching wreath with berries.

Their Story

Hope, Joy, and Peace are the “Christmas Angels”. Together, they embody the Christmas spirit.

I named them “Joy, Hope, and Peace” because that is what I feel at Christmastime, and it represents what God gave all of us with his gift of his Son Jesus.

Peace

I named the red angel “Peace”, because she is holding an evergreen branch symbolizing peace on earth.

She Likes      

• The Sound of Snow Falling
• Brown mice
• Cold Sheets
• Tidy Spaces

She Dislikes 

• Crowded Places
• Tambourines
• Squirrels
• Snow in Her Mittens

Hope

I named the green angel “Hope”, because she is holding a candle. And who, even in the darkest of times, isn’t filled with hope when they see the light, no matter how small the flame?

She Likes       

• Sunrises
• Singing in Harmony
• Wrapping Presents
• Forcing Paper White Bulbs Indoors

She Dislikes 

• Whispering
• Eggnog
• Fancy Parties
• Tight Boots

Joy

I named the white angel “Joy”, because she looks like she’s ready for a party! Her wreath and crown symbolize the great abundance we are given and the joyful celebrations we share.  

She Likes:                

• Sleigh Bells
• Sparkling Apple Cider
• Caroling by Candlelight
• Puzzles

She Dislikes          

• Slush
• Humbugs
• Spoilt Puddings
• Badly Spaced Christmas Lights

I still enjoy designing and painting peeps, but hand painted heirloom toys are a labor of love, and while handmade toys are absolutely worth every penny, sometimes we just don’t have enough pennies! Now’s the time to break out the paint brushes and get crafty.

I truly believe that anyone can paint their own heirlooms but may be a little intimidated to start.

Let me help you start.                          

Paint your own Christmas Angels!

Steps for painting your own Christmas Angels:

• The first step is to decide on the skin tones of your angels. I like to paint any skin tones first, before I add any hair or clothing, for a clean finish. Most of the time, I leave the natural wood as the “skin” since I think the woodgrain is so beautiful and there are so many variations in the colors of the wood itself.
• Pick three coordinating colors that look good together and feel like Christmas to you.
• Paint each angel peep, one solid color, don’t forget to paint hoods on the green and red angels – be extra careful not to paint the face! – Let dry.
• Paint the Hair on each angel. – Let dry.
• For super simple Angels, you could stop here. Maybe add some dots for eyes and call it a day. There’s nothing wrong with simple! If you would like to add more detail, continue to the next step.
• Paint the festive crown on the white Angel if you wish – Let dry.
• Now is the time to decide if you want a motif detail on the front of the angel. If you do, decide where you would like it to be positioned.
• Paint your motif on the front of each angel. They could all have the same details as the ones I painted (a wreath, a branch, and a candle), or a different detail on each. – Let dry.
• Last but not least, add a face. Eyes, nose, mouth, you decide. The simplest option is to add two black dots for eyes, (My favorite look) but you can experiment with what kind of face you like the best.
• When your angel peg dolls are all completely dry, seal each peg doll twice (let dry between coats) with your favorite non toxic sealer.

Do you make presents for your kids for Christmas? Do you want to? If you need a little more direction and detailed instructions to paint your own set of Christmas Angels, I have the perfect solution.

Whether you want to make something for your kids, a coworker, or yourself, my step-by-step tutorial will have you finishing a heirloom “Christmas Angels” set of your own in one cozy afternoon.

This is a perfect project to do with your creative kids as well and would make such sweet teacher gifts.

I’m so excited to finally offer a pattern for my popular “Christmas Angels” peg dolls. My affordably priced pattern (printable pdf) is an attainable alternative to purchasing a hand painted set from me, or for those fellow creatives to prefer to paint their own.

This is so much more than a pattern. It is 24 pages of detailed instructions and photos. A step-by-step tutorial that even absolute beginners can follow. I’ve included a detailed list of supplies needed and lots of tips to make sure your peg dolls turn out professional looking.

There is no better feeling than gifting an heirloom toy to someone you love that you made with your own two hands.

Get the pattern HERE

How about you? Do you think you could paint your own “Christmas Angels”? Let me know in the comments how they turned out!

Lindi joe