Grotto Help!

Willowpop

I am building a grotto for a school fair...limited funds as always!
Can anyone help me work out how to make the actual grotto? The room is not high enough for a full sized gazebo to stand in...I hoped it would be so we could turn that into the grotto...but no.
How can I make a freestanding grotto!?
Thanks folks for any help you can give!

vickyholly

hi, look up christmas scene setters on ebay, ive used them before and are good. is there a big walkin store cupboard that you could turn into a grotto? do you have any room deviders?

Willowpop

Ahah, the scene setters look good, thanks for pointing me to them.
We just have a big room that we need to make the grotto in, no room dividers at all to make the sides, so I need to make a structure of some kind.
I did think of a gazebo, but the roof isn't high enough for the pointy bit of the top of the gazebo and the uprights of the gazebo won't stand up without the roof on!

bubblegumcola

When I was in my final year at secondary school we were involved in a project with our local community council which involved having a festive evening down the local high street. As well as stalls we were able to use a small disused shop as a grotto. We used chicken wire and put scrunched up newspaper into the holes, then strips of newspaper with wallpaper paste on it, like you would use for papier mâch!. We then painted it all like a cave when it was dry and then added some tinsel, draped fabric, lights, etc. looked great from what I remember, although it was over 20 years ago since I was in school. We decked it all out in our own time after school and at weekends. Do you have any parents who are joiners and could donate some free wood and time which could be used to create the frame for the chicken wire?

NatalieB23

What about a Childrens Gazebo?
Or, you could use drapes rather than a solid structure?
Is there a different space you could use for the grotto? So rather than in a large room, what about a smaller office/store room?x

Willowpop

bubblegumcola wrote: »

When I was in my final year at secondary school we were involved in a project with our local community council which involved having a festive evening down the local high street. As well as stalls we were able to use a small disused shop as a grotto. We used chicken wire and put scrunched up newspaper into the holes, then strips of newspaper with wallpaper paste on it, like you would use for papier mâch!. We then painted it all like a cave when it was dry and then added some tinsel, draped fabric, lights, etc. looked great from what I remember, although it was over 20 years ago since I was in school. We decked it all out in our own time after school and at weekends. Do you have any parents who are joiners and could donate some free wood and time which could be used to create the frame for the chicken wire?

Hmmm. Chicken wire might work...if it makes a freestanding structure for us. Will think on that one.

Willowpop

NatalieB23 wrote: »

What about a Childrens Gazebo?
Or, you could use drapes rather than a solid structure?
Is there a different space you could use for the grotto? So rather than in a large room, what about a smaller office/store room?x

Def can't have a different room..the room we are using adjoins the main hall so we need the grotto in there.
I had thought about a kiddie gazebo and hanging drapes of sheeting material from above the door to the room and down over the gazebo..I guess that would work ok.
Also have thought about the rolls of screening..wicker or bamboo or the like..that b and q sell. I could spray a couple of them white for the walls, but without the gazebo I have no idea how to make them stand up! So frustrating!

sethsgran

Personally I would go with a theme of winter wonderland. I feel this would be easy to produce using lots of white fabric and LED lights begind the fabric. Then add a pop of colour with a red carpet, available on eBay, candy canes, can be handmade using drainpipe sprayed etc. I like the following style. If you don't have the fancy chairs you can make a fake throne by making a cardboard back to a chair then covering with fabric.

http://www.dandyevents.com/events/christmas-decor/santas-grotto/

sethsgran

Candy canes.


http://whenitsnows-jw.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/nativity-blocks-and-other-projects.html

http://m.wikihow.com/Make-Giant-Foam-Candy-Canes


Also lots of Christmas trees will help to soften the corners of the room and make it less boxy.

Willowpop

sethsgran wrote: »

Personally I would go with a theme of winter wonderland. I feel this would be easy to produce using lots of white fabric and LED lights begind the fabric. Then add a pop of colour with a red carpet, available on eBay, candy canes, can be handmade using drainpipe sprayed etc. I like the following style. If you don't have the fancy chairs you can make a fake throne by making a cardboard back to a chair then covering with fabric.

http://www.dandyevents.com/events/christmas-decor/santas-grotto/

I really love the look of this...I just need to work out what to hang the material from.the ceiling is a false tiled one so it won't hold anything...I was hoping the gazebo would fit so we could line it with material or make solid walls for it, but no.
Love the design of the one in your link though.

Willowpop

sethsgran wrote: »

Candy canes.


http://whenitsnows-jw.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/nativity-blocks-and-other-projects.html

http://m.wikihow.com/Make-Giant-Foam-Candy-Canes


Also lots of Christmas trees will help to soften the corners of the room and make it less boxy.

Ahhhh the candy canes are brilliant!!!