Christmas Village Displays

7roland8

Anyone do any little village displays of cottages etc?


Just starting one this year as was able to buy five battery models for £11 on Aces sale - plus I have a few from charity shops.


Started off by printing and laminating a background:



Then used boxes to add height and bought two metres of white lining for the snowy base;

7roland8

Now I really want lots of cheap water features.

Just testing out that cheap blue hair gel from £1 shop (have since found Tesco do it for 15p)

The 'pond' is just a clear plastic lid with some gel in





Have tried making 'rivers' and 'waterfalls' from tubes of clingfilm filled with gel:




Anyone know if I can set the gel with gelatine? Would it work better if I painted the clingfilm with a transparent paint instead - and if so what sort of paint can be used on clingfilm.


Have also heard of clear silicone filler being used but not tried that yet.

jodles16

Cant help with your questions but wanted to say it looks fab!!

7roland8

Thanks - have more Christmas stuff to add later but just starting out.


Loads of info on Youtube but they all go in for it in a big way - and I want to keep it easy and cheap!

[Deleted User]

I have one that is all by Lemax or similar name . The scenes you can create are gorgeous and I add to it every year.

susan42

Hi 7roland8

I like what you've done so far and the different heights are brilliant. They are a must

You could even put those string lights from the £shop under the white covering , it gives a mystical feel.

On my blog is a paper village I did last year

I used little stones for walkways, perhaps you could paint them blue

Think gel will evaporate

Last year I asked everyone who was buying me a Christmas present for anything to do with lemax villages. Prices range from a couple of £££'s up to £100's
Have been lucky to buy a biggish collections and then resale what I don'twant so my pieces are free and sometimes in profit.

I have started building my collection and started blogging it.

For the water I have painted a board blue and bought a tube of clear acrylic in the £ shop. I then dispensed the acrylic onto the board and formed waves
This year for the pavements I have made air drying clay bricks . They are tiny 20mm by 10mm but they are very effective for my harbour.
I also made the harbour walls out of sticks .
And the fences out of lollipop sticks

The little Xmas trees I have purchased on eBay, you can get 10 for £3 snowy covered Xmas trees.



It is a work in progress I must admit and am blogging it slowly. I'm not an old hat , this is the first year I've took an interest really. And have found pinterest a good source of info. I have so many pins that I don't know what to look at.

7roland8

Thanks Susan - nice to meet a fellow enthusiast!


I love the USA Dept 56 stuff - if I could afford it all!


Shall have to check out your blog - is it via your profile - will check now.


Oh gosh Pinterest - was on it last night!!

themull1

That looks brilliant - i like the fake snow that you add water to, and it all puffs up.

7roland8

themull1 wrote: »

That looks brilliant - i like the fake snow that you add water to, and it all puffs up.

Oh yes have had that for a few years with some old cottages but now I have battery ones too don't want them getting water-logged. That snow does last well over Christmas though.

Just been experimenting with rivers - have done one with hair gel, flattened - encased in cling film.

The other one is blue bubble bath set with gelatine and also in cling film - will see how they last - this one might go mouldy!

scottishminnie

These look great 7roland8.

You may have inspired me! I have some Department 56 buildings and accessories which I've brought home from various trips to the US and Canada over the years however I never really thought I had enough to make any kind of display so they have languished in the back of a cupboard for years.

I'm going to dig them out at the weekend and see what is there and I'll post back a list and get some opinions on whether I have enough to make any kind of meaningful display. It seems such a waste not to show them off but I get a bit overawed by the fabulous displays in the shops and decide I don't have anything worthwhile showing.

Maybe this will be the first year they get an airing!

Will be back at the weekend to update:)

7roland8

Definitely go for it Scottishminnie. It does't matter how many or how few.


Previous years I only had four or five from charity shops but I would put them on a tray with some tiny trees and all embedded in that fake snow mixture that usually lasted tow or three weeks (I would spray it with water form time to time to keep it fresh).



image from Pinterest
Have also seen a lovely way to display them in glass jars. You can use Epsom Salts for fake snow and them you only need one cottage and a tree - plus you can use the salts in the bath after new year!