queenofshopping Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 My mother has a few houses & figures from the Lefton Colonial Village. She used to just put them on the table, then for a while she stopped using them altogether. Recently I've made them part of my decorating but I'm not very creative when it comes to setting them up. Does anyone have photos of such a setup, or know of any resources online? I also need to flesh things out with some trees, lampposts, etc (not CV - since it's discontinued the only place for them is eBay and I'd rather just go to a store) - are there any stores with decent, inexpensive things like that? Any ideas would be appreciated!
HansieDZ Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 My mother has a few houses & figures from the Lefton Colonial Village. She used to just put them on the table, then for a while she stopped using them altogether. Recently I've made them part of my decorating but I'm not very creative when it comes to setting them up. Does anyone have photos of such a setup, or know of any resources online? I also need to flesh things out with some trees, lampposts, etc (not CV - since it's discontinued the only place for them is eBay and I'd rather just go to a store) - are there any stores with decent, inexpensive things like that? Any ideas would be appreciated!I don't always set up my lighted Christmas Village each year (depends on how much time I have and a place to put it up) but I know that Hobby Lobby has a ton of village things fairly cheap (especially with a coupon) but I was in Dollar Tree yesterday and they had some things too. I think it's wonderful that you are using your mother's things---- tradition is such an important part of Christmas!
shopping4my3son Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Walgreen's also has some inexpensive pieces. I have 3 sets. The first set is pieced together with some from everywhere along with rummage sales and are the larger buildings. I have it on a wooden "bookcase" that has 4 shelves. The second set is A Christmas Story (the movie) set and is on a buffet in the kitchen. And the third one is smaller buildings with the lights that are synchronized to music sitting next to the tv. My DH picked that set up for me at Kmart last year for Christmas. If I get a chance I'll try to take some pictures and post.
queenofshopping Posted December 1, 2009 Author Posted December 1, 2009 I don't always set up my lighted Christmas Village each year (depends on how much time I have and a place to put it up) but I know that Hobby Lobby has a ton of village things fairly cheap (especially with a coupon) but I was in Dollar Tree yesterday and they had some things too. I think it's wonderful that you are using your mother's things---- tradition is such an important part of Christmas!I don't think we have Hobby Lobby here, but I will have to check out Dollar Tree! Thanks!
racerfan Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 To get ideas you could go to a Hallmark store or a store that sells the Department 56 houses (I collect the North Pole series). They usually have their display set up by now and some stores go all out. Since you dont want to start another collection I woul d say check them out then go to Kmart, or Walmart or even the dollar store and see if they have some houses. You can also go onto the Dept 56 website, there are displays on there and people also post about their displays on the message boards.
KimberlySA Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 I have the Christmas Story village that I keep on my mantle away from little hands and big dog paws. I've kept one of my "cheaper" sets under my Christmas tree. Santa doesn't put packages out at my house until Christmas Eve so it was a cute place to display and out of the way.
AndreaInNC Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 I have a set that I haven't put our for years - I need to find an oblong table for my new home.
peppysfireball Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 I have a set I"ve been collecting for years from Ace hardware. Every year my ds24 bougfht me a new house or piece and the last couple years, my ds12 bought me a small piece. I take my corner endtable and add two large rubbermaid totes that are higher. I cover in snow and one is town and the other is the country. I have bought lots of people and accessories at shopko over the years after the holidays very cheap. I have a photo. I don't know how to add it. We are going to put it up when my son gets home from school today. My grandkids love to move the people around.
hopeky94 Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 My mom has decided not to put out her big village this year, as they're in the middle of replacing the hardwood in the room where she normally displays it. But shopping4my3son's post about using bookshelves gave me an idea: making a small country/fishing display inside her wooden boat shelving unit! Her boat isn't very big though (maybe 4 ft tall, 2 ft wide at the bottom, and about 4 inches deep) and only has 2 shelves (might be able to add one more short one though)... Can anyone help me with some ideas on how to do this?? She has all different shapes and sizes of houses (picked up at rummage sales over the years), a few little trees, a few people (mainly carolers), train stuff, prob more stuff I'm forgetting, lol... From her year-round stuff displayed on the shelves, she has some cute "fishing" stuff (a miniature fish basket, a couple of stuffed animals dressed in fishing gear, etc)-- but size-wise, most of it would be too big compared to the houses. Also, what do you all use to keep small pieces from falling over? Mom sets everything on a layer of batting (she won't use the loose, sprinkled-on snow stuff), which works great to keep the houses from scratching the table... but the trees, lightposts, people, etc. all end up on their sides! LOL And if I do the scene in the boat shelf and want to hang it back on the wall the way it usually is, I'll definitely need something to hold stuff in place, too... TIA for any and all suggestions/ideas, and a big thanks for all of the ones already posted!! :)
queenofshopping Posted December 1, 2009 Author Posted December 1, 2009 I have a photo. I don't know how to add it.Go to tinypic.com and upload the image from wherever you have it stored. Then copy and paste from one of the boxes they give you that says something like 'for message boards' - it will start with [ IMG]. Then just come here and paste that whole code into a message.
queenofshopping Posted December 1, 2009 Author Posted December 1, 2009 My mom has decided not to put out her big village this year, as they're in the middle of replacing the hardwood in the room where she normally displays it. But shopping4my3son's post about using bookshelves gave me an idea: making a small country/fishing display inside her wooden boat shelving unit! Her boat isn't very big though (maybe 4 ft tall, 2 ft wide at the bottom, and about 4 inches deep) and only has 2 shelves (might be able to add one more short one though)... Can anyone help me with some ideas on how to do this?? She has all different shapes and sizes of houses (picked up at rummage sales over the years), a few little trees, a few people (mainly carolers), train stuff, prob more stuff I'm forgetting, lol... From her year-round stuff displayed on the shelves, she has some cute "fishing" stuff (a miniature fish basket, a couple of stuffed animals dressed in fishing gear, etc)-- but size-wise, most of it would be too big compared to the houses. Also, what do you all use to keep small pieces from falling over? Mom sets everything on a layer of batting (she won't use the loose, sprinkled-on snow stuff), which works great to keep the houses from scratching the table... but the trees, lightposts, people, etc. all end up on their sides! LOL And if I do the scene in the boat shelf and want to hang it back on the wall the way it usually is, I'll definitely need something to hold stuff in place, too... TIA for any and all suggestions/ideas, and a big thanks for all of the ones already posted!! :)No clue on the boat thing, but if the 'snow' is cheap, you could just cut holes in it (just barely big enough to stick the people in) - my mom's are just heavy enough that they don't normally fall over. I hope this thread continues to yield ideas!
queenofshopping Posted December 1, 2009 Author Posted December 1, 2009 Update! I won my mom a new 'house' (it's actually a gazebo) for her Colonial Village set! http://i50.tinypic.com/2qn2nx5.jpg
HansieDZ Posted December 1, 2009 Posted December 1, 2009 Queenofshopping-that is GORGEOUS! How did you win it????? You will have to put some carolers inside it :)
queenofshopping Posted December 2, 2009 Author Posted December 2, 2009 Hansie, I won it on eBay. It's not a traditional 'house' building like the rest of the ones we have, but it was one of the nicer ones I considered bidding on :)
mudd274 Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 I added hot wheel cars to my village. Park them at different places.
shopping4my3son Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 I added hot wheel cars to my village. Park them at different places.That's a neat idea. I couldn't do it with little kids, though. I have a hard enough time telling them not to touch. I could just imagine if there were some of their cars with it. LOL
abentley Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 My DS12 has his very own village so he could play with it! He has had it since he was about 4 or 5 and loves architecture. He would ride through neighborhoods and point out "Thats a Tudor style home!" I have my Gingerbread village. I love the idea of the hotwheels cars!
queenofshopping Posted December 2, 2009 Author Posted December 2, 2009 My DS12 has his very own village so he could play with it! He has had it since he was about 4 or 5 and loves architecture. He would ride through neighborhoods and point out "Thats a Tudor style home!" I have my Gingerbread village. I love the idea of the hotwheels cars!That is so adorable! Good for him!
KBsDarling Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 i used to have a huge one...it would take up basically a room LOL A few years after having DD i stopped putting it out(little hands + glass=bad) then when we re-did the kitchen we added what should be a shelf on top of cabinets for decor plates/bottles etc...well I set up my village there. Not all fo it just my favorite pieces but now I have it displayed year round(i sub in and out the christmas obvious stuff) and have started to get autumn trees and halloween decor as well...hoping to be able to change it for each season/holiday eventually. Also with it plugged in its a nice low level light in kitchen at night
dealluvr Posted December 2, 2009 Posted December 2, 2009 i went out today just to target and wal mart and i think i saw it at target a lot of different ones for $9.99 thinking now absolute positive it was target dont know what brand
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