MY 2011 FAMILY ROOM TREE AND VILLAGE

Post by **maria** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:29 pm

More photos coming--and it would not have been possible without Karl Fey of http://www.dimestoredwellings.com and Howard Lamey of http://www.littleglitterhouses.com

Post by **paulrace** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:27 pm

Looks GREAT, Maria. Thanks for posting.

Post by **Ruthann** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:44 am

I can't believe the quality of the photos! How did you get such sharp images?

Post by **maria** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:02 am

Hi there--used a tripod and the Nikon D-90 which was given to me as a gift.

Post by **Antoinette** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:10 am

Wow! Maria! Those are phenomenally good photos. I feel as if I'm there, tiptoe-ing among the houses. Beautiful job (and credit to Karl and Howard as well)!

Post by **Nan** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:07 pm

This is also a phenomenally beautiful Christmas display. I noticed you have each small scene around the tree on a separate styrofoam (?) platform, but the train in the middle is on what? Perhaps a cloth? Anyway, that is what I need, because my putz display is very limited in height. (And my storage is very limited too.) What did you use? A tablecloth, a piece of felt? The cotton I am using is too fluffy (even after ironing it) and my houses too light. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Post by **maria** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:30 pm

It's layers of white tissue paper over white paper towels--I use storebought snow to hide the seams here and there--the platforms I got on sale from LEMAX after Christmas for like six dollars a piece or so

Post by **maria** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:48 am

If I might also suggest Nan, in addition to the above, that you use the glass vase filler globs scattered throughout my putz in the photo. I use these globs, not only to add interest, color and catch the light, but they're great at holding down snow "blankets". I have even used the smaller ones inside my putz houses to weigh them down. You can find bags of these glass vase filler globs in the 99 cents stores.

Post by **Nan** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:44 pm

Great advice, Maria. Thank you. I can imagine using the glass "gobs" for holding down the putzes--nice. I seem to have a large bottle-brush forest for my village--thanks to my MIL's collection as well as some my daughter bought a couple of years ago. The tissue-paper-and-paper-towel idea is great--and very storage-efficient. I will try that next year. In the meantime, I dug out the most used and threadbare of 2-3 dozen white linen napkins inherited from relatives over the years--most date from 1900 to 1935--and it occurs to me that I would enjoy nestling the putzes and trees among artfully arranged napkins from the same general era. (Not that I can arrange napkins artfully, but I'll give it my best shot.) Really appreciate your comments.

Post by **maria** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:13 am

The nice thing about using the tissue paper is that you can sometimes find the kind that has little sparkles scattered throughout. Alas, I found that type AFTER I had set up my putz!