This is really beautifull, but I don`t have the place to put this big of a village and for me it is also a little bit to much, but you did a great job and nice of you for showing it to us, how you can fix it, with normal materials.
@pammyj100 I just watched your new video where your village has everything working...all I can say is...AMAZING!!!!!!! I smiled the entire time! It's a "must watch" for everyone on youtube! Just wonderful!!!!
This is definately a passion and an addiction for those of us that build villages, wouldn't you say! I consider it therapy and usually lose all track of time when I'm wrapped up in it. I've already started planning the layout ..LOL. I have so many ideas floating around in my head...Thanks for the inspiration!
I love it that you take time to reply to everyone who writes in and I think you are a very generous soul to share your techniques,- this video is very clear and easy to follow and I am sure many a novice would find a wealth of good useful information by watching it many times over. Personally, I prefer a more open, less busy display, with lots of home-built content, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate your hard work and attention to detail. Thanks for sharing !
I am soooo smiling at this!!! My villages take me days to put up and I am now waaay behind! Thanks so much for sharing--I wish I had found this in July---I would be on track with my own 200 houses.
This is incredible! My husband would quiver at the cords, he worries about overload. I am up to 12 houses and bought a bunch of trees today. November 1 I'm setting up, thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you Donna. I don't use the individual cords that come with the houses. I use a string of c7 Christmas lights. I loosen the bulbs that aren't in use (DO NOT REMOVE THE BULBS THAT ARE NOT IN USE, JUST LOOSEN THEM SO THEY DON"T LIGHT). I also had an electrician wire me outlets for my village. Good luck with your village.
Seeing all the work that went into constructing the under structure is nothing short of mind boggling! I think I'd leave it up all year long! This is quite an investment of both time and money. It's beautiful! Such a labor of love! Thanks for taking the time to make this video! Happy holly!
Thank you Martie! I have learned that "Villaging" is a true labor of love. It is my way of relaxing after a long day at work. I find it quite peaceful to saw 2 x 2 's, tote lumber and crawl around the floor underneath the platform. I'm glad you enjoyed. Check out my latest video. It is even larger this year and is housed on a separate floor of my home. Merry Christmas!
I love your Christmas village display "how to" ideas and video. I think the overall look of your village and waterways, ponds, cars, monorail and amusement park are really well executed. I collect Dept 56 as well and I have only a very small space to do my Dickens village in. I trade out my Dickens with New England depending on where I am living. I really like your ideas on the night starry sky and the finished look of the velvet skirt with the garland... really nice details. Thank you.
+Ziggy1951August Thank you Ziggy, setting up a village is my way to relax after a long, busy day at work. Oh and no husband assist, this is all me. Merry Christmas
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It was very helpful and gave me lots of ideas. Your village is amazing and you have some very unique pieces. I agree that you should leave it up all year long. It's too beautiful to put into storage.
Thank you for the nice comments Winsunn. I'm glad it gave you ideas. I am always searching ebay for things that are different. And I love to "tweak" some of my pieces to make them unique. The only problem with keeping it up is it gets so dusty and that would drive me nuts lol. Thanks for viewing.
Hi David, I purchased the drill on ebay. It is called Mansfield cordless dual head drill. I paid around $70 for it a few years ago. I just looked on ebay and there are a couple for sale from $39 to $128. It is the BEST money I ever spent on a tool. Easy to use, convenient, and has great power. Good luck!
I love the way you use the blue fabric with lights behind them to simulate the sky. I was surfing the internet to get inspired for my Christmas Village and I'm going to give that a try this year. I love the way yours came out
Wow!!! That's gorgeous. This coming Christmas will be the first that I will have a Christmas village display. You gave me some good ideas. And "how to" ways :) And that night sky with the stars in the background absolutely FANTASTIC! Thanks for posting :D
What a wonderful job you did! I noticed the football players wearing black and gold and I thought maybe that's just the colors they were available in. But then I saw the Steeler Water Tower and my heart warmed. I live in Shadyside this is the perfect Village! I love it love it love it
Very nice. I also put up and take my Marx train Christmas village every year. So I appreciate the amount of work involved. I'm glad to know there are other crazy people in the world. P.S. I may have to borrow (steal) your blue sky and lights idea. Crazy in Kentucky.
We have only just started our little collection of Dept. 56 and I was looking for inspriation on how to set it up. I certainly stumbled onto the right video. Your village is stunning and I LOVE the blue fabric with the icicle lights. I want to use that idea in a smaller scale. Thank you! & Merry Christmas! ~Christina
Hi Christina, I'm glad the video gave you the right encouragement! I too started with a couple pieces and this year my village has it's own floor in my home lol. If you have any questions and I can help you let me know. I love to share my ideas. Merry Christmas, Pam
Beautiful village! I very much enjoyed your step by step slides. I would love to see a video of your finished display with everything working. I bet that would be fantastic! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Stunning!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼Absolutely top-shelf! Well done!👍🏻👍🏻I especially love the zoo,the amusement park and the skiers on the slopes. Amazing! I sure hope you have plenty of grandchildren to amaze with this. Lol
Hi Kary, it's called "starry night" . JoAnn Fabric Store special ordered it in for me, however, you may be able to find it on line. It is a cotton fabric so it wrinkles when folded or stored but I steam iron it before I hang it. Good luck....don't forget the lights...they really make it!
Thats quite impessive! We have some very similar displays and some of the pieces too! My sky and stars are done same way and in my dining room..with abay window no less. Pretty soon Ill have to clear out my furniture also :-)
I really enjoy collecting and planning my village. I like to talk to others to get ideas as well as share mine with them. I'm humbled by people writing me with comments about my videos. I've also enjoyed your videos and thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the nice comments. The roller coaster is Disney's and I purchased on ebay about 3 years ago. It's Call Screamin Roller Coaster Model by Disney. They sold them in their Parks several years ago for about $100. I think I paid about that for it. It is a kit that you put together.The coaster cars are battery operated. It sticks in a couple places, but overall is a really neat piece and a great visual. Good luck finding!
Greetings from Monster Hobbies in High River, Alberta, Canada. Love the Christmas Village! Would really like to see a video of everything running, especially the Roller Coaster and the Monorail!
Thank you xmas lover 1000, I'm glad the sky description helped you and you are more than welcome to copy it. I viewed you videos...great job! (I like the people riding the top of the train) Villaging is addictive! I too am planning for Christmas already. Good luck with the sky!
Hi, thanks for the quick reply. I have made my NE village little video last year with my Dad but I have not posted it. I have to find it first LOL! I am working on a Disney themed village for about two years now and hope to at least display it this year for the first time although it is not near finished. I will write you if I have a chance to post a video. Thanks again for all your great ideas - you have inspired me for the holiday season to come for 2012!
I just viewed your WONDERFUL display, and I'm amazed at how great it looks. I really appreciate your video on how to set up a Miniature Christmas Village, especially creating stars with blue material and icicle lights. How long do you leave your display up? It's worth looking at everyday. Your mountains, what type of material are they made of (you said they can be cut to fit village)? Please let me know. Hope to create something just as amazing. Thank you for the tips and the video.
LOVE THIS!!!!! Where did you get the creek, mountains, monorail, and the cable cars in the mountains? In the creek, was there actual water running? How did you do that, if so? Please let me know! I'm already planning for this years village!
Hi Kelly, glad you found a roller coaster...those are far and few between! The Jailbirds are Homies. I found them on ebay. The handcuffs (chains) are a key chain like one that is on a rabbits foot, I opened up the one end and put in into the Homie's arm or leg. Good Luck & Happy Holidays!
Hi Sherry, Thank you so much for your great comments. I'm so glad you found the video! I do take the frame apart, it is so easy to store by doing so. Also, I reuse the fabric for years, I even save my snow and reuse it lol! I always moved my furniture to set up my village but several years ago, I put an addition on my house. I use it as my dining room during the year, but come September, it houses my village, matter of fact, I started working on it this past week. Good luck, ask ??? any time
Thank you Tracy! I start my village the first week of September and have it finished by Thanksgiving. I pack it all away about the middle of January. The mountains are Lemax and Dept 56. They are made of foam. I'm glad it gave you ideas. Please let me know when you post photos or videos of yours. Thanks for the nice comments
Hi Chris, The buckets are screwed together and screwed to the base. I'm careful to balance everything prior to building up another level. I find the buckets to be easier for me to do so many different levels....need it higher add a bucket, need it lower take one away.
Hi Julia, Thank you for your nice comment. Villaging can be a very expensive hobby or maybe I should say habit,lol. I stopped counting at $5000. The houses and accessories are mostly Department 56 with some Lemax. Both can be purchased second hand on ebay. Are you planning to set up a village? It can be very addictive....but very fun. Happy Holiday to you. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video, your setup is amazing, ive only just discoverd christmas villages (im obsessed already and i havent even brought my first peice yet haha) Im looking to start collecting this year, im not very in the know the only brand i can find where i live is Lemax and the variety is not that big (we live in new zealand),do you know of any good websites that ship over seas? thankyou for your time and for inspiring so many people :)
@tolebear the McDonald's is Department 56. I purchased on ebay several years ago for about $50. There is also a really cute McDonald's arch sign sold seperate-lights with a d56 adaptor. Also purchased it on ebay for about $15. Good luch in your search!
I can only imagine what something like this costs. Probably 6 months of my rent. Still beautiful and amazing. I can only wish to be able to have a hobby like this one day. 👏🏻👏🏻
They say Rome wasn't built in a day lol. I have been collecting for 40 plus years. I started out with homemade ceramic houses that my grandmother made for me. once dept 56 came on the market, I couldn't help myself....I started buying everything. at last count my complete collection has been appraised at over $15,000. YIKES....I'm out of control lol
where did you get your roller coaster. i love it. have been looking online for weeks to try and find one like yours. Please let me know where I can find one,. Love your work
Thank you Gina, the mountains are mostly Lemax with a few Dept. 56. They are made of styrofoam so I trim some to fit into the landscape. I purchase on line from a company called ehobbytools , sometimes they give a 10 % discount and ship for only $7. Also, I often find them on ebay or Michael's Craft Store. Good luck in your search
Thank you for your opinion, you're right "what is the point of viewing it if it's going to fast." I will keep it as it is. Well I have some catching up to do as far as the mountains go. I will definitely post it this Christmas for you, before Christmas actually. As of now still formulating a plan. Thank you so much for everything. Talk to you soon, have a great day.
Thank you for your nice comments. I'm glad you got some ideas from this video. I have been villaging for over 30 years. I start setting it up in September and depending on my work schedule, it takes me about 4 to 5 weeks to complete. I will look forward to seeing your video this year. Drop me a line if I can help you with any questions.
Hi Pammyj100, I've been reviewing your video again, and wanted to know if you have the upgraded version of the monorail (ie; faster with white lights vs the green they come with)? Just wondering if that is worth the upgrade. Your village is so Amazing you can't tell if the monorail is moving at its normal speed or has been upgraded. would love your feedback. Struggling with the upgrade option. Thank you and have a great day.
Hi Junken, thanks for the nice comments. I have a lot of Lemax pieces, they are very natural looking and well priced. I also collect Department 56. Google both of those and when you get on their web page, you should be able to ask them where you can purchase in New Zealand. You will also be able to view their gallery of houses, people, scenery. Also, I buy on ebay. Good luck with your new (expensive) hobby. I look forward to seeing photos of your village.
Hi Spike, the creek is dept 56 they come in 10inch sections..straight and curved and other pieces like a small waterfall, a fork or split section, and the bridge with the fishermen. the mountains are Lemax & D56. The monorail is from Disney, I found it on ebay. The cable car is d56 and the two houses that flank the cable car wires are attached to mountains. I purchas alot on ebay. No real water. Check out my 2012 video too...I just posted it today. Good luck on setting up your display
Thank you Shabri for viewing. I am lucky I have a lot of space to set this up....I wish I had more space to make it bigger. A lot of people set up smaller villages which can be just as nice as a larger one. I wish you a Happy Holiday Season.
roller coaster is by Disney theme parks it sold in stores over 20 years ago. kohls is now selling one similar to leggo for around $139. it's called the cyclone. the duck pond I made from an old ice skating rink
WOW....you have a big collection! Setting it up is so much work, but so rewarding. Do you post a video of your village? Please let me know if you do. Thanks, Happy Holidays!
It’s really great looks amazing. Like how u used buckets to make levels and I also use lights to light the house. One question where did u bought? Where can I find that piece. I will like to have audition to my village. If u can let me know.
@BonnieJean437 thank you> I really have fun setting up my village. It's relaxing to me after a long day at work. Thank you for your nice comments and I look forward to seeing your video some day soon. Happy Holidays
Hello again dmestan, I tried the balancing act only to have one or two of the buckets slip so now I put a screw through the bottoms of the buckets to hold them together. Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for viewing.
Thank you tolebear for your nice comments. I would love to see photos or video of your village. The burning building is easy to do. I purchased flickering candle bulbs. Then, I took a building (Al's TV Shop) and busted out 3 of the windows with nose pliers and a little out of the base to fit the candle bulbs and cord into the building (I used three candle bulbs). Next, I hot glued the cord to the inside walls of the building close to the three windows. Use black paint to make burn marks.
I used a cotton fabric that was purchased at our local fabric store "JoAnn Fabric". I had to special order a bolt to fit the room size. They usually have several racks of holiday fabrics. Good Luck!!
Thank you. It usually takes me close to 3 months from start to finish. Some days I work on it for 8 or more hours and some days only 1 hour. I just started this years village 2 days ago, hopefully it will be done by Thanksgiving! Thanks for watching
Also wanted to say that I LOVE the waterfall down to a duck pond! lol that is just too cute! Also, where did you get the mountains? Are they made of foam?
Thank you for your great comments. I really enjoyed making this video. If you have time, please check out my videos of my finished product. Do you have any posted? I would like to see yours also.
LOL, your town will be up and running again in October...can you wait till then??? lol. Thank you for your great comments! I find Villaging to be so relaxing, you too? I have also enjoyed your videos. Great job!
thanks for the nice comment. I used several strands of icicle lights then covered them over with a sky blue fabric purchased online. Good luck with you village, stay safe and happy holidays!
Your village is beautiful! Thanks so much for the how to instructions. I have a few questions though, do you take your frame completely apart for storage? Do you reuse your fabric? You have given my husband ( he loves it as much as I do lol) and I a lot of ideas. We actually tried making different levels and landscaping last year and I really wish I had seen this video first. Lol Our village is a lot smaller and simpler but I try to add a little bit each year.
@mafiaking1993 the cable cars are department 56 and was put out several years ago. You may find on ebay. The kids sledding are Mr. Christmas...however, department 56 also have a nicer one...try ebay again for that. good luck!
Hi Tracy, I have the older version the speed you see it going at in the video is the true speed. I'm not aware of a newer model. I like the speed it travels at. I don't like when trains, cars, etc. travel so fast that you can't even view them . As far as the mountain count goes....my guess is 40. I have cut some to fit the layout and I have pieced some that I have cut. Good luck and please post your village, I would love to see it.
I did--it's on here--but it doesn't hold a candle to this one. I have been inspired to set up something similar and will post here after it is set up! BTW, I hand painted each house myself! Every year I paint 5-8 houses while watching the college football games on TV. My team sucked this year so only 5 houses got done :-)
Thanks Lynn, glad you enjoyed it. I have a walk in attic that runs the length of my home...and most of it is filled with Christmas lol. I am doing a bigger Village this year, I'm using my downstairs game room. Hopefully, I will be able to display my entire collection (I hope).
Do you know how to make plastic snow cheap ? Get some of that crystalline white craft foam (such as Micheals sells), chop the sheets/blocks up into little pieces, the grind them up as fine as you like in a blender. The resultant ground foam looks just like real snow. Spread it all over your village and put some on top of your train cars for a real nice effect !
This is really beautifull, but I don`t have the place to put this big of a village and for me it is also a little bit to much, but you did a great job and nice of you for showing it to us, how you can fix it, with normal materials.
@pammyj100 I just watched your new video where your village has everything working...all I can say is...AMAZING!!!!!!! I smiled the entire time! It's a "must watch" for everyone on youtube! Just wonderful!!!!
This is definately a passion and an addiction for those of us that build villages, wouldn't you say! I consider it therapy and usually lose all track of time when I'm wrapped up in it. I've already started planning the layout ..LOL. I have so many ideas floating around in my head...Thanks for the inspiration!
I love it that you take time to reply to everyone who writes in and I think you are a very generous soul to share your techniques,- this video is very clear and easy to follow and I am sure many a novice would find a wealth of good useful information by watching it many times over.
Personally, I prefer a more open, less busy display, with lots of home-built content, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate your hard work and attention to detail.
Thanks for sharing !
I am soooo smiling at this!!! My villages take me days to put up and I am now waaay behind! Thanks so much for sharing--I wish I had found this in July---I would be on track with my own 200 houses.
This is incredible! My husband would quiver at the cords, he worries about overload. I am up to 12 houses and bought a bunch of trees today. November 1 I'm setting up, thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you Donna. I don't use the individual cords that come with the houses. I use a string of c7 Christmas lights. I loosen the bulbs that aren't in use (DO NOT REMOVE THE BULBS THAT ARE NOT IN USE, JUST LOOSEN THEM SO THEY DON"T LIGHT). I also had an electrician wire me outlets for my village. Good luck with your village.
Seeing all the work that went into constructing the under structure is nothing short of mind boggling! I think I'd leave it up all year long! This is quite an investment of both time and money. It's beautiful! Such a labor of love! Thanks for taking the time to make this video! Happy holly!
Thank you Martie! I have learned that "Villaging" is a true labor of love. It is my way of relaxing after a long day at work. I find it quite peaceful to saw 2 x 2 's, tote lumber and crawl around the floor underneath the platform. I'm glad you enjoyed. Check out my latest video. It is even larger this year and is housed on a separate floor of my home. Merry Christmas!
I love your Christmas village display "how to" ideas and video. I think the overall look of your village and waterways, ponds, cars, monorail and amusement park are really well executed.
I collect Dept 56 as well and I have only a very small space to do my Dickens village in. I trade out my Dickens with New England depending on where I am living. I really like your ideas on the night starry sky and the finished look of the velvet skirt with the garland... really nice details. Thank you.
Awesome job - beautiful!!!! I'm in awe of your patience, dedication and good taste!!! Kudos to your husband for his help also!!
+Ziggy1951August Thank you Ziggy, setting up a village is my way to relax after a long, busy day at work. Oh and no husband assist, this is all me. Merry Christmas
Your presentation is so clear... I am totally inspired for Christmas 2021! Thanks for sharing!
thank you! Happy New Year
This is a huge help to me. This year I abandoned large parts of my village because I could not make a proper base. Now I’m all set for next year!
I'm so glad it was helpful. If you get stuck, let me know, I'll help you figure it out if I can!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It was very helpful and gave me lots of ideas. Your village is amazing and you have some very unique pieces. I agree that you should leave it up all year long. It's too beautiful to put into storage.
Thank you for the nice comments Winsunn. I'm glad it gave you ideas. I am always searching ebay for things that are different. And I love to "tweak" some of my pieces to make them unique. The only problem with keeping it up is it gets so dusty and that would drive me nuts lol. Thanks for viewing.
Hi David, I purchased the drill on ebay. It is called Mansfield cordless dual head drill. I paid around $70 for it a few years ago. I just looked on ebay and there are a couple for sale from $39 to $128. It is the BEST money I ever spent on a tool. Easy to use, convenient, and has great power. Good luck!
I love the way you use the blue fabric with lights behind them to simulate the sky. I was surfing the internet to get inspired for my Christmas Village and I'm going to give that a try this year. I love the way yours came out
thank you Kevin. I think it really adds to the village and it's so easy to do.
OMG!!!! I love this. I had one up once and it stayed up for years. I haven't seen my houses for 10 years probably. You have inspired me!!!! Thank you
thank you! Sometimes, a little inspiration is all we need...I know that's true for me! Hopefully, I will be viewing your video next year.
Wow!!! That's gorgeous. This coming Christmas will be the first that I will have a Christmas village display. You gave me some good ideas. And "how to" ways :) And that night sky with the stars in the background absolutely FANTASTIC! Thanks for posting :D
Great thanks for the info. you did a great job on your village! i love it and can't wait to see this year's. Thanks for sharing
I enjoyed watching this! I love the stars! Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful job you did! I noticed the football players wearing black and gold and I thought maybe that's just the colors they were available in. But then I saw the Steeler Water Tower and my heart warmed. I live in Shadyside this is the perfect Village! I love it love it love it
Thank you for your nice comments, we are neighbors lol. I am in the South Hills of Pittsburgh near Bridgeville. GO STILLERS!!!
@@pammyj100 Go STILLERS!! Highway to 7 baybeeeee!!
Very nice. I also put up and take my Marx train Christmas village every year. So I appreciate the amount of work involved. I'm glad to know there are other crazy people in the world. P.S. I may have to borrow (steal) your blue sky and lights idea. Crazy in Kentucky.
We have only just started our little collection of Dept. 56 and I was looking for inspriation on how to set it up. I certainly stumbled onto the right video. Your village is stunning and I LOVE the blue fabric with the icicle lights. I want to use that idea in a smaller scale. Thank you! & Merry Christmas!
~Christina
Hi Christina, I'm glad the video gave you the right encouragement! I too started with a couple pieces and this year my village has it's own floor in my home lol. If you have any questions and I can help you let me know. I love to share my ideas. Merry Christmas, Pam
Beautiful village! I very much enjoyed your step by step slides. I would love to see a video of your finished display with everything working. I bet that would be fantastic! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Your videos are helping me prepare for my 2018 village. Amazing job!
Stunning!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼Absolutely top-shelf! Well done!👍🏻👍🏻I especially love the zoo,the amusement park and the skiers on the slopes. Amazing! I sure hope you have plenty of grandchildren to amaze with this. Lol
thank you for your kind comments! No grandchildren but lot's of other youngsters that stop by every year to see the village.
Hi Kary, it's called "starry night" . JoAnn Fabric Store special ordered it in for me, however, you may be able to find it on line. It is a cotton fabric so it wrinkles when folded or stored but I steam iron it before I hang it. Good luck....don't forget the lights...they really make it!
WOW! I am speechless! You made this look easy. Someday I hope to have half the village you have! :) BEAUTIFUL!
Thats quite impessive! We have some very similar displays and some of the pieces too! My sky and stars are done same way and in my dining room..with abay window no less. Pretty soon Ill have to clear out my furniture also :-)
It's really beautiful the night view. Good work man, it's amazing and beautiful.
I really enjoy collecting and planning my village. I like to talk to others to get ideas as well as share mine with them. I'm humbled by people writing me with comments about my videos. I've also enjoyed your videos and thank you for sharing.
Yes, I looked at it after my last post. Very nice,the houses are beautiful. Good luck with your village.
miniature??? this might be the biggest village i've ever seen. i love the disney monorail at 5:22
lol , I put an addition on my home a few years back and the village has already out grown it.
Thank you for the nice comments. The roller coaster is Disney's and I purchased on ebay about 3 years ago. It's Call Screamin Roller Coaster Model by Disney. They sold them in their Parks several years ago for about $100. I think I paid about that for it. It is a kit that you put together.The coaster cars are battery operated. It sticks in a couple places, but overall is a really neat piece and a great visual. Good luck finding!
Greetings from Monster Hobbies in High River, Alberta, Canada. Love the Christmas Village! Would really like to see a video of everything running, especially the Roller Coaster and the Monorail!
I'm speechless - what a labor of love!
Thank you xmas lover 1000, I'm glad the sky description helped you and you are more than welcome to copy it. I viewed you videos...great job! (I like the people riding the top of the train) Villaging is addictive! I too am planning for Christmas already. Good luck with the sky!
Hi, thanks for the quick reply. I have made my NE village little video last year with my Dad but I have not posted it. I have to find it first LOL! I am working on a Disney themed village for about two years now and hope to at least display it this year for the first time although it is not near finished. I will write you if I have a chance to post a video.
Thanks again for all your great ideas - you have inspired me for the holiday season to come for 2012!
Video is very well made . Very helpful. Thanks
thank you so much! I'm glad it helped you!
Ah, a string of Christmas lights would illuminate many buildings, rather than the 6 bulb string from Dept 56. Very clever. I like it.
I just viewed your WONDERFUL display, and I'm amazed at how great it looks. I really appreciate your video on how to set up a Miniature Christmas Village, especially creating stars with blue material and icicle lights. How long do you leave your display up? It's worth looking at everyday. Your mountains, what type of material are they made of (you said they can be cut to fit village)? Please let me know. Hope to create something just as amazing. Thank you for the tips and the video.
Just love those Lemax carnival pieces!!!!
The Carnival is my favorite
LOVE THIS!!!!! Where did you get the creek, mountains, monorail, and the cable cars in the mountains? In the creek, was there actual water running? How did you do that, if so? Please let me know! I'm already planning for this years village!
Hi Kelly, glad you found a roller coaster...those are far and few between! The Jailbirds are Homies. I found them on ebay. The handcuffs (chains) are a key chain like one that is on a rabbits foot, I opened up the one end and put in into the Homie's arm or leg. Good Luck & Happy Holidays!
That is gorgeous 😍😍😍
it's part of having a village...and it takes just as long if you want to store your village safely and in an orderly fashion...
Hi Sherry, Thank you so much for your great comments. I'm so glad you found the video! I do take the frame apart, it is so easy to store by doing so. Also, I reuse the fabric for years, I even save my snow and reuse it lol! I always moved my furniture to set up my village but several years ago, I put an addition on my house. I use it as my dining room during the year, but come September, it houses my village, matter of fact, I started working on it this past week. Good luck, ask ??? any time
Impressive, congrats! Beautiful village :)
@greatqueenesther thank you. This is how I relax, I truly enjoy it. Happy Holidays.
Thank you Tracy! I start my village the first week of September and have it finished by Thanksgiving. I pack it all away about the middle of January. The mountains are Lemax and Dept 56. They are made of foam. I'm glad it gave you ideas. Please let me know when you post photos or videos of yours. Thanks for the nice comments
Hi Chris, The buckets are screwed together and screwed to the base. I'm careful to balance everything prior to building up another level. I find the buckets to be easier for me to do so many different levels....need it higher add a bucket, need it lower take one away.
Hi Julia, Thank you for your nice comment. Villaging can be a very expensive hobby or maybe I should say habit,lol. I stopped counting at $5000. The houses and accessories are mostly Department 56 with some Lemax. Both can be purchased second hand on ebay. Are you planning to set up a village? It can be very addictive....but very fun. Happy Holiday to you. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video, your setup is amazing, ive only just discoverd christmas villages
(im obsessed already and i havent even brought my first peice yet haha)
Im looking to start collecting this year, im not very in the know the only brand i can find where i live is Lemax and the variety is not that big (we live in new zealand),do you know of any good websites that ship over seas? thankyou for your time and for inspiring so many people :)
@tolebear the McDonald's is Department 56. I purchased on ebay several years ago for about $50. There is also a really cute McDonald's arch sign sold seperate-lights with a d56 adaptor. Also purchased it on ebay for about $15. Good luch in your search!
This is absolutely bananas. You, sir, are an inspiration. One could only hope to measure up to this level of epic.
This is a good video, but I got to ask, what kind of electric drill do you have, the one with two chucks? Never seen a drill like that before.
I can only imagine what something like this costs. Probably 6 months of my rent. Still beautiful and amazing. I can only wish to be able to have a hobby like this one day. 👏🏻👏🏻
They say Rome wasn't built in a day lol. I have been collecting for 40 plus years. I started out with homemade ceramic houses that my grandmother made for me. once dept 56 came on the market, I couldn't help myself....I started buying everything. at last count my complete collection has been appraised at over $15,000. YIKES....I'm out of control lol
where did you get your roller coaster. i love it. have been looking online for weeks to try and find one like yours. Please let me know where I can find one,. Love your work
Thank you Gina, the mountains are mostly Lemax with a few Dept. 56. They are made of styrofoam so I trim some to fit into the landscape. I purchase on line from a company called ehobbytools , sometimes they give a 10 % discount and ship for only $7. Also, I often find them on ebay or Michael's Craft Store. Good luck in your search
Thank you for your opinion, you're right "what is the point of viewing it if it's going to fast." I will keep it as it is. Well I have some catching up to do as far as the mountains go. I will definitely post it this Christmas for you, before Christmas actually. As of now still formulating a plan. Thank you so much for everything. Talk to you soon, have a great day.
This is absolutely amazing. Thank you so much for this vid!
@debintexas77 glad you enjoyed! Lot's of people have commented about the stars...it took me a long time to figure out how to do them. Happy New Year
Thank you for your nice comments. I'm glad you got some ideas from this video. I have been villaging for over 30 years. I start setting it up in September and depending on my work schedule, it takes me about 4 to 5 weeks to complete. I will look forward to seeing your video this year. Drop me a line if I can help you with any questions.
I feel your pain MrShaun! But what a reward at the end of the tunnel! Happy New Year and Happy Villaging!
Hi Pammyj100,
I've been reviewing your video again, and wanted to know if you have the upgraded version of the monorail (ie; faster with white lights vs the green they come with)? Just wondering if that is worth the upgrade. Your village is so Amazing you can't tell if the monorail is moving at its normal speed or has been upgraded. would love your feedback. Struggling with the upgrade option. Thank you and have a great day.
Hi Junken, thanks for the nice comments. I have a lot of Lemax pieces, they are very natural looking and well priced. I also collect Department 56. Google both of those and when you get on their web page, you should be able to ask them where you can purchase in New Zealand. You will also be able to view their gallery of houses, people, scenery. Also, I buy on ebay. Good luck with your new (expensive) hobby. I look forward to seeing photos of your village.
wow! Spectacular!
Beautiful but wish there was video to see the finished animated scenes.
Hi Spike, the creek is dept 56 they come in 10inch sections..straight and curved and other pieces like a small waterfall, a fork or split section, and the bridge with the fishermen. the mountains are Lemax & D56. The monorail is from Disney, I found it on ebay. The cable car is d56 and the two houses that flank the cable car wires are attached to mountains. I purchas alot on ebay. No real water. Check out my 2012 video too...I just posted it today. Good luck on setting up your display
Absolutely stunning. Lots of great ideas to use! How long did this take you to create?
thank you. I usually start my village mid August and finish by mid November. thanks for watching
Thank you Shabri for viewing. I am lucky I have a lot of space to set this up....I wish I had more space to make it bigger. A lot of people set up smaller villages which can be just as nice as a larger one. I wish you a Happy Holiday Season.
Awesome! What kind and where did you get the roller coaster and the duck pond please? Thank you for the information in this video.
roller coaster is by Disney theme parks it sold in stores over 20 years ago. kohls is now selling one similar to leggo for around $139. it's called the cyclone. the duck pond I made from an old ice skating rink
pammyj100 I love your videos . They are very helpful and the layout is beautiful. I have started on mine for this year and I got a few ideas from you
@@bradfordwalker56 awe, i'm glad my video helped you. thanks for the nice comments
I will post some from last year which it was my time. I liked your awesome ideas and I am looking forward for this years. I will keep you post it :)
The rollercoaster is great and nice how you make this film so we can get some tips from it. :-)
WOW....you have a big collection! Setting it up is so much work, but so rewarding. Do you post a video of your village? Please let me know if you do. Thanks, Happy Holidays!
Amazing! you should leave it up all year round.
thank you. After having this up for 4 months I can't wait to take it down so I can dust lol.
Hi, and yes I do have facebook. Thank you for the tip, just started looking at photos. Many are great ideas. So I joined. Thanks again
@mtb200562 thank you. they are from Lemax and Department 56. Good luck finding
It’s really great looks amazing. Like how u used buckets to make levels and I also use lights to light the house. One question where did u bought? Where can I find that piece. I will like to have audition to my village. If u can let me know.
I'm not sure which house you are refering to. At what point in the video is the house you are searching the name of?
@@pammyj100 oh sorry I was referring to the roller coaster? That’s crazy cool piece to have. Look amazing
@BonnieJean437 thank you> I really have fun setting up my village. It's relaxing to me after a long day at work. Thank you for your nice comments and I look forward to seeing your video some day soon. Happy Holidays
Hello again dmestan, I tried the balancing act only to have one or two of the buckets slip so now I put a screw through the bottoms of the buckets to hold them together. Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for viewing.
Do you keep your village up year round? Or do you set it up just for the holidays?
BEAUTIFUL village by the way!
Thank you tolebear for your nice comments. I would love to see photos or video of your village. The burning building is easy to do. I purchased flickering candle bulbs. Then, I took a building (Al's TV Shop) and busted out 3 of the windows with nose pliers and a little out of the base to fit the candle bulbs and cord into the building (I used three candle bulbs). Next, I hot glued the cord to the inside walls of the building close to the three windows. Use black paint to make burn marks.
I used a cotton fabric that was purchased at our local fabric store "JoAnn Fabric". I had to special order a bolt to fit the room size. They usually have several racks of holiday fabrics. Good Luck!!
Beautiful.
Wawww! So wonderful! How long did you take to do all? Thanks for share.
Thank you. It usually takes me close to 3 months from start to finish. Some days I work on it for 8 or more hours and some days only 1 hour. I just started this years village 2 days ago, hopefully it will be done by Thanksgiving! Thanks for watching
Also wanted to say that I LOVE the waterfall down to a duck pond! lol that is just too cute!
Also, where did you get the mountains? Are they made of foam?
amaizing!!!!!! wonderful work!
No. I'd like to do one but I'm not patient enough like to even finish it. Anyway, keep up with the good work, it's amazing!
Thanks Nikon! Happy Holidays!
Thank you for your great comments. I really enjoyed making this video. If you have time, please check out my videos of my finished product. Do you have any posted? I would like to see yours also.
LOL, your town will be up and running again in October...can you wait till then??? lol. Thank you for your great comments! I find Villaging to be so relaxing, you too? I have also enjoyed your videos. Great job!
What did you use for the background starry starry sky? Your village looks amazing, btw!!!
thanks for the nice comment. I used several strands of icicle lights then covered them over with a sky blue fabric purchased online. Good luck with you village, stay safe and happy holidays!
Your village is beautiful! Thanks so much for the how to instructions. I have a few questions though, do you take your frame completely apart for storage? Do you reuse your fabric? You have given my husband ( he loves it as much as I do lol) and I a lot of ideas. We actually tried making different levels and landscaping last year and I really wish I had seen this video first. Lol Our village is a lot smaller and simpler but I try to add a little bit each year.
@mafiaking1993 the cable cars are department 56 and was put out several years ago. You may find on ebay. The kids sledding are Mr. Christmas...however, department 56 also have a nicer one...try ebay again for that. good luck!
Hi Tracy, I have the older version the speed you see it going at in the video is the true speed. I'm not aware of a newer model. I like the speed it travels at. I don't like when trains, cars, etc. travel so fast that you can't even view them . As far as the mountain count goes....my guess is 40. I have cut some to fit the layout and I have pieced some that I have cut. Good luck and please post your village, I would love to see it.
The village is most awesome!
Thank you so much Sharon. Merry Christmas!
I did--it's on here--but it doesn't hold a candle to this one. I have been inspired to set up something similar and will post here after it is set up! BTW, I hand painted each house myself! Every year I paint 5-8 houses while watching the college football games on TV. My team sucked this year so only 5 houses got done :-)
you inspired me to build my village larger this year
Wonderful! I'd love to see photos when you are done
il be decorating next weekend so il send some then
Magical, awesome, beyond words! That backdrop of the stars just blows me away! How do you store this all in the off season?
Thanks Lynn, glad you enjoyed it. I have a walk in attic that runs the length of my home...and most of it is filled with Christmas lol. I am doing a bigger Village this year, I'm using my downstairs game room. Hopefully, I will be able to display my entire collection (I hope).
Thank you Shockwave! Do you have a village video?
Do you know how to make plastic snow cheap ? Get some of that crystalline white craft foam (such as Micheals sells), chop the sheets/blocks up into little pieces, the grind them up as fine as you like in a blender. The resultant ground foam looks just like real snow. Spread it all over your village and put some on top of your train cars for a real nice effect !