A Walk In The Woods

Here is an easy base platform you can make for your Dept.56 Redwood Pines or any type of trees. I picked up a package of 20pc cut Birch Wood and a package of three Birch Wood coasters from JoAnns for $11.00.

The package of three Birch coasters will have at least one large and two smaller pieces. You want to glue the largest on top of the two smaller using Tacky Glue.

 

Next glue the small cut pieces going from one side to the other forming steps and a path. You will have gapes because the pieces are not the same thickness so just fill those in with snow or moss.

Don't glue the Redwood Trees to the Birch Wood. Mark and drill holes in the three Birch Wood pieces and screw them down using the screws that came with the pine trees.

Tree Lot Re-Fit

When i purchased the Original Snow Village Tree Lot, (#51381) I thought it was cute, but wondered why they didn't make it light up. So i decided to see what i could do to make it more interesting. Be careful not to drill holes or permanently alter your Dept.56 pieces so that they won't loose their value.

 First i changed out those light green trees with some frosted sisal trees. Next, i replaced the plastic x-mas lights on the fence posts. Be careful. Each post has a slot grooved into it so that the light cord can slide into and the glue is hard to remove. I used an xacto knife to pick the glue out to release the cords. Why be careful to remove them you ask? If for some reason you want to restore it, you will have the original parts and you do not want to damage the posts.

 Around the roof line of the shack there are wires in a open end loop. Gently open them just enough to remove the cord. Remember where the light cord starts and ends. You want to follow the same rout with a string of 24 Christmas LED lights. Start at the end post and follow it around to the shack and tack the power cord somewhere behind the shack. Now light it up and enjoy. It's a simple thing to do, but the simple things make a difference.

"Waiting For A Special Delivery"

One of my favorite materials to work with (and the easiest) is Balsa Wood. I got into this when i made a replica of the London Bridge in Junior High (many many moons ago) for my history class.

The mail box and fence posts are made of balsa wood. The fence wire is 22 gauge floral wire painted with acrylic water base paint in antique silver.

"CIC Deerfield Airport"

Featured at our third annual Department 56 Product Preview Show May 2013 at Canterbury Village Always Christmas Lake Orion Michigan.

Introduced for 2013 Christmas In The City "Deerfield Airport", "Flying Home For Christmas" and "First Class Flight".

Continuing my Bridge Tutorial we will be creating a set of steps. The last tutorial we will be adding walls, but you can use these steps by themselves if you desire.

This three part tutorial will take you through the steps on how to create perfect straight cuts.
My bridge design is ideal to use in just about any village series. Choose any color combination that would match your village landscape.