Pièce de résistance!!!

I meant to post this at the same time as the last post, but it took me a long time to figure out exactly how to layout the post.... so here it is!

OUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS VILLAGE! *2008 edition

This style of our village began some where around 1990, when my dad bought Momma a starter set of a Dickens' era village. Before that, she had a little tiny one made of cardboard buildings with colored-cellophane windows, I remember playing with the little tiny houses, pipe-cleaner people and the pretty church with "stained glass" windows.

Though the village started out small, it has grown to a wonderful size in the last twenty or so years! We have seven homes and cottages, a Church, a ski hill, two gas stations (to keep the prices honest, lol), eleven various businesses; including several restraunts and a Micheal's craft store! In past years we have had two trains, this year however, we only set up our HO-scale track and a few well loved train cars. (Our other train is an O-scale North Pole train with Santa and his elves ready to fill the stockings of all the good little girls and boys!) The HO train runs under a fantasticly engineered tunnel, which is topped by Nana's little cottage with greenhouses full of pretty flowers. A favorite place for the 18 grand- and great-grandchildren, her yard is the perfect place to have a snowball fight, test out your daring with a ski session down her steep hill. The children made sure Papa was included in thier fun by errecting a snowman in his honor over by the Snowangels. The older kids love to hang out in the sturdy treehouse, which they decorated with lights from the outside of the house!

As I said in my last post, we normally have a river that includes a waterfall. It spills into a 'lake' and then fades into a little pond that we use for iceskaters. I haven't been able to put this up yet, but I will post a new slide show when we get it done. I will give an explaination of the process then, just know that glycerine looks really cool when you pour it on a mirror! Anyway, down in front of the tunnel, there are several lakefront businesses. One is a coal depot for the train, it really is a cute piece that my brother gave to Mom a few years ago. There is a fishing rental shack, a seafood restrant, a doctors office, and a toy shop. On the other side of the track is a covered bridge that will span the river . The park is complete with a clock tower and a holiday carosel that plays carols. We also have another green house down there. We like little plants I guess. I was going to write a little more about each piece, but I had a hard time getting Blogger to obey, so I guess we have to settle for a slideshow! LOL

Picture Perfect

We haven't put the finishing touches on just yet.... the hills need trees and the village usually has a river>waterfall>lake>skate pond but we haven't 'built' it yet. That is on the agenda for this week....
Anyway, here are my pics! Enjoy, we sure do!


It's hard to believe that the mess that was my living room could turn into ... THIS!!!!

The piano is beautiful, so simple and elegant I think. I bought these candle holders for my mom last year and they are so fun to decorate for the different seasons.

The little tree is a musical cookie jar! The little trains on the base go around the tree.
What a perfect fit for our home!

This little piano belonged to my brother when he was a baby, every grandchild has enjoyed it's precious music. As you can see by the lack of the right leg, it has been well loved in it's 34yrs!
I bought this Santa's Advent calendar last year and really think it's cute. Putting it on the "little piano" means that it is just the right height for getting out little treats as we count down the days until Christmas! I made the Family picture at a Super Saturday for our ward (congregation) last month. Above that is a plaque that simply reads "Pray".



My mother's curio cabinet is full a beautiful things, but nothing is more precious to her than the collection of Napoleon hand crafted porcelain flowers that my father used to buy for her each Christmas. Always wrapped in a special package; no tag necessary, everyone in the family knew exactly who the beautiful gift was for. She placed this one at center this season. It is remarkable.

Close-up pics of the top.

"The Littlest Christmas Tree", it's just right for us and with the 'stars' to light the night, who could ask for more ?

AND NOW..... The Pièce de résistance!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Everywhere you go....

Well, it's deffinately Christmas time at our house. We have had the tree up now for exactly 2 weeks (yet to decorate... but we will soon), the Village* has been up now for a week and a half. The mantle and piano-tops are beautifully decorated, as is the entry and stairway banister. We started putting things together for decorations around the 16th... I know, that's early... I was getting dirty remarks from people in my classes and remind them that there were only 39, 38, 37... count 'em 26 days until Christmas! What can I say, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!! I had carols on in my car on Nov. 5th, as soon as the elections were over!

Oh, funny side note story. I had to have some work done on my car (to repair the crunch when I was rearended this summer) and when all was said and done, I had to return the rental car, ect. Well, the man who drove me back to the collision place was teasing me that I had Christmas cd's in the stereo (it was Nov. 18). We were listening to a special cd that my family made as gifts one year. It has all different carols that are favorites of my parents and siblings. Anyway, I told this man about why I made it and he laughed and said, "That's a great gift idea, are you going to give me one?" I smiled at him and said "Absolutely! You can have this one in fact!" I had the case in my purse and pulled it out, took out a pen and wrote "Thanks for the ride! It was nice to meet you. Happy Holidays From Jessica Worley and Family, 2008" and then I took out the CD and handed it to him. He was SO shocked! Then he got excited, he said his wife was going to be so thrilled and that she loved carols too. He was all smiles when he dropped me off, he thanked me agian as he shook me hand and then he gave me a hug and wished me "Happy Holidays!" It was really awesome! I love when I get the chance to spread Holiday Cheer!

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!" ~Buddy the ELF