Christmas village ski slope

I had an empty wall in my relatively small train room. The layout is 8'x10' (see my earlier post An Eclectic 8x10 Action-Packed Layout http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/an-eclectic-8x10-action-packed-layout). I could have added display shelves, put up a background panel or added to my layout. My wife had the idea of adding a removable mountain. So, I began to think (obsess?) about it. I am a fanatic skier, so I wondered about adding a ski area. The Brawa operating ski lifts seemed too...

As my Department 56 collection has grown, I've finally found a solution for building the perfect wooden base for this christmas village display.

Kimberly Maness built this grand festive village out of foam which features cobblestone roads and pathways, brick walls and steps, a central mountain focal point, and a light snow oever everything. #department56 #christmasvillage #snowvillage #festivedecor #christmascollection

My kids are pretty excited to help set up our Christmas village. I am glad my son is still at an age where he likes to climb in the attic and help haul out the boxes. My daughter was part of the assembly line too, although she was too cool to wear her Santa hat this year! I keep each of the pieces in their original boxes for a few reasons. One- It will be handy if we ever move again, Two- it keeps the buildings and the foam packing relatively clean and lastly, if I ever have to sell any…