Our Christmas Village Display Cabinet
I have no pics of the before because this was pre my blogging days, but trust me when I say that it was a terrible 1970’s looking wood grain that made the design on the doors look so dated. And there was a really funky orange and brown pattern on the back wall of the inside.
I gave the whole thing a good cleaning, sanded it down, primed it, and painted it a nice sage green. Then I painted the back inside wall with a very dark navy blue. The lighted houses look really lovely against it.
We set up our village and hid the cords on the side of the china cabinet next to the window. That way that mess isn’t seen. For the lighted houses we used some cords that have three bulbs attached and a few that have five. These multi-cords make lighting this many houses so much easier.
Here are a few close ups.
Yes, that’s a cat you see sleeping on the top of the china cabinet. That’s Salty’s favourite spot. It’s nice and cozy up there when the living room wood stove is going.
Now we leave our village set up year round. It’s so nice to not have to pack it up and then unpack it again. There are so many other things to do when the Christmas season arrives.
We really enjoy it, and we light it up almost every night in the fall and winter. It looks so pretty, and somehow it reminds us of a simpler time.
On another festive note, I’m so excited to be co-hosting the Winter Wonders and Holiday Happenings link party on December 7th. The button is on my sidebar. Be sure to pop back and link up your fabulous Christmas projects.
Thanks so much for reading!
Oh Tuula, that is amazing. love love love it!
Thanks so much Mel! I'm so glad we don't have to unpack it anymore. That was way too much work! Thanks so much for stopping by!
amazing display…reminds me of my mom's giant book shelf loaded with villages. sad to say she's downsized.
Thanks very much! We love collecting these pieces. It can be quite addictive. Thanks so much for visiting!
Oh I just Love your christmas village in the hutch! I have a similar hutch and now I'm thinking that would be such an awesome thing to do this holiday!
http://asktracyann.crochethappy.com/2012/11/learn-to-crochet-online.html
Thanks so much Tracy! We get a lot of enjoyment out of our display. I'm sure you would enjoy yours too!
I love what you have done! I had a neighbor at my previous house who kept hers up all the time in a large breakfront, too.
I don't have but a few pieces, so I have never invested in a piece to display them. They wind up all over!
Thanks so much! We used to display ours all over the house too. Until we found this large piece that can handle all of them at once. We were very lucky because it was an amazing deal. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Oh my goodness! This is the best idea i've seen in a long time! I'm totally pinning this
I"m your newest follower from the GFC blog hop
followme@ http://www.studentswife.com
Thanks very much! I appreciate you stopping by and following. It's so great to have you along!
Just beautiful Tuula!!! And what a great idea to keep your village on display –
I always had a village when the kids were younger – and have no idea where all of the pieces ended up
Hugs,
Suzan
Thanks so much Suzan! Leaving it up permanently makes Christmas life sooo much easier, and more enjoyable. I think I may be getting a little lazy in my old age. lol.
Wow that is very lovely display you have there. Do you leave them there all year or do you put them away? My sister has hugh village and we put it up every year. I will definitely be posting pictures of it.
I am following you from the GFC hop and enjoyed visiting your blog. I would love for you to follow along.
Jillian
http://puzzlemecomplete.blogspot.com/
Hi Jillian: We do leave them up all year now. It's so nice to enjoy them whenever we want, and it's such a big job to pack them up and then unpack them again the next Christmas. Thanks so much for stopping by and following. It's so great to have you along. I'll definitely be popping in for a visit.
Your Christmas village is beautiful! I have one that I was my Grandma's and I love it. Found you through a GFC blog hop and excited to be a new follower. I hope you will stop by my blog if you get a chance!
Chrissy
http://www.thetaylor-house.com
Thanks so much Chrissy! How wonderful to have such a treasure from your Grandma. These villages are so lovely to look at and enjoy. Thanks for stopping by! I'm on my way to your blog now.
This is wonderful! What a collection! This cabinet for permanent display is a great idea and you have certainly transformed it into a showpiece !: )
Thanks so much Debra! I wish I had taken before pics (because it was really hideous), but this was before I started blogging and I didn't think of it. Thanks for stopping by!
oh this is amazing. love.
Aloha Sweet Friend,
We are gathering for An Aloha Affair , a sweet sort of mingling and sharing and growing together. I would so love it if you'd join us. You will always be welcome, anytime. Save ya a seat?…
xo,
Nicole
localsugarhawaii.com
Thanks for the invite Nicole! I appreciate you stopping by!
Hey Tuula, I just wanted to let you know that I really like your blog and I nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award! See this post for more info: http://sarahsaturdiy.blogspot.com/2012/11/liebster-blog-award.html
Congrats on your award Sarah! I'm really enjoying your blog as well, and It's so sweet of you to nominate me. Thank you so much for thinking of me. I really appreciate it.
Love this big display cabinet. Your village looks perfect in it!
Thank you so much! I appreciate you stopping by for a visit!
$20?? That is crazy! What a great display and how nice that you can leave it up all year long! Thanks for sharing this at Think Tank Thursday. We hope to see you again soon.
I know!! It's crazy! This cabinet is probably the best deal we've ever found, and we love it. Thanks so much for stopping by, and for hosting the party. It's always a pleasure to join in the fun.
Tuula, Thanks so much for sharing this inspiring Christmas Village on Simple & Sweet Fridays. It's beautiful!
Jody
Thanks Jody! It's always such fun to join the party.
First I am stunned…$20! Wow -that is a steal. Ad it so perfectly houses your Christmas village…amazing!
I know! Crazy, right! We were the only bidder. I remember joking with the hubby that if we waited a little longer before bidding they might have paid us to take it away. It really was that hideous, but we're very happy with it now. Thanks so much for popping in!
That is fabulous!! I can't believe you only paid $20. It is beautiful. I love the idea of leaving out your Christmas Village. I have so many, and just finished putting mine up today! Thank you so much for sharing again this week at A Bouquet of Talent. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Thanks so much Kathy! Leaving the village out all year makes Christmas life so much easier, and we can enjoy it any time we want. The only problem is we've pretty much run out of room. Time to find another cabinet project. lol. I hope you're posting some pics of yours. I'd love to see it!
Tuula 🙂
Loved the pumpkin made from the tea cups. It would be a great piece for afternoon with the girls. lol. Also the clock of screwdrivers and the blade was a lot of fun.I will give them a try with you blessing I hope.
Christine.
Thanks so much Christine!