Miniature Christmas village [in a jar]

Every year I walk by the Christmas displays and stop in my tracks when I get the first glance of the miniature Christmas village display. My heart melts when I peek through the itty bitty windows and see children opening presents or Santa coming down the chimney. Little cars driving down a little road, baby trees covered in miniscule little snowflakes. Agree? Aren’t they darling?

Then I get a glimpse of the price tag and there they stay in the store. I can’t afford for them to come home with me.

While I was decorating my Christmas themed mantel I came up with an idea to get a similar look.

My favorite color combinations around this time of year do not involved the classic color combination: red and green. I like to use un-traditional contrasting colors from the rest of the color wheel. Last year I created this little vignette

and wanted to create a similar feeling using the same color combinations. I started with my collection of Ball jars that were begging to be lined up along my mantel.

Then filled the jars with a little bit of epson salt (found in the pharmacy first aid isle.) I can’t believe how much this product looks like snow. It even has the same crunchy sound and feel of  a fresh snow fall.

I then purchased mini trees and other miniature village characters, snowmen, etc. I ended up finding my minatures at the Dollar Tree.

Strategically placing them where you want them tells the sweetest little story, almost like a snow globe.

To create the entire look I placed some plastic jingle bells that I faux painted to look like aged metal.

click image to see the jingle bell tutorial

and some lit greenery that I had purchased a few years back. I found this darling lace collar at a boutique in my favorite flea market. By simply cutting the collar it created a lace banner to drape across the front of my fireplace.

Aside from my entry way tree

these are the only decorations that I have completed.

Have you finished you holiday decorating?

Related posts:

1. A Christmas tree for your kitchen
2. Holiday recap
3. Evergreen wreath
4. decking the halls
5. Salt dough recipe and a deal you can’t pass up!