How do I Make Platform Displays for Department 56 Collectibles?

Set aside a good area to display your collectibles--somewhere in your house that people will be able to view and appreciate your scene. Choose a large, sturdy table or a large shelf. Since these items are breakable, you̵7;ll want a surface large enough so you won̵7;t have to put pieces where they can be knocked off.

Lay out your collectible pieces in an appealing scene. Then look it over. Are there pieces in the back that you can̵7;t see well? Create hills in your scene by placing these pieces on a block of wood or a brick.

Put the felt underneath your pieces; you may need to make a few adjustments to your "hills" to make them look real. Cut small slits in the felt for the wires from your pieces. Connecting them to a surge strip is recommended because you can turn them all on and off with the flip of a switch and you can plug multiple items into one strip (you may need more than one). Just be careful not to overload one outlet.

If you are doing a Christmas scene, try using white, sparkly felt. For an Easter scene, try green felt for grass. If you want to use a mirror to make an icy pond, cut a hole in the felt; make the hole smaller than the mirror and also irregular in shape, so it's real-looking. You can also add cotton or ̶0;fake snow̶1; to your Christmas scene.