Hi guys, Where a small shop, surounded by loads of big named shops.  There is a competition in the town where there is always a Dickensian Christmas Market.  The council are putting on a compition on the best dickensian style window display for xmas.  We cant afford to spend alot but we really want to win this as we want to donate the prize money to a local dogs home who desperately need help.

Does anyone have any ideas where I could start? where to buy pre made things like, cardboard cut outs etc.  Im not arty in the slightest but wana put my all in it this year to win the prize for the rescue.

Also our window is in our reception area so dont have huge amout of space. for floor standing furnature etc.

Hope someone can help on an idea and where I can buy some stuff from.

Thanks in advance

Mx

http://www.dickensworld.co.uk/take-a-tour.php - hopefully this will give you some ideas on how to decorate. Hope that helps!

Brill thanks gembo. 

Does any off our craft friends know if you can buy things such as cadboard cut outs of scene such as the ones on the website above, I just though I like the idea of putting the old style houses along the bottom of the window or if I can get huge ones I could hang them fromt the cieling tiles above the window?

http://www.galleryone.com/images/morrissey/morrissey%20-%20christmas%20carol%20a.jpg

Hi, I typed 'a christmas carol' in google and clicked on images - loads of pics came up. Perhaps you could get some ideas from pictures and maybe paint a scene or get someone to paint a scene for you? We do it every year for the school pantomine and its not as difficult as you think - perhaps start with a black sky scene and cut out tiny holes to put little led christmas lights - one in each hole and set to twinkle so that you have little twinkling stars then make the ground with cotton wool and add silver glitter for a snow effect. Perhaps if you could get hold of somes random sized shoe boxes and cereal/food boxes you could use these for the houses - paint each one seperatley taking colour and design ideas from the dickens website?? Add little lamposts - either try making some or have a look in places like hobby craft or model shops then add some victorian figures (for example ebay Item number: 220287157587) and a horse and carraige - I'm sure you will find one on ebay or somewhere then to finish the display off, a mini christmas tree decorated with a victorian theme - just use you imagination and I'm sure it will be great!

Just a seed of an idea - dogs dressed in Dickensian style clothing like paper dolls on cardboard cutouts with a notice saying you want to donate the prize money to the local dogs home? or something with poochy pictures. For cardboard cutouts I'd use a printer, cut out the figures I liked and glue them onto posterboard.

Or, maybe just a scene from a story like the Christmas Carole. An old junky childs chair with a doll or stuffed dog dressed up like scrooge could be asleep by a fire with some spirits hanging down from the ceiling. I'm off on a waffle now!