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Does anyone have suggestions for brand/type of quilt batting to use as "snow" cover for a Christmas tree layout?  I went to Hobby Lobby but nothing looked great so I decided to ask here before I purchase anything.  The area I'm covering is 8 ft. x 15 ft. so it won't be cheap.  I don't want to drop $100 on something that looks bad.  My preference is for something thinner.  However, when looking at it in person, I became concerned that it would be transparent.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.  Thanks. 

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In previous years, I used the white batting.  I had to make sure everything underneath was white, or it would shine through.  A thicker batting may not have that problem.

2017-12-31 17.30.28

This year I painted a 2-inch piece of foam with two coats of white latex paint and sprinkled the WalMart brand snow on the second coat while wet.  It is still a work in progress on the 'What did you do on your layout today' Forum topic.

2018-11-13 20.18.15

 

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Joe Hohmann posted:

White matte-finish latex paint with "Diamond Dust" sprinkled on it while paint is still wet. Trust me on this one.

I trust you and I bet it looks great but I have a 8x15 ft. area for a floor layout.  I can't paint my hardwood floors.  Well, I guess I can but then I'll get divorced.  So I need to stick with the batting or something equally removable! 

Last edited by MikeH

I also use the thinner rolls of batting as mentioned previously. However, I first lay white bed sheets down so that flooring/carpeting won’t show through the batting.  I then lay my track and finish by sprinkling clear glitter over the batting (similar to diamond dust previously noted) taking care to avoid getting it directly on the track.  The glitter will give it a ‘frosted’ look of realism.  I’ve added a picture from our layout last year to give an idea of how it looks.

AAB13580-6F94-4752-8FAB-5E6F9B461777

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I used the white batting from the Walmart craft area.  It is thin and lays down great.  I also found bags of fake snow you can order online or get at Hobby Lobby that I put on the roadways.  I try to keep the fine snow particles away from the tracks though.  For roofs of buildings I will take cotton balls and rip parts of them off and stretch them out where you would have snow laying in the valley of the roofs, at corners of buildings etc... Also you can do the same thing and then take a light dusting of a tan or very light brown paint or chalk and make snow banks that you can point glue in certain places.  Let me know if anything I said does not make sense and I will elaborate further. 

Mark Boyce posted:

Gee!  Mrs. B. doesn't use makeup.  I'm not even sure which part of the facial recreation mascara is or the brush used!    I had better look it up online before shopping.   

Thank you Amflyer and Mrs. Amflyer.  

The Dollar Store is a great place to buy cheap cosmetics and their associated implements.

Mark Boyce posted:

Gee!  Mrs. B. doesn't use makeup.  I'm not even sure which part of the facial recreation mascara is or the brush used!    I had better look it up online before shopping.   

Thank you Amflyer and Mrs. Amflyer.  

Mark, 

I can see you now at the make-up counter saying "it's for my trains".  

(For some reason the Clark Griswold scene from Christmas Vacation comes to mind)

Mark Boyce posted:

In previous years, I used the white batting.  I had to make sure everything underneath was white, or it would shine through.  A thicker batting may not have that problem.

2017-12-31 17.30.28

This year I painted a 2-inch piece of foam with two coats of white latex paint and sprinkled the WalMart brand snow on the second coat while wet.  It is still a work in progress on the 'What did you do on your layout today' Forum topic.

2018-11-13 20.18.15

 

I just realized I need to post the final layout for 2018.  The extra level of mountains over the high line was Briansilvermustang's idea, so we dubbed the whole mountain, Mount Brian!

2018-11-24 15.05.002018-11-24 15.05.222018-11-24 15.06.032018-11-24 15.06.18

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Howard,

The backdrop is from My Village Holiday Village Accessories http://www.myvillage.us.com/

I have two.  They are sturdy 1/8-inch thick boards that fold, and have a different background on each side.  

I don't have them on this year's layout, because I forgot to leave a space for them to be supported until Mount Brian was too far along.  I decided to forego them instead of taking the mountain apart and re-configuring it since we have a deadline on Christmas Layout projects.  

Last edited by Mark Boyce

  Ice and snow flocking is another descriptive word for a search. 

A white or light cream throw rug, or other cloth, like towels, a sheet, tablecloth, curtain, under the fleece would help "color fill". Maybe provide a decorative boarder too.

      Snow piles and snowballs....Packing styrofoam in layers. Kinda like rock sculping except I rolled little balls off each pile or trail instead of cutting.  I wasnt sure it would work at all, and I never got around to paint and glitter after. The camera is pretty cruel; it's hard to see the spherical grains in person especially in the colored lights. Paint wouldve helped.

Alternately, it makes a good base for covering with fleece or batting and providing a firm surface for structures and figures. Sinking some figures, trees, and other stuff ankle deep in deep 'styro snow' helps them stay standing

It takes a while, but you'll likely find enough "perfect" balls to make a good pile, from "carving" each snowbank if you're supplying a snowball fight.

IMG_20180707_171037~2

 

 

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Mine is not as pretty looking as others shown above but here is my method for creating snow:
The base of the layout is covered in the white batting from Michaels and Walmart. I then placed all of the accessories, track, etc. down on top of said batting. Next, I used Buffalo Snow to create snow drifts since its bigger and fluffier (I also use it as filler for in-between my rock formations). Lastly, I covered buildings, cars, trees, etc. with a fine layer of Woodland Scenics powdered snow.

IMG_1560IMG_2576IMG_1596

Bryce

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Last edited by Oscale_Trains_Lover_

Is Buffalo Snow an option?

Buffalo Snow is a brand.  If you are referring to their snow blanket, I wouldn't use it as a base for a temporary layout.  As far as I know they come in 15" width, so you will need many rows of it and will be constantly trying to keep them aligned as you build your village.  I would use heavy white fleece as a base (like a few others have mentioned in other threads).  Then use the puffy/fiber fill material for adding snow banks, hills, hide cords, etc.  Also with the heavier fleece dark floors will not show through, and you can fold it up and reuse for many years.  The snow blankets are not very durable.

edit:  I purchased whit fleece from JoAnn fabrics.  It's available in 5' or 6' widths.

Don

Last edited by dmestan
@dmestan posted:

Buffalo Snow is a brand.  If you are referring to their snow blanket, I wouldn't use it as a base for a temporary layout.  As far as I know they come in 15" width, so you will need many rows of it and will be constantly trying to keep them aligned as you build your village.  I would use heavy white fleece as a base (like a few others have mentioned in other threads).  Then use the puffy/fiber fill material for adding snow banks, hills, hide cords, etc.  Also with the heavier fleece dark floors will not show through, and you can fold it up and reuse for many years.  The snow blankets are not very durable.

edit:  I purchased whit fleece from JoAnn fabrics.  It's available in 5' or 6' widths.

Don

Doing our first layout here and picked up the same from Joann the other night, really happy with the look of it.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Oscale_Trains_Lover_ Bryce, Yours looks fantastic.  Congratulations on the OGR article!  I think your snow is some of the best I have seen!

Mark,
Thank you for the kind words on the snow and article. I love the images of your 2018 Layout that you shared! Maybe I need to make an extra level, you can never have enough trains running

Bryce

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