Dear Readers,
Hope you´re doing well!
It´s been a while since my last post. These past few months have been very busy and stressful. When life gets crazy, I usually lose my interest in Sylvanians to the point that the idea of giving up this hobby crossed my mind more than once. Fortunately, things seem to be improving and my motivation is coming back.
For the past five years, I´ve published a Christmas story or at least some Christmas pictures. This year, I wasn´t sure if I could keep up with "this tradition" but eventually, I gathered enough motivation to do it. I intended to have this post ready a few days before Christmas Day but finally I run out of time.
As in Spain Christmas celebrations have only just begun and they last until the 6th of January, I guess I´m still in time.
The scenes of this post ,except one of them, are not set up in Sweet Berry Valley but in the Main shopping Street in Town
Hope you like them!
Christmas is around the corner and the Grand Department Store is the best place to find the perfect gift in Town.
The Main Shopping Street is usually bustling with activity all year round but at Christmas time it gets even busier.
Let´s meet some of the Sylvanians who live in Town. I guess, most of them must be doing their Christmas shopping, going for a walk along the festively decorated streets or enjoying a meal at a restaurant.
One of the best restaurants is the Delicious Restaurant that, as its name suggests, serves the finest and tastiest food in Town and it´s just beside the department store,
This glamorous celebrity couple has just enjoyed lunch at the restaurant and are going to continue with their Christmas shopping. She is an actress and he is a popular TV presenter in Sylvania.
Talking about famous Sylvanians, look who is just leaving the department store . No more no less than the most sought-after pianist in town! Lionel Grand!.He performs regularly at the Grand Department Store and the Delicious Restaurant in the evenings. I wonder who the gifts he bought are for. He is so reserved that ,despite being so popular, little is known about his private life.
Someone who is also famous in town for being in all the best fashion shows is Alicia Persis. She is a catwalk model who always wears the most fabulous outfits and shoes. It must be tricky to walk so stylishly in high heels along the cobbled streets of town.
Alicia Persis is a good friend of Stella Chocolate who works as a fashion designer. Some of her beautiful dresses are sold in the Grand Department Store and she also works at the clothing section helping customers choose the outfit that best suit them. During one of her work breaks, Stella went to get some fresh air on the balcony of the department store. The city looked so lovely with all the Christmas decorations! She was admiring the big Christmas tree in the middle of Main Square and counting the minutes left to go back home for Christmas.
She was absorbed in her thoughts and couldn´t imagine someone was about to surprise her with a Christmas gift.
It was William Cinnamon, the department store manager´s son. He also works there and is always very kind to Stella. She thinks he is nice and regards him as a friend but I´m afraid William has stronger feelings for her.
I´m sorry but there´s no picture of the present. I can tell you that Stella liked it a lot and kissed William on his cheek . Will this friendship develop into a relationship? Time will tell...
Stella left work earlier that day. She had some errands to run and she also had to pack her luggage before heading to Sweet Berry Valley. She couldn´t wait to spend Christmas with her family!
By the way, a family that lives in Town and visited Sweet Berry Valley some time ago is the Tuxedo Family.
The Tuxedos loved Sweet Berry Valley but they haven´t made up their mind about moving out. Mason enjoys his job as an architect and he has more job opportunities in Town than in a village. He took part in the project of the design of the Grand Department Store and some other buildings.
Their triplets enjoy going to the department store. They have fun at the revolving door and if they are good kids they always get some chocolate or a sweet as a treat. Today they must have behaved very well since they got a candy cane each.
Another family that is also living and working in Town is the Maple family. Today, Georgina, Millie, her daughter, and Alfie and Misty, the youngest of the family, went shopping to the department store.
Gerogina runs the Creamy Gelato Shop but now it´s closed for the winter months.
Her husband Theodore is the tram driver and Jasper, his son, is learning to drive the tram, so at the weekends and on holidays he keeps his father company on the tram drives along town.
We´ll probably meet them later. Actually, Lionel Grand and Alicia Persis are already waiting at the tram stop.
While we wait for the tram, let me show you some pictures of the main shopping street from different angles.
I also made an attempt to show you how the department store looks in the evening, when its Christmas lights are on .
"Ding-a-ling". Look! The tram is coming!
Little Alfie is running to catch the tram. "Daddy, wait for us!"
The whole Maple family got on the tram. Miranda, the oldest daughter was also there. She loves flowers and nature since she was a little girl and she would like to open his own flower shop.
Stella managed to have all her errands done after work. Then, she packed all the gifts in her big pink suitcase and went to catch the tram to go the bus station. She was so excited to see her family again!
From the balcony of the department store, William Cinnamon waved Stella good-bye. He insited on giving her a lift to the bus station but, much to his dissapoinment ,she didn´t accept the offer.
After a few hours of travel, Stella arrived at Sweet Berry Valley. When she knocked on the door, her parents and siblings crowded together at the porch to welcome her warmly.
Stella was elated to see them again and was looking forward to hugging them.
She was happy to be home for Christmas. Now, it was time to relax, enjoy and spend time with her loved ones.
I look forward to the coming days when, like Stella in this picture, I can meet up my parents, sister and relatives and I can hug them again. This year, I didn´t reunite with my family because of the covid situation. It´s best to be on the safe side to avoid risking my parents´health. But despite this, I had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my husband and kids and we still have more festive days to celebrate.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day!
I also hope you enjoyed my first post about SF Town.
When I first saw the Town Series, I said I wouldn´t buy any of the buildings.I wasn´t even fond of the figures dressed up in fancy satin outfits. I must admit I was wrong. Never say never!,my mum would say in these cases.
Little by little, the elegant and sophisticated style of this series won me over. Last Christmas, I got the tram as a gift. Shortly after, I found the Grand Department Store at a reduced price so I couldn´t resist. The details and engravings of this building are absolutely gorgeous.
The older sisters were also added to my collection little by little and last June my husband and my children got me the Delicious Restaurant for my birthday. I didn´t expect it at all and it was a great surprise.
Believe it or not, most of these sets and figures, were still boxed. It was high time to unbox them and that´s what I did.
I also made some crafts and decorations and I made an attempt to wrap up some of the figures with warm clothes.
Sending you my best wishes for the rest of the holiday season and for the New Year.
Take care and stay safe, my friends!
Hugs!
So wonderful to see a new story from you! A lovely Christmas story with all the characters coming to life like a real movie! Your setting is fantastic and considering the size of these buildings this must have occupied a lot of space! Love the festive decorations and the outfits you've made! I really enjoyed the introduction of the town's citizen and Stella's story is so sweet and heartwarming!
ResponderEliminarSo happy you're back! Have a wonderful holiday season my friend!
Thanks a lot for your kind words, Sylvanako!
EliminarI´m glad to be back in the Sylvanian mood again!
Unboxing the Town Series sets was very therapeutic and setting up the scenes was fun too.
This buildings occupy a lot of space! I couldn´t take a picuture of the top of the dome because I have a shelf just above.
I wish I didn´t have to take everything away after the photo session. I think you have the same problem. It would be great to have a room to keep permanent displays but I won´t mind setting up the Town again for coming stories.
Have a wonderful week, my friend!
Hi Cutata!
ResponderEliminarHappy Holidays!
This post and your beautiful pictures were a treat, as always! I absolutely adored each and every one of them.
I enjoyed seeing your most sophisticated Sylvanians, so impeccably dressed for the cold, doing their shopping in the gorgeous Department Store, as well as reading a bit about them. The decorations you made were gorgeous, and your wonderful eye for detail really shows, as always! Everything it's in its place.
The Tuxedo babies playing in the revolving door was cuteness overload!
I wonder if Stella's feelings for William will change? Only time will tell, indeed!
For now, I'm glad she was able to reunite with her family. It was so heartwarming to see! I wanted to see them celebrate together, too! Hehe.
I have that same sled! What a coincidence!
The pictures with the tram were so lovely! The one where it is just arriving is my favourite. I love how you captured the buildings and so many Sylvanians in the shot. Each and every one of them looks alive. Amazing picture!
Little Alfie running for the tram was so adorable. I love how it really looks like he's in a hurry, and moving. Lovely!
I'm very happy you managed to gather enough motivation to take these wonderful pictures and write the post. Thank you so much for sharing with us!
I hope you have a wonderful time with your husband and children for the rest of the festivities and that next year we're all able to reunite with our families for the holidays.
Big hugs, and have a wonderful Sunday!
Ayrell, thanks a million for your lovely comment!
EliminarI´m glad you liked my new post.
It took me longer than I expected to have everything ready but I really enjoyed it. It was great to go back to my Sylvanians!
I´m happy to know you noticed how little Alfie is running to catch the tram.
The picture with the tram arriving is also my favourite. It was lovely to look at it in person. The Town series buildings are lovely.
The first Christmas story I wrote five years ago featured the Chocolate Rabbit family so it would have been great to take more pictures of the whole family, incluiding the grandparents, celebrating Christmas together but that would have taken me even longer and I was running out of time to post it in time for Christmas.
I also hope you enjoy the rest of holiday season and hopefully next year we´ll be able to spend Christmas with our families.
Have a wonderful week, my friend!
What lovely scenes, Cutata! You have really made your Town scene - and the characters, with these little glimpses into their lives - come alive.
ResponderEliminarI am glad you and your husband and children are enjoying Christmas together. I hope you are able to see the rest of your family soon!
Thanks very much for your kind comment, GreyRabbit!
EliminarEven though the woodland theme is still my favourite for Sylvanians, the Town series is also lovely and I´m glad to have added some sets and buidings to my collection.This way, villagers from Sweet Berry Valley can have the possibility to travel to Town to go shopping, attend a concert or enjoy a nice meal at a fancy restaurant in special occasions.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday season.
Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!
I'd never really seen the appeal of the town series; the official photos and videos didn't really do much for me, but my goodness! You've achieved something they didn't. Your pictures are beautiful. You've brought everything to life and they are a pleasure to see.
ResponderEliminarThe characters in fancy clothes no longer seem to be simply mannequins. They are a proper community and you've conveyed it perfectly. The Maples bustling about (love the hat on the baby), shoppers going about their business, the amazing long shots giving an overview of their individual activities... and a story to bind it together. Cutata is back and as skillful as ever!
I also love the wonderful scene with the arrival of the tram. Thank you for such a treat.
I hope you and your family have a safe and happy 2021.
Hi Jackson!
EliminarThanks a million for your kind words! Your comment made my day:D
I´m glad to know you like my picutures despite not being a fan of the town series.At the beginning, it didn´t appeal to me either but you know how addicitive this hobby is.Little by little the sophisticated style of the buildings and the fancy outfits have grown on me. Having said that, villages in the countryside with their valleys, forests , rivers and fields are still my favourite places for Sylvanian. I´ll probably take more pictures or write stories of Sylvanians in Town but my favourite place for my Sylvanians is and always will be Sweet Berry Valley.
Have a wonderful year, my friend!
Hello Cutata! It was so interesting to look around the town and meet some of its very stylish and elegant citizens! The buildings all look wonderful with the Christmas decorations and the way you dressed each Sylvanian for winter or posed them made it seem so alive and real.
ResponderEliminarI love the photos of the Maple cats! They are such a cute family, and baby Misty's hat is just adorable!
I will be interested to see if anything more does come out of Stella and William's friendship... But I'm very glad she was able to get home her family and enjoy Christmas with them.
I hope you continue to have lovely Christmas and New Year celebrations with your own family. Happy New Year!
Hi Kelsie!
EliminarThanks a lot for your lovely comment!
I enjoyed setting up the main shopping street in Town.I intended to take pictures of the interior of the department store but it took me a good while to decorate the buildings and wrap up my Sylvanians so I´ll take pictures of the different sections of the department store some other time.
I agree with you on how lovely the Maple cats are. My sister gave them to me for my birthday, last June and I just unboxed them a few days ago. I love their bright orange colour.
As for Misty´s hat I made it with the fingertip of a mismatched glove and a hair tie around. I wish I could knit but I haven´t got a clue so I have to look for other alternatives.
I don´t know if the friendship between Stella and William will develop into something else. I´m sure William wouldn´t mind at all.
Hope you and your family have a wonderful year!
Thank you so much for creating and posting this! I'm a huge Sylvanian Families fan! I used to collect them. Then I moved and all my toys, including the Sylvanians, at my parents' house got donated T_T (They donated the toys without asking me about the Sylvanians, which I love the most even as an adult). Now with COVID my financial situation isn't doing very well and the Sylvanians have become unaffordable :( But seeing you having fun with this as an adult, seeing all the families being loved and cared for really brings me joy ^_^ I'll follow your blog! <3
ResponderEliminarHi!
EliminarThanks a lot for you kind words!
Welcome to my blog!
I´m sorry to hear your childhood collection of toys was donated. Your parents should have asked you first but I imagine they thought you weren´t interested in toys any more. When I started my collection nearly six years ago,one of the things that surprised me, but made me happy at the same time, was to find out that sylvanians were cherished not only by kids but also by adults. Actually, I like sylvanians more than my three children and most of the friends I made thanks to this hobby are grown-ups. At first my family found it funny my interest in these"toys" but now they like them too, even my parents think "these little animals "are cute.
Covid has affected everything badly.I really hope your financial situation improves this new year so that you can afford to buy Sylvanians again.
Wishing you a safe and happy 2021!
Gorgeous scenes, Cutata!
ResponderEliminarHow nice that you got a chance to take some christmas photos after all.
It's a pleasure to see everyone dressed up so nicely (and warm), having a good time shopping together at the beautiful shopping center.
I have this building too and have yet to take pictures of the Riversiders enjoying it.
Take care and best wishes,
Nina and the Riversiders
Hi Nina,
ResponderEliminarSorry for taking so long to reply to your comment but I haven´t been active blogging for a the past few months. I´m sure you understand.
I´d love to see the Riversiders going shopping to the Department Store. Hope you can take some pictures or write a storie to feature this building.
Have a wonderful week!
Hugs!