Post by jane on Feb 9, 2014 22:01:02 GMT -5
Hello! My name is Jane and I live in Metro Atlanta. I learned about the Fontanini collection in 2007 while looking for a Nativity online. I grew up in the Philippines seeing a Nativity under our Christmas tree every year and I missed that when I moved to the U.S. and celebrated my first Christmas here without a Nativity. I wasn't really looking for a fancy set when I started my search online. However, when I laid eyes on the Fontanini, I fell in love with the figures and the design of the stable! I bought the 5" scale 2008 Centennial Collection 9-piece Figure Set & Lighted Nativity Scene which was on sale that time, plus a few accessories & landscaping. I planned to add more to my set but never got around to actually doing it until my husband and I visited France in May last year and we got acquainted with the "santouns" (or "small saints") of Provence. The "santouns" are 2.5-15 cm. handpainted terracotta nativity scene figurines first created during the French Revolution. We visited the Santon Museum at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse where a miniature village was displayed. Seeing that display inspired me to create my own Fontanini village at home. Before Christmas last year, I decided to add more shepherds, animals and a few other buildings and accessories to my set. I really liked them so I decided to buy more to create a small village. After Christmas, I thought of making my Bethlehem village bigger and putting them on display year-round minus the Christmas figures. My collection is displayed in our living room on 3 uniform tables. I've laid them out with some empty wooden wine boxes providing varying levels but I'm still trying to figure out how to landscape the display. I'll post pictures sometime or when I'm done with the landscaping part.