Making a Winter Tabletop on a Budget

If you are like me, you don't have a dedicated game room so your tabletop needs to be something that can be set up and taken down.

Gaming Table: I use a folding table (it folds in half as well as collapsing it's legs so I can store it behind a couch). The table measures 30" x 72" (2.5' x 6').

Total Cost: $5.00 from a Salvage Yard

Prep Time: 30 minutes to clean up

Gaming Mat: To create a winter table top I purchased 2.5 yards of Blizzard Fleece Solids White from my local fabric shop. The fabric is 58" wide so it neatly covers the table, and can travel easily so I can cover a 4 x 6 table with ease. My wife helped me surge the edges to keep it intact. The fabric is draped over the table to create a nice, snowy looking surface.

Total cost, $10.50 at JoAnn's.

Prep time: 30 minutes on a sewing machine.

Winter Trees: I purchased a dozen packs of Christmas village trees from my local dollar store on December 26, and a few choice pieces from the Christmas village set (roll of snow covered fencing), well, gazebo, etc. (Yes, they thought it was a little weird to see a Chasidic Jew scoping out the Christmas village stuff... but what are you gonna do?)

Total Cost: $6.00 for the trees (on sale ½ price), another $4.00 for the extras (on sale ½ price)

Prep Time: Nil. Useable right out of the package.

Light-Up Street Lights and Street Signs for City Fights: Again, picked up from the Christmas village department at the local dollar shop on December 26. They come in packs of 4 and look really cool all lit up on a gaming table.

Total Cost: $6.00 for the trees (on sale ½ price), another $4.00 for the extras (on sale ½ price)

Prep Time: Nil. Useable right out of the package.

Icy Hills: Made from insulation foam like normal hills. I just paint them white with ice blue highlights to create snow covered hills instead of grassy hills.

Total Cost: $20.00 for the foam and $2.99 for the foam cutter from the Wal-Mart crafts section.

Prep Time: 4-5 hours to make enough hills for a 4 x 6 table.

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