Boxes are your friend...

The idea:  Stack boxes to form walls and ruins of walls.
Cardboard is your friend!  Freezer boxes and the like usually come unprinted on the inside. For a more 3-D effect use old boxes you have turned inside out, or buy a stack of new boxes (inexpensively from Uline.com).

Depending on your "permissions" you can fix or stack the boxes against the wall in a variety of ways.

Way 1:  Lay out boxes on the floor and use packing tape to tape the back of it. Then, hang the cardboard wall . In this photo, we bought new plain boxes, used a glue gone to glue the boxes firmly to each (while lying on the floor), then tacked them to the door frame. they stood up surprisingly well.  We were asked not to tack into the drywall, but had to in two spots using long "hatpins" to be unobtrusive. They held for over two years. Alternately, you could glue the boxes to a thin lattice made of 1x1 wooden slats, then fix slats to the wall in as few points as needed or permitted. (Don't want it falling over!)

Way 2:  Cut rectangular squares of cardboard and staple to a framework of wood slats. Prop/fix wood framework to the wall. Make your shapes irregular.

Way 3:  Paint your cardboard (or wall, or big sheets of drywall). Use sponges to create texture, or use Textured paint. As it dries you can "stiple" it to give it texture.  You can also get a similar effect by using beige paint and adding sand to the paint. (ask the paint store for sand)

Variation:  Clever Mudbrick & Straw "Walls"    Before you apply the textured paint, sprinkle some short pieces of straw on the cardboard, then paint over it with your "mud".

Variation:  Buy sheets of drywall and decorate them with any of the above methods. 4x8 sheets can be propped up against the walls to form a "low village wall".  Be sure to put the drywall into the corner of the room so you can fasten the sheets at right angles for more stability. Tack to the baseboard if you are not allowed to fasten to the original drywall.

FABRICS are your friend...

Sunday Schoolers have done some amazing things with fabric store remnants and old sheets to decorate their classrooms.

Example:  On the right you can see a sheet slung over two hanging pvc pipes fastened to the tracks of a drop ceiling.

Create a dramatic "tented" door entrance with this simple trick: 

1. Tack a colorful sheet of fabric along the top of your door frame. Let it hang down about 3 feet.
2. Get two poles, about 8 feet each, and tie each of the two hanging ends to poles.
3. Fasten the bottom of each pole to the bottom of the door frame (using hardware or something as simple as twine to keep the bottom of the pole flush against the door frame. Adjust.
 

Fabric hung in the corner is very effective as well.

Looking to create a big tent but unsure how how to build the frame?

• Use PVC pipe with connectors. Easy to set up and easy to take down and reuse later.  For more rustic effect, use brown enamel spray paint on the pvc pipe (check with paintstore to make sure the paint will stick to the pvc.
• You can also purchase a large free-standing tent, the kind seen at parties and events, and swag the inside with and visible outside parts of the tent with colorful remnant fabrics or canvas tarps.

Decorate with Palm Trees and Plastic Ficus trees

Home stores frequently have sales on plastic ficus trees and bushes. They'll last for years and find many uses.

Online Party decoration suppliers sell fun looking cardboard palm trees for between $6 and $8 each that can be pinned to any wall and will last a long time.

How to make Joseph's Well in 5 minutes

Buy a washtub, sit it up on sturdy boxes, and wrap tightly with canvas painters cloth. Spray paint the cloth with grey paint to create a 'stone' look.

How to make Joseph's Well --version 2:

Build a 3 x 3 x 4' high wooden frame and cover with painted cardboard. Paint 'blocks' on the cardboard. Put a tub at the bottom of it.  Remember to paint and place a box "stone lid" on the well. If you get really inspired, put a rope with a "skin" bucket down in it.

Buy "stone walls"  and sky.

Many online party catalogs sell rolls of corrugated cardboard printed with stone patterns on them. I've reused such for many different scenes. They also sell 'gossamer' ...which is a strong but very light/thin fabric that comes on big rolls and various patterns, including clouds.

**Note from experience: Do not buy concrete blocks. They hurt when they fall over.