Halloween :)

[purr]

I always tell people Halloween is my favorite holiday cause " I don't have to cook and none of my relatives are going to show up".
I do love it, but last year only 2 kids showed up and I decorate the front porch and do a graveyard, too.
I Make my own gravestones out of board insulation, The names on them are usually yankee players, A-rod, That traitor Damons. and others.
I give out those extra large candy bars to anyone who shows up and the children in my family get a chinese take out style box in halloween patterns filled with all kinds of stuff.
I will be going to salem sometime around Halloween with my daughter and some of her friends.
I love Salem, I don't like haunted houses.Too scary!
Went to a haunted field when we lived in Michigan. Funniest thing I ever saw, they had a guy in a Barnie suit laying on the ground underneath a car,like it had run him over.The little kids didn't appreciate it though.
One of my favorite years from Halloween, DD was 6 and she had the flu ,she was so upset she couldn't go trick or treating , and not get any candy . DH put on a mask and went for her, to our relatives houses. Everyone would say where's Erica and he would explain she was sick and they both made out like bandits.This was a big deal cause he hates going trick or treating.

 

[cmcgoun]

I do the same thing to make tombstones I have made 50 of them so far this year now I have 100 all together yay!!! I went to Salem Last year it was so fun! But how could you not go in at least one haunted house???!

 

[Chicky Joy]

What do you do to make your own tombstones? We have a large front yard and I was just thinking it would be sweet if I turned it into a graveyard for halloween. Uh-oh, the wheels are turning now...Any tips?

 

[cmcgoun]

Yea I could explain it to you but I would rather direct you to this site that has tons of how to's and teaches you how to make the best tombstones.

http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/

You have to scroll down really far past the list, and almost at the bottom until you see another section that says Gravestones and Tombstones.

 

[purr]

well the way I do it is you need letter stencils thick board insulation and a can of black spray paint. If you spray it on to thick it starts to eat away at the styrofoam and that just makes the gravestone look older and worn.

Cut the foam into different stone shapes, paint whole stone lightly ,then paint words on using the stencils. And you can go back and darken up some spots to make it look old.
stick a double pointed dowel in the bottom and stick in the ground.

 

[cmcgoun]

yea thats a good idaea

 

[Chicky Joy]

What's the best way to cut the styrofoam? Is 1" thick ok?

 

[cmcgoun]

1 inch thick is great! you can you an exacto knife or razorblade you can even use a hot knife

 

[Chicky Joy]

Hmmm...should I use a template? Anybody have any pics of homemade styrofoam headstones?

 

[cmcgoun]

I have pictures of my cemetary. You can use templates altough using a hot knife would make the lettering stand out better

heres a catacomb I made out of cardboard

and the cemetary