The ModFruGal household is in full-on Halloween mode now…we spent the last week road tripping around the Southeast while the Things were out of school, and we are now scrambling to get everything done.
I’ve been on tombstone duty, and it’s a real time-sucker, but fun and I think it will be totally worth it. I’m already thinking how many more we can crank out for next year…when there’s more time!
There’s a ton of good interwebs info on DIY tombstones…one of the best sites I found here. These guys don’t mess around. In the interest of time, I have morphed many of their ideas to take certain shortcuts and wing it the best we could. I’m pretty pleased with the results so far.
Through trial, and not so much error, but dorky persnickity-ness, I prefer to base coat the foam before carving out the epitaphs. Print out your info, pin it on and grab the x-acto knife and go. This takes awhile and there is a learning curve..but isn’t that always the way…with anything?
Once the name is carved, I paint it in with black craft paint and a very small brush. Then a final coat of faux stone spray paint and you’re done. There are purists out there who would hiss at me for not using a heavy latex base coat on everything to prevent marring the foam, but I think those abberrations make it look old and weathered so…I don’t. Plus..that whole time thing…
Here’s one I just finished today…
We’re also making a few cardboard ones since we had a big pile of broken down boxes waiting to be recycled, so we figured, why not? They’ll do, but the foam ones are the biz.
The CC has been building the pinata…It got its black coat today and is starting to look snazzy.
The CC has also discovered our magic weapon this year. Reflective tape. We had a couple of rolls and the CC started making these eyes out of them with coat hangers to scatter throughout the forest…I love them! Not just a pretty face that guy.
Oh, and it makes the Werewolf look a helluva a lot more menacing.
So I really need to get back to work. Thing Two and I just stained the new back steps (Yay!) and I’ve got 3 more epitaphs to carve so I can paint before the impending rain (BOOoooo! Although we need it.)
I haven’t been able to show you the completed brassy acquisition since the house is a total disaster. We haven’t eaten in the dining room in ages – it’s covered in Halloween projects.
More later my friends, much more……..Whaa Haa Haa!
Update: Here’s a couple of extra photos of the carving process I did tonight. Note to self: “Cracked” is NOT an easy font to carve…unless you don’t mind cramped fingers!
