The Tombstone Project: Results

Welcome to my front yard cemetery.


As you know, near the end of September I embarked on the Tombstone project. Inspired by a page I put together for Mahalo on Halloween Tombstones, I set out for Lowes hardware and purchased styrofoam insulation and a can of flat grey spray paint.

For my first attempt at do-it-yourself tombstones, I'm pretty proud of the turnout. I did learn a few lessons along the way, most importantly that if you want to use the 3/4 inch thick panels of insulation for anything higher than 18 inches, you'll want to double up. Overall, if I decide to expand the cemetery next Halloween, I'll definitely be upgrading to 1 1/2 inch thick panels for durability and a better carving surface to add awesome detail. The thinner panels don't stand up as well against heavy winds and the wire pieces used to stake them in the ground often pierced the back.

I'm pleased with the finished product. I added a ghost to our dead tree and some stake in the ground crows for a classic, old cemetery feel. Jason was actually surprised by how realistic it looked from the field across the street, quite a bit like one of those family cemeteries often found in Pennsylvania backyards.

Here's a slideshow of the final products. Like I said, I can't wait to expand the cemetery next year. I have a few ideas for some really cool relief etchings that just can't be done on such thin styrofoam.

The Halloween doesn't stop there! When you're done strolling through the cemetery, pop on over and visit Susan at Salt and Lemonade. She's been in the kitchen all afternoon baking delicious, pumpkin cupcakes!!