# Bars & Stones for my Hospital for the Criminally Insane.



## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

Built these. 
Not planning to rust the bars nor age the stones. (I am lazy )
What do y'all think?


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## scarrycher (May 30, 2012)

I like the bars better than the window treatment you were trying, at least you will be able to see those at night, "lazy"?? you must have spent some time on the stones as well as the bars. love #'s in place of names-great idea...they look great


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Nice! Are the bars just wedged into the window frames? Lazy is okay and darkness is your friend when it comes to detail but it really wouldn't take much to age the stones a bit with some watered down black or brown paint. I'm anxious to see how this all comes together!


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

thank you scarrycher.  Actually, I stole the # idea from someone on this forum. Can't remember who exactly, but thank you for that, whoever it was.. 

thank you, jdubbya.  The bars are glued into a 2" foam frame. I used an old window screen frame (minus the screen) to put everything on. This is the only way I knew I could get it to line up straight. The foam frame, bars and screen frame are glued together and will hang from my window frame by wire.  

Was thinking about hanging a black cloth behind it with a ripped up, roll-up window shade between the cloth and frame. not sure yet. 

Thanks, again.


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## scarrycher (May 30, 2012)

It's not stealing if they give it to you, I "borrow" from here all the time...


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## GhoulishCop (Sep 25, 2009)

Hey CC, I concur on the number on the tombstones. Perfect for your theme.

With that said, I want to take you to task for not wanting to age/rust your window bars.  As jdubbya says, it really doesn't take that long to apply some accent to them, and as good as they are now -- and I _do_ think they look good -- they would look so much better if you added at least some highlights to them.

Of course, had you asked me last year I would have said "Sure! Easier is better!" But like a reformed smoker or drinker, I'm trying to bolster my own quality over quantity and so now harangue everyone around me to do likewise.

Still, a few times this year I thought of opting for the easy way out on a prop, but remembered my commitment to go one step further this year and knuckled down to do it. And each time I was glad I did.

So, have at it! Take those bars and rust 'em up a bit! I always expect top-quality work from you!

Rich


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

Thank you, GhoulishCop, for taking me to task.  You're too funny!  Please forgive me for being lazy. But, it's 105 freakin' degrees out there.  And, this is for next year's haunt. I have plenty of time to change my mind and make it better.  

With that said... I think I'll go have a cold beer and a cigarette.  or two.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Love the uniformity of the stones because that's the way a creepy asylum would do it.


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## GhoulishCop (Sep 25, 2009)

CC,

_"And, this is for next year's haunt."_

Day-um, girl! You do plan ahead don't you? I don't know what I'm having for dinner tonight, let alone what my haunt will look like for _this_ year. Forget about next year!

But yes, you will have a lot of time to change them up (or change your mind a half dozen times like I do). I'm sure we'll have some days this summer where the temperature won't be triple digits. Right? _Right?! _Of course, then we have to worry about getting past December 21 so this could all be a moot discussion...

Rich


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Looks awesome! Great job on the window bars, and the numbered patient stones are very creepy


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

Nice work Cathy ... I'm 'insane' for the little details so I'd age them up! :googly:


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## ladysherry (Jan 25, 2012)

I like the bar idea but I too would age them maybe just some rust around the joints or even a hackhaw stuck in one like someone was trying to get out. just a thought.
The tombstones are great I will be "borrowing" that idea for sure. I have never saw any like that.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Looks good. Love that the stones have numbers and no names...extra creep value!

Age it all up though! Even if it's just taking a spray bottle with some watered down black paint to the stones and bars.


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## GhoulishCop (Sep 25, 2009)

Oooooh! I like ladysherry's idea! Particularly if you're going to have these cover all your windows, having one cut open would give the sense that at least one prisoner has escaped! You can use a heat gun to bend the PVC outward too further enhancing the impression.

Great! Now there are more things to do on this prop before your done with them. You're welcome.

Rich

_Who was also very thoughtful about recommending the use of a heat gun just after you got done complaining about the 105-degree weather_


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## screaminscott (Oct 13, 2006)

Love this idea...I've been trying to figure out how to make my suburban house more spooky....this might do it!


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

I love the bars - well done and clever mounting! I too love the numbers instead of names on the tombstones. If you have almost 18 months to put this together I am very much looking forward to the finished product.


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

Okay, dangit. I'll rust them..... eventually.  

The stones are ones I used in past haunts, but I re-faced them with 1" foam. 

And I plan to have an escapee coming out of my top window/ dormer. I bought some flexible pvc stuff. (Not sure of its real name and when the Lowe's guy tried to explain.. well, I didn't have a clue.) But I am making bent bars with it. Then going to tie 2-3 sheets together and make a chiken wire dummy/ escapee hanging from the sheets coming out of the window.  

THANK YOU very much for the compliments/ comments/ suggestions.  
Y'all are too sweet and funny!


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

The bars look great! I'll have to borrow that idea myself!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

The bars look good. They'll really show up well when they're back lit at night.


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

CreeepyCathy said:


> The bars are glued into a 2" foam frame. I used an old window screen frame (minus the screen) to put everything on. This is the only way I knew I could get it to line up straight. The foam frame, bars and screen frame are glued together and will hang from my window frame by wire.


The foam frame blends in so will I had to go back and look at the pictures again to even see it. Great job.


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## Pumpkin Butcher (Aug 14, 2009)

The tombstones are great Cathy, and I love the bars! So glad to see you in prop building mode, I was worried there for awhile.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Cathy I am just an echo of the other compliments on your props, the bars are great, and I love the #tombstones. It really makes one feel like it is a hospital where the care level is drastically bad, you aren't even Mr. Jones here, you are case file 623....(((shivers))) What about a mass grave?
Very well done, I cannot wait to see what you end up with.


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## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

Hey CC the inserts looked great. Another step, since the windows are in that pop-out, would be to take down the curtains and set up a scrim-box effect inside, if you have the space available. You could create a great scene with patients both inside and out. Just a suggestion, it is going to look great on Halloween for sure.


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

thank you everyone.  

kauldron- you must've read my mind. I was just thinking about doing a scrim last night.   I'll have an 'escapee' coming out of a top window, but want something coming out of a bottom window.  Just gotta figure out how to do it; never did one before.

thanx again y'all .


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## kevin242 (Sep 30, 2005)

that looks great, love the bars and the numbered stones are a neat and dehumanizing touch!


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

WOW Cathy, you have been one busy women!!! Now I'm freaking out... I need to get my fanny in gear! BTW - they look marvelous of coarse!!!


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## graveyardmaster (May 14, 2012)

hey creepy cathy! the bars look fantastic,great job there! the tombstone"s do it for me having numbers and no names,thats looks friggin scarey! well done creepy cathy!


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