# Golden Cedars Garden of Rest Pet Cemetery 2014



## ocalicreek (Aug 1, 2013)

Last year I built an owl prop on a post and displayed some pre-made foam tombstones. This year the owl got an addition, in the form of a sign on the post (see the Prop How-to Forum 'Owl Upgrade' for more pics of the owl):










The sign was made from two 'for sale' metal signs from the hardware store, primed, hand-lettered and painted, and weathered. More props in posts below...

Galen


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## ocalicreek (Aug 1, 2013)

*Tippy*

The next prop, closest to the owl/sign was a tombstone for 'Tippy'. The gag is that the tombstone is leaning. No, it isn't animated, though that would be cool. Maybe down the road. I started with a pre-carved foam stone, thickened it, paper mache'd, paper mache' clayed (thanks Stolloween!), carved the name and the date, then painted.

Tippy is a dog, btw, with appropriate growling built into the ambient soundtrack. I wasn't sure what sort of animal Tippy would be, until I was telling my folks about this prop. My Dad then tells me, matter-of-factly, that Tippy is a dog. He used to go hunting with his grandfather's dog...Tippy....seriously.

Tippy at night:










Tippy at dusk:










More below....

Galen


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## ocalicreek (Aug 1, 2013)

*Bucinus Rex*

The rooster I picked up on ebay last year. The pillar is home-built of paper mache, pm clay, and drywall joint compound. I'm not really happy with how the marble effect turned out, but I am happy with the prop overall.

'BUCINUS REX' is the name on the pillar. Bucinus is a Latin epithet (here use as an epitaph) for rooster, or slang for what you'd call a person who crows alot. It literally means trumpeter, and rex means king. So here lies the trumpeter king!

Rooster at night:










Rooster at dusk:










The lighting was planned to be green on one side and purple on the other for each major prop. In this case, I added the two little red glass votives with real candles and it worked out VERY well - they stayed lit all evening and added much needed color to the dark bronze rooster. The ground lights really lit the pole but not as much hit the bird.

One prop left...

Galen


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## ocalicreek (Aug 1, 2013)

*The Hen Pillar*

The last, and largest prop we made this year was 'the hen pillar'. The little inlaid carving is actually a tiny tombstone that our neighbor gave us last year. I modified the skull to look more like a chicken head, and the flowers to look like tiny ears of corn. The names on the pillar are the actual names of chickens we have kept, who have died. (They're wonderful pets who give us eggs!)

Thank you, Scott Stoll, for your paper mache clay recipe. This thing used a ton, but 'carving' names into the damp clay is super simple and works well. It is basically a tall cardboard box with bits added on.

The hen pillar at night:



















The hen pillar at dusk:



















All of the props shown here in this thread have been built on wood bases that can be nailed into the ground with 12" aluminum nails. This probably wouldn't stop a really determined thief, but they wouldn't have much opportunity since I set up on Halloween day and take them all down Halloween night. The spikes are really there to ensure stability on the larger props to keep them vertical.

Lighting this year was pretty simple, but still too fiddly. I use LED flashlights in cans with plastic sippy cup covers or kiddy bowls for color filters. Next year I need to come up with a simpler solution that is more pose-able for aiming the lights.

Only a handful of ToTs....about 50, I guess, evenly split between teens and elementary aged kiddos. Next year I hope to get a chain fence and a couple arbors to direct folks through the haunt, in addition to a few more stones, though probably nothing as large as the Hen Pillar.

Happy Prop-Building season, everyone!

Galen


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Love a funny tombstone - "Tippy"

That hen pillar is a real knockout! Just gorgeous!


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## RWB (Oct 16, 2012)

Unique concept, it's great.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

I LOVE the design of the hen pillar. Do you have any pics of the build or instructions on how you made the arched top? I've always wanted a stone like this but could never figure out how to go about it. Really nice!


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## ocalicreek (Aug 1, 2013)

Thanks, Roxy - I like punny tombstones too. That's the direction I was going for, kinda funny and sorta creepy.

Thanks, RWB!

jdubbya - I don't have any pictures of the build, unfortunately, but I can hopefully describe the process. I used a template to draw the arch, basically a broad curve (I used the lid from an oval clothes hamper). Find the center of the side, then mark the bottom of the curve, where it will meet the corner on each side. Then just trace the curve from bottom to center top.

The REALLY tricky part was the top itself. I made cross-bars from peak to peak that joined in the middle, then cut a piece of cardboard into a triangle to form the curve. Once I had figured out the first arch, then I could use the first as a template to cut the rest. 

The flange/base around the bottom is white foamboard, the whole pillar a cardboard box, and the bracing inside is more white foam. This box actually had a recessed, reinforced bottom that I was able to screw into some 2x4's on the base. I used lath screws for their wide head to screw through the cardboard into the wood.

Paper mache, paper mache clay, then black paint, white drybrush and a good coat of spar varnish. I actually work very near a cemetery with a similar pillar, and I take regular walks through the cemetery during the day (job perk!) so there's plenty of inspiration!

Thanks for your interest.

Galen


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Thanks! Gives me some direction. Appreciate it!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Your Hen tombstone is quite unique, a great addition to your set up! Nice work


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