# TINY TOMB adventures! Small yard haunters



## Frankie-s Girl (Apr 5, 2009)

Thought I'd kick this off since I mentioned it on another thread....

Quite a few of us yard haunters have smaller yards, restricting the amount or the scale of props and displays we want to build. So all of you "tiny tomb" haunters, please post your ideas and builds (within the board's posting rules - mods, please move or edit this post to conform) to your scaled-down projects! This would include those that are haunting a porch area up to small yards...

For instance, I have always loved the "Beloved" stones (Terra's beautiful example stands out particularly) but know that even if I could build one just as good (ha!) that it would look ridiculous in my tiny yard.

So I built this (edited to add that it is roughly 2.5 feet tall - the angel's head by about 3.5 feet counting the base of the entire stone):








http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=15574

I know there are other posters that have some great ideas, so let's see 'em!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

That turned out GREAT! The color match is perfect. Can you give the overall dimensions? If mine turns out half that nice I'll be very happy. Super job and "TINY TOMB ADVENTURES" rocks!

These have been posted before but I'll make a "tiny" contribution to the thread with one I did last year. Cheap crate from Michaels skinned in foam with a cherub garden statue topper. I need to add some coloring to it this year but it made for a nice three dimensional piece.










On halloween night (center foreground with the blue light)


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Some very preliminary pics of a few "tiny tombs." These are the tops I'll be using. 









The pointed finial I got at AC Moore last fall for $8.00. The cross was a Lowes find at only $12.00 end of season.


















I found the sleeping cherub at Tuesday morning last week and bought it on the spot. It was $20.00 but I couldn't pass it up. There was a second matching one that faced the opposite way and I was really tempted to get it also. I'm using this one first to make a small childs tombstone. The base will be another Michael's crate ($6.00 with the coupon). I'm using scrap foam pieces to skin it. 








It will sit on a one inch over two inch foam base, and be topped with a two inch piece that the cherub will lie on. I'm open to suggestions for an appropriate epitaph for this one. Being a child's monument I want something haunting and thought provoking. I plan to paint it to match the statue and will put some small appliques in each of the front corners. Hope to have it constructed and ready for paint by early next week.


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## frstvamp1r (Nov 5, 2006)

A friend of mine, Noah K., he ran Grimmstone Manor here in So. Ca. and all his monuments and even a mausoleum were all like one-quarter scale. I loved how if you only saw his haunt from photos they would look full size unless you were really there in person. I am sure you can look up his haunt on YouTube or something.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I love these smaller pieces!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Here's a small monument I just finished. Started with a cheap wooden crate and some scrap pieces of 1 inch foam.









Skinned the crate in foam, and attached it to a base of 2 inch foam board. I filled some of the imperfections with joint compound, sanded it a bit and added a wooden applique from Michaels. Also put a 2 inch piece of foam on the top










I used this cherub statue I picked up at a discount store for the top adornment.










I wanted the stone to match the color of the statue. The stone got three base coats of off white latex. I then sponged on some mossy green latex thined with water. (I had this paint left over from an old project). After this dried, I sponged on some more of the white, to give it a mottled effect. It turned out pretty fair and in person, looks like old mossy stone. Here's the final product. More stones are in the making so hopefully I can iron out any kinks in my technique!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

With the flash.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Both of you have very nice tombstones.Frankie-s girl, what technique did you use to get the nice marble effect? It looks very nice. Great job.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Nicely done, both of you. Thanks for sharing


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Beautiful job on that cherub tombstone, JD.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

kprimm said:


> Both of you have very nice tombstones.


Thanks. I got a lot of great tips from FG. Her stones are fantastic!



Bone Dancer said:


> Nicely done, both of you. Thanks for sharing


Thanks BD



RoxyBlue said:


> Beautiful job on that cherub tombstone, JD.


Thanks RB. I'm living proof that a middle aged straight guy can pick up a sea sponge and artistically (or by sheer luck) daub thinned out paint on a foam board to look like aged stone. I feel so..so..*creative*


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## MikeS (May 28, 2009)

Great job. Any suggestions where to get the statues?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

MikeS said:


> Great job. Any suggestions where to get the statues?


Mike,
I check out discount stores like Big Lots, Tuesday Morning, TJ Maxx, etc.. Lowes and Home Depot also carry some in their garden departments. Garden Centers also have some nice ones but you'll pay more most of the time. I paid $20.00 for the cherub at Tuesday Morning, and a local garden center had the exact same one for $40.00!
Check around, now is a good time to get some nice ones. Also, if you wait until the end of summer, a lot of places put them on sale. I found a couple nice ones at A.C. Moore as well. I picked up the pointed finial for $8.00 on clearance in August. The cross is from Lowes and was only$12.00


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## Lady Nyxie (Aug 30, 2006)

Some really nice work here. They all look great.


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## mandodude (Aug 31, 2008)

Great job. I love the use of garden statues. I plan to incorporate one or more of those this year myself.


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## Bone To Pick (Oct 23, 2007)

FG's totally reminds me of some older tombstones I saw Memorial Day at the cemetery. I'm going to have to go back a take some reference photos. Well done!

Dubbya, that cherub is the perfect topping. Great touch!

Excellent job, both of you!


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