Halloween Graveyard

Halloween Tombstone

As a Southern Hemisphere transplant, I find getting into the Halloween spirit very difficult.  Halloween in Spring is just weird, no pumpkins, no autumn leaves, no frosty nip in the air.  This year my daughter decided she would stand for my Bah Humbug Halloween attitude no more!  She set about making Halloween decorations mid-September and shows no sign of slowing down.  She has absolutely insisted that everyone in the family help out, at least a little.  Whereas the tombstones are about 90% her work, and she has put A TON of work into them, each family member has contributed.  That contribution, regardless of size has helped all of us get excited about Halloween....in fact, there may be some really big plans in the works now.
 

Halloween Tombstone

The tombstones are made of 4 layers of a medium weight paper board, lots of tape, a couple of layers of papier-mâché and acrylic paint.  Many, many hours were spent waiting for all the different layers to dry. 

Halloween Tombstone

At diner one evening my daughter asked everyone to write down suggestions for tombstone names.  She read out all of the suggestions and we settled on choosing one suggestion from each member of the family.  It was a very entertaining diner! 

Halloween Tombstone

Once the laborious task of assembling was finished, the tombstones received a base coat of paint. Next, the writing was added. The names and epitaphs were written in Photoshop, with some simple shading added with a Bevel & Emboss Layer Style, and printed on plain paper.  Finally, touch up paint was added to blend the paper with the rest of the tombstone. 

Halloween Tombstone

There are two holes in the bottom of each tombstone, just big enough for a bamboo stick to fit inside.  I cut bamboo sticks about 30 cm taller than the tombstones and hammered the sticks into the ground.  The tombstones fit over the sticks. 

So, next weekend she has plans to hang a giant papier-mâché skull from a gigantic spider web....  

Halloween Tombstone