Thread: Pumpkins and a Cemetery?

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Well for 2010, I'm planning on doing hardly any props, just (pretty much) A HUGE cemetery covering my lawn, and alot of pumpkins, with the exception of my two grim reapers, and a few groundbreakers, and other cemetery items. Since this will be up the entire month of october, im making it durable. Now, I'm planning on making ALL plywood tombstones spray painted black and glueing foam to it, and spray painting it all with "Valspar: Stone Spray Paint" and I am purchasing ALOT of pumpkins, the "hard foam" or whatever ones with the lightbulb in them sold @ walmart stores and other retailers. So, how would I weather proof those pumpkins? I can spray them all with a weather proofing "spray" but what If whatever gets into the pumpkins facial holes and blows the socket? What can I do to cover this over? Has anyone ever tried this before? And, I was thinking of putting a small stake behind the pumpkins, and drilling a screw into it so the wind doesn't take it. Any Opinions?

You are doing exactly what I do for each exept I don't laminate foam on them.

I do not treat my exposed foam pumpkins and they handle it fine. What I do about the lighting is replace them with battery tea lights held inside by velcro tape. The lights don't get so much moisture (and I had a lot of rain last year). To secure the pumpkins I thread galvanized wire through the round detachable plate. I will try to get some pics to post of them, and if your that worried about the foam I suggest hitting them with Camp Dry. That is the water repellent silicon spary used for nylon tents.

Stone: Halloween Forum - Yubney's Album: Yubney 09

Originally Posted by Yubney

You are doing exactly what I do for each exept I don't laminate foam on them.

I do not treat my exposed foam pumpkins and they handle it fine. What I do about the lighting is replace them with battery tea lights held inside by velcro tape. The lights don't get so much moisture (and I had a lot of rain last year). To secure the pumpkins I thread galvanized wire through the round detachable plate. I will try to get some pics to post of them, and if your that worried about the foam I suggest hitting them with Camp Dry. That is the water repellent silicon spary used for nylon tents.

Stone: Halloween Forum - Yubney's Album: Yubney 09

Well, I was hoping to have them lit up each night of october, along with some spotlights on the tombstones and durable graveyard pieces (the fragile or ones I won't risk getting ruined or stolen I put out early Halloween Morning), and Battery Operated Tea-Lights only last a good night. I was thinking, would you be able to put Plastic Wrap/Cling Wrap just over the facial cut outs of the pumpkin and keep it on with adhesive?

You may have to get creative with the pumpkins light source if you don't want to use tea lights or other battery operated lights.

I'd suggest getting a string of outdoor lights, maybe C7 sized? They are already weatherproof. LED would cause less heat to be produced, but more expensive.

Then mask out the lights that aren't going inside a pumpkin. Would be great if you could just cover them with a reflector to turn them into mini spotlights and direct the light elsewhere or find burnt out bulbs, but you'll have to cover the ones not in use unless you want a tight arrangement of JOLs. (and be VERY careful about covering incandescent lights - those suckers get HOT so the cover needs to be able to withstand heat and not burn anyone if they come into contact with it - safer with LEDs)

Something like this:

______O______O______O______O______O______O

To get the general idea.


My other suggestion would be to visit your local dollar store and see about picking up some LED booklights. They have a very long burn time, and may work out better for you if you need flexibility in the arrangement. Wouldn't hurt to test a few to see how long they burn.

I have never had problem with the pumpkin lights blowing out in the weather.To bad you didn't get the at the end of season for 1.50 a piece.i only picked up three but kick myself for not getting more.
The tealights is a good idea but alot of time to cut them on and off...this year I am going electric flicker strands for my candles.I set up early oct also.

I don't think you should have much trouble with water and the lights unless you have a hard driving rain or your yard is low lying. raise them up off the ground a couple of inches should help. However if you're worried about water getting into the socket you might try using some high temp silcone, remove the bulb put some where the glass meets the base and around the top lip or the socket then screw the bulb back in let dry and give it a try. You may also need to put some where the cord enters the socket.

I would drill a hole in the bttomn to let any water out and use LED as they do not gte as hot.
You could also do some stack or totems...

I have a couple pumpkins that I have put colored celephane (spelling?) on the inside. I glued a piece over the eyes, nose and mouth. It works fine and gives them a different look depending on the color you use...

Agreed the tea lights are a pain to turn off/on each night. Only those that are out in the weather have those. Those under the porch I keep the corded lamp but replaced the furnished bulbs with flickers.

A little celephane behind the openings would help, but I think you can never completely make those pumpkins water tight. I would try some heavier kind of deflector (like a cut out section of a Clorox bottle for instance) if you keep the standard recepticle in those. Just drop it inside and tack it in place with a couple of push pins oughta do it.

Noahbody, that is gorgeous!

I made a similar project last year. Here's a tutorial: Flickering Pumpkins