[1magicalwitch]

Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out how to display my town. I don't want to do it the way everyone does, that being on a table. I'm trying to figure out a way to build a mountain. The problem is what kind of base do I use? A bookshelf? A floating shelf? both? I plan to have the houses on top going down the mountain toward the cemetery. Any ideas????

 

[J-Man]

Well, this isn't a mountain but I built this setup for my wife a few years ago. The base ia a 4x8 sheet of 2" pink styrofoam. I cut the edge in a random pattern with a hot wire cutter, carved out the river and painted it several shades of blue and then poured clear epoxy into it. Painted the rest of it flat black, and added the brown road. I built bases for the larger pieces in the back to raise them up a bit. All of the light posts and smaller light up pieces are permanently attached to the base and wired together on the under side. The cords of the larger pieces go thru holes in the foam and they all get plugged into several 4-ways, then all the cords are connected to a single remote for one-button instant on. This picture was from a few years ago and isn't the best, I can't seem to find any others right now.

 

[im the goddess]

Very nice. That on my list to do this year, but what isn't on my list.

Magical witch, there is another 2014 thread on here about Spooky town that has several links to different display boards people have made. you might get some ideas from that. People have built mountains and caves for theirs.

 

[Itzpopolotl]

Very nice doing something similar is on my to do list but not sure when it will get done.

 

[1magicalwitch]

thanks J man, i love the background, looks great.

 

[J-Man]

Thanks! Here's a close up of the river. Like I said , these pics are from several years ago, We have added quite few things since then. I need to get some better and updated pictures this year when we set it up. Good luck with your "Spooky Town"!

 

[1magicalwitch]

I'm looking for the links but can't find any which is why i created this thread. If anyone can send me the link that would be great

 

[im the goddess]

I will look for it and post.

Here is one.
http://www.halloweenforum.com/gener...y-town-2014-a.html?highlight=2014+Spooky+town

And from 2013
http://www.halloweenforum.com/gener...okytown-2013-a.html?highlight=2014+Spookytown

This link has a great tutorial and three different awesome displays.
http://www.halloweenforum.com/hallo...ndscape-2.html?highlight=spooky+town+displays

 

[boo who?]

I use different sizes of cardboard boxes - sometimes stacked atop each other- under either black fabric or burlap to create different levels. Slightly crumpled newspaper placed on top of the boxes helps soften the edges. Although I usually just use black fabric, burlap is much better for glueing on different surface effects. You can glue on rough sand, pebbles, twigs, and rocks to add texture.

 

[Itzpopolotl]

That's a good idea Boo, I've thought of using boxes and fabric but never thought of gluing sand and pebbles etc to burlap for "landscaping".

 

[boo who?]

Thanks. You can get really creative with the burlap... even creating caves and raised grave mounds in the cemmie! You can even build smaller sections like cemeteries with raised graves- and even open graves by dipping fabric in a stiffening fluid from the craft store. Just mold the fabric, let it dry, and the surface will harden- saving you the trouble of re-creating a detail-heavy landscape every year. A cemetery fence glued to the perimeter will make it easy to integrate into a scene and place it wherever you like.

Sometimes model railroad sites have good suggestions, too.

 

[Itzpopolotl]

Yea you had me thinking of checking model train supplies (my grandpa loved trains and had a set up so big it took up an entire room). My biggest problem right now is my space I have to set up my town is packed full.....as in no room to anything new for the town. I don't have anywhere else to set it up at the moment but hopefully will soon. My aunt and uncle built a table with collapsible legs for their Christmas village. Drilled holes through it for wires and glued foam and "snow" and trees to it. Each year they take the buildings off and collapse it to store it. I want to eventually do something like that.

 

[1magicalwitch]

thanks im the goddess

 

[im the goddess]

No problem. Glad I could find them.

Oh, and this one is by Rikki too. It has an awesome cave.
http://www.halloweenforum.com/membe...n-though-i-know-wont-look-quite-good-his.html

 

[Ween12amEternal]

boo who? that's a great idea! I've used large candle bases draped with black cloth also to raise a few smaller pieces. May try fitting in small boxes for the houses.

 

[spookytown king]

I get Styrofoam pieces, Usually a big square one for the base and then i cut up other remaining ones. You can do whatever as in cut them out in an odd circular shape and stack them from biggest to smallest or what not and then I paper mache the whole thing. After that i get some supplies from the hobby store for train sets as in real grass or the stone looking gravel. when the paper mache is done i use the spray adhesive and sprinkle the grass or gravel on and then shake the excess off like when you used to use glitter in grade school lol.

I will find some pictures to upload, but It turns out as a nice piece and I have used it for about 3 years now with no problems of coming apart.

 

[im the goddess]

cant wait to see your base spookytown king. I hope to build on this year.