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TINY TOMB adventures! Small yard haunters

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12K views 64 replies 22 participants last post by  LadyAlthea 
#1 ·
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 - Larry, please move or edit this post to conform) to your scaled-down projects!

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:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/76930-angel-tombstone-started.html


I know there are other posters that have some great ideas, so let's see 'em! :D
 
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#4 ·
It's kind of subjective but I think yards that can't hold a lot of large stones or a lot of any size stones. Our front yard is roughly 30x25 so we're restricted to a small cemetery with only a few gravestones. I think this thread will be neat to see smaller scale monuments in the making and get ideas for how to construct them.

Our yard display during the day. Not a whole lot of space!




 
#3 ·
WOW! That came out wonderfully! Excelent scale and color match. Looks like you "grayed" up the statute a bit as I remember them being more off white with some gold/tan hues. That is a great project! I'll be picking your brain for your paint technique on this one. Super job FG!
 
#6 ·
Really like the first gravestone. So jealous of those who have a yard I'm stuck in apt for another year and have a 6 by 6 foot area that I get to work with-as I'm not allowed to use any of the grassy area.
 
#7 ·
This is a great thread Idea, as I myself only have a small one...(YARD, that is. Shame on all you evil minded souls out there)..:(
A small yard can accomodate a very impressive display, It's just a matter of getting the balance right so it doesn't look overcrowded.

FrankiesGirl..I love that tombstone, seems like Terra has found her protege! Thanks for the link to the how-to, as I seemed to have missed it first time round.
The marble effect and lettering are awesome..Great job!
 
#22 ·
FrankiesGirl..I love that tombstone, seems like Terra has found her protege!
I'm thinking I found an equal! It turned out amazing!

In regards to a small yard, I agree with GDFreak who said that, in a way, you have an advantage. I have a big front yard and there is no way I could fill it all up. So, I decided to make a small yard in my large front yard. So, that's an option too:

 
#9 ·
My yard is a bit bigger than jdubbya's, but it's still one of the smaller sized yards on here....

This was my yard setup last year:
http://www.halloweenforum.com/picture.php?albumid=383&pictureid=9412

But really, if you feel like your yard size restricts the amount of props that you can properly display and you've ever built stuff scaled down on purpose to balance the size, then please post what you built - I see this thread as a kind of inspiration/idea thread...
 
#14 ·
Hey, I like that! I have to use my driveway for my display - my yard is a postage stamp. The biggest challenge is getting things to stand up, I can't punch holes in the concrete. That groundbreakng coffin would be a nice addition. Thanks forthe inspiration, Dave!
 
#11 ·
Thats a great idea Dave.
You could easily have several of those in a small yard, with different finishes or in various states of disrepair and they could be cut at different angles so they didn't look too "samey".
 
#13 ·
Cool - I love the slimline coffin groundbreakers!

Here is something else I built:
http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutorials-step-step/69731-cheap-graveyard-columns-cardboard.html
I bought a folding wire fence at the local home improvement store that comes in 10 foot sections and stands about 2.5 feet high when staked into the ground. I wanted little columns to break it up, and the cardboard columns with JoL toppers fit perfect with the shorter/smaller fence. (I did put scrap cheesecloth on the fencing for better visibility and it looks very spooky waving gently in the breeze).
 
#15 ·
Great thread, FG!! And your 'Beloved' is beautiful. Just beautiful. Excellent work!! Thanks for the cardboard columns tutorial, too. I could use some columns for my fence, but storage is an issue. Your cardboard ones look great, and I wouldn't mind making them each year, they are cheap and seem fairly simple. Your yard looked awesome last year. I really like your witch!

jdubbya: your yard looks great!! I love your columns.

DaveintheGrave: the coffins groundbreakers are a great idea. My hubby could probably handle that.

scary1215: Nice looking decor, there!! I wish I had a nice big porch like yours.

Here's a pic of my yard last year, we weren't quite finished setting up (see tubs on the sidewalk :eek:) but I wanted to check the fogger:

 
#16 ·
I think an advantage of a small yard is that you can create that "crwoding" effect alot more easier with lesser tombstones. I have a big yard so that crowding effect would take over 60 stones just for the middle section. Also a fence is out of the question because it would be over 200ft easily. Lighting is a pain to deal with and you need alot of long extension cords and covering the place with fog is also a challenge. When I was in High School I would barrow the F-100 fogger from my theatre department and that worked great...untill I graduated. So you people with smaller yards sometimes have an advantage than us with big yards. :)
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the compliments, all!! Yea, Otaku--one or two of those would look good on your driveway. It'd look like the driveway was paved right over the buried coffins and now they are bursting through! LOL
FG and MHooch: You guys pack quite a bit into your small yards. They look really good! FG, I guess that huge tree growing at a 45 degree angle kind of takes up most of your yard! Looks pretty strong for hanging some props in, though.


Here's a pic of the underside of it (for those that want to make one):

 
#25 ·
Some preliminary pics of a few "tiny tombs" I'm working on.
These are the tops I'll be using. The pointed finial was an end of season bargain at AC Moore last fall that I got for $8.00. The cross was Lowes closeout I got for $12.00.



The sleeping cherub was one of a pair I found at Tuesday morning last week. It was $20.00 but well worth it. I may go back for the other one. ( a garden store I stopped at had the same one for $40.00!)





I'll be using this one first to make a small childs stone. Again, I'm using a cheap crate from Michael's for the base. I have a lot of scrap foam that I'll use to skin it. It will sit on a 1 inch over 2 inch foam base, and be topped by a 2 inch foam piece that the statue will lie on.


I'm going to put some decorative appliques on each of the front corners for added detail. I'm looking for some inspiration for an appropriate epitaph. Since it will be a childs stone I'd like something haunting yet meaningful to reflect the loss of a child (pretty morbid I know)! so any ideas are welcome.

I hope to have it built and ready for paint by this weekend so will post more pics soon (hopefully).
Thanks for looking! (and thanks FG for the inspirational thread!
 
#27 ·
The beloved is beautiful and i love the idea for the cardboard columns. I've been trying to find an easy way to make smaller, inexpensive columns for my yard. That will definitely do. And it's simple enough that i can do it without pestering the hubby. haha

I love the mini ground breakers and everyone's pictures. So inspirational. I think everyone is working with what they got and making great haunts with it.

Something i do is make scenes not just in the yard (cemetery etc.), but i also use all of my front windows with a different scene or set up in each. Kind of like the nosferatu idea. This year i'm having a spider's lair scene, a crazed murderer, and a ghost along with my cemetery in the yard and a hanging man in the tree.
 
#28 ·
With all the great pictures that have gone up thought I'd share what I had done this last year. That I'm hoping to improve one. These were posted earlier so everyone may have seen them already. Anyhow I will still be in the apt and once again only have my little 6ft by 6ft porch. I don't get to use any of the grassy area.





This year the main mission is to actually get night shots, figure out how to add to it, and get lights. I found a small solar spotlight set up I'm going to try and rip apart and change the leds in them to colors.
 
#30 ·
FG, outstanding "Beloved" tombestone!!! I love the fuax marble look, just simply amazing!

Terra, as I've said before... love your yard and stones!!! A master of the trade!

GDfreak, that's my favourite scene! "Look honey, they have... uhm... 'dead people' in the back yard!?!?" LOL I too love the matt painting they used for the "crowded" graveyard!

jdubya, love the props... wish I could get stuff like that here in BC. You all have such neat stores down there!

Everyone else has done such a wonderful job of utilizing smaller spaces! Good work everyone!
 
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