# My dollar tree tombstone modifications



## lizzyborden (Sep 17, 2009)

I never got them all finished, but here's what I did get finished







started with this







cut off the RIP with a razor blade and saved for a future project







some sanding and accenting







the carving template







the finished product







started with same stone as above and dismembered it, again saving RIP for a future project







glued border to a scrap piece of foam, carved to shape 







another scrap piece of foam, cut in the shape of the skull glued on







skull added







epitaph







finished stone







for the last one I started with this







modded an led tea light







lights in eye sockets







finished product

Note that though I didn't show photos, each stone is three layers of foam thick with scrap pieces of CPVC layered in the middle for rebar support. I do have more detailed pics of the last one if anyone is interested in how I inserted the leds.

May not be back online until tomorrow evening, but I will be happy to answer any questions as soon as I can.

Thanks for looking 

Lizzy


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## E_Eisenheim (Nov 7, 2010)

Those turned out awesome! Great job!


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## LadyIce (Feb 11, 2009)

Very impressive!!!!


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## jdubbya (Oct 4, 2003)

Very creative! Those look great!


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## annamarykahn (Oct 4, 2009)

excellent work lizzy

none of my props are put out until i've done my mods ... added my own touch to everything ... got to make it better ... lol

amk


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## 22606 (Aug 11, 2008)

Nice job on them all; the last, in particular, looks so much better than it did originally.


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## Deadview (Aug 9, 2011)

Well you just gave me some great ideas to enhance stones. Thanks and good job.


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## IowaGuy (Jul 30, 2012)

Awesome stones! Makes me wanna use lights on mine now, you using string lights or what?


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## snigglez (Jun 4, 2009)

This is the 2nd time I've seen someone cut up store bought tombs and again turning out AWESOME.... Great JOB. A must try


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Very nice and creative!!!


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## Lurkinginthedark (Apr 3, 2012)

What do I buy to color them gray like that with the "aged" blackish accents..I wanna try!


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## crazy xmas (Dec 30, 2008)

Nice work totally cool!


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## halloween71 (Apr 22, 2007)

Those look great.


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## screamqueen2012 (Aug 2, 2012)

these are good...i like!


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## lizzyborden (Sep 17, 2009)

Gee, I didn't expect so many great comments! Thanks. You all are the greatest! 

I wanted to play around a little bit before I started designing my own and found that I really do like working with the white styrofoam. The Lowes here carries the blue foam sheets in two different thicknesses (3/4" and 2"). I'm hoping to pick up a sheet of the 3/4" and try sandwiching it with the white foam to save a little money.



IowaGuy said:


> Awesome stones! Makes me wanna use lights on mine now, you using string lights or what?


No, I took apart one of the LED tea light candles, took out the flicker led and replaced it with two red leds. Here's a photo of the casing recessed in the back layer of foam. I fed the LEDs through the eye sockets and tested it all before gluing the layers together. It is powered by the switch on the back of the candle. 









We got quite a bit of snow, so they never made it off of the porch. I'm not sure how the LEDs will hold up in the weather. 



Lurkinginthedark said:


> What do I buy to color them gray like that with the "aged" blackish accents..I wanna try!


I had a 10% off coupon for Lowes and picked up a gallon of white drylok. Even though they have a pamphet with tints available, I was informed that they could not tint it for me. So I picked up a cheap gallon of flat black exterior paint ant tinted my own. I don't have a ratio as I just kept adding black until I got a shade I liked. Also, I didn't tint the whole gallon, just a quart or so. 

I had plans of using several darker shades of grey and some white for the aging and highlights, but only used a drybrush technique and black acrylic paint (less than $1 at Walmart).

Check out some of Terra's work here as she's my tombstone idol  A search on youtube will reveal several great tutorials by Terra and others.

Thanks again for the great comments!

Lizzy


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## NormalLikeYou (Oct 2, 2011)

Those are great! I picked up a few of those but then didn't know what to do with them. Now I have another project - although white foam & I don't always get along!


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## ondeko (Oct 14, 2008)

Great way to customize generic stones. They look so much nicer. I've been thinking about trying this for a while. How did you hack the tea light? I have zero experience with even the simplest electronics so I'd appreciate a short tutorial for that.


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## lizzyborden (Sep 17, 2009)

ondeko said:


> Great way to customize generic stones. They look so much nicer. I've been thinking about trying this for a while. How did you hack the tea light? I have zero experience with even the simplest electronics so I'd appreciate a short tutorial for that.


Thanks! I'd like to repaint all my generic stones, but don't know if I'll ever get that much time on my hands 

As for the tutorial, let me sort out my photos and see what I can do. Gimme at least a few days.

Lizzy


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## Mistress of the Abyss (Sep 21, 2007)

Great job on accenting your tombstones! I may have to borrow some of your ideas!


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## sookie (Sep 19, 2010)

Those are really good! I love the Ripper one!


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## Jules17 (Aug 31, 2010)

Wow...these turned out really cool! I may have to try this next year.


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## spookyone (Aug 23, 2009)

oh wow !! now i wanna go reinforced my dollar tree tombstone THANK YOU FOR SOLVING A MISTERY FOR ME YAY!!!!


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## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

Great job they look great


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## Forever Haunting (Jan 1, 2009)

I love the way you transformed the stones into unique and realistic ones!


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## HallowweenKat (Sep 29, 2010)

Great idea & they look so much better.


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## Red witch (Aug 6, 2013)

Those look very nice .


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## Immortalia (Nov 2, 2009)

....and definitely sturdier! My cheapo ones always get knocked around by the wind, but who has time to build all of your tombstones from scratch (well, other than maybe Terra) 

I will be doing this to mine this year, great idea!


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## SpookyOwl (Sep 4, 2012)

Those look great!


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

You're good Lizzy


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## wickedwillingwench (Sep 16, 2011)

those are GREAT! I have been looking to 'real up' my styrofoam stones and you made a great tutorial --quick but easy to understand. Thanks.

I'm off to get some drylock soon as i get back from vacation.


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## Evil Elf (Jun 16, 2013)

Just bought a DT tombstone today. Hope it comes out half as good when I try my hand at it.


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## lizzyborden (Sep 17, 2009)

Thanks for all the great comments!



Gemmy's#1Fan said:


> Just bought a DT tombstone today. Hope it comes out half as good when I try my hand at it.


Just remember that wood filler and paint are your friends.  

My DT doesn't have tombstones out yet. Hoping they have some new ones this year.



wickedwillingwench said:


> those are GREAT! I have been looking to 'real up' my styrofoam stones and you made a great tutorial --quick but easy to understand. Thanks.


No problem. I have learned so much from Halloween Forum, that I try and share when I can. I still consider myself a beginner when it comes to building props and haunting.


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## moony_1 (Sep 25, 2009)

I love that you made those cheapies ten times better! You'd never know! Awesome job!


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## kallie (Dec 4, 2007)

Holy! Nice job! I wish I had the patience to do something like that


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## ScaredyKat (Jul 22, 2013)

My dollar tree doesn't have tombstones.  It's not even showing any online.


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