DIY Tombstones

• Halloween tombstones can be made from a variety of materials, but the easiest, best-looking effect is achieved by using 1- or 2-inch-thick Styrofoam insulation. First, use poster paper to draw the inscription; this will be the template you use to carve the epitaph into the Styrofoam. The foam must be cut into the shape of a tombstone. A cutting tool such as an X-ACTO knife can be used, but the best results are achieved with a hot wire, which is a length of wire that has two nonconductive ends to hold and can be found at most hardware stores. Heated with a battery, the hot wire will easily slice through the foam to create the desired shape. Attach the lettering from your template onto the cut foam, and use a dremel tool with a sanding disk to carve out the letters and any designs.
  
  

Painting and Decorating

• If you use white Styrofoam insulation, you may not want to paint the tombstone at all and work with a white tombstone. If you do paint, flat outdoor latex works best. Simply mix small amounts of black into white paint until you come up with different shades of gray. You can also use spray paint, but this tends to eat the foam. However, this may also provide the weathered effect of an old tombstone. Most hardware stores also have special spray paints that mimic a stone finish such as marble or granite. After painting, dip a small sponge in a darker shade of gray to add discolorations indicating weathering. When complete, the tombstones can be attached to the ground with wire stakes. Additional touches such as cobwebs, a fog machine and mood lighting will complete the graveyard.
  
  

Funny Epitaphs

• There are numerous suggestions for funny epitaphs to carve into your tombstones, and a number are offered at the All About Halloween website. These include such epitaphs as "Dracula -- Fangs for the Memories" and "Roland Stone -- Gathering No Moss." You may want to just inscribe a funny name, such as "Barry M. Deep" or "Alby Rightback." You could also may want to inscribe a saying, such as, "Here lies Ben, whose life was full; Until he tried to milk a bull."
  
  

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion

• While waiting to enter Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction, visitors wait in a faux graveyard full of tombstones incsribed with funny epitaphs. These may provide you with a source of inspiration. These include such epitaphs as "Good ol' Fred, a great big rock fell on his head," or "Dear departed brother Dave, he chased a bear into a cave." There are also tombstones with funny names, including Theo Later, U.R. Gone, Ray N. Carnation, Dustin T. Dust, Lev Itation, Rust N. Peece, I.L. Beback and M.T. Tomb. The Haunted Mansion graveyard also contains tombstones of various animals. For example, the epitaph on a snake's tombstone reads, "Here lies my snake, whose fatal mistake was frightening the gardener who carried a rake."