FG's $20 prop entry: Stone of the Wolfman

[Frankie-s Girl]

Started this yesterday afternoon after seeing the child's foam wolf shield in the dollar bin at Target, and that coupled with the husband's recent run of werewolf movies, and it just came together. :)

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/ljw1972/Halloween%202009/DSCF0638.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/ljw1972/Halloween%202009/DSCF0634.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/ljw1972/Halloween%202009/DSCF0635.jpg

I used some scrap 1/2" foamcore and cut it in an arch tombstone shape. I carved out the epitaph and the star (sign of the werewolf) and then sanded, painted and aged the stone with spray paint. (EDITED TO ADD: the star is a font called zapf dingbats - I just made it large and traced it out)

The shield has a strap on the back, so I cut slits in the stone and threaded the strap through. I made the slits far enough apart to hold the shield tightly to the stone's surface, so it looks like all one piece without having to glue the shield down, so it's repositionable. I took the shield and cut out the pupils of the wolf's eyes, then hot glued some red glass flat-backed beads on the back side.

I then cut out a circle in the stone right behind where the shield sits and snugged in a press light I picked up at the dollar store to light up the eyes.

The stone is for Lawrence Talbot, the original Wolfman, and the epitaph is from the movie:

Even a man who is pure of heart
and says his prayers by night
may become a WOLF
when the wolfsbane blooms
and the autumn moon is bright

I am partial to the classic Universal Monsters, dontchakno!

Materials/Cost List
Child's foam shield toy: $1
Scrap foamcore (prorated): $3
Paint (prorated): $3
1/2 gluestick: 5¢
2 red glass thingies: 20¢
Press light from dollar store: $1

TOTAL: $8.25

[sharpobject]

I'm going to have to check the dollar bin at Target now - and if I find the shield - I'm going to copy you idea. LOVE it !!

[Spooky1]

That looks great FG. You did a wonderful job of incorporating the shield into the tombstone, and I like the glowing eyes.

[RoxyBlue]

Woot, now I get the connection:)

Nice job, FG!

[spideranne]

Great looking tombstone. Can't believe you got that done in a day.

[Joiseygal]

Very cool tombstone Frankie-s Girl. You should be in a good mood until Halloween with that excellent entry! Very nice job!!!!

[Draik41895]

thats wonderfully awesome,im at a loss for words

[HauntCast]

FG, Really nice work!

[SpookySam]

I love it! I hope my target has one of those shields.

[Frankie-s Girl]

thanks for the comments! I still can't believe I did it in less than 24 hours... my hubby loves it, and now I have to think of a nice take on a Frankenstein stone... maybe something with a jacob's ladder?:D

Build pics to better clarify:
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/ljw1972/Halloween%202009/DSCF0627.jpg
Testing the position of the shield and epitaph. I used an xacto knife to do the name (held at a 45 degree angle and cut on both sides of each letter) so it looks incised, but used a wood burner to do the epitaph as it was quicker (that is a LOT of text!).

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/ljw1972/Halloween%202009/DSCF0631.jpg
The red glass thingies and some LED book lights I ended up not using.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r6/ljw1972/Halloween%202009/DSCF0633.jpg
The press light that I ended up using and the shield removed so I could carve out the hole for it. You can see the slits just above and below where the shield's strap thread through.

:)

[Spooklights]

Very nice; I love the eyes!

[Bethene]

very cool stone, very inventive, to think of using the sheild and the light, it is a awesome tombstone!

[Haunted Bayou]

I love this. It is one of my absolute favorite classic movies.

Now I really have some incentive to build a good tombstone.

[Wildcat]

Great job. Would never have though to use a shield.

[Terra]

I love the idea of a Wolfman tombstone. A natural fit for the graveyard. The eyes are a great touch!

[hpropman]

Another simple idea that just rocks! I love it. Well done and only one day you are my hero.

[Just Whisper]

Wow, I just love this. It is so nicely and artistically done. The eyes and shield are perfect decor, but I also love the way you cut out the star at the top. I think I give it a 10. Great job.

[Sickie Ickie]

Terrific job! I'm now thinking of doing one of my own!

[Monk]

Terrific job! I'm now thinking of doing one of my own!

I was thinking the same thing.

[Devils Chariot]

thats way rad, and the fact you did it for so little money = awesome!

[Lilly]

Isn't it cool what you can make out of practically nothing..
Good Job..gotta love the wolves

[SpookySam]

I'm bummed...couldn't find this shield at my Target. Guess I'll have to check some other stores.

[Frankie-s Girl]

I'm bummed...couldn't find this shield at my Target. Guess I'll have to check some other stores.

I found it in the dollar bins right at the front door, but the checker told me they were leftovers from Easter and almost didn't sell it to me since it was missing the price tag. Something about it being a "remainder" or such. I had to ask the manager to pretty please let me have it and they did fortunately.

It wouldn't hurt to ask if they have any of these up at the service desk - that is where my checker was going to take it if I hadn't begged for it.

I have seen plastic shields at the dollar stores before similar to this, but the wolf one was different and the foam was also pretty nifty for working with on a stone.

Good luck to anyone looking for this - and sorry I used something that is difficult to find - it would be so cool if everyone that wanted to build this could find the shield!

[Demon Dog]

Another great tombstone, Frankie-s Girl! A very impressive prop, and done for under half of the allotted challenge budget too! Good luck with the contest.

[Spanky]

Awesome job! My co -worker and I were fighting in Target the other day using those shields and pencils. I'm glad you found a more constructive use for them!

[SpookySam]

Well, I tried talking to Guest Services at Target. Unfortunately, all I got was a blank stare and a "That's not my job" type response. Oh well...

[halloween71]

wonderful prop.

[lowdwnrob]

Very clever and very cool

[Frankie-s Girl]

Well, I tried talking to Guest Services at Target. Unfortunately, all I got was a blank stare and a "That's not my job" type response. Oh well...

Well, darn. Sorry they didn't have it! :(

[beelce]

Very Nice Work FG!! Classic halloween...

[STOLLOWEEN]

Very excellent looking tombstone! The whole concept came together beautifully.

I guess I need to start checking those bins at the front of our Target.

[Mr_Chicken]

That's really, really awesome!
I'm gonna have to check out those dollar bins!

[Draik41895]

i think i saw that shield at toys r us the other day,just now realized how stipid i was not to buy it

[Johnny Thunder]

Waaaaay cool. Good job.

[Phil]

That is really well executed, and a nice tip of the hat to a classic. I can't make anything worth throwing away in that amount of time!

[Lady Nyxie]

Unique. I love it.

[Dark Angel 27]

great job!

[kprimm]

Great job very very cool tombstone.

[Uncle Steed]

I LOVE THIS! I'm copying it this year, hope that's cool!

[The Archivist]

and you have one Hell of a scene. Love how the eyes light up.

[haunted1]

That looks awesome!! Great work.