Does anybody do personalized tombstones?

[Lagrousome]

I am just starting to build my own tombstones & the first one will be my husband & I (of course he died first!):D Then I got to thinking....we have many re-peat victims every year at our halloween party....so why not make personalized tombstones for our friends & family. They don't get to take them home with them, but I thought they might get a kick out of seeing their names in the grave yard. What do you guys think???

[turtle2778]

Well, i thought that was a good idea until my family was all like WTF, you wish us dead?? Obviously NO sense of humor on those peeps. If i was ur friend, i would think it was Hilarious, especially if it was with a funny epitaph. Ya know like....Here lies Turtle....She finally came out of her shell and went straight to hell. I like the idea, but as i said, some peeps got noo sense of humor.

[Lagrousome]

That's what I was thinking too, but then I thought, hey...they KNOW how I am with Halloween and my morbid sense of decorating. I was thinking of the more funny epitaphs to use though......we have friends who's last name is Huston....."we have a problem".....etc.....My father in law's name is "ed"...gee, that rhymes with dead.....so on and so on.....I just thought it would a nice way to personalize the evening....maybe I'm wierd..but I would be HONORED to be in someone else's cemetery....wouldn't you???

[Eyes_in_the_dark]

Sounds kinda creepy to me. lagrousome don't know if anyone else has this problem but, your font color is really hard for me to see and read...may be just me.

[Sickie Ickie]

(Psst eyes in the dark. I had to highlight the font color to read the posts)

L, I have to agree with turtle. I love the unusual and creative ideas expressed, but some of my own friends- although they support me in this- would get offended if I did this. The just don't undrstand. so be careful who you do it with or who else views it or you may get huge flack. :(

[trishaanne]

I made a tombstone for my husband when he got transferred to another division in his job, which added a 50 mile drive each way to his commute. It said something to the effect of "K.W.M. Got transferred to presentence division, and it killed him". His previous supervisor came to our party, where I had it on display, and took it home with her and she now has it hanging in her office. She refuses to take it down until hubby gets transferred back to his old office.

There is also a woman in the next town over who decorates for Halloween, a little bit anyway. She made tombstones of all her ex's, her clients and whoever else wanted them. I think there's even one of the police chief and the mailman.

If you have fun with hi, and if your husband doesn't mind the fact that you made him die first (:p ) I say go for it. We have to have a little fun for ourselves while decorating too.

[Lilly]

LaGrousome..
I do this all the time, on the tombstones I have now they are real rocks so i used fabric paint on them. It is wearing off now after 10 yrs but i can redo them easily.
I use family names of who have died and also living names I just dont put the death date in those 1977- .
This yr we are having a bring your own tombstone party.
I will be expanding my graveyard to accomodate these..I do not know what they will put on those some may have thier names some not.
but I'm sure there will many a variety.
I plan on setting the tombstone up and then having the person lay in front of it like they are dead and then taking pics to put in the guest book for this yr that I am making.
I dont see anything wrong with it. It's your cematary haha

[Lagrousome]

I love the ideas ~ I think you're right...there are some that I wouldn't do them for, but others that would love it. Keeping it light & funny is probably the way to go. Maybe I'll only do a few for those I know would appreciate it and see how it goes....

[thenameisaimee]

I love the idea, but like turtle said, some people just don't find it humoresly. However, since its YOUR halloween party, i'd do it away! As long as you personally think they won't get offended. I'd also let everyone whos names you used, let them know you've included them in with some of your decorations and ask them not to feel offended (if possible). :confused:

[turtle2778]

Thats a good idea amie...That way your not telling them what you doing, but letting them know in advance it might a little on the strange side.

[Lagrousome]

I did tell 1 couple that I was making them a tombstone and they were all for it. The kids really love the idea!! Maybe what I'll do when I make their stone is just put a last name on it with some details or a funny saying. Maybe I wont put on any "dates". Still tossing around the ideas I guess.

[IshWitch]

The first year I did the yard the kids made tombstones of each other. They were in HS, so no fear who they hit. They also did one for a school friend's car that had been wrecked a couple months before (and was only a month old!) and Osama Bin Laden after 9/11. I thought it was very creative, it said:
Here lies Osama
Tasted our Bomba
:)

[Ghostess]

I did a few tombstones in honor of some of my friends..
Gary, who is an electrician by trade:
http://www.howloweenqueen.com/images/tombstones/hq_gary_tombstone.jpg

Ivy, who was in drama, still is a drama queen, and loves theater:
http://www.howloweenqueen.com/images/tombstones/hq_ivy_tombstone.jpg

My husband's original screen name, Zeke, which is just someone else's real tombstone, but I changed the town to Murder Creek, which is close to where my mom lives in Alabama:
http://www.howloweenqueen.com/images/tombstones/hq_zeke_tombstone.jpg

One for my son, Brandon, who inspired me one day on a bike ride:
http://www.howloweenqueen.com/images/tombstones/hq_BrandonTS.JPG

And then my own, which y'all have probably also seen with the name "Anna" which I just changed to "Deanna":
http://www.howloweenqueen.com/images/tombstones/hq_deanna_tombstone.jpg

Every body gets a kick out of them, then try to get me to make one for them too. I told people to write down their suggestions and I'll try to make some this year. Theyjust have to get them to me before October..LOL

[Lagrousome]

WOW!!!! I love the pics! That is EXACTLY what I was thinking! No need to make them really creepy with death dates and such, but they look really great!
Thanks & I am going to make some for our repeaters! You guys have given me some really great ideas! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!

[Eyes_in_the_dark]

Ghostess, man I love your work...outstanding!!

[wormyt]

LOL ok Im sitting here laughing at what Turtle said about herself. I almost spit my tea out LOL. Yall are so fricken funny.

[Sickie Ickie]

Looks aren't everything WT. LOL

[Lady Nyxie]

My cousin considered a similar thing for her party last year. She was going to make up Doombuggy death certificates for everyone who attended, but then decided that maybe not everyone would be pleased. I guess the best idea is to really know your audience.

[Lagrousome]

I think you're right.....tombstones for some, but not all. I have started (2)...both for our friends/neighbors that live behind us & they really liked them. The first couple's last name is "Huston"....so "Huston....We Had A Problem" and the other gal bakes fancy deserts for a living....so on theirs is their name, a huge cake & under neath "Baked to the Bone!"....her 12 year old daughter came up with that and is even helping me make the tombstones....ahhhh, a future haunter in the making....I love fresh blood!!!

[Dr Morbius]

(Psst eyes in the dark. I had to highlight the font color to read the posts)

Could be worse!

[Sickie Ickie]

LOL Good point, Doc!

[Ghoulbug]

i liked the tombstone idea. like Lily said, evryone is bringing their own which is a good idea. They usually all ask "what can i bring?" Now they know. I am getting started on mine so i should be finished by october haha (i'm not the talented one)

[susan from creepy hollow]

hey, when i was making my tombstones last year i wanted to make one for me, my husband and son. Josh (the son) was all for it, and the husband was against...so i didnt. i made 'generic' names, initials for 1st and middle name and a common last name (Smith, Jones.. you get the idea)
well... a guest at our friends party (where we took our cemetery the week-end after our party) had just lost her teenage son, whose initials and last name were exactly like one of the 'generics' i had made.
i felt TERRIBLE! i would have been better off to make ones for all of us, and i'm keeping this in mind as i get ready to MM and paint the ones for this year!

[Lagrousome]

I would feel pretty bad too. You just never know what's gonna happen. After I made me & hubby's, the other ones are going to be pretty generic. I will use names of my friends, but no dates. Just silly sayings, or something that is a little joke between us. Friends behind us last name is "Huston" so that's a given...."we had a problem", my neighbor to the side bakes for a living, so her daughter came up with "baked to the bone". I think I'll stick to things like that for the personalized ones.....but now the more our friends are hearing about it, they want to know what THEIR'S will say....I guess I better get to making some more!

[kciaccio]

That is mostly what I use. The neighborhood kids get a kick seeing there name in my yard haunt. Some actually came over while I was building them and helped design there own. It adds soo much to my scene.

[edwood saucer]

Yes - personalized to the kids on the block... the parents get a big kick out of seeing their kids tombstone:

Collin "McMonster"

Here lies Emma - in quite a dilemma.

Caitlyn - swallowed a frog. (she plays violin and the part of the bow you hold is called a frog)

I can't keep up - we did 8 last year and will do 6 this year. But still many more kids to go.

[Lagrousome]

Ed ~
I love those! I'll have to start making a list of some good one's for the kids!

[Bone Dancer]

My tombstones are viewed from a distance so I tend to go without any writing on them. I am more interested in shape and styles of the stones.

[princewally]

I personalize all of the tombstones I make.

My friends and family aren't the least bit surprised or offended to see themselves dead in my yard. :)

[Lilly]

thought i would show you part of mine for this yr
couch cushion foam and hot glue letters also hot glue bike..
I need to do another coat on the bike but I just may leave it like that too.
This will be the front stone to the 2 tombstones for us this yr.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/tombstone%20finished%20pics/front1-1.jpg

[Sickie Ickie]

Hey! Way cool ideas, Lilly. I have toadmit I like theidea of not having to repaint or touch up the bike. :)

[Lilly]

Y I think I will leave it as is ..it stands out a little better..

[Long_Tom]

This being in the Party ideas section gave me an idea for personalized tombstones as invitations. Work up a drawing or photo of a blank tombstone, then print people's names and 2007 for date of death on the front. (Best if you can make it a mail-merge document, so you don't have to do each one by hand.) On the inside, put "Only if you don't show up..." and the rest of the details of the invite.

[Madame X]

Thank you for changing your color Lagrousome it was hard to see...
Now I can see your words of wisedome.
and I think a tombstone party is a great idea.. they can make their own tombstone so , how can they be mad then?

[debbie5]

So how do you personalize a store-bought tombstone? Use a gouging tool? I have a wood burning tool, but do not have the thingie (that's a technical term) needed to turn the amperage down to cool down the tip.

Do tell....

d5

[Lagrousome]

So how do you personalize a store-bought tombstone? Use a gouging tool? I have a wood burning tool, but do not have the thingie (that's a technical term) needed to turn the amperage down to cool down the tip.

Do tell....

d5

Welcome to the forum Debbie5!
I am not sure if I understand your question or if my answers are what you are looking for, but I'll try to help.
I personally have not personalized any "store bought" tombstones, but have made plenty of them from the insulation boards. But I suppose you could do the same with the store bought ones. For me, I prefer to use a dremmel with this attachment http://www.mytoolstore.com/dremel/tilecut.html

It makes a nice level cutout of your lettering/design and well worth it!

When I just used a soldering gun to "carve" out the letters, it is a very uneven look like this http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa256/Lagrousome/tombstonepics005.jpg



With the attachment on the dremmel, it is a much more even cut like this



http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa256/Lagrousome/091905.jpg

[Hauntann]

Most of my tombstones are "personalized", just not with real people. I started writing a story in high school and I decided to use the people in that for names and dates. This was after one of my tombstones "wandered" across town one Halloween and since it said something generic like "Dracula" on it, I couldn't prove it was mine. Fortunately, this only happened once but I did start using the "story" names and dates which mean nothing to anyone but me. I always get asked, "Who ARE these people?" but they look real and if one would wander off, it would be hard to justify it being out of my yard. never did finish that story but it has been helpful in another way.:jol:

[byteme]

I was going to mark our new tomb with our family name but the wife gave me a really weird look like " yeah you do that and you'll be under it." I thought it was cool but got struck down...

[Dixie]

Several of the neighborhood kids wanted their name on tombstones in our yard, and since it IS their neighborhood as well as my own, I made a practice of asking their Moms before getting out the Dremel. I was surprised at how many told me no, they would rather not. Hmm, ok!

PS, thought it was cool seeing this old thread come to life, and the welcome posts for Debbie5, lol. good times! ;)

[stick]

I made a few "Personalized tombstones" and did not tell anybody, now people ask if they could be in my graveyard. Now days when I make a personalized tombstone I always show the person a paper copy of what I am doing so they can approve it first. I do not want them to not like it and wish that it was not there. At least 75% of all my tombstones I have are either family or friends and they all think it is something special. They all have dates both born and death (all of them in the past).

But it is best to ask first.

[Spiderclimber]

Nah, you don't need to ask. :D Last year was my first year in my new home. I knew about 4 neighbors by the time halloween rolled around. I went all out but the kicker was the tombstones. I used the Auditors website in my county to get the last names of each neighbor 4 doors down each way both sides of the street. I put the names on the stones and left it at that, no dates. The neighbors all got a kick out of it and I met many more that wanted their name on a stone.

Sadly, my neighbor next door had throat cancer this year and was not supposed to make it but did. They asked me not to put thier stone up as it was a disturbing thought due to circumstances. I guess their's will stay hidden this year. Wish I could think of something to put up instead for them.