Extruded foam insulation is wonderful stuff: Very cheap, easy to find, and easy to sculpt. The fabulous Keeba has put together an excellent tutorial on making prop tombstones from the stuff, but it’s also the perfect medium for making smaller signs and plaques.

For example, these cemetery plaques from Mostly Dead are a nice accent piece, but a very similar item could be handmade using insulating foam for a fraction of the price. You could make mini tombstones as desktop nameplates, plaques for personalized door hangings, or an interestingly morbid wedding gift bearing the bride and groom’s birthdates with room left in for…other dates.

Pay careful attention to the various methods described for sculpting the “stones:” If you’re more comfortable with a Dremel tool, use that. If you’re happier using a woodburning set, that’s also an option. If you’re on a budget and don’t have either tool, just use an Xacto knife and be really careful.

I plan to make a “Wicked Stepmother” sign for my cube using this method. I like to brag.

Over at Cloth and Fodder, Beth noticed that most patterns for plush toys were awfully, y’know, cute. She remedied that by creating Terry the Tarantula, the most winsome little hairy spider you’re ever likely to meet. She’s kindly posted a pattern and tutorial so you can make your own.

The materials required are minimal, and her instructions are easy to follow. You could create a whole legion of crawly things over a weekend, in a variety of colors. (You could also replace the standard safety eyes she mentions with spooky red versions for something a little creepier.)

This probably wouldn’t be appropriate for infants due to the choking hazard posed by the eyes, but it would be an adorable gift for an older child or spider-loving adult. You could also make a larger version as a comical throw pillow. (Come to think of it, a smaller version would be an interesting ring-bearer pillow, too.)

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