Thursday, February 16, 2012

Brandy's Dolly and Me Mardis Gras Masks!


It would only be fitting for Cecile and Marie-Grace to celebrate a New
Orleans Mardi Gras in style!  New Orleans is one of my husband's and I's
favorite places to visit.  I wanted to share the festivities with our girls.
This was probably one of the most inexpensive craft projects I have made
because I got lucky and had almost all the needed materials.  The only item
I had to purchase was the feathers.those where $1.99 at my local Michael's
craft store.  Here's how I made the masks...




1.  First I had to create a template.  This took me longer than anything
else on this project.  After many sketches, this is the one I liked the
best.  The best way to get an even template is to fold your paper in half.as
if making a heart cutout.  My inspiration was a combination of the mask in
Cecile and Marie-Grace's Fairy Costume Accessories and all of the Mardi Gras
masks that are in the Oriental Trading Magazines.





2.  I traced the mask pattern onto foam paper and cut out.  Tip.use very
tiny scissors to cut out the eyes.





3.  I used glitter glue on the edges of the mask to make it pop with color.
While the glitter glue was drying, I cut a back-side of a mask out.  I
attached brads so elastic string could be attached.  I was afraid that if I
didn't use brads, the foam would rip with my girls taking the masks on and
off.  You could also attach a pencil or a straw to the mask, if you didn't
want to use string, to make it a hand held mask.



4.  Once glitter glue dried, I attached other decorative accents..foam paper
circles made from a hole hand punch, felt flowers, and ribbons.


5.  Next I glued on the feathers to the back right and left edges.





6.  To make the mask sturdy and to conceal the sharp edges of the feathers,
I glued a back side of the mask.





****I made the masks before my girls and I finished reading Cecile and
Marie-Grace's first two books.  So.I decided to surprise my girls with
matching wings..just like in the books.  Directions were pretty much the
same as the masks:  create pattern, trace and cut out foam paper, decorate
with glitter glue, attach brads add elastic string, glue two halves
together.  Viola!



Thank you so much again Brandy for showning us an amazing craft ! I hope you will have fun making your own Masks for yourselves and your dolls!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

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