How to Make a Feather Mask for Mardi Gras

All you need is an inexpensive eye mask to make a feathered mask for Mardi Gras. The entire Mardi Gras mask can be decorated with colorful feathers, or it can be covered with glitter or sequins and accented with side feathers. The following instructions can be adapted to create a mask entirely covered in feathers.

Things You'll Need

• Eye mask
• Glue
• Paper cup
• Paint brush
• Paper sack
• Scissors
• Pencil or pen
• Narrow wooden dowel
• Ribbons
• Sequins
• Feathers

Instructions

1. 

   Remove the elastic string from the eye mask.

2. 

   Cut a piece of paper from the paper sack that is larger than the eye mask. Glue the paper onto the front side of the eye mask.

3. 

   Draw the desired shape for the Mardi Gras mask.

4. 

   Cut out the shape. Discard the cut portion of the paper from the sack, and from the eye mask.

5. 

   Pour white glue into a paper cup and mix in a little water to thin. Paint the paper sack outer portion of the mask with a layer of the solution. Allow to dry, and give it another coat. The purpose is to stiffen the mask.

6. 

   Coat the mask with glitter or sequins. First paint the mask with glue mixture, and then add the sequins or glitter. The sequins will be less messy.

7. 

   Cover the wooden dowel with ribbon. Paint the dowel with glue, then wrap ribbon around the dowel until it is covered.

8. 

   Secure one end of the dowel to one side of the mask, gluing on the back (unfinished side) of the mask. Allow to dry before proceeding to the next step. The ribbon covered dowel will be used as a handle to hold the mask.

9. 

   Add strands of curled ribbon to the side of the mask with the dowel. Glue ends of the ribbon to the backside of the mask to secure it in place.

10. Add feathers to the mask, arrange in an artful shape. Glue onto the front of the mask.

Tips & Warnings

• Use paper from a heavy grocery sack, not a thin paper sack.