Owl Mask

Cut off the existing elastic band from a papier-mache mask. Using a foam brush, paint the front and back of mask with brown acrylic paint. Let dry.

Cut out two sets of eye rings from yellow, green, and black crepe paper using templates. Starting with one eye, affix the yellow ring to mask using a glue stick, and then layer on the green and black rings. Repeat with second eye.

Make feather strips: Cut four 1 1/2-inch-by-8-inch strips of brown crepe paper, using broad scallop scissors, along one long side of each strip. Then cut two 1 1/2-by-5-inch strips of gray crepe paper, using broad scallop scissors, along one long side of each strip. (To cut more easily with scallop scissors, stack crepe-paper strips and cut them at once; or hold the strips on scrap paper while cutting.) Using regular scissors, snip gray strips at each scallop indent to make fringes.

Glue feather strips to mask: Apply glue stick to the underside of one brown strip along the straight edge. Affix strip to one edge of eye, starting at the top corner and gathering the paper slightly as you go. Then glue the gray strip underneath, leaving about 1/2 inch exposed (don't gather it). Glue the brown strip underneath the gray one, leaving about 1/2 inch exposed, pleating it as you follow the contour of the mask. Repeat, adding feather strips to the other side of mask.

Cut two strips from gray crepe paper for the edges of eyes using template. Glue one gray strip outside the yellow eye ring, so it curves around the side. Repeat, adding strip to other eye.

Attach brow pieces: Using glue stick, affix brown crepe paper to brown paper for added stiffness; cut out brow using template. Cut two strips of gray crepe paper for the edges of brow using template; trim along the curved side of each, using scallop scissors. (To cut more easily with scallop scissors, stack crepe-paper strips, and cut them at once; or hold the strips on scrap paper while cutting.) Glue gray strips to the sides of brow piece, with the scalloped edges facing in. Using a hot-glue gun, attach brow piece to mask.

Using glue stick, create a double layer of orange crepe paper for added thickness; cut out nose using template. Affix nose to mask using glue stick, and smooth it in place.

Add two ribbon ties to replace elastic. We used twill tape, which comes in lots of colors and ties into good, tight bows.