ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Hallowe'en Masquerade Ball Mask

I was really impressed when Avalon showed me the mask she created and the outfit she styled to go with it! Tres chic, n'est pas? I must admit, seeing my little girl look so sophisticated and grown up was a little tough to take, but I'm so very proud of her creativity. Here's this week's fabulous teen craft created by the lovely and talented Avalon Potter!

Hallowe'en Masquerade Ball Mask
Copyright Avalon Potter
ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts
"Teen crafted, mom approved."

Since I created an invitation to a Halloween masquerade ball last week, I decided that this week I would make a mask for the ball. Every girl needs a sparkly mask to complete her fabulous ensemble. This is a great project because you really make it your own, for example you can switch up the pattern or size of the crystals or you could even change the color pallet of the mask. I had a lot of fun making this and I hope you will too.


Materials
• A plain mask of any color (preferably fabric)
• A fabric flower of any color
• Tulip Glam-it-up™ crystals
• Tulip Glam-it-up™ cordless heat setting tool
• Aleene’s Liquid Fusion glue


Instructions
Step 1. Once you have gathered all of your materials get your mask, hot fix crystals, and applicator. Plan out where you want your crystals to go so you know where to apply them ahead of time.

Step 2. Apply crystals using your applicator. Designer Note: If your mask is plastic or made of plastic do not use the applicator it will melt the mask. Use Liquid Fusion glue to apply the crystals instead.

Step 3. Once you have finished applying your crystals, decide where you will want your fabric flower to go. I put mine in the upper corner of the mask.

Step 4. Use Liquid Fusion to glue the flower to the mask.

Step 5. Allow glue to dry. Once you finish you’ll have a beautiful mask to complete your costume.

Madge Muses About Costumes...

Today's blog is a rambling free associative musing on costumes past...

My lovely daughter will be attending her first Halloween party this year. She's officially announced her retirement from Trick or Treating. You'd probably think having a super crafty mom she'd have a super crafty costume...

...you'd be wrong.

She begged me for a 'bee girl' costume she found online with a long hot pink wig. So that's what she's wearing. So much for super crafty! I have no idea where she gets this pink wig penchant. ..odd.

Either my mother or I made all of my Halloween costumes as a kid. My mom is an incredibly gifted artist...our pumpkins were amazing! For several years my costume revolved around a large box. One year I covered a box in tin foil, added arm holes and red velvet ribbon and wore a huge red velvet bow in my hair that read "Do Not Open Until December 25th." The next year I cut slits in the sides of a box, bending it to create a tin foil covered spaceship...I wore a green turtleneck and tights and was the alien inside of the ship. One year my mother made me a sandwich out of large pieces of poster board, paint and crepe paper, I wore brown tights and turtleneck. The problem with the big box costume is...it's impossible to get in and out of houses...and you can't sit down...one would think after the first time I wore the big box costume I'd have learned my lesson...

One would be wrong.

During my punk rock years I got an attitude about Halloween and suggested that my daily attire was a costume already and I didn't need an excuse to dress up. Sheesh. What a Debbie Downer...lighten up a little, Madge! Here's me in a 'not costume' at a Halloween party.

I guess I had a point there...

I've made a lot of fun costumes through the years and I try to keep them low sew and easy. I've been Bat Girl twice, which is super simple with one of those stretchy executioner hoods with black cardboard ears attached and a black unitard with the logo out of felt glued on the chest (and of course a killer pair of stiletto boots!) I was Emma Peel from The Avengers once in a wickedly saucy catsuit. A couple of years ago I went as Jackie Kennedy...though I was tempted to cover my vintage wool suit in fake blood and carry a brain chunk...I decided against it after further thought. Perhaps a little too...distasteful. We have a huge grey fleece hoodie that has been both Eeyore (with pinned in black yarn mane and big floppy painted felt ears) and a Mouse with smaller felt ears and a wheel of cheese fashioned from a Styrofoam disc painted yellow in which we created holes by scooping out segments with a cheese baller...and added a bite mark and a large round pillow for a big belly. We put velcro on the back of the cheese so it could attach to the sweatshirt while trick or treating. All of these pics are buried in our storage spaces...so I can't share any.

I'm an actor, so I've had some amazing costumes created for me to wear onstage. Would that I kept one or two...but alas I did not.Photo Copyright Tim Duckworth from The Triumph of Love KSU ClassicTheatreWorks

I don't have any parties to attend this year..so I'm afraid there will be no costumes for Madge. We don't get any trick or treaters in our neighborhood, we're mostly surrounded by Amish folk and they don't do Halloween, all the action is in town and without a kid in tow, I'd look like a weirdo. I have to admit, I'm going to miss the little Halloweenies! Tell me about your costumes in my comments section!

I'll be back tomorrow with a final Halloween project for iLoveToCreate...and then I'm gearing up for a series of great ideas for the Holidays!

xoxo
Madge