Sculpey® III Mardi Gras Masks

Getting Started:

Please make sure your work area is covered and you are not working on an unprotected surface. We recommend working on the Sculpey® Oven-Safe Work Mat, wax paper, metal baking sheet, or disposable foil. Uncured clay may damage unprotected furniture or finished surfaces. Be sure to cover your crafting area appropriately.

Start with clean hands, unwrap and knead clay until soft and smooth, or condition by running clay though a Pasta Machine. We recommend using a designated machine for clay purposes only. When working with multiple colors, clean hands with soap and water or baby wipes (we have found that baby wipes work best) before switching colors. Shape clay, pressing pieces firmly together. Wash hands after use.

Baking:

Begin by preheating oven to 275 °F (130 °C). After you are done creating; for best results bake clay on an oven-proof surface such metal, aluminum foil, an index card or the Sculpey® Clay Mat at 275°F (130 °C) for 30 minutes per 1/4" (6 mm) thickness according to package directions. Oven safe glass or ceramic surfaces are also acceptable for baking; however please note that the baking times may take longer as the glass or ceramic surfaces take longer to heat up. For best baking results, use an oven thermometer. DO NOT USE MICROWAVE OVEN. DO NOT EXCEED THE ABOVE TEMPERATURE OR RECOMMENDED BAKING TIME.

To make the Cat Eye Mask:

Print then cut out the template for the Cat Eye Mask. Condition and press green clay through the conditioning machine on the thickest setting or using an acrylic roller roll to 1/16”. Make sure the sheet is large enough to accommodate the mask pattern. Lay the mask shape on top of the clay and carefully cut out around the pattern with the blade tip of the 5-in-1 Tool Set. After cutting out the green shape, cut the pattern along the dashed lines. Use the bottom half of the pattern for the purple area. Condition and press purple clay through the conditioning machine on the #3 setting or roll out with an acrylic roller to 1/32” thick. Make sure the sheet is large enough to accommodate the bottom portion of mask pattern. Lay the mask shape on top of the clay and carefully cut out around the pattern with the blade tip.

Spread green glitter over the top half of the green mask shape. Smooth the glitter down in circular motions so it sticks to the clay. Layer the purple clay pieces over the bottom half of the green piece.

Smooth purple glitter over the purple clay. Using the pattern as a reference, poke 2 holes in the mask with the 2mm pointer tool tip. You can rotate the tip inside the hold to make the holes increasingly larger.

Make various shapes with the gold clay. You can make swashes, commas, teardrops, and balls to decorate your mask. Press these firmly into place on the mask. Brush the tops of each shape with gold glitter.

Bake the mask according to the directions above in Step 1. While baking you can prepare your accessories. Squirt a little bit of black paint onto a cotton ball. Rub the paint onto the dowel rod. Stand the dowel rod in a jar to dry. Bend a gold and a green chenille stem in half. Coil or curve the two tips of each stem. Cut 12" lengths of ribbon or cord to attach the mask to the dowel.

Assembling the mask: After the mask is completely cool, glue chenille stems to the back of the mask. Allow to dry completely. Align the dowel rod to the back of the mask along the 2 holes. Insert the ribbon through the top hole and pull it in until it's half way through. Wrap the back half of the ribbon tightly around the dowel 3 times and then tie it tightly to the 1/2 of the ribbon coming out the front of the mask. Make sure your knot is pulled neatly up to the dowel and is tight enough to secure the mask to the dowel. Repeat with the bottom hole.

To make the Infinity Mask:

Print and cut out the template for the Infinity Mask. Condition and press gold clay through the conditioning machine on the thickest setting or using the acrylic roll create a sheet 1/16” thick. Make sure the sheet is large enough to accommodate the mask pattern. Lay the mask shape on top of the clay and carefully cut out around the pattern with the blade tip. Spread gold glitter over the entire mask shape. Smooth the glitter down in circular motions with your fingers so it sticks to the clay. Using the pattern as a reference, poke 2 holes in the mask with the 2mm pointer tool tip. You can rotate the tip inside the hold to make the holes increasingly larger.

Take equal amounts of green and purple clay and make snakes. Twist the snakes together to make a striped rope. Continue twisting until the rope is thin - about double the thickness of the gold mask. Gently roll the snake so it becomes smooth. Wrap the snake around the outside of the gold mask. Press it firmly to the gold clay so they bond together.

Press sheets of green and purple clay through the conditioning machine on the #3 setting or roll to 1/16” with the acrylic roller. Spread green glitter on the green clay and purple glitter on the purple clay. Cut out triangle shapes from purple and green and position them around the eyes as shown above.

Make an oval of gold clay and press it into place above the nose area. Push a feather into this oval of clay. Smooth the oval, cover with glitter and trim with a little piece of the green and purple rope.

Bake the mask according to the directions above in Step 1. While baking you can prepare your accessories. Squirt a little bit of black paint onto a cotton ball. Rub the paint onto the dowel rod. Stand the dowel rod in a jar to dry. Cut 12" lengths of ribbon or cord to attach the mask to the dowel.

Assembling the mask: After the mask is completely cool, align the dowel rod to the back of the mask along the 2 holes. Insert the ribbon through the top hole and pull it in until it's half way through. Wrap the back half of the ribbon tightly around the dowel 3 times and then tie it tightly to the 1/2 of the ribbon coming our the front of the mask. Make sure your knot is pulled neatly up to the dowel and is tight enough to secure the mask to the dowel. Repeat with the bottom hole.