Project: Paper bag mask

What can you do with a paper grocery bag? 

Hmmmm....

There are a plethora of possibilities: use it for putting out the recycling; tinder to start a fire (in the fireplace!); re-use it for groceries; as one little kid told me, "Put stuff in it!" Yes, that is usually what a bag is for. ;) But today I have a use that you've probably never thought of:

A mask! Party time!

Yup, a mask. My sisters and I made many of these when we were kids. This example is far less elaborate than I used to create. I made a lion face once, using orange, yellow and brown construction paper for the mane--taping the pieces to the bag, because glue doesn't work super well. 

Materials:

-Paper grocery bag
-Markers
-Scissors
-Tape

-Construction paper

Optional:

-Paint
-Pipe cleaners

-Tissue paper
-Fabric (you can staple it to the bag)

You can tell that I didn't mark where my eyes would be before I started cutting. If you actually want to be able to see, use a marker to plot out where your eyes and mouth are at the beginning. 

It's kind of hard to find a bag without any markings on it, so you can cover it with paint or construction paper. Or you can work it into your design--I turned the red logo on my bag into a mouth.

For smaller children cut arm holes in the side of the bag, and it can become a whole costume if they're small enough. Being a grown up, I had to cut out quite a bit on the sides to get my shoulders to fit. 

If you're curious, I made the eyelashes by cutting long, thin triangles, bending them in two different spots, then taping each one down. 

For the pipe cleaners, you can just poke them through the bag and twist them to stay in place. They can become antennae, hair, jewelry, eyebrows....there's a lot you can do. 

This was one of my favorite crafts to make when I was a kid, because there's so many different possibilities. And there's so much to decorate if you feel so inclined--don't forget you have the sides and back!