Lace Lady Gaga-ish Mask With Super Easy Tutorial

[lindseylee21]

Hi everyone!
I am working on a burlesque type outfit for a friend's costume birthday party; one of the requirements for attendees is that you must have some sort of mask. I like to make stuff, so I decided to try making a lace mask that would be a little more exotic than just a normal mask. I wanted it to look sort of Lady Gaga-esque and I really like how it turned out. It was so easy so I thought I'd post it for future halloween costume needs!

I bought a black lace remnant for cheap at Joann Fabrics. Here is what I started with:


I put it up on my face and trimmed it to about 1 cm past my hairline. I also carefully trimmed along the pattern so that it wasn't just a straight line on my forehead.


Next, I soaked the lace in a mixture of water and Elmer's Glue to give it some firmness. I got the idea from a technique I used when making a mask out of leather. When you get it all nice and soaked, put it on your face and shape it how you want it; the water/glue mixture helps shape the mask to your face and helps it hold its shape. I then dried it with a hairdryer. Note: I put vaseline on my eyebrows, just in case, but I'm not sure it was really necessary.

As you can see in the pic, it is curved to the shape of my nose and face and now has enough body to stand on its own:


To secure the mask, I used a bobby pin on each side. Here is the finished product (please excuse my ratty appearance):



I'm thinking it will look better once I'm in the whole ensemble, lol. I'm planning to post pics of that as well because I made this awesome feathered skirt that I also want to share. I hope you like it and c/c are welcome!

PS - I just noticed that it looks like there are some um... strange items on my bed behind me in the last pic. I PROMISE that they are both remote controls for my television and DVD player!!!!!!!! lol

[themouseandme]

A) That mask is pretty awesome. I love how the lace pattern seems to crawl/grow across your facial features. It's so very lovely, and organic-looking!

B) I wasn't actually looking on your bed 'til you pointed it out...and then I was like, "Oohhhh...."

[MyaYusan]

That's so pretty. I may have to steal this idea sometime =D

[Radmom]

I really like it! I am a big Lady Gaga fan myself. Funny, since I am 37 and I love her...my kid sister is 22 and can't stand her! She claims that she is "too weird," guess that is why I like her. LOL I like that she isn't afraid to be DIFFERENT in a retro bringing back the 70/80's kind of way. If she keeps it up, it would be nice to see if she can push the trends of the art the way Madonna and Cyndi Lauper did for the early 80's.  I can't wait to see your entire ensemble!

[lindseylee21]

Thanks for all the nice comments!!! I can't wait to finish this costume, I'm so excited for it!!!

[little green dragonfly]

THis is gorgeous!

I've never thought of this before and would def like to make my own now

The glue part makes me a tinsy bith nervous though!

[bexieboo]

This is really beautiful. I had to make some masks for a ball a few weeks ago, and this was what I wanted to do with them....I didn't have any lace though, so that was a bit of an obstacle lol.

[ARStheLorax]

I love this! I wanna make one, but have no idea what I would use it for =P

[thekster]

I like this! Wouldn't it be possible to just use starch though? Surprisingly, I don't think I have any Elmer's glue (well... I have some kinda blue gel stuff but I don't think that would work.)
What would you say the ratio of water to glue you used was?
Off to Hancock for some lace remnants on Thursday!

[violentjayne]

cool idea i cant wait to see the whole outfit