Make Your Own Halloween Masks!

Image Gallery Here's a gruesome quartet of homemade papier-mache gremlins that would be sure to liven up any creative youngster's Halloween.

MOTHER feels strongly that youths can be creative "doers," working toward more ecological and self-reliant lifestyles ...whether their tasks be raising chickens on a farm or maintaining rooftop container gardens in the city. To support the endeavors of our often overlooked "underage" citizens, we're glad to publish well-written articles from younger children and teenagers concerning projects they've undertaken. However, we recommend that all young authors query (that is, send us a letter telling about the story they'd like to do) before writing afull article. Address inquiries to Mother's Children, THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS® , 105 Stoney Mountain Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28791.

My brother Cory and I create our own Halloween masks. We decided to make them because we didn't think the ones in the store were worth the money they cost. They were all either expensive or poorly made. Our mom liked the idea and suggested we make our masks with papier-mache (a French word that literally means "chewed paper") so we could use up some of the old newspapers around the house.

To make the masks we needed to buy some medium-size pear-shaped balloons, wallpaper paste, white glue, masking tape, and paint. (We already had lots of newspapers.) You can make your own scary or funny face, too! Here's how.

Tear up lots of newspaper into long strips about half an inch wide. Next, blow up a balloon until it's a little bit larger than your own head.

Work up a batch of wallpaper paste by mixing two parts powder to ten parts water. Then pull the strips, one at a time, through the paste and stick them to the inflated balloon. Keep adding layers to the balloon until the papier-mache is about five strips thick ...but be sure to leave a small, uncovered opening at the bottom. Hang the strip-covered balloon from the bottom to dry until the covering gets very hard.

When the paper's all dry, pop the balloon and pull it through the hole. Then cut out that hole some more, making it just big enough so you can slip on the unfinished mask. Once it's on your head, get somebody with a felt-tipped pen to help you mark exactly where your eyes, nose, and mouth line up with the mask. Then take the papier-mache head off and carefully cut out those openings. Put masking tape around the holes to keep the mask from scratching your face.

Now it's time to add the supports for the facial details. To make eyebrows or lips, twist a stick of newspaper and hold it in place with masking tape. Egg carton cups or paper cones can be taped on to make a nose, horns, chin, or even goggle eyes. If you'd like your creature to look real brainy, wad up two big balls of newspaper and tape them on top. Big ears are fun to add, too, but you'll have to use stiff cardboard to make those.