Masked for Fat Tuesday Grocery Shopping & Pet Walking

Mardi Gras Time!

Carol Baxter greeting! I wear many hats but I swapped hats for masks today and I am so glad you have joined me!

Mask 1: Starman

This mask was inspired by one of my favorite musicians, the late David Bowie. 

I made my collage paper with The small stencil from Mary Beth Shaw's Private Collection 17.1 and the mini from Rae Missigman's Modern Botanicals Sets for StencilClub and Golden Quinacridone Magenta and Phthalo Turquoise.

The key to the collage paper for me was to stencil fast so I could stay random. Once the paper was dry I used a bronze pen to make some dots. I turned it face down so I could tear it up in pieces without over-thinking.

When you are applying collage pieces on a pre-made mask, you'll need some of the pieces to be small so you can apply them smoothly over the hills and valleys. I used a mixture of glue and water with the brush I keep just for glue.

Lastly, I trimmed the mask with a Cricket Craft Knife, used the bronze pen to highlight the eyes, and applied just a little Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold to make make the mask pop around the outside edges.

Optional: Highlight and/or affix embellishments from your stash if you wish.

Mask 2: Be Kind 

I tore and glued strips in pieces the same as in Mask 1, except this time I tore intentionally as I planned hearts on one side and little people on the other (mostly).

Sprinkle and spritz collage papers: I used my clean palette knife to sprinkle Magicals by Lindy's Stamp Gang in Bachelor Button Blue, and Color Blast Color Shimmer Dust in Sunflower on sheets of paper and then spritzed with water, placed the stencil, and sandwiched it between another sheet of paper or brayered it- sometimes with the stencil, sometimes without. I have lots of papers that are ready for more treatment, but later.

When I used the heart part of the stencil on one of the papers, I gessoed the hearts first, let the paper dry, and then used the dust. I embellished with a green Gel Writer Pen - nope, not permanent but hearts bleed a little, right?

You'll notice that some of the people on the collage paper are embellished, some not. I had in mind that there are people who feel like they are in or out at any given moment but they, we, all need love.

Stencil: Home is Where the Heart Is L107 (also comes in a small size, S072)

Twelve months ago, I was partying in New Orleans celebrating friends’ birthdays, falling in love with the music on Freemont Street, the food (alligator sausage with mustard anyone?), the street art, and of course the gorgeous leather Mardi Gras masks.

Now I wear a mask of a different kind when I go out, but I think it will be a kick to up my grocery shopping attire on Fat Tuesday, February 16th.

You are invited… Nope, I am throwing down the challenge gauntlet. I DARE YOU to make your own Fat Tuesday mask and go grocery shopping in it (along with your mouth mask of course - you can find some fun mask ideas from the StencilGirl Creative Team members Peg Robinson and Wendy Baysa).

Not grocery shopping? Take a walk in your mask and let your neighbors know a cheerfully brazen artist lives nearby!

We need to celebrate the little things in a world gone mad, dontcha think? 

Daring folk, please share your pics on Instagram:  #StencilGirl #FatTuesday

I have 2 masks in hopes of convincing an artsy friend to play along.

I am certain we’ll get some double takes, some oh-my-gosh-she-must-be-nuts looks, some wow-she-has-guts looks, but hey! We will spread a little merriment pushing the cart through the aisles to the pastry counter. Beignet, anyone?

My stash now includes 10 unpainted masks. Hoping for a Fat Tuesday Party in the Pines in 2022. I’ll surely need a couple of Kristin Reese Williams' Happy Hour and Carolyn Dube’s Alternating Diamonds Stencils to make those invitations.

Wishing you whatever brings you joy,

Carol