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Do-it-yourself: Australia Day animal masks

Do-it-yourself: Australia Day animal masks

These DIY masks are a great way to involve kids in the build-up to your party. They’ll be so proud to show off their creations to family and friends.

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You’ll need

From Officeworks

  • A4 cardboard sheet

  • Elmer’s School Glue

  • Scissors

  • Paintbrush From craft/discount store

  • Grey felt

  • Black sticky-backed felt

  • White turkey feathers

  • Black glitter

  • Ribbon or hat elastic.

What to do

  1. Download koala template from the Woman’s Day website and print out (or draw koala freehand, drawing face and nose as separate shapes) on paper. Trace onto cardboard and cut out face and nose. Put nose to one side.
  1. Place cardboard face on grey felt. Cut out face shape.
  1. Paint cardboard face with glue. Place grey felt piece over glue and press firmly to secure.
  1. While face dries, cut the nose out of the black sticky felt using cardboard nose as template.
  1. When face is dry, cut out eyes (pierce centre first with pointy end of scissors or a scalpel – an adult should do this).
  1. Glue some small, fluffy feathers in place on the ears.
  1. Gently peel backing tape off black felt nose about halfway and cut so backing tape is still in place on bottom half of nose (this is so it doesn’t stick to your nose). Stick in place on mask.
  1. Gently separate a section of the felt and cardboard on side of mask just below ears, slip ribbon or elastic in between, glue in place and press felt and cardboard back together. Repeat on other side. Alternatively, tie hat elastic through holes pierced at sides of mask.

Extra-crafty step Pop some glue on the nose and sprinkle with black glitter for a little sparkle. This glue will dry clear.

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You’ll need

From Officeworks

  • A4 cardboard sheet

  • Elmer’s School Glue

  • Scissors

  • Paintbrush

From craft/discount store

  • Cotton wool or cotton wool balls

  • Yellow feathers

  • Dark grey felt

  • Ribbon or hat elastic

What to do

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  1. Download the cockatoo template from the Woman’s Day website and print out (or draw freehand, drawing face and beak as separate shapes) on paper. Trace onto cardboard and cut out face and beak. Cut a V at bottom of face shape to fit around nose. Set beak aside.
  1. Cut out eyes (pierce centre first with pointy end of scissors or use a scalpel – an adult should do this).
  1. Glue three yellow feathers to front of face mask at the top.
  1. Now paint glue all over the front of the mask, including over bottoms of feathers where they’re glued to the mask. Break up cotton wool or cotton wool balls and stick all over the glue.
  1. Paint glue over beak template and stick on a piece of grey felt to cover it. Trim off excess felt.
  1. Fold the beak in half lengthways so the felt is on the outside. Firmly press along the edge so there is a distinct fold.
  1. Open up and fold about 1.5cm of one pointy end inwards towards itself (if you printed the pattern from our website, follow line on pattern). This creates a slightly flatter section to attach to the mask while still allowing the beak to look like a beak.
  1. Glue top of beak in place in between the eyes.
  1. Glue a length of ribbon on either side of the cockatoo face. Alternatively, tie hat elastic through holes pierced at sides of mask.

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