MASKS Many cultures make masks for a variety of reasons.  Here is a salt dough recipe that can be used to make masks.  The way you finish them up will make all the difference: 3 cups flour 1 ¼ cups warm water 1 cup salt Dissolve the salt in the warm water.  If you want colored dough you can add coloring to the water or divided the mixed dough and work it in at that point.  Add to 3 cups of flour.  Mix and knead until smooth.  Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and use within one week.  Items can be air dried or baked at 250 degrees for 45 minutes (small items) up to 2 hours (large items. AZTEC SUN GOD MASK Roll out a circle of dough on waxed paper.  Thickness should be about ¼-3/8 inch .  This will form the face.  Roll out more dough to the same thickness and cut out geometric shapes to form eyes, nose, mouth, sunrays, eyebrows, etc.  Connect the facial features by wetting your fingers and gently pressing them into the base.  You can use toothpicks, craft sticks and table knives to add details.  Don’t forget to make a hole or press a paperclip into the back with half of it sticking out so you can hang your mask.  Bake, cool and paint with tempera paints. CONGO MINI-MASKS Same directions as for the Aztec sun mask, but remember that African masks are fashioned after different animals and images than the Aztec ones. CARNIVAL OR MARDI GRAS MASKS These masks should look like a human face.  You might want to press aluminum foil onto your own face to have a model of where the features for your mask should be.  Use rolls of clay to make lips.  You can decorate the edges with sequins, feathers, paper flowers and lace.  Paint make-up or clown faces. If you want a mask to wear try making it out of Papier Mache using newspaper strips and flour and water flue.  You could make this one on a balloon.  When you have at least 5-7 layers on allow it to dry completely.  Then just pop the balloon, sand, paint and decorate.  Add some strings and voilà!