So shortly after corona started my mom, @grenouille78, thought it would be cool for my siblings and I to learn about the Black Plague and plague doctors. The incentive for us to do this “class”? If we finished, we got to make our own plague doctor mask-
We made them out of paper mache, which stank and made everybody nauseous. After a couple days of drying we started to paint them! I decided to get bold and paint mines to look like sugar skull. It was a long process (I’m not good with painting ) but I finally finished today!!!
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Lynx
(In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)
2
Cool! I love paper mache! Your mask is sick! It looks really smooth and fresh. Did you sand it? It just looks lovely. Do you plan to wear it? Are you homeschooling? Most of the people on this site are over 30 so I was sitting there trying to figure out why some lady would be making their adult child learn about plagues. then I realized you might be in school still. I mean, if you are an adult that’s cool, I just dont know why it would happen to have to incentivise you in order to make a mask. Hehehe I just do paper mache whenever. What did you use for paste that it stank? Most people use wheat paste or elmers… maybe your wheat paste was too old? I make fresh batches every time if I use wheat paste. I often use pva glue too.
Or adults! My daughter grew up and still lives in Portland, OR and she did not know about the race riots in the late '60s. She’s in her mid 30’s and of course, it wasn’t taught in school. So in light of the recent unrest and riots in her city, I told her to go research it. And she did!
Another one to research is the flu pandemic of 1918. My mother (91 years old) remembers her parents mentioning it, but not really talking about it much.
Kudos to your mom whatever age you all are.
I’ll let @ShadowMAB11 answer the other questions, but figured I’d chime in with why the paste smelled! We made flour paste and it sat out overnight, so we were basically on our way to sourdough. haha The kids didn’t like that too much, but once they painted their masks the smell was covered. (Also, my children can be a tad… dramatic. ).
@marionberries Good idea to tell her to research! I’m all about the learnin’!
Thank you so much! I did sand it- (The sound was awful!) I’m debating whether I wear it or not. I’m in public school, but this was just a project for the summer- Both my mom and I have an interest in medieval history and so when corona started, my mom thought it would be appropriate to learn a little more about the plague.
) but I finally finished today!!!
It looks really smooth and fresh. Did you sand it? It just looks lovely. Do you plan to wear it? Are you homeschooling? Most of the people on this site are over 30 so I was sitting there trying to figure out why some lady would be making their adult child learn about plagues. 
then I realized you might be in school still. I mean, if you are an adult that’s cool, I just dont know why it would happen to have to incentivise you in order to make a mask. Hehehe I just do paper mache whenever. What did you use for paste that it stank? Most people use wheat paste or elmers… maybe your wheat paste was too old? I make fresh batches every time if I use wheat paste. I often use pva glue too.