Mask it or Casket

I am firmly in Team Mask, and if you’re not, that’s fine, but I don’t really give a shit why you’re not and I won’t argue about it with you. This post is for people who are in the market for masks, or maybe more masks, I don’t judge. I already have a collection.

My first three masks were from my friend Sharon. She sent me one that will fit Tim, and two smaller ones for me, one with ties and one with elastic.

My fourth mask was made by my friend Erin. She posted that she had a suggested donation and that anything extra would be used to buy material to make more masks to give to local homeless (house-less?) people who can’t afford masks. I donated more.

The next one was made by a friend of a friend, who I’ve come to know through the Facebooks, Tenise. She and her wife are awesome badasses, and while they primarily make soap and lotion (which you should also try) they’ve got the skills so they stepped up for mask-making, as well.

The most recent addition to the group is by my friend May, because hello, we are both Disney nerds, so how can I pass that one up?!

You can see the difference in how I wear them; the above has ties, and the below has around-the-ear elastics. Why do I tie the ties above my head and not straight in back? I don’t know. I blame growing up on MASH.

Those two are the ones I got from Sharon (I’m not going to model the one she made for Tim). Sharon’s online shop is Passiondale Sews; she’s sold out of masks right now (she’s working on a large bulk order <3 ) but she has a couple of tea totes in, and if you message her she can probably give you an idea of when the next mask update might be.

Both of her masks have pockets in which a filter can be placed and replaced as necessary.

The flower one there I got from Erin – again, with the straps, so I wear the bottom strap pulled up and tied on the top of my head. I feel like it does give me a bit of a tighter fit around the chin (and as I said above, I watched a lot of MASH growing up). She makes them in small batches, and posts when she has a batch; you can find the current ones here. The ties are jersey, so super soft, and they also have a pocket for a filter. When I bought mine, she also included some blue filter material that can be cut to size.

This one I got from Tenise, and her Etsy shop is Dragonfly Lake Scents. I had seen this fabric on the Facebook page, but didn’t see a listing in the shop. However, when I asked, she had it in mere minutes. So ask if you don’t see something! Oooo, in getting that link, I see that there are some new “adult content” masks… I may need another, hahahahahah! This mask is comfy and very light – honestly I kind of forget I’m wearing it, the elastic is that easy on the ears. And also, while you’re looking at her masks, try her soap. Seriously.

I MEAN COME ON! HOW COULD I RESIST IT?!?!?! This one is by my friend May, or Miss M, some of you may know her as PhoenixFire Designs… I’ve talked about her jewelry before. However, I believe all of her masks are located here at Buy Local Tampa Bay. Do I need another, with the Florida print…? Well, “need”… I mean, eventually I should have more like ten, so I don’t have to wash them every day, right? I can just throw them in with the laundry? Anyway; this is the tightest of the masks, not in an uncomfortably tight way, more in a good fit way. You’re not going to have to constantly adjust with this one. It’s also got a great bendy piece of metal for the nose, to help with that good fit.

I’m getting two main things from this post; I might have a minor mask obsession, and my eyebrows are out of control.

Anyway, if you’re looking for an awesome mask that helps to support small crafters and makers, I highly recommend all of these makers. They don’t know I’m writing this, by the way, and will likely call me out on Facebook in about half an hour, wondering why I didn’t say this or that, haha.

Hooray, Team Mask, and hooray for small artists, makers, and crafters who have all really stepped up to provide quality products made with joy and rage and heart and tears and love during this crazy time.