My First Leather Helm (Question)

[Torix]

So heres my helm so far:

Before the mask:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs020.snc6/167036_502004958958_757223958_5989643_1811412_n.jpg


Before Riveting:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs882.ash1/179055_502042983958_757223958_5990166_7212021_n.jpg

A classy shot of after riveting:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs011.snc6/166179_502043153958_757223958_5990168_3003834_n.jpg

So i have a couple questions.
1. When i was shaping it, i baked it in the oven and pulled it out every 10 minutes to reshape it. Before i did that, it was water tight and soft, but now its hardened, but its like the leather shrank, so theres small gaps between the stitches. If i wet it arround the stitches only, will it expand/soften again or have any detrimental effects?

2. Any ideas of what to put on the mask part? I'm thinking of a samurai face mask type design currently, but im not exactly sure how thatl work with the shape.

Thanks!
~Torix

[Tails]

Ask ForkBeard, he knows his stuff.