Mushroom Making

Category: Garden Projects | Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:46 pm

Mushrooms were one of the first projects I wanted to try with hypertufa. I love mushrooms! I especially love the nice stony looking hypertufa mushrooms, covered with a light coating of moss.

I love those tinkling toadstools, but haven't bought any...they are just too expensive and I can't buy just one.....one isn't so expensive but I'd want at least three. I did find a set here:
http://www.earthlygoods.com/garden_whimsy/witchety_toadstools.html#
I love the earthy colors and they look like they'd sound great!

I've even put mushrooms on some of my beads:

Today, I've been making my hypertufa mushrooms. I did a lot of research online because I was going for a certain look, I want kind of roly poly mushrooms. I made the stems with styrofoam or paper cups and made them a few days in advance. Then when I made the caps I pushed the stems into them. Not sure how they will come out, but I've read of others using this method. The caps were made using very rounded bowls that I got at Dollar Tree for 4/$1. The small caps are made from plastic salsa bowls.

I also tried casting my first leaf...and don't you know I had to go and get myself a great big castor leaf? I know if is likely to be a big crumbly mess, but maybe it will come out....maybe. I used the buff color concrete colorant and plan to do a wash of diluted green acrylic over it (IF it comes out), and then seal it. Right now the color looks quite a bit like cat poo...a big one!

I love leaves and if I can do this well, they I plan to make some inside decorations as well as out.

I've planted an Empress tree and someday it will have pretty large leaves, maybe 2 feet across. I imagine those would be nice...maybe constructed into a fountain....too many ideas, too little time!

Last edited: Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:55 pm

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daff wrote on Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:26 pm:

You are one talented lady xxx

Have you ever thought of selling any of the things that you make ??????

daff wrote on Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:27 pm:

By the way have you ever grown your own mushrooms to eat, they are sooooo delicious, you should have a go xxx

hummingbird3172 wrote on Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:44 pm:

Hi daff! I do see the beads, and we'll see how it goes with some of these other thing...I really liked making the mushrooms. I have never had the pleasure of growing my own mushrooms, but I've looked at the kits many times. My hardest problem is deciding which type I want to grow...lol.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:45 pm:

oops! Sell the beads, not see the beads! lol

eileen wrote on Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:58 am:

Anna those mushrooms look almost good enough to eat!!! Were they difficult to make and how long did it take you?

I hope the leaf casting turns out well for you.

hummingbird3172 wrote on Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:36 pm:

Thanks Eileen, they were quite easy. Much easier than the container. They didn't take very long, but need to be made in two steps. One day make the stems (I used disposable cups), after the stems are solid I made the caps. I push the stems into the wet caps and then they dry as one.

I'll have some photos later, I've unmolded a few...the smaller ones are being stubborn.

I am trying to be good and leave the leaf alone...I am very curious about it so this is hard.