More mushrooms, and fairy jars.

Well, Game of Shrooms day is nearly here; 8th June 2024, when artists from all over the world hide their mushroom-related art for others to find and keep. 
I've really enjoyed doing this for the first time this year, and just hope that a few people will come and find my mushrooms. I also decided to do a separate hunt for the children in my close, and made an extra 16 mushrooms so the 8 children can find two each.
People are always asking me why I do so much, and I remember something my grandmother always said. "People do what they want to do". 
It's so true. I love claying, I love making people happy, and put the two together and a mushroom hunt is not going to involve just a couple of mushrooms, it's going to involve nearly 30, and two hunts.
However, what I don't do is housework, ironing, gardening, decorating, make up, go to the pub, and many other things. My excuse is that I don't have time, but going back to what Nanny said, I would make time if I wanted to do it - I just don't!

Below are some of the ones for the children's hunt. I'm rubbish at clay faces, but think I got away with mushroom faces :) 

The other clay project in my life at the moment is a charity workshop. 
My close friend is very involved in a charity called 'Make Seconds Count'. This is from their website.
Make 2nds Count is a UK-wide patient and family focused charity dedicated to giving hope to women and men living with secondary breast cancer.
Research into secondary breast cancer is underfunded. Make 2nds Count’s mission is to fund secondary breast cancer research which contributes to advancing an increased quality of life for patients.
Our Support programme has a focus on quality of life and helping patients affected by this incurable disease by informing, sharing and offering practical advice & support.
It's a fantastic charity and gives so much support to people with secondary breast cancer. So, when I was asked by my friend if I could suggest something she could do with polymer clay for around 40 ladies at a retreat weekend, I offered to run it myself. A holiday involving me, my husband and our two dogs, with the added bonus of clay and seeing my friend! Happy days.
I have three hours to help 40 people make a fairy house from clay and a small jam jar. I don't think I quite realised how much preparation this would entail........

40+ ladybirds ready to make up.

40 fairy house tops - which will look like mushrooms - more mushrooms :)

And 40 laminated sheets which combine as basic instructions, and a board to make the houses on.
I'm so looking forward to this event. I'm expecting a lot of laughter and fun!
Once game of shrooms and the charity event are over, I'll continue with the Sicily canes. I made a couple I'm pleased with, one I am very much not pleased with, and a kaleidoscope cane where I just threw all the spare bits of cane together and it worked really well! Sometimes effort does not equal results!
So, off to do more fairy house prep, and gear myself up to getting up early to plant  my mushrooms before people (fingers crossed) come and look for them.