Golly, gee whiz, gosh darn. These are super, but there are good reasons for both. My taste would be for the stems because that is more "secret" and somehow less anthropomorphic. But I sure like both. But I see shroom folk as very private, perhaps mischievous and only consorting with there own kind.

If I could do such pretty faces, I think I'd have a hard time putting them on a mushroom.

You asked, so my opinion given. Frequent visitors will know I have an opinion on virtually EVERYTHING. My poor wife....what she has to put up with.

David

Laurie - these designs are so different that there is no way to choose - for me. I want you to continue making both kinds AND to add two more options - not painting the great face on the mushroom cap and painting the other great face on the stem.

You are able to paint the face so well that - again, for me - it puts this top design into a unique category. I rarely like painted faces on things but I would love this one.

Another thing I like about your designs is the subtle-ness. People could glance at the mushrooms many times before they noticed the faces... especially if the painted face was turned a litle to one side. I like that discovery aspect in gardens.

My vote is - make them all!!
Laura

Laurie, the stem face is excellent! Is it someone you know?

I agree with David and Laura, you should go to town with as many variations
as occur to you.
You seem to really crank them out, so don't hold back!

The painted cap face is really eerie. "Eat me"?
Contains that clash between rotting leaf mold and fresh baby face
of which spooky stories are made.

Not much help, perhaps, but then I always was for 'both-and', not 'either-or'.
Be a brat and have it all!

They are both charming and unique, but I like the unpainted face on the stem best. It's subtle, and depending on where it's placed (maybe with some grass or plant leaves just barely obscuring the face), it would look as though the face was peeking out. A touch of whimsy that would be interesting to see how many visitors noticed. :-)

Truly Amazing!
I love them both - wonderful pieces of Garden Art!
Great work!
Laurel

Laurie
Both of your mushrooms are wonderful!!!!
I'm so glad you showed us pics.
Debbie

I really like them both, but my favorite is the stem face.
Keep sharing the pics.
Cindy

I also love the secret face on the stem. It adds that charm and mystery a lot of gardens are missing. I bet people would really delight in the hidden face in the middle of a group of plants.

Did you hand carve them or use a mold for the faces?

Mary

I think the face-on-the-stem mushroom is prettier.

Thanks for the opinions and help! I like the stem face the best too. I think I will paint it because the quick set concrete that I used to sculpt the face is drying a different color than the sand mix concrete that I used for the stem.
Mary; I sculpted the face by adding a "mound" of quick set cement to the stem and then added the features. Sorta a combination of put on some crete..take some off..repeat til it looks ok. The only thing is that you have to work fairly fast as the quick set is truly that..quick to set. No time for fiddling..grins.
Laurie