The Evolution of the Worms
Meet Wally the Worm
Before Weird Whimsical Art had mushrooms, wandering worms, or paper mâché forest creatures, there was Wally the Worm.
I dreamed him up in middle school after learning that some tequila bottles came with a worm inside. Naturally, I wondered... what happened to the worm?
So I gave him a story.
In my comic strip, The Adventures of Wally the Worm, Wally gets swallowed with a shot of tequila. Rather than quietly accepting his fate, he wiggles around inside the poor guy's stomach until the guy sprints for the bathroom and throws him up. Wally survives the ordeal, floats through the plumbing into the city sewer, and eventually pops up through a manhole cover sporting an impressive fuzzy hairball on his head. After shaking off his accidental hairstyle, he catches a ride on the tread of a passing tire, finds his way back to a bar, climbs into a fresh bottle of tequila, and ends up on the shelf beside another bottle occupied by a lovely lady worm.
Yes... they fall in love.
Looking back, it was a wonderfully ridiculous story, but apparently my brain has always had a soft spot for optimistic little worms.
The photo above is a trip back in time. It includes the original hand-drawn cover and a few pages from The Adventures of Wally the Worm, along with something I built years later: a tiny wooden tequila bottle shrine dedicated to Wally. It has everything a legendary worm deserves, including a red carpet, a throne, beaded curtains, little posters on the walls, and all the dramatic fanfare his tiny celebrity status could ever require.
It's funny how creativity loops back on itself.
Years after Wally, I fell in love with mushrooms, forests, and the wonderfully earthy vibes of music festivals like Bucksteep and Grateful Dead shows. Now the mushrooms and the worms have found each other again, and it feels like they were always meant to share the same little world.
These days, Wally's descendants have traded tequila bottles for recipe cards, DIY projects, and whimsical adventures. So if you enjoy printable crafts, illustrated recipes, and odd little woodland characters, check back often.
The worms have returned... and they're bringing snacks.
Long before Weird Whimsical Art existed, before mushrooms started taking over my sketchbooks and paper mâché projects, there was Wally the Worm.
I was in middle school when I invented him.
Wally wasn't just any worm. He was a tequila worm.
Like any respectable comic book hero, he had his own index card comic strip called The Adventures of Wally the Worm. I filled card after card with his ridiculous escapades.
It all started when an unsuspecting guy at a bar ordered a shot of tequila.
Along with the tequila came Wally.
Instead of accepting his fate, Wally did what any determined worm would do. He wiggled around inside the poor guy's stomach until the guy became violently ill. Moments later... Wally was unceremoniously launched into a toilet.
The end?
Not even close.
Wally floated through the pipes, drifted into the sewer beneath the streets, and eventually poked his head out of a manhole cover. Somewhere along the journey he had picked up a giant fuzzy ball of hair on his head. He gave himself a good shake, the fuzz flew off, and he continued his adventure.
Eventually he caught a ride on the tread of a passing tire, which carried him all the way back to... another bar!
He wiggled his way up onto the counter, slipped into an open bottle of tequila, and the bartender put the bottle back on the shelf.
Right next to another bottle.
Inside that bottle was a female worm.
Naturally...
They fell in love.
Looking back, I have no idea where my brain came up with that story, but I remember laughing the entire time I was drawing it. I even translated the entire thing into French and gave it to my French teacher, Mr. Towne (I wonder if he remembers that?!)
Later, in high school, something else started creeping into my artwork.
Mushrooms.
After soaking up all the wonderfully "shroomy" forest vibes at Grateful Dead shows, Bucksteep, and other music festivals, I became fascinated with mushroom art, they just made everything a little happier for some reason. They started appearing in my drawings, paintings, carvings, and eventually all kinds of handmade creations.
Now, years later, I've somehow wandered in a complete circle.
The mushrooms are still here.
And the worms have come back.
Maybe they were just waiting patiently underground all this time.
These new little worms have grown into their own characters. They're a little wiser than Wally... maybe just as curious... and they're ready to help out around the studio. Sometimes they might help out the goldfish in one of their silly circus endeavors. You'll start seeing them popping up in recipe comics, DIY projects, printable craft sheets, and all sorts of creative adventures.
So if you'd like a few whimsical projects to print, cook, build, paint, or simply smile at, be sure to check back often.
Apparently...
The worms were calling me all along.
Every artist has an origin story. Mine apparently starts with a tequila worm named Wally.
My First Game of Shrooms - Thank You for Making it Magical!
This year, I participated in Game of Shrooms for the very first time, and what an incredible experience it was! Creating my paper mache mushroom, hiding it for someone to discover, and seeing the excitement from fellow players made the whole event truly special.
The best part is that anyone can play. Artists around the world hide handmade mushroom-themed art for people to find, creating a giant treasure hunt fueled by imagination and generosity.
I'm already excited to start dreaming up ideas for next year's event. But before then, I wanted to share a little piece of this year's magic with you.
If you'd like to create your own paper mache mushrooms, I've put together a downloadable DIY guide that walks you through the process. Whether you're making them for Game of Shrooms, decorating your home, or simply enjoying a creative afternoon, I hope it inspires you to make something wonderfully weird and whimsical.
Download the free Paper Mache Mushroom DIY Guide HERE
Thank you again for making my first Game of Shrooms such a memorable experience. I can't wait to see what next year brings!
Happy creating,
Susan
Weird Whimsical Art
Game of Shrooms 2026 is Here!
It All Begins Here
On June 13, 2026, I'll be participating in Game of Shrooms, a worldwide art hunt where artists hide mushroom-themed artwork for people to discover and keep. Thousands of artists from around the globe take part each year, transforming parks, trails, forests, towns, and unexpected corners into giant treasure hunts filled with fungi-inspired creations.
As an artist, I couldn't resist.
Mushrooms have always fascinated me. They appear almost overnight, emerge from decaying logs, peek through leaf litter, and quietly connect forests through vast underground networks. They're mysterious, beautiful, and just a little bit weird, which makes them the perfect inspiration for the kinds of creatures I love to create.
For this year's event, I've made a one-of-a-kind mushroom and worm sculpture from papier-mâché. Like many of my creations, it was inspired by the natural world around me here in the Berkshires. I spend a lot of time exploring local forests, ponds, trails, and back roads, collecting ideas from the plants, animals, fungi, and forgotten places that make this region so magical.
Rather than displaying this sculpture in a gallery, I'll be setting it free.
Somewhere nearby, hidden along a public trail, tucked into a spot where curious explorers might wander, my mushroom creature will be waiting to be discovered. The first person to find it gets to keep it.
Leading up to the event, I'll be sharing clues on social media to help adventurous mushroom hunters narrow down the search area. Whether you're a dedicated forager, an art lover, a hiker, or simply someone who enjoys a good treasure hunt, I hope you'll join the fun.
One of the things I love most about Game of Shrooms is that it brings art out into the world. Instead of waiting for someone to visit a gallery or art fair, the artwork becomes part of an adventure. Finding a hidden sculpture beneath the trees feels a little bit like stumbling into a fairy tale. For a moment, the ordinary world becomes more mysterious.
The sculpture's lucky finder will also discover information about how it was made and where they can find more Weird Whimsical Art. My hope is that the piece not only brings a smile to someone's face but also inspires them to create something of their own.
After all, creativity grows much like mushrooms do. Sometimes it appears unexpectedly, in the most unlikely places.
If you'd like to participate in the hunt, be sure to follow along for clues and updates. You can also visit my shop to see more of my artwork, sculptures, illustrations, and nature-inspired creations.
Who knows? You might be the one who discovers a peculiar mushroom creature hiding in the woods this June.
Happy hunting, and keep your eyes on the forest floor.