DIY Mushroom Garland: Autumn Decoration Idea

The first step is to transform the mandarin peels into the whimsical mushroom caps.

Slice each mandarin in half. You can use a sharp knife and a cutting board.

Scoop out the insides of each mandarin half using a spoon. Be gentle to keep the peels intact - these will form the tops of your mushrooms.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Place the mandarin peels on a baking tray and let them dry out for about 10 minutes. This gives them a rustic, natural look and makes them easier to work with.

Once done, set them aside to cool.

Now comes the fun part – adding colour to your mushroom caps!

Use your acrylic paint to coat the dried mandarin peels in various shades of red. Feel free to experiment with different hues – from deep maroon to vibrant scarlet – depending on your taste.

Once the red paint dries, take some white paint and, using the back of a skewer or a small brush, add tiny white spots. This will give your mushroom caps that iconic, fairy-tale mushroom look.

Let the paint dry completely before moving on to the next step.

To hang your mushrooms as part of the garland, you'll need to create sturdy loops. Cut a small piece of iron wire. Wrap the wire around a skewer to form a loop. Twist the ends of the wire together, leaving about 1 cm of twisted wire at the end.

Use the skewer to poke a small hole in the top of each mushroom cap (where the stem would normally be). Insert the wire loop into the hole, and secure it from the inside using a dab of hot glue from your Glue Gun.

Now your mushroom caps are ready to hang!

Every mushroom needs a sturdy stem, and that’s where the twigs come in.

Head outside and find some twigs about 1-2 cm in diameter. These will be your mushroom stems.

Use your Multi-Tool with a cutting attachment to trim the twigs to the desired length (around 3-5 cm).

Once you have the twigs trimmed, use the Glue Gun to attach them to the inside of the mandarin caps. Ensure they’re securely glued to avoid any wobbly mushrooms.

Now that your mushrooms are ready, it’s time to bring the garland together!

Take a piece of string or thin wire and thread it through the loops you created in the mushroom caps.

Space the mushrooms out evenly along the string, and adjust the spacing as needed to create a balanced look. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, tie off the ends of the string and hang your garland in your chosen spot! Whether it's over a mantel, along a window, or draped across your garden fence, this DIY mushroom garland will add a touch of magic to any setting.

Congratulations! You’ve just crafted your very own DIY mushroom garland – a beautiful, nature-inspired decoration that’s perfect for the autumn season. Now, all that’s left is to hang your garland and let its whimsical charm bring warmth to your home!

I’m Fem and I’m a real DIY fanatic. So much that I used to own my own workshop / DIY company for 15 years. I would teach people all kinds of creative crafts and dDIY’s during business getaways, events and family gatherings. My goal is to inspire others to express themselves trough creativity and create a home that is personal and fitting to them. And I want to show them what they can do themselves and make them proud off their own creations.

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