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If you want to give your outdoor space a new look, there are many things you can do on a large scale. New furniture, a newly painted patio, outdoor string lights, and a container garden can all go a long way in transforming your outdoor space. But if you don't have a lot of space or don't want to spend a lot of money and just want to spruce things up a bit, we've got some quirky DIYs to add to your to-do list. . This artificial mushroom lawn ornament is made from easy-to-find, low-cost materials and can be assembled in less than an hour.
What you need for artificial mushroom lawn decoration
I loved the look of the red and white poisonous mushrooms in the original video, but my local Walmart no longer carries those particular dishes. So I went to Target. So I found a similar set of different color options (no red and white, and also foil stamped!), so I settled on a monochromatic mushroom scheme. One was light pink and the other was light green.
I DIYed a few different versions of this mushroom lawn ornament. All are worth imitating. The “original” is a cute little glowing mushroom illuminated with fairy lights and filled with concrete to withstand the wind.
original fake mushrooms
To make these mushrooms, all you need to do is buy the appropriate utensils, turn them over, and use craft glue to glue the inside bottom of the bowl to the bottom of the cup. You'll immediately notice a silhouette that clearly looks like a mushroom. Finished halfway!
Next, grab your paints and draw cute little polka dots on the mushroom cap. You can use a contrasting color, such as white, or mix in a color that matches the color of the plastic dish but is slightly lighter or darker. Finish by spraying acrylic sealant over the painted top. Once dry, you're ready for the great outdoors. Finished mushrooms can be nestled in the garden or in containers by slightly pressing them into the soil.
fairy light fake mushroom
The glowing mushrooms were also really simple. Start with the same steps as above, but make sure you have battery-powered fairy lights (thin copper wire kind). Once painted and sealed, slip the light into the bottom of the mushroom (i.e. the upturned cup).
We recommend gluing a 3.5 inch lid to the bottom to protect the light. This can be done using leftover food containers, or you can buy lids online that match the diameter of your cup. If you glue the lid on, make sure you use a light that can be turned on and off with a remote control.
These lights are battery operated, so do not expose them to moisture. If rain is forecast, it's safest to bring in these fairy light mushrooms.
heavy fake mushrooms
If you want to use these artificial mushrooms in your garden, you can easily create a good foothold by digging a little with a cup. However, if you place it on concrete or in a small planter, you will need to add some weight to the cup so it doesn't blow away too quickly.
I found the easiest way to do this was to use ready-mixed concrete (I used Quikrete, which can be purchased in 60-pound bags for less than $5). Make a small amount of concrete in a bowl or bucket and fill the cup to the top with the mixture. Tap the cup on a flat surface several times to ensure all the concrete settles into place. Add more as needed.
Since the cup is translucent, the concrete would darken the stem, so I added some pink RIT dye to see if it made a difference in the look of the finished product. This was a fun experiment, but it didn't change things enough to make this step anything other than optional.
When the concrete dries, the mushrooms will lie horizontally on a hard surface and will not be blown away by the elements.
I love the little mushrooms that line sidewalks, wander on stairs, and appear at the base of trees. No matter how you use it, it will instantly add charm and whimsy to your space. Not bad for a two-step DIY that costs just $1.