Cute clay mushrooms add a rustic woodland element to holiday decor. This how-to comes from TV crafter Kristin St. Clair.
Tools and Materials
- 16-gauge wire
- Wire cutters
- Small pliers
- Air-drying clay
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- Paint
For Base (Optional)
- Cross section of birch or other tree branch
- Drill
- Preserved moss
- White glue
Mushroom Table Decoration How-To
- Cut a 7-inch piece of wire and use pliers to bend the top half-inch at a 90-degree angle.
- Make a ball of clay and push wire through ball, stopping about one centimeter from the bend at top. Roll clay and wire between hands to make a stem, tapering at the bottom. Secure wire with stem in a block of Styrofoam or a sturdy cup overnight or until hardened. (Tip: Use a paintbrush dipped in water to smooth imperfections.)
- For the cap, make a larger clay ball and press onto bended top of stem. Use your index finger to blend the clay together, joining cap to stem. Tip: To avoid cracking at the joint, let stem dry completely before making cap.
- Place mushroom cap-side down on a flat surface. Use thumbs to push cap down flat onto surface until desired cap size is reached. Lift from surface and gently curve the edges of the cap.
- Smooth top of cap with a wet paintbrush. Turn mushroom upside down again and use a pencil to create gills on underside of cap.
- Let mushroom dry and paint desired color.
- For a display base, drill holes into a cross section of birch bark and cover top surface with preserved moss. Fit bare wire at bottom of mushroom into holes, using glue to secure, if desired. (Tip: Mushrooms can also be displayed in houseplants.)
Resources
Dry-Hard Clay available from Laguna Clay.