5 Unique Clay Mushroom DIY Projects (That Anyone Can Make!)

If your mushroom obsession is anything like ours, your home is currently filled with mushroom-themed knickknacks and trinkets. Between their bright colors, funky shapes, and cozy autumnal aesthetics, mushrooms are the perfect subjects for home decor and accessories.

While there are a number of mushroom-themed designs on marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, why not embrace the grounded cottagecore slow-living lifestyle and make your own clay fungi masterpieces?

Whether you’re a newbie to the clay game or have made clay DIY crafts before, there’s a mushroom project out there for everyone! To make it even simpler, we’ve gathered a list of the cutest and most unique clay mushroom DIY ideas below!

Clay mushroom 101

Materials:

• Clay: Oven-dry polymer and air-dry clay are the most popular types of clay used for at-home DIYs. While air-dry is typically easier to work with and cheaper, oven-bake clay will last longer and resist damage better. Sculpey is a fairly affordable clay brand that offers both air-dry and oven-bake clay in many different colors.
• Paint + Paintbrushes: Acrylic paint is best for DIY clay crafts and can easily be found at most art supply stores. If you want to protect your paint from wear and tear, an acrylic varnish or coat of mod podge can help! While you can use whatever colors you like (after all, you’re the artist!), red and white paint are the typical colors to start with!
• Sculpting supplies: While there are a ton of sculpting kit supplies out there, you can also easily experiment with what you have at home! Rolling pins, plastic silverware, and even toothpicks can be repurposed to create beautiful patterns and shapes with your clay.

Making a mushroom shape:

Basic clay mushroom tutorial

Image Source: Debbie Chapman via One Little Project

The shape of a mushroom starts with two pieces, the cap, and the stem. To make the cap (rounded top of the mushroom), simply start with a ball of clay, and press one side against a smooth surface to flatten it. Round off the edges, and voila! You have a cute fly agaric-inspired toadstool.

The stem is just as easy - simply roll a rounded cylinder shape of your desired length, and add the flat end of the cap on top! Add a coat of red paint (or whatever color you want!) and white dots on the cap to finish your adorable homemade mushroom figurine.

Once you have the basic shape of a mushroom down, you can start experimenting with your toadstool crafts! Here are five unique mushroom DIY ideas, ranging from home decor to jewelry! Each project has a step-by-step guide for you to follow so that you can get started on your clay sculpture in no time!

Mushroom polymer clay earrings

Image Source: JuCeramics via Youtube

These adorable earrings start off with the simple mushroom shape we explained above. To make these into earrings, simply make a small hole at the top of the mushroom cap to insert the earring hook into. It’s also recommended to use air-dry clay for this project, as it’s typically lighter.

DIY clay mushroom storage jar

Image Source: Crafting Fingers

This project is perfect for beginners because it uses a mason jar as a base to mold the mushroom shape around (rather than making it entirely from scratch). Plus, it’s such a cute unique home decor item that can double as a hidden storage jar!

Fairy garden log with polymer clay mushrooms

Image Source: Craft Your Happiness

Create a whimsical miniature fairy garden with this mushroom log DIY. Start by shaping out several mushroom shapes using tin foil in varying shapes and sizes. Next, cover foil mushrooms with clay and paint to your liking. Once you have your collection of cute fungi, arrange them alongside some fake moss to create a lovely cottagecore centerpiece!

Mushroom wall hook

Image Source: Zynagyl Molines via Hometalk

This craft is cute and functional. Add some double-sided wall hanging strips to a trio of clay mushrooms to make a perfect wall hook for your entryway (plus, you’ll never misplace your keys again!)

Mushroom fairy house lantern

Image Source: Clay it Now via Youtube

While this may be the most challenging project idea on this list, it is 100% worth it! With a whimsical customizable shape and coloring, plus a space for a battery-powered tea light, this DIY fairy house lantern is perfect for adorning any cozy space.

Get creative with it!

Use these ideas as a way to get started crafting some adorable mushroom friends, but feel free to add your own twist to the tutorials! Change the colors, use a different type of mushroom as your reference, and maybe even gather some outdoor materials to incorporate into your project! After all, the beauty of crafting is to embrace your unique individuality and expression!

If you’re hungry for even more ideas to feed your DIY obsession, check out our collection of Mushroom inspired embroidery projects!