Turn Your Broken Teacup Saucer Into Stylish Mushroom-Inspired Garden Decor

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In any fairytale-inspired garden, mushrooms are a key feature. You can grow real mushrooms, which have several benefits for a home garden, but they're often muted browns, whites, and grays. For a more eye-catching look, one reminiscent of Disney cartoons, consider upcycling a broken teacup saucer into a stylish mosaic mushroom. The finished product will be worthy of displaying between flower beds or even in front of a DIY floral fairy house.

This project requires only a few items, some of which you may already have at home. The core of your mushroom will be made from air-dry clay and sealed with an acrylic spray to make it waterproof. If you don't already have a broken saucer, head to the dishware section of a thrift store to find one you can break into smaller pieces. These will become makeshift mosaic tiles and will be used to decorate the outside of your mushroom. To complete the craft, you'll also need glass tile nippers, a paintbrush, an old rag, water-resistant adhesive, and mosaic grout – all of which you can find at a local hardware store.

Start by rolling your clay into a cylinder to form the stalk. To make the cap, roll a separate piece of clay into a cylinder, then press an indent with your thumb. This will result in a concave pancake-like shape. Next, attach the clay stalk to the underside of the cap and let it dry in open air for 24 to 72 hours. Unlike oven-baked clay, air-dry clay must be sealed before being placed outside; otherwise, it can break down. Spray a coat of sealant on the mushroom, let it dry, and then spray a second coat. If you want something a little easier, you could buy these Mathtoxyz Unfinished Wooden Mushrooms from Amazon to serve as a base for your saucer tiles. 

If you've thrifted your teacup saucer, you can create a more precise mosaic with tile nippers. To start creating your pattern, squeeze adhesive onto a paper plate, and then brush it onto the undersides of the tile pieces. Carefully stick them to your clay mushroom. Once the pieces dry, spread your mosaic grout over the design, then wipe it off cleanly with a wet rag or a paper towel. Let everything dry, then "plant" these colorful mushrooms around your garden.

Now that you've used the saucer, you can find some clever ways to repurpose the teacup. Turn them into charming DIY planters, or make decorative mushroom caps by fastening them to a stick.