Crystal Mushrooms

Crystal Mushrooms!

There’s something you don’t know about me. I have a tacky streak. I like yard ornaments. If I’m not careful, you might walk by one day and see white painted half-tires lining my driveway and plywood lady butts bending over in my front yard. Wearing pink bloomers.

It’s a constant vigil.

Well, not really, no tires or lady butts, but you will find bird feeders and wind chimes and one monkey. Tasteful yard decor. Oh, and Leo the Lion. But, back to mushrooms.

I found this on Pinterest, tweaked the idea a bit to suit myself, and added several to my herb and lettuce gardens. These are all less than a foot tall, so I’m in the clear of tacky here. Visible tacky, anyway.

My guy came home one day. “Do you want these? They were left in an old house we’re remodeling.”

“Sure.” I put them with the two chipped silver-plated tea pots that are beside the set of Moss Rose china, that’s on top of the stack of six laminated wood TV trays, that’s next to the Towle crystal candy dish and monogrammed water pitcher. The monogram is an ‘S’. How did they know my name? People leave all kinds of things behind when they move. The two tea pots are going to be planter/bird feeders. One day, I’ll show you.

What would one do with four cheap candy dishes, two candle holders, and one equally cheap small flower vase? Google it! Then, go buy more!

I bought a few at the thrift store. $8 bought me three fruit bowls and three flower vases. Remember the cut glass fruit bowls from the ‘60s? Those things.

Thrift stores. BTW, one of my favorite places. As well as flea markets and Anthropologie and Sierra Trading Post. You have to be careful in a flea market. Know your stuff. They’ll tell you something’s an antique when it’s really just not new. “Oh, my dear, this is from the 1950s— mid-century modern. It’s an antique.”

Excuse me, I’m mid-century modern.

The trick is to know what you want and buy it because you like it and can afford it. All things aren’t a financial investment, some are a heart investment. Does it make you happy? Are you willing to dust it each week?

Try out different sized and shaped bowls on different vases, so you know the proportions are complimentary. Also, look at the shape of the base of the bowl, as you want it to look nice upside down.

I decided I wanted mine to have lights, so I bought light sticks, too. $1 each at Walmart.

You need two things:

Cut glass candy dish or fruit bowl
Cut glass flower vase
A light stick (If you want one)

Choose your location. First, activate the light stick. There’s usually a little tab or switch. Then, push it into the ground deep enough the inverted flower vase will cover, but not touch. Place the flower vase upside down over the light stick. I didn’t use a light sticks on my small mushrooms. Next, invert the bowl over the vase.

I glued the first one I made, but the glue showed through the bottom of the bowl, which is now the top of the mushroom. It’s better to just let them rest freely. I’ve only had one break and it was a light weight flower vase I had on hand. The bowl was fine.

During the day, I have sparkly crystal mushrooms. At night, soft glowy mushrooms.

Now, to find a toilet. I need a planter.