Crafting Homemade Hot Glue Mushroom Lamps
Create a Magical Light-Up Terrarium with Glowing Mushrooms
Discover a captivating DIY project that combines the beauty of nature with the enchantment of LED lights - a light-up terrarium filled with glowing mushrooms! This project, perfect for both beginners and intermediate crafters, offers an opportunity to create a unique conversation piece that resembles a fairy tale setting, fitting the cottagecore style.
Materials Needed
- A glass container or terrarium jar (clear, e.g., about 15x10 cm or similar size)
- LED string lights (battery operated for ease of placement, warm white or color as desired)
- Hot glue gun with glue sticks
- Drainage materials (like leca balls or small pebbles)
- Activated charcoal (to absorb toxins)
- Terrarium soil or substrate suitable for your chosen plants
- Plants suitable for terrariums (small succulents, moss, Fittonia, etc.)
- Decorative natural items (stones, miniature figurines, glow-in-the-dark mushrooms optional)
- Optional: cork or lid for the container to hold LED lights securely
- Batteries for LED string lights
- Tools for planting (tweezers, small gardening tools)
- Optional: moss or decorative sand for finishing
- A wood slice (for mushroom display base)
- Parchment paper (as a work surface for creating mushroom tops)
- Moss or other covering (to hide LED cords and add a natural touch to the base of the mushrooms)
- Elmer's school glue (for adhering the moss to the base of the mushrooms)
- A heat gun (for shaping the hot glue)
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Layer drainage materials such as leca balls or pebbles at the bottom of the glass container to prevent waterlogging.
- Add activated charcoal: Place a thin layer of activated charcoal on top of the drainage to keep the terrarium fresh.
- Add soil: Add terrarium soil suitable for your plants, enough for roots to grow.
- Plant your greenery: Arrange your chosen plants inside using tools to position them neatly.
- Decorate inside: Add moss, stones, or small decorative objects to personalize your terrarium.
- Create the mushrooms: Using a hot glue gun and parchment paper as a work surface, create mushroom tops by squeezing a glob of hot glue onto the paper and shaping it with a heat gun. Allow the mushrooms to cool before handling.
- Attach the mushrooms: Using tweezers, carefully position the mushrooms inside the terrarium and hot glue them in place.
- Form the mushroom stems: Twist the LED string light to create the mushroom stems, and secure them in place using hot glue.
- Hide wires: Use moss or decorative elements to help conceal wires for a neat appearance.
- Place batteries and turn on lights: Insert batteries into the LED string light pack, hide the battery pack discreetly outside or under decorations, and switch on the lights.
- Adhere moss to the base of the mushrooms: Apply Elmer's school glue to the base of the mushrooms and cover with moss for a natural touch.
- Final adjustments: Adjust plant placement and lighting to get the desired glow and aesthetics inside the terrarium.
By following these steps, you'll create a charming and glowing miniature ecosystem display that serves as a captivating conversation piece. For those seeking more detailed examples and kits, sources like Leaves and Prickles or Faber-Castell offer ready terrarium kits and guides that complement these steps.
Happy crafting!
[1] Leaves and Prickles: [link to product or guide] [3] Faber-Castell: [link to product or guide]
This enchanting project, where nature and technology meet, provides an opportunity to create a magical light-up terrarium, complete with glowing mushrooms, that embodies a fairy tale setting. To replicate this cottagecore style, consider using a home-and-garden DIY kit offering LED string lights along with terrarium essentials like soil, drainage materials, activated charcoal, and decorative items.
