How to Make an Autumn Decoration for your home

here’s something so comforting about making your own decorations as the days draw in. The scent of oranges baking in the oven, the flicker of a candle nearby, it’s the perfect setting for a gentle afternoon craft. This rustic mushroom garland is easy to make and brings a lovely touch of the countryside indoors. Here’s how to make your own, step by step.

Start by cutting a few oranges in half. You can use standard oranges or smaller nectarines, depending on how large you’d like your mushrooms to be.

Next, scoop out the fleshy part of each orange half, leaving just the peel intact. These will form the mushroom caps.

Place the empty orange peels on a baking tray and bake them in the oven for about an hour until they dry and firm up. (You can always double-check with Jess how long she kept hers in for.)

Once baked and cooled, use a small hoop screw to make a hole in the top of each dried peel.

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Then, attach each hoop screw to a twig to act as the stem of your mushroom, giving it that lovely natural texture.

Using red paint, coat the top of each orange peel. The rustic colour looks beautiful against the natural wood of the twig.

You can take inspiration from one of our Whistlefish cards to capture that perfect woodland feel.

Shop Hedgehog & Mushroom Birthday Card here 

Once the red paint is dry, add small white dots to the tops to complete the classic toadstool look.

When all your mushrooms are ready, tie string through each hoop screw, spacing them evenly along the length of your garland.

And there you have it, a beautiful handmade mushroom garland, perfect for hanging across a mantelpiece, along a window or above a table.

This autumn craft is as simple as it is satisfying, filling your home with warmth, colour and the scent of citrus. Each garland is unique and full of character, just like the best handmade pieces. So, pop the kettle on, gather your oranges and twigs, and enjoy a cosy crafting afternoon with a little help from nature.