🍄 DIY Mushroom Fairy Lanterns (Dollar Store Hack)

If you’ve been scrolling Pinterest lately, you know mushrooms are having their moment. Cottagecore is everywhere, but who has the budget for $50 fairy lights from a boutique? Not us. Around here we don’t drop bags of cash for a vibe. We turn dollar store finds into diva-level décor.

So let’s talk about how a plain old jar becomes a glowing mushroom fairy lantern. They’re whimsical. They’re witchy. They’re the kind of magical project that makes your friends ask, “Wait… you made that?” And best of all, each one costs less than a fancy latte.

✨ What You’ll Need (Dollar to Diva Style)

Grab these from the dollar store, thrift shop, or even your kitchen stash:

• Glass jar (Mason jar, pasta sauce jar, or thrifted vase)

• LED fairy lights or tea lights

• Air-dry clay or paper clay (or make your own with flour + glue)

• Acrylic paint (red, hot pink, white, metallic silver if you want it extra glam)

• Hot glue gun + sticks

• Faux moss or greenery

• Dollar Diva extras: rhinestones, glitter, pearls, or sequins

💡 Pro Tip: Never underestimate what you can score in the floral aisle at Dollar Tree. Fake moss and mini greenery stems make this look high-end without the price tag.

🍂 Step by Step Magic

1. Prep the Jar

   Clean it, dry it, and peel off labels. You want a clean slate.

   
   

2. Shape the Cap

   Use clay to sculpt a mushroom top that fits over the jar lid. Make it quirky—these look cuter when they’re not perfect.

   
   

   

   
   

3. Add Details

   Poke little lines or dots in the clay so it has that toadstool texture. Let it dry overnight.

   
   

4. Paint it Pretty

   Paint the cap hot pink or deep red. Add white polka dots. Dust with glitter or pearl paint for a glam touch.

   
   

5. Dress the Jar

   Glue moss or faux greenery around the base. Wrap a bit of ribbon or lace if you want that cottagecore-meets-diva vibe.

   
   

6. Light it Up

   Drop fairy lights or a flameless tea light inside the jar. Screw or glue on your mushroom cap.

   
   

7. Final Glow-Up

   Add rhinestones or pearls to the cap if you’re feeling extra. Switch on the lights and let it glow like a little fairy cottage on your shelf.

   

   

📸 Styling + Diva Touches

• Shoot it in the dark with the lights glowing for that magical vibe.

• Stage it next to some fall leaves, a pumpkin, or a thrifted silver tray.

• If you make more than one, cluster them together for a “fairy village” effect.

💖 Dollar to Diva Wrap-Up

This is one of those projects that proves you don’t need a fairy godmother or a fat wallet to live beautifully. With a little glue and a lot of imagination, your dollar store haul becomes something Pinterest-worthy.

If you make your own mushroom fairy lantern, tag me @DollartoDiva. I want to see your glow-ups.