Turn Your Paper Scraps into Enchanted Forest Mushrooms – I’ll Show You How
This is a low-pressure, no-fancy-tools-needed project where you can mix colours, layer cutouts, and finally use up those oddly shaped paper leftovers we all hoard (and pretend we’ll use “someday”).
Do you remember the Wicked Queen from Andersen’s The Wild Swans fairytale? In the beginning of the story, she gives the children only a teacup filled with sand and tells them to pretend it’s a special treat. As a child, I always believed her. I just knew that things people usually overlook or underappreciate can actually be the perfect beginning of something beautiful.
Today, in my case — it’s colorful mushrooms.
If you’ve been following me, you’ve probably seen the funny 3D paper fruits and vegetables I make for home decoration and as educational toys. I absolutely love designing and assembling them, but the leftovers… oh, the leftovers. My paper- and nature-loving heart can’t bear to toss them.
From Scrap to Crafting Gold
When I’m hand-cutting these fruits and veggies, I collect all the scraps in a big bowl beside me. (Bonus joy: I usually listen to an audiobook while cutting — total double delight.)
Then I sort through the scraps. The big ones go into paper envelopes or zip bags for future use. The small ones? I turn them into art materials. And when the pile gets out of control — I make homemade art paper. Nothing goes to waste around here.
What You’ll Need
To make these shiny mushrooms, start with your larger paper scraps. But here’s the full list of materials I use:
Color markers: I prefer alcohol-based ones — they dry fast and don’t tear the paper, even if you layer colours.
Pencil, thin black marker, and scissors: Essentials for sketching and cutting.
Optional, but fun: White acrylic marker and gel pen (for highlights), gold marker and glitter gel pen. Honestly, I’m like a little girl with glitter — I always try to use it somewhere.
And the true star of this show? Elmer’s transparent washable glue.
It’s not my go-to for other projects (too wet and weak), but for these mushrooms, it’s pure magic!
Let’s Make Mushrooms!
Sketch Your Mushrooms
Draw mushroom shapes directly onto the scrap paper. You’ll get a fun variety of sizes this way. For smaller pieces, try to use up as much surface as you can.
Color Them In
If you have little ones around, this is the perfect task to delegate! Kids love coloring, and their weird and wonderful color combos add to the whole “enchanted forest” vibe. Plus, it’s great for their fine motor skills.
Add Some Sparkle
Time to glitter them up! Use a glitter pen, glitter glue, or even sprinkle glitter powder. Whatever sparkles your soul.
Seal the Magic with Glue
Add a puddle of Elmer’s glue on top of each mushroom, staying inside the shape. Make sure it spreads evenly — no dry patches! A toothpick or a paper scrap edge works great to spread it around.
Let Them Dry
I leave mine to dry overnight. That way, if I want to add more glitter or detail later, the surface is completely dry. Idea: You can even add a second glue layer with sequins or shimmer while it’s still wet!
What to Do with Them?
I’m making a whole pile of these mushrooms as a treat for my grandchildren. (Yes, I’m a young grandma 😊 — and the little ones love stickers!)
I’ll also keep a stash for junk journaling and gift wrapping. These little mushrooms look adorable on greeting cards, inside habit trackers… honestly, the options are endless.
Just cut them out — I like to leave a small white border around the edge so they really pop — and store them for future use.
Ta-da! Finished Mushroom Stickers
And here they are: shiny, whimsical mushrooms, rescued from the paper bin and reborn into little works of crafty joy.
I hope this inspires you to try the same trick! Let me know what you think, and what you might do to make yours even more magical.
At the end of the day, you’re not just saving paper — you’re making something beautiful, useful, and maybe even sellable in your crafty community.
Enjoy your craft time!
Meanwhile, are you curious on how to make a crepe paper mushroom? Challenge yourself and check the tutorial in my blog shop!
