This sweet lil’ mushroom house was so easy and so much fun to make! Plus, it’s made using recycled materials — making it a super-frugal project! It would make a great handmade holiday or birthday gift, and there is only a little hand sewing involved.
I used an empty oatmeal canister for the base, and cut out the door and windows using an exacto knife. It’s amazing what a few coats of paint can do to transform an empty oatmeal canister into this fun mushroom house!
The doll was made with some scraps of felt, and a tiny bit of pink wool roving for the hair. She’s very similar to the dolls I made for this felt fairy house. Oh, to have pink hair and live in a lovely mushroom house!! Could anything possibly be better than that?
The cap of the mushroom is a paper plate turned upside-down and covered with a piece of red felt. I stuffed it with recycled newspaper. I stapled the edges to keep the felt in place, which helped to keep the felt from sliding around while I was stitching. Then hand-stitched around the edge of the plate, and removed the staples when I was done. I added the white spots just to make it extra cute!
The best part was seeing the look of surprise on Emily’s face when she came home from school, and then to watch her get lost in her own world of pretend play!!
I had no idea an empty oatmeal canister could make a little girl so happy!!
Have fun!!
Dear Valerie,
As I can see from the photos, our yard has more leaves in it, even though I removed them all last weekend. Perhaps you can get the little mushroom fairies to take care of the leaves tonight.
Thanks!
Love,
Mark
Good idea! While they’re at it, maybe they can take care of some of the laundry too. 😉
Dear Valerie,
They would get close to your stinky socks, pass out, and be eaten by the cats. With these facts in mind, I am sure that you can agree that they are far better suited for leaf collection.
Love,
Mark
I don’t know what you’re talking ab—– *thud*
oo love this idea!! Looks like she loved it!
It is great fun!!
Wow, it’s super cute!
Thanks so much, Anya!!
oh! so sweet! I love the doll at the window! kisses
Thank you!! xoxo
Too cute! Love this idea!
They are fun to make — enjoy!!
Very clever – again! You got some terrific fall shots of Emily, too – such a great smile.
Thanks! I can’t believe how quickly she is growing!!
Very pretty, and this doll goes so well with the fairy house. Emily clearly enjoyed it very much!
VERY much!! Clara loves to play with it too, and I may have to make another doll just for her!
Valerie – your blog is so lovely! I have been reading it for ages now, and I thought I had better let you know that my family has been using lots of your ideas for a while. Each idea is so family-friendly, and they don’t take hours to set up. My son has various disabilities so anything quick that keeps him occupied and focussed is a godsend. I am struggling with my daughter though, who is one and a half and very opinionated. Any ideas for her? My son was so easy at that age – a bit of rough and tumble, some football etc etc. My daughter seems much harder to please! As a mother of two girls I was hoping you may have some ideas… Oh, and i also love the exchanges between you and your hubby! It’s hilarious! Best wishes to you and your lovely family x
I am SO happy to hear that, Emma!!! Both of my girls started painting at around that age, and we would have pretend tea parties all the time. You may have some other ideas under the “toddlers” tab — hope this helps! Have fun crafting with the kiddos! xoxo
That is just adorable. Emily looks so happy!
Oh, can you send some of those leaf collecting mushroom fairies to my yard?
ROFL — Yes, as soon as they’ve regained consciousness from attempting the laundry, I’ll send them right over!
How cute is that! And how fun to play with it outside and really let the imagination fly.
It was lots of fun watching her — she used a leaf as a pretend fairy boat! So cute!!
We need leaf-collecting fairies at our house, too! And toy-picking-up ones.
What a cute little house, and so simple to put together!
Oh, toy-picking-up fairies are really in demand lately, aren’t they? Hard to find good ones too! LOL
That’s adorable and I love to see her playing with it.
Thanks, Petula! xoxo
I love getting updates from your blog, you have such great ideas! Thank you for sharing them!
Yay!! That makes me so happy!! 🙂
“Hey Mom, why is you getting me that doll?”
“Do you want that doll?”
“With a mouth, and eyes, and nose!”
She’s never asked for facial features on the dolls… isn’t that weird? Makes is a lot easier for me!!
Can we come live with you?
They don;t seem to sell oatmeal in canisters her in Canada. I’m always on the lookout for similar containers. Hard to find!
We made something similar from a laundry detergent jug that looked awesome. wish I had taken photos.
Now I have to hunt for otmeal canisters again!
I was thinking of using those small pringles tins to make three little pig houses. That could work, right?
Oh, I LOVE the 3 little pig houses idea, and I think pringles cans would work very well for that! We made them from small milk cartons a long time ago, and the girls played with them for quite awhile. I had no idea they don’t sell oatmeal in canisters in Canada — good to know!
What a great idea! We’re going to take the basics of your idea and turn it into a Super Mario world! Your doll reminds me of Princess Peach! My son and youngest daughter will love this! Thanks!
That’s fantastic!!! It sounds like SO much FUN!! 😀
It’s adorable. I just love red spotted mushrooms!
Hee hee! Me too!! They are so stinkin’ cute! 🙂
Oh wow – this is so cute!! What a great idea!!
Thanks so much, Denise! xoxo
Oh my gosh, that is so stinkin cute. Love it!
You should totally make one of these for M — I bet she would go nuts for it, and she could help decorate it!! 🙂 Have fun!
So cute. I might try to make one into a castle, and put a cone-shape on top. Thanks for the idea!
Great idea!!!!! 🙂
Hello Valerie,
I was wondering do you have any toys for you daughters or do they play withh all the cool stuff you guys make? I just thought it would be so coll to get rid of a majority of my kids toys and then make fun stuff for them to play with. more imaginitive don’t ya think!
Great question!! Honestly, I rarely buy toys for them. We make almost all our own toys, and have a lot more fun with them!! The store-bought toys they do have were gifted to them by friends or relatives, and we limit how many of them are out at a time.
Too cute! Can’t wait to make it with my daughter.
Have fun!!! 🙂
I just clicked on your link through http://furlinedtoiletseats.blogspot.com/
and am blown away by your creativy!
What a beautiful job 🙂 You have a lucky couple of children!
I must become a “follower” to keep up with your lovely ideas.
Thanks,
Tish ( a total blogging newbie)
http://lotsoffunwithmyfamily.blogspot.com/
I made this for Christmas and my 5 year old plays with it every day!
I put it on my blog. http://margaretdilloway.com/2011/01/03/mushroom-house/