Don't Toss An Old Bundt Pan — Reuse It For A Cute Garden DIY

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The right decor can elevate your landscape from just a collection of plants to an adorable and magical space, and adding artificial mushrooms is an easy way to give your landscape the charm of a whimsical fairy garden. Purchasing items like decorative cement mushrooms from a garden center, though, can easily cost you $30 or more. Luckily, you may already have everything you need to make your own garden mushroom. TikToker HayleetheHippie turned an upside-down Bundt pan into a toadstool cap, attached it to a glass vase for the stem, and added paint. The result is a playful piece of garden decor that gives an old kitchen item a second life.

Check around your home for an old, unused Bundt pan and a vase that will work well for this project. Remember that there are many different types of mushrooms, and they all have different proportions between their stems and caps, so you don't need to follow any precise measurements when picking supplies. You could even raid your recycling bin to see if you have a tall glass jar that could work instead of a vase. If you don't have what you need for this DIY at home, check your local thrift store. When choosing your Bundt pan and vase, though, make sure the pan's central tube fits into the vase's opening. The only other supplies you need for this project are some sandpaper, epoxy, paint, and embellishments.

Start by washing your Bundt pan and vase thoroughly, then use fine-grit sandpaper to scuff the pan's metal surface so the paint adheres better. Once the pan is clean and dry, paint its exterior to resemble a realistic or fantastical mushroom cap, using a metal paint suitable for outdoor use. A color-shifting option like Rust-Oleum Blue Cosmos checks those boxes and could give this project an extra magical touch. You can also paint the glass vase to match your design or leave it clear. After the paint has dried completely, use a water-resistant epoxy suitable for bonding glass to metal, such as Loctite Epoxy Quick Set, to attach the Bundt pan upside down to the vase. Make sure there's good contact between the vase and the pan so the glue can create a strong bond. Finally, use your adhesive to stick on any buttons, shells, or other details you'd like to add to your mushroom. Then it's just a matter of finding the right spot in the garden for your stunning decor. 

One annoyance you may notice once you set these up in the garden is that the vase will likely fill with water when it rains. While you could simply put your mushrooms in a sheltered area or dump out any water that collects, it's worth considering drainage before assembling your Bundt pan mushroom. One option is to cut the bottom off the vase before gluing it to the pan. You should be able to accomplish this with a product like this Glass Bottle Cutter Kit. Cutting glass can be dangerous, so follow the manufacturer's safety instructions, make sure the glass is suitable for cutting, and don't forget to sand the cut edge when you're finished.