I'm trying something new this year for the farmer's market we attend-crafts. We'll see if this is a hit or a miss for our little market. I saw an idea a few year's ago at a garden show. I'm not sure what they used for their toadstools, but I knew that I could use old implement disks from the farm to make mine. This idea has been stewing for about two years now and I've finally decided to dive in and tackle it. This is how I made mine. Any variations can be made depending on what you have available to you.
What you need:
1 implement disk
1 can red rust sealing spray paint
white acrylic paint
1 large landcape nail
1 large washer
1 10-16 inch post
All steps were done outside or in the garage with the doors open. This can be a messy project!
I started by using a wire brush to scrape off any rust and dirt from the disk. I didn't buy any of the disks. We had some that we were wanting to discard. There are always farmers wanting to get rid of old ones, just find one near you. I also used a Scotchbrite pad after the wire brush to make a finer "sanding" effect. Wipe down the disk to remove any extra dirt or rust. Let it dry for an hour or two depending on the humidity. Lay your disk on some old newspaper or cardboard and spray a coat of paint. Let it dry completely between coats. It will take two to three coats of paint. Once you are happy with the coverage let it dry for about 12-24 hours.
Once it is dry, start painting your toadstool spots. I used white acrylic paint, but you can paint it whatever color and in whatever design you prefer. I went with a simple spot design. I didn't make my spots perfectly round or all the same sizes. Toadstools are perfect in real life, so I didn't think these should be either. Apply two coats for your spots and let dry completely.
To make the bases, I wanted something that looked old and aged. We recently removed a bunch of fenceposts from our sheep lot. They were rotten at the ground level, but fine further up. We used a chainsaw to cut off the rotted part and then drilled a hole in the top to allow the nail to be driven in a little easier. I call them landscape nails, but I'm not 100% sure of the name. They are about 8 inches long and not quite 1/2 inch in diameter. Paint your washers red to match the disk. Place your washer over the hole and drive your nail in through the washer and disk. I had to keep moving the disk and washer to line back up so the holes would be covered. Once you have the nail just about in center everything and give it one last whack with a hammer.When you have it secure, place a piece of newspaper or cardboard over the disk with a hole made in the center to paint your nail head. If you paint the nail head before you hammer it in, you will chip the paint off and have to do this step anyway.
Voila! You have your own garden toadstool. It's ok if they aren't perfectly straight. I think they have more character when they have a slight tilt to them.
