Mushroom Turkeys

'Mushroom' Turkeys

Turkeytail Shelf  Fungus

By Cindy Bailey, Waynesburg, PA
cindy@greenespeak.com 

   These "Mushroom" Turkeys are actually made from fungi that grows on dead limbs and trees, especially tree stumps. They are a "shelf" fungus appropriately known as "Turkeytail," because of their remarkable resemblance to the real things. 

   This is a craft for older kids and adults. Pick them in the woods with gloves on in case of hidden thorns, but this time of year there shouldn't be any spiders or anything. If you have a sharp knife you can cut around them still attached to the bark, which makes a nice setting, especially if it has moss on it. You can also order dried fungi from craft. suppliers. Type in "shelf fungus" and you will get some places that sell it.

    Allow fungus to dry for a few days. Or, if you're worried about bringing bugs into the house, you can carefully bake the fungi in the oven on the lowest setting for 10-15 minutes, but watch them closely!. You can also seal in the dust and pollen with spray varnish. 

'Primitive' Mushroom Turkey

   For a primitive look, keep it all natural, you know like the pioneer women did -- no wiggle eyes or pipe cleaners or glitter! These would be very cute added to fall floral arrangements or among the table scatter in the center, although not if there are young children at the table. These are not poisonous but still....

MATERIALS:
Turkeytail Fungus
Brown and white striped Fungus, for beak
Tiny Pine Cones (I had to buy these as my pine trees aren't the right kind).
Piece of Bark
Moss
Glitter, optional
Hot Glue
White Glue

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Trim off bottom of prepared fungi to neaten it.
2. Add moss to tree bark.

Mushroom Turkey with Glitter

3. Attach fungi on the bark to resemble tail feathers, using hot glue
4. Add pine cone body.
5. Cut the top off a very small pine cone and discard this top section.
6. Attach the remaining portion of the pine cone as the head.
7. With small, sharp scissors (adults only!), cut a tiny elongated triangle from the brown and white striped fungus for the beak, so that the the stripes are horizontal, as shown. This is attached easier with white glue.

8. Add glitter and other details as desired.

   Here's hoping you will be with the ones you love on Thanksgiving. If your kids or others are coming back home, you might relate to my latest "Cindy's Wind" column, naturally called "Home for the holidays." See it on my other blog:  CindysWind. blogspot.com.

##