I'm trying to be better. I do genuinely want to be a generous person, but if you are impressed by any outpouring of extravagence from my family...it is probably all Jim's doing. He is the opposite of a selfish person.

Tight-wadded-ness is not all horrible though. It manifests itself in useful ways like our Christmas tree. This year it cost us nothing, helped preserve a forest, had no plastic factory effect on the environment, and is so wonderfully imperfect I could just kiss it. It's decked in dragon, owl and mushroom ornaments, with a few random harps, snowflakes and silver balls thrown in for good measure. I'm working on a garland now... but that's a post is for another day.

It's a magical tree.

And I love the mushroom ornaments so much, I had to share.

Get some Sculpey or any other sort of oven bake clay. They sell it at every Walmart, Jo-Anns and craft store. Like most things however, it's cheaper on the good ol internet. I personally need to invest in a 30lb box of it. If you don't have money for Sculpey, I bet you could make some salt dough and bake that too.

Grab a glob and roll it into a ball the size of a Quarter. Flatten it in the palm of your hand with your thumb until it resembles the top of a mushroom.

Cut some thin jewelry wire (or a paper clip). Twist it into a loop.

Make another ball of clay, this time smaller...about the size of a dime. Roll it between your hands until it lengthens out to something resembling the stem of a mushroom.

Insert your twisted wire into the the top of the mushroom. Connect the stem. Use your fingers to gently mold the two pieces together. Smooth out any lumps and holes that may have appeared doing the metal insertion surgery.

Bake at 275 for 30 min. (or if using salt dough, whatever the reccomended time is)

Paint. I did mine varying shades of orange and yellow. Bethany would probably choose a different color. ;-)

Step 8

Attach ornament hook, ribbon or fishing line and hang on your Christmas tree!

An easy and inexpensive to add some magic to your tree.