Custom decorated keys

    So there has been many a time I've gone into the hardware store to get a new key. And there on some rack you see displayed decorative keys. You think to yourself "How nice it would be to tell the difference between the different keys on your keychain." But when you look at the price of a custom key you find sticker shock, or you find that your key does not come in custom designs. So here's an idea on how to decorate your own keys so you can tell the difference between your house key, your car keys or whatever.

(1)  First you want to roughen up the surface of the area that you're going to paint. (Do not sand or roughen the part that goes into lock, as you may change the shape of your key. As a result, the key may not work. ) You can use emery cloth or the tip of a screwdriver. The reason for ruffing up the surfaces is so that the paint will stick better.

     A Dremel with an abrasive tip works best.

(2)  Find some cheap nail polish to use as your paint. Dollar stores are a good source for this. I have found that nail polish actually works better than most paints and comes in a much larger variety of colors including metallic and glitter.

(3)  Once you have your colors picked out simply layer your design on the key. With some nail polish it is possible to get a stained-glass or enamel effect.

(Note; The brush that comes with the nail polish is big and bulky and may make getting fine detail difficult to impossible.) Use a fine tip paint brush to get detail. Just be sure to clean your brush after with nail polish remover.

(4) Once you have your key painted be sure and let it thoroughly dry. Preferably letting the key dry overnight. Then simply repeat the process on the other side of the key, to get both sides.

There you have it, a custom miniature piece of art on a key.  So go out and try different things and let us know how your artwork turned out. Be creative and inspire the world!

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DIY book marks plastic, wood, tile, metal ect.

 To make your own bookmarks start with a semi-transparent milk jug or water jug. Cut out a large flat plastic piece from your plastic jug and then lay the plastic over the following patterns and trace them out. Once you have your pattern traced, simply cut it out either using an X-Acto knife or a pair of utility scissors, which can be purchased at most dollar stores. Be sure and use a cutting board if you are using an X-Acto knife. Once you have your outside pattern cut out you have the option to use the X-Acto knife to cut out the designs or you may wish to simply paint the designs.
    If you're going to paint your designs on plastic, it is recommended that you use either nail polish or plastic model paint. If you have a problem getting your paint to adhere to the plastic, you may wish to use a little bit of sandpaper or a file to rough up the surface you are painting.
    Stickers or plastic gemstones with adhesive are also an option that can be used to decorate your bookmark but keep in mind that the bookmark needs to fit in between the pages of a book or magazine.
    You can also add a tassel made out of embroidery floss or ribbon by using a paper punch or leather punch to punch a hole at the top of the bookmark.
    Once you have your plastic bookmark cut out. you can either use it as is or as a template or pattern to make your bookmarks out of other materials such as wood, laminate, photographs, metal or any other suitable material.

The above pattern is designed to be printed out on a 8 1/2" X 11 standard paper in landscape mode. The bookmarks are 5 1/2" tall and 1 1/2" wide, but you can print what ever size you want. 

Please keep in mind that the patterns are copyrighted and intended for only your personal use or small-scale production. Any production over 1000 requires a 10% royalty be paid to Nevada crafter.com all foreign entities are required to pay a 15% royalty or negotiate terms with Nevada crafter.com

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Parts bin and scoop made from plastic jug.

Plastic jugs can easily be recycled or up-cycled into usable products. This plastic jug was an almond milk jug. Orange juice also comes in this type of jug. The line drawn on the jug is where you make your cut. The lines can be adjusted to meet your needs. Each jug depending on its shape may determine where you cut your plastic and it is more of a judgment call than an exact science.

 A dremel saw blade( or any Rotary tool with micro saw blade) such as this works easily and quickly to complete the job. Be sure and use all safety equipment such as goggles and gloves if necessary. Utility scissors may also be used or a very good box knife used with caution.

Once your cut is complete your project is essentially done. The half on the right becomes a feed scoop, or string dispenser and the half on the left can be used as a parts bin that can be either stacked or mounted on the wall.

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For this and other craft ideas checkout our other sites and be sure to subscribe.

www.nevadacrafter.com

http://craft44.blogspot.com/

http://patterns44.blogspot.com/

Nevada Crafter on YouTube