Introduction: Secret Garden (upcycled) Key Pendants
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About: I'm a maker and craftreprenuer! VP of the Fairfield County Makers Guil, I love to "create" and come up with new and unconventional ways to use everyday things to make life a little bit more exciting…
Take your old keys no longer in use and turn them into little treasures!
Step 1: Gather "the Stuff"
My list of materials:
- Old/New Key (if old clean it as best you can prior to use for this project)
- E6000 glue
- charms, beads, old disassembled jewelry or watches
- jewelry wire
- necklace to adorn with pendant
Step 2: Wrap It Up!
You will need about 18" of wire for this project. You may need more or less depending on how big your key is.
The idea is to have enough wire to create the winding loop at the top - making it sturdy enough to then wrap around the key itself - all in one piece. There are many variations to this step that you can do. So the margin to deviate from my method is wide! go crazy and try other ways to attach your wire to the key.
Wrapping the key with wire provides a stable structure for the key to hang from a necklace as well as creating a surface with dimension for the glue and embellishments to hold on to. Especially if your key has rust or other gunk cacked up on it after cleaning
Here is what I did for this key:
• Bend the wire in half and stick the bent U shaped side through the opening at the key top. Then put the ends back through the loop you created and pull. This will make a kind of simple knot attaching the wire to the key.
• Wrap the wire closely around itself at the bottom of the knot. In otherwords wrap the wire around the knot a couple of times. see picture above
• Take one wire and using your needle nose pliers, create a small curve at the end and create a loop. Make sure this curve is big enough to fit your chain/ necklace through. This is how your pendant will hang onto your chain - through this hole.
• Keep the loop flat as you continue to wind the loop over and over until you get down to the wrapped knot you made earlier. see picture above for reference.
• Take the other wire end and wrap it again around theknot - once or twice and move down around the key. Keep wrapping the wire all around the key. Feel free to make another loop at the end of this wire to hand something else from, or terminate it anywhere over the key. see pics for what i did - creating another loop to hang a bead or other embellishment from.
The idea is to have enough wire to create the winding loop at the top - making it sturdy enough to then wrap around the key itself - all in one piece. There are many variations to this step that you can do. So the margin to deviate from my method is wide! go crazy and try other ways to attach your wire to the key.
Wrapping the key with wire provides a stable structure for the key to hang from a necklace as well as creating a surface with dimension for the glue and embellishments to hold on to. Especially if your key has rust or other gunk cacked up on it after cleaning
Here is what I did for this key:
• Bend the wire in half and stick the bent U shaped side through the opening at the key top. Then put the ends back through the loop you created and pull. This will make a kind of simple knot attaching the wire to the key.
• Wrap the wire closely around itself at the bottom of the knot. In otherwords wrap the wire around the knot a couple of times. see picture above
• Take one wire and using your needle nose pliers, create a small curve at the end and create a loop. Make sure this curve is big enough to fit your chain/ necklace through. This is how your pendant will hang onto your chain - through this hole.
• Keep the loop flat as you continue to wind the loop over and over until you get down to the wrapped knot you made earlier. see picture above for reference.
• Take the other wire end and wrap it again around theknot - once or twice and move down around the key. Keep wrapping the wire all around the key. Feel free to make another loop at the end of this wire to hand something else from, or terminate it anywhere over the key. see pics for what i did - creating another loop to hang a bead or other embellishment from.
Step 3: Embellish
Using the E3000 glue is essential here as it doesn't have a drying time that is too quick. If you position something on the key and then want to move it around, this adhesive will give you that freedom to do so before it dries.
I have all kinds of different "findings," beads and charms. I usually lay out a few pieces on to the key before gluing to get a feel for how it may look. Use what you have! deconstruct old jewelry for parts!
I dont follow an absolute structure though as my initial ideas may morph as I go!
I try and let the pieces come together on their own :)
I have all kinds of different "findings," beads and charms. I usually lay out a few pieces on to the key before gluing to get a feel for how it may look. Use what you have! deconstruct old jewelry for parts!
I dont follow an absolute structure though as my initial ideas may morph as I go!
I try and let the pieces come together on their own :)
Step 4: Marvel at Your Level of Creativity!
These are a few examples of what I've made recently. I LOVE making these as they're one of a kind and the possibilities are endless.