Key Hanger

After living in this home for 5 and a bit years, I've finally gotten around to making a hanger for our keys! 

(no sense in rushing these things, is there?)

For this project, I used a Kaisercraft "Home Sweet Home Plaque", and left the paper choice up to my dear husband.  (no, he didn't brave the craft store, he just went through my stash and picked - still gets top marks for bravery!).  He chose a Bo Bunny paper, Midnight Frost Stripe. 

To begin, I gave the plaque a light sand with fine grit sandpaper.  I then gave the edges a good coat of paint - I used the Adirondack paint dabber in Stream, but as the bevel on the plaque was awkward, I brushed it on instead of using the dabber. 

Once that was dry... well, almost dry... I'm a bit impatient! I smeared mod podge all over the face of the plaque, making sure it goes all the way to the edge. For this I like to use my fingers.  It's messy, but I find it's easier to wash my hands than to make sure all the glue is out of my brushes.  Besides - I kinda like messy :). I placed the paper down on the plaque, and smoothed it out, making sure it was all stuck down properly. 

 While I was waiting for the mod podge to dry, I found out some large alphas from my stash, these particular ones are from Kaszazz.  I painted them in the Tim Holtz Tarnished brass crackle paint, and set them aside to dry.  I had a few gears already painted in the tarnished brass crackle paint from the dusty attic tote that I made last week, so I dug them out to use as well.  I wanted to go for a cool, masculine feel with this project, and I'm a bit of sucker for gears, especially if they can turn!

Using a sharp craft knife, I trimmed away the excess paper from the top face of the plaque.  From the scrap, I trimmed two 12"x 2" strips, and rounded two corners.  I laid these where I wanted them, and then put the gears down to see where they should fit.  To make them turn, I used a thumbtack to put a small hole in the striped pieces of paper where they needed to sit to be close enough to turn.  Then, I fixed one in each strip, using a small brad - making sure not to do it up too tight.  The gear still needs to be able to spin. 

Finally, I used double sided tape to stick the two strips down, ensuring that the gears were able to mesh comfortably. 

Four cup hooks form the business end of the key hanger, and to put these in, I used my trusty giant thumbtack as a pilot. (Yes, I do own a drill, and yes, I am too lazy to go out to the shed and get it!). Once the pilot hole is in place, it's much easier to fit the cuphooks without damaging the paper, or the plaque. 

I added a few rub ons to the plaque, I chose the World Traveller rub ons from Kaszazz.  I liked the whole "travel" thing to go with the keys, and the slightly distressed look matched the whole look I was going for.   

  

 So five years later, we've finally got a good place to hang our keys.  Here's hoping I can find my keys to hang on it now! I'm sure I left them... somewhere! :)
x Rita