** UPDATE: Thanks to everybody who entered our giveaway! The winner is # 53, Nancy B., who said "The prettiest key I have is one to the house where I grew up – just an old skeleton type key – but I love the memories it brings." What a cool key, and such a great way to unlock old memories :) We'll be in touch with you via email soon, Nancy!
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Hi everyone! I'm excited to share this week's tutorial with you -- a set of tiny, doll-sized keys! These are so much fun to make, and you can whip them out really fast....always a plus!
You can watch the video or follow the step by step tutorial below to see how to make them...
You'll need a sheet of heat-shrink plastic (like Shrinky Dinks), some old keys to trace, colored pencils, and a sharpie.
Pick a key to start with, then trace around it onto the rough side of the plastic.
Grab a metallic pencil, and get coloring! For some extra pizzazz, try outlining some "key" details with a fine-point permanent marker. :)
Using normal scissors, carefully cut out your key. Round off the sharp points (the shrinking process makes any pointy ends very sharp), and use a hole punch to make a hole for the keyring.
Following the directions on the package, shrink your keys. Let them cool, then slip them onto a keyring.
Tie on a piece of cording for a lanyard, or add your favorite doll-sized keychain!
And that's it -- your very own set of doll sized keys!
**UPDATE: The giveaway is now closed, thanks to everybody who entered!**
NOW -- would you like to win this particular set of keys, instead of making your own? (Or perhaps in addition to making your own? Well, you're in luck, because we're giving them away! There are five different, awesome keys, and one of them is even Pixie Faire themed.... To enter, just leave a comment answering this question: "The prettiest key I've ever used was..." (For example, I once had a key that had a tiny heart engraved on it. Gotta love the details!) We will run the giveaway from now until Monday, June 30th, at which point we'll pick a winner randomly, and let them know via email that they've won!
Thanks for following along, and have fun!
For Pixie Faire,
Melinda
86 Comments
Well, the prettiest key I ever used was a skeleton key. Our first house (we rented it) used these in both the front and back door. We had the neatest locks in the house, but I didn’t feel secure, so my husband changed the locks shortly after we moved in. The skeleton keys were so neat looking and actually very pretty. When we moved, we gave them to the owner so he would have them as a keepsake from his grandparents house. It’s still a rental today, waaaay out in the country!
The prettiest key I ever owned is a red plastic elephant shaped key from the Detroit Zoo. I got that key when I was 8 years old back in 1959 ( I’m now 62 years young) . It was used to turn on the “talking” information boxes that were located in front of each animals cage. Years later after I married and had kids, I was able to use that same key with my children. I now live in Texas and will be visiting Michigan later this summer with my 8 year old granddaughter. I don’t know if the “talking” boxes are still there but she can wear the key around her neck on a ribbon like her mother and I did so many years ago.
The “prettiest” key I ever used and still do is to my red (my favorite color!) Honda Odyssey that my husband bought me for my birthday in 2005! Boy, do I love that key!
The prettiest key I ever owned is a red plastic elephant shaped key from the Detroit Zoo. I got that key when I was 8 years old back in 1959 ( I’m now 62 years young) . It was used to turn on the “talking” information boxes that were located in front of each animals cage. Years later after I married and had kids, I was able to use that same key with my children. I now live in Texas and will be visiting Michigan later this summer with my 8 year old granddaughter. I don’t know if the “talking” boxes are still there but she can wear the key around her neck on a ribbon like her mother and I did so many years ago.
I’ve never used a pretty key (all ours are standard silver/gold/bronze-colored keys), but I’ve seen several neat keys online. I like skeleton keys, they are pretty cool. :)