Everyone has extra keys lying around that are of no use anymore. Don’t add them to our growing landfills, turn them into festive snowman ornaments to keep or give as gifts!
My daughter’s boyfriend works at a hardware store that has one of those key cutting machines. One day he brought me a 2-liter bottle full of discarded keys and asked if I wanted them for crafts. Smart lad.
With the holidays here, I thought this was a good time to turn some of those discards into something cute and useful.
There are full printable instructions below, but here the basic rundown.
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As always, a full printable supply list and instructions are at the end of this post.
For this project you will need the following supplies:
Recycled keys
- White spray paint
- Floral wire
- Beads
- Poms poms
- Pipe cleaners
- Fabric
- Yarn
- Hot glue gun
- Wire snips
- Scissors
Paint:
- Pink
- Black
- Orange glitter paint (I used DecoArt Glamour Dust
)
Make hangers from floral wire, you can add beads too if you like. Attach the hangers to the keys. I had already spray painted mine white.
Embellish time! Pom-poms and pipe cleaners make great earmuffs, and fabric scraps and yarn are perfect for scarves. Some pink paint for cheeks and black for facial features and bam. You have snowman keys. Woot!
Looking for more Christmas ornaments for young kids? Happy Hooligans has 15 easy ornament ideas for preschoolers here!
- Recycled keys
- White spray paint
- Floral wire
- Beads
- Poms poms
- Pipe cleaners
- Fabric
- Yarn
- Hot glue gun
- Wire snips
- Scissors
- Pink
- Black
- Orange glitter paint (I used DecoArt Glamour Dust)
- Spray paint keys white on both sides, two coats should be sufficient.
- Create hangers using floral wire. Bend the wire in half to create a loops and twist to secure. You can leave your wire plain or add beads before twisting to secure through the hole in the top of the key.
- Add earmuffs by hot gluing pieces of pipe cleaner across the top of the key, covering up the wire. Add a pom pom to each side.
- Create scarves using fabric, yarn, pipe cleaners or even old t-shirts. Use hot glue to secure.
- Dab pink paint onto a scruffy paintbrush and dab off the excess onto a rag. Lightly tap onto the key to add rosy cheeks.
- Use a toothpick dipped in black paint to add eyes and mouths, then use a toothpick dipped in orange glitter paint to add noses.
Amanda Formaro
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What an adorable idea! I have plenty of old keys just laying around – going to do this project with my class!
Do u have to use spray paint… Can u just paint it white?
Yes certainly.
Found these adorable guys on The WHOot a few days ago. My friend’s daugher thought they were wonderful! I do, too. So I put them in my blog. http://itsomuchfunwatchingod.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-cutest-use-for-old-keys.html
Thanks for such a great way to use up things most of us have stashed in a box or drawer. Even better is to collect them at the home centers! I’m good buddies with most of the people at Lowe’s in Franklin NH, so getting them should be an easy thing!
Thanks for the feature Nancy, so glad you like them and hope you get a chance to make some!
done. My photography is lacking, but cuteness makes up for it!
http://itsomuchfunwatchingod.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-cutest-use-for-old-keys.html
Amanda, these are soooo cute. Does the spray paint ‘stick’ easily to the keys? I tried just painting them but the paint scratches off.
Hi jane, yes it does, I haven’t had a problem with them! :)
These are really cute: I bet some people would like to use them as pendants.
Or brooches! :)