The party turned out great! My favorite DIY of the party was definitely those button garlands, which my kid decided to add to her permanent bedroom decor, she liked them so much, but these spooky old key party favors came in a close second. They were easy to make, and they’re the kind of custom creation that you’d never find in a big-box store. Kids love old keys, especially if they’re kind of weird or even a little spooky. It’s a cheap craft, and a great way to upcycle a set of random keys that unlock nothing! Or does it…
Materials
vintage keys. The key (snort!) to making this craft look cool as hell is using actual keys, the older or more old-fashioned looking, the better. I dug through an entire bin of random old keys at my favorite architecture thrift store to find a dozen of the oldest-looking, most unique keys they had. But honestly, you could probably find just about the same selection in any junk drawer in any home near you… vinegar. Sub in your favorite dish soap or liquid all-purpose cleaner, if you’d rather. I’ve finally gotten over my pandemic habit of cleaning everything with a scoop of Tide in hot water (that was one of my more dubious instances of being influenced by lockdown TikTok, ahem), and now I clean everything with a giant glug of Pine-Sol in hot water. Who knows what weird cleaning habit TikTok will influence me to do next? black spray paint with primer. Spray paint isn’t the most eco-friendly material, but because of all the nooks and crannies in these keys, it’s the one that you need. Choose a paint+primer so you’re at least buying one fewer can. I really liked the look of the super glossy black that I used–it made them look like wrought-iron keys coated in enamel! cotton or leather cording, or similar. I used some jewelry-weight cording that I had on hand. Anything classier than yarn works well, and even yarn works in a pinch! If you’ve got some ugly yarn or cording that you want to use, dress it up by braiding it and adding beads and other embellishments.
Step 1: Wash and Dry the Keys.
No matter where your keys came from, they’re going to be grubby. When you think about it, keys are actually quite nasty, blech! They’re always touching the insides of pockets and keyholes and unwashed fingers and tabletops and wherever you’ve accidentally put them when you absentmindedly put them down and can’t find them when you’re running late. It’s better not to think about it. Instead, Soak the keys for a couple of hours in vinegar, soapy water, or a mixture of water and your favorite all-purpose cleaner. Give them a little scrub if they’re extra gross or have sticky residue on them. If there’s something super sticky, spring for the Goo Gone. When the keys are squeaky clean, towel-dry them and then let them air-dry for a few hours, and preferably a whole day.
Step 2: Paint the Keys.
When the keys are squeaky clean and dry as a bone, they’re ready to be painted! There’s an annoying amount of overspray involved in painting these keys, so make sure you account for that. I pretty much just do whatever on my driveway, which is why it’s constantly covered in a camouflage of random spray paint outlines. It’s kind of like sealant, right?
Step 3: Add cording to the keys.
Here’s where you can get really creative! Do you want to make a necklace? A bookmark? A keychain? Just adjust the length of your cord! I made the cording for these keys long enough to attach to keychains. You never know when a spooky old key on your keychain might come in handy!
Step 4: Package the Party Favors (Optional).
Depending on what other party favors you might be offering, there are so many cute ways to package these keys. I designed and printed little envelopes with safety information on them (lol!), but you could also loop the cording around a favor bag full of treats, leaving the key dangling on the outside. Loop a nametag onto the cording, as well, for a personalized party favor. What kind of DIY elements do you like for your parties? Tell us about it in the Comments!
