Creativebug
You take your keys everywhere with you. Let’s class them up a bit, shall we?
This sweet little DIY is deceptively simple (no, seriously) and it will have your friends asking you where you got that super-cute keychain.
“Oh, I made it.” You’ll say, casually.
Right?
Right.
Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Materials:
- Medium weight leather scrap in color of your choice
- Tacky glue
- Gold leaf and gold leaf sizing
- Sharp scissors
- A brush for applying glue and a hard bristled brush like a stipple brush for gold leafing
- Key ring
- Binder Clip
Step One: Cut Out Your Leaf / Feather
Cut a leaf shape that will become your feather. You can create any size leaf shape you like, but make sure to leave a long stem which will hold your key ring later.
See? It’s already cool-looking.
Step Two: Paint Glue on Leather
Because without the glue, your gold leaf will fall off. And that would be most tragic. Using the gold leaf sizing, paint on a band of glue. The sizing will be milky white when wet and dry to clear and shiny. Unlike traditional glue, you wait until the sizing is completely dry and clear before placing the gold leaf. And remember to rinse your brush right away, so its doesn’t stiffen from the sizing.
Step Three: Add Gold Leaf
Once the sizing is dry, lay a sheet of gold leaf and press into place with finger tips. Tear away excess then using your dry and stiff bristled brush, firmly brush away any extra leafing. The gold leaf will cling with static to the surface of the leather, but will only stick permanently to the area with sizing.
Step Five: Add Details
With scissors or an X-acto knife, add small cuts to the sides of your leaf to make it a feather. It’s all about the details, people. Fringe rules.
Step Six: Attach to Key Ring
Add a dab of glue to the underside of your shape’s stem. Loop it around the key ring and use the binder clip to hold it in place while it dries. Don’t glue it to the key ring – you need it to be able to slide around if you want to add any keys to it later.
Step Seven: Blow Away Friends & Family with Your Stylish Accessory
Because, look at it. You’re so talented.
