My Other Creations: Artsy Key Ring

"Show Us Your Metal" is this week's theme over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog.  It was the perfect excuse to play with paint and some old keys.  I envisioned the type of crazy key ring a muse or a modern-day fairy might carry around and this is the result:

To make the colorful keys, I started by sanding the surface of some old keys I had in my stash, then covered them in heavy white Gesso.

Once the Gesso dried, I smudged and smeared on various shades of Dina Wakley acrylic paint, which you know I'm highly addicted to!

To give them back their weathered look, I sponged on some StazOn Timber Brown ink.  When they were done, I adhered word strips to them.

Another favorite element is the colorful dangly flower-wad thing I created (for lack of a better term).  That started out as a Prima flower, which I colored with Distress Ink.

I folded up the colored flower, punched a hole in it, inserted an eyelet and had another fun element for my key ring.

The best part about this key ring is that it has absolutely nothing realistically useful on it for opening a door.  I would expect nothing less if it truly were owned by a mythical muse or modern-day fairy!  Here are some more detailed pics where I spread the charms out a bit.

I love using the letter B on my projects because it reminds me to "Be __________" (fill in the blank with some inspiring word).  In this context, letter B always seems like a strong action letter.  Be bold!  Be brave!  Be you!

And if you look really closely in the upper left corner of the picture, you can see a little scrap of floral fabric!  Ha!  Had to get my fabric fix in somehow!

I have to say that I thoroughly and totally enjoyed this project and had a hoot making it!  Here are the supplies I used from Simon Says Stamp (maybe I should've called it the Kitchen Sink key ring because I feel like I threw in everything but!):

Tim Holtz Letterpress set	Prima White Heavy Gesso	Tim Holtz Idea-ology TRINKET PINS Pin Hardware Fasten	Tim Holtz Idea-ology SWIVEL CLASPS Hardware Metal Jewelry	Facets - Idea-ology	Tim Holtz Idea-ology RULER RIBBON Fabric Canvas Measure	Iris Embroidery Floss Pack- Variegrated Colors
Custom Fasteners - Idea-ology	im Holtz Sanding Grip	WeRMemory Keepers Cropadile	Calendar Girl Pocket Squares	Prima Documented Beauty Flowers	Tim Holtz Little Words stamp	Timber Brown StazOn
Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink Pad	Dina Wakley LEMON Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley Lime Acrylic Paint	Dina Wakley TURQUOISE Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley BLACKBERRY VIOLET Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley LAPIS Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley MAGENTA Heavy Body Acrylic Paints
Dina Wakley TANGERINE Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley SKY Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Mixed Media Sponges Bars

How will you show us your metal this week?  Can't wait to see what you create!  Upload your metallic masterpieces to the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog for your chance to inspire the rest of us AND be entered for the $50 voucher to Simon Says Stamp!