Are you on the look out for a great, handmade father’s day gift to make? These handmade key chains can be personalized with any name or message, and they’re so easy to make that you can have several done in no time! I used leather scraps from another project, but this would be a great way to repurpose an old belt or worn out handbag that is beyond repair. To make your own personalized, leather key fob, you’ll need:
This post first appeared at Crafts Unleashed, where I am on the design team!
Supplies
- Leather Scraps
- Liquid Pearls
- Martha Stewart Alphabet Stencils
- Crop-o-dile
- Eyelets or Grommets
- Split Rings
- Mod Podge Fabric
Step one: Cut the leather piece to 1 inch wide by 5 inches long. Use the Crop-o-dile to punch a hole in both ends of the strip.
Step two: Use the alphabet stencils to spell a name. They are adhesive, which makes it easy to line up your letters and minimize paint smearing.
Step three: Apply the paint to the stencil. I let the paint dry for several minutes before removing the stencils, to minimize paint “bleeding”. (Tip: Use wet wipes to clean off your stencils!)
Step four: After the paint has dried, fold the leather in half to align the two circles, and attach a grommet or large eyelet to hold the pieces together. You can use the Crop-O-Dile or a grommet setting tool.
Step five: Attach the split key ring to the key fob.
As a final step, I decided to paint over the leather with Mod Podge Fabric to seal the paint. I didn’t want to risk having it flake off with use. I used Mod Podge Fabric because it’s meant for fabric, so it is flexible and won’t crack or peel.
You can make the key fob longer or wider to suit your preference. I made two for father’s day, but you could easily make these for any occasion! How do you like my World Cup key fob from last year? Go team USA! Personalize your own key fob with a team name, a special date, or location. Have fun crafting and creating!
