Personalized Cork Keychain

I know I just made some lovely keychains for Christmas gifts, but it inspired me to make some more 'manly' keychains.  Since gift ideas for men are so minimal, I decided to come up with something for my husband that he might actually use.Here's what I came up with:

A personalized cork keychain.  I chose cork because it's a type of wood (and my husband builds houses and works with wood, so it seemed appropriate) in the shape of his first initial.  I wasn't sure how cork would stand up to the wear and tear of being in a pocket and dangling next to sets of keys, but it passed!Let me show you how I made it.
Get yourself some cork (I used leftover cork tiles that were 1/4 inch thickness), key rings, a stencil, utility knife and mod podge.  I also used a clear polyurethane spray paint (if you don't have it, you can use a clear coat spray paint or skip it altogether).

For a stencil, I used chipboard letters (for scrapbooking).  

Trace your letter with a dark pen or thin marker (so you can see it).

Next, get your utility knife.  I would recommend using a small one like I have shown, it makes it easier to cut the little spaces.  Also, be sure you are VERY careful with this step.  Don't be overzealous or you might seriously hurt yourself.  The cork can be a little tough and difficult to cut through, but take your time and BE CAREFUL!

Once you've cut out your shape, take an exacto knife or a toothpick and poke out where your want your key ring to go.  Don't make the hole too close to the edge or your it may split your cork.

Then, get your mod podge and apply a thick layer over your letter.

 

To save time, I applied the mod podge to both sides, then stuck the toothpick in halfway and propped it up to dry.

Once dry, add another heavy coat to both sides.  (You could do 3 or 4 coats if you aren't planning on applying a clear coat).

I then sprayed both sides with a polyurethane spray paint to give it extra durability.

Once it's dry, you can place it on your key ring and you can gift away!

Enjoy your new keychain!  Have a great day!!

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