the key to my heart...

14 April 2009

Okay, cheesy title, but I needed to make a filler for my wall since I decided to go ahead and break my plates. Didn't go to yard sales this past weekend (are you proud of me??) so I went ahead and shopped the house...
I found a ring of old keys I found at a random yard sale this winter that my kids love to play jail and zoo with. They love the klinkety sounds of the keys, so I took three off and left two to jingle. We'll see if they notice...

Another framed yard sale picture ($1) I was going to use to make a chalkboard with, but I'm going to use it here instead.
Take them out to my workshop, a.k.a my garage with an old carpet remnant on the ground. The carpet serves 2 purposes: soak up oil from our little old car my husband drives and my spray paint center.

The frame is perfect, don't need to touch that. Spray paint the keys black and when they are fairly dry, I take a fine sandpaper and gently let some of the gold show through to make them look nice and old:


Set the glass and the picture aside, cut the paper to fit the frame, hot glue the paper to the back of the frame:

It looks great just like that, but we're going to add our keys...

Hot glue them on, and there you have it.
Who needs pretty white plates when you've got cool grungy keys in a frame??

You see what it's sitting on? The top of my washing machine is my glue gun center.
Now, back to the title~how cool would this be to frame an old key and give to your dearest one with a note attached that says..."to the one that holds the key to my heart." You could make it all manly with some burlap fabric for the background.
My husband is shaking his head.
OK, what if the guy tied some bling to one of the keys with a cool ribbon with the same note?
And then proposed??
I'm going to sell the rights to the movie...you saw it here first.
Kimm over at Reinvented is having her Trash to Treasure Tuesday~go see what other people are turning their finds into...
Happy Tuesday...

33 comments

  1. That turned out great! I just love old skeleton keys, but I never seem to find any. Maybe one day!

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  2. Just beautiful and a wonderful idea!

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  3. Love it! I keep watching for skeleton keys, too! Haven't yet found any. They have such great character. Thanks for sharing this great idea (and movie plot!)

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  4. I love how you painted the keys and then grunged them up. Such a great idea!

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  5. what a cute and inexpensive idea,, i love those. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Love it ~ I saved the skeleton keys from my grandmother's farm house ~ this would be a great way to display my memories.

    Thanks!
    Jo

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  7. Love those keys! How come I never find old keys like that? You must be at the right place at the right time. By the way, where did you end up putting your Ethan Allen yardsale find? Just curious.

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  8. Great idea!! Will be doing this soon! THANKS! :)

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  9. I love it, love it, love it! (and I'd pay to see that movie.)

    I'm still grieving the loss of your plates though!

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  10. Another cute project! Love the keys now I just got to find some.

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  11. Those keys are so cool! I love that picture you made with them. Old keys are so fascinating to me. I wonder all the stories they can tell!

    XOXO
    Jen

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  12. Oh-my, you make me want to jump up and do all sorts of projects, but I'll quickly move on to another Blog before I get too inspired. LOL Love your blog. Does your dh realize how much $$ you save him with all your creativity?! I'd remind him every day if I were you, GF!

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  13. This is so neat...I'm definitely trying this soon. Maybe even tonite! Thanks.

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  14. You're a crackup! I'll be first in line at the movie theater when it comes out!!!

    And, by the way, where did you find the paper? I love that gold damask!

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  15. this idea could work for some old spoons I have been trying to find some neat way to display that were my grandmothers.

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  16. yep, hubby would laugh at you for sure (all the way to the bank) if you did have a movie based on your story line!!! :)
    Love the key arrangement....looks so cool!

    suzanne

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  17. Lovin it. Besides garage sales, I also loving shopping at home :)
    -Jill

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  18. Oh how I'm lovin' those keys!! Great paper background too. Very cool and almost free wall art! Perfection.
    Thanks for linking up to the party!

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  19. Keys are going on my thrifting wishlist...

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  20. Before I saw the actual keys I was visualizing our normal everyday keys! Whew!!
    It looks fantastic.
    (I want a part in the movie!)

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  21. Looks great!

    Love the movie idea- it's gonna a be a big box hit!

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  22. That looks great! I loved those plates a ton, but this is a great alternative!

    Hugs from Eventually Cottage.

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  23. I have done that same thing before with keys...they make great art! I am the one that started the whole family sign made out of tin and framed with a key...family is the key...get it? rofl..corny but I like the meaning. My tj maxx did not have anymore of those signs...sorry. I have not been around because of computer problems or I would have gotten back sooner. cherry

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  24. Very cute--I wish I could find some keys!

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  25. beautiful, creative, and sappy....could it get any better?

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  26. Love it! Let's see where you put it next!

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  27. I love it! Thanks for sharing!

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  28. Love it! Sooo sorry about your plates! I think I would have cried -- but more so because of the additional work, like you said. :)

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  29. Love it and what a great idea.....I will be back again to read more of your posts. You have great pictures...

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  30. I framed some old keys the other night and they're now proudly hanging next to the front door. I just love them :)

    http://suburbia365.blogspot.com/2009/05/framed-keys.html

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  31. I love this so much! I want to feature you on my next Teach Me Tuesday, but I can't find your email address to chat with you about it. Would you mind email me at LivingWithLindsay[@]gmail.com? Thanks!

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  32. This is a great project and tutorial. Thanks for sharing it today!

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