Photo Key Holder Tutorial

I love to hang my keys now with this beauty.  I wish I could say the same for the hubby! He does like to hang them sometimes, but the kitchen table is a much better target. And in his defense, he seldomly drives or uses keys, so they usually stay in his backpack. He's a champ and walks a mile to catch a shuttle for a free ride to work.  But this post isn't about my hubby and it's going to be long enough as it is without all my extra thoughts!

The Photo Key Holder

Isn't it cute!?  Useful and practical :) 

Here's how it's done...

Supplies:

14"x22" board (I found mine in the scrap section at home depot and had them cut it to the size I wanted, it was a 3/4" piece of plywood)

4 5x5 canvas or another size of your choice (found mine at Michaels for $1 a piece! They were in the kid/dollar art section and I've seen them periodically since then. See picture 2)

4 Hooks and screws of your choice (Home Depot, Target, Walmart all have a cute variety, vintage knobs of some kind would be super adorable as well!)

1 toothy hanger thing sorry! I can't remember what the technical name is.  See picture #1

4 Pictures either print in 5x7 from a store or 5x5 from your printer, just make sure it's the same size as your canvas.  

Cricut cut letters/Stickers/Stencil I cut letters using my fancy smancy Cricut, but you could easily use stickers, stencil it, or if you're really brave freehand it.  :)

Brown Paint To paint board

Green Paint To paint canvas

Modge Podge

Quick Grip or another heavy duty glue

Foam Brushes For Modge Podge and paints  

Pencil

Ruler

Hammer

Drill/Screwdriver

Directions:

1.  Prepare your wood, sand if needed, I roughly sanded mine because I wanted a rough surface.  Paint the wood the color of your choice.  Find your center about 3/4 up from the bottom. Mark with pencil and nail in your toothy hanger. 

 

Picture 1

2.  If you printed your picture bigger than the canvas you'll want to place your canvas on top of your picture and trace around it with a pencil.  Remove the canvas and trim around your pencil line.  

3.  Set your pictures aside and paint your art canvases the color of your choice.  But wait, you can let your kids have some fun and color them first if you want. :)

4.  Break out the Modge Podge and coat the top of your canvas.  Place your picture on top of the canvas, press evenly, cover picture with a thin layer of Modge Podge.  This helps to make sure the picture is secure, protected, and not going anywhere! :)

Picture 2

 

5. Wait for them to dry :(  Anyone else hate this part?!  Oh well, go grab a snack, go to the bathroom, or doing something really productive like start a load of laundry.  Snore! 

Ok your back hooray and you can thank me later, especially if you decided to grab a diet pepsi and m&m's!

6.  Ok I don't have a good picture of this part and as you'll learn I'm not very technical with measurements and such.  I kind-of just eye it.  

You are going to lay out all of your items on your board, spacing them evenly.  If you need measurements and something more concrete: for the canvases, there ended up being 1.333" between each canvas and around the edge.  Use a ruler and pencil and draw guidelines on your board. Once you've done this grab your Quick Grip Glue (or other heavy duty glue of your choice) and glue your canvases onto your board lining them up with the lines you've traced. 

7.  Next you're going to figure out where you want your hooks.  Just use a ruler and space them evenly towards the bottom of your board. Use a pencil and mark where your screws will go.  Now break out your drill or screwdriver and screw in your hooks where you have marked.  Now if you're not super technical and cheap like I am, you'll just use included screws even if they poke through the back of the wood.  You can saw them off later or just leave them.  If you are more technical you'll just need to make sure the length of your screws is shorter than the width of your board.  (ie 3/4")

8.  Now decide on the phrase you'd like on your board and either use a Cricut, stickers, stencils, etc. for your phrase.  I used the Cricut to cut out paper letters approximately 2 1/4" tall.  Once cut out I spaced them out on the board, grabbed Modge Podge and glued each letter to the board.  I then coated the entire board in Modge Podge, working around the hooks and canvases, but gluing over the letters.  Vinyl would have been easier to use, but I wanted the patterned paper for added cuteness!

 

8. Now just wait for everything to dry and hang and admire your work! 

(Oh how I miss painted walls!)

And please let me know if anything is unclear or you have any questions! The kids are now awake and to be completely honest I haven't proofread yet! :)