Little engaging particulars make all of the distinction whenever you’re making an attempt to maintain issues organized. For occasion, I’ve been considering how nice it might be to paint-code my keys in a extra distinctive method than your typical slide-on key covers supply. Having a couple of plain colours was good, however I wanted one other method to present additional distinctions amongst these colours (I have a shameful variety of keys).

Then I remembered rubberizer! You ought to be sure to’re in a properly-ventilated space in case you’re utilizing it, however it’s a ton of enjoyable to play with. You’ll find yourself eager to rubberize every part you personal. Plasti Dip makes a Create Your Color Kit, so I determined to make my very own tops utilizing little picket letters and toys.

You’ll want:

Supplies: – keys – Performix Plasti Dip Create Your Color – Super Glue – miniature figures or letters (I discovered a wide selection of those at AC Moore and my native Artist & Craftsman) – glass mixing containers (a notice on that under) – a pack of toothpicks, espresso stirrers, or small paint brushes – a craft knife

An anecdote on storage: If you’re mixing colours in plastic as an alternative of glass or metallic, don’t allow them to sit in a single day. I left my venture out to complete the ultimate coat the subsequent morning, and when I got here again, all the plastic cups I’d combined in had dissolved the cups into gooey blobs.

Fortunately nothing was broken, and the cups held up nice whereas engaged on the challenge, however I clearly wasn’t capable of do a lot with them the subsequent day. According to Maynard M the Mix Master, a resealable glass container will work simply high-quality.

Step B: Figure out the way you need your miniatures set on the important thing, and glue them on. Be cautious and fast once you’re putting them – the glue dries quick and powerful, so that you gained’t get an excessive amount of of an opportunity to reposition something. When contemplating placement, be sure to depart area for a key gap when you intend to make use of a key ring.

Step P: Mix your colours – the tints are VERY closely pigmented, so a bit goes a great distance. Keep in thoughts that much less is extra, and solely combine a drop or two at a time. For instance, I made a reasonably aqua utilizing about P drops of blue, M drop of yellow (pictured), and a drop of white. You actually don’t want a lot. Start small and add slowly as you want.

Step A: Here’s the place the Plasti “Dip” was somewhat deceptive. Since you’re utilizing miniatures, you don’t truly need to dip the keys. Rubberizer is actually goopy and fills in holes, so should you dip, you can find yourself with little blobs as an alternative of figures or letters. Instead, use a brush or – what I ended up utilizing – a toothpick to rigorously apply the colours. If you apply an excessive amount of or it hides element across the edges, you need to use a craft knife to hint round your miniature for extra element earlier than you placed on a second or third coat. It’ll look just a little bizarre at first, however simply pull off any little nubs you don’t need and it’ll work itself out after a pair extra coats.

Step A: Let the Plasti Dip dry for at the very least 24 hours earlier than utilizing, and also you’re set!

The little alligator on my bike key might be my favourite of the bunch – I like how his tail wrapped round the important thing loop!

Attaching a a lot bigger merchandise would make a very helpful “rest room key” to supply clients at a espresso store or comparable workplace. And if you wish to go tremendous-customized, you’ll be able to all the time make your personal shapes and tops out of Sculpey after which dip away!