Monday, April 16, 2012

diy monday: coin key ring


i wanted to do something special for my husband for our 1 year anniversary back in october, but i didn't want to spend too much money. i got some inspiration from etsy, to make a key chain out of coins. instead of picking up any old coins, i wanted to make them meaningful. i chose a 2010 penny for the year we got married, and for living in the US together. a five cent australian coin for 5 years together, and getting engaged in australia. a one cent euro coin for 1 year married, and living in belgium together the year we got married. 

you will need:
coins of various sizes and colors
a drill bit for metal
a drill press
scrap wood for drilling into
key ring


to drill your holes, place a piece of scrap wood under your coins and mark the area you want to drill. be safe while drilling, wear appropriate safety gear. 


i found an old key ring i had lying around the house.


use coins that have meaning to personalize your diy project. 


use pliers if needed to attach your coins to your key ring. you can polish your coins for a crisper look, but i liked the worn look of these coins.


ta-da! these would be super cute to make earrings, a bracelet... etc... speaking of bracelets, i recently stumbled upon the amazing blog, whatiwore. she mad a very adorable charm bracelet out of coins, using a similar method! i was reading it today after i put together this post, very weird coincidence {pun not intended}.  

i gave my blog a face lift, do you like it!? it still is a work in progress, but i am liking this cleaner layout better.

love, kbn

2 comments:

  1. Can you give me more info n how to drill these?

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  2. Yes! If you place a piece of painters or craft tape (not scotch tape) on the area you want to drill, then mark it, it helps to keep the coin itself from scratching. You need to use a small gage, sharp tipped drill bit. Place a piece of scrap wood under your coin to secure it. You can tape it down onto the wood as well to help it from moving around too much (or use a clamp). Wear safety goggles and carefully start to drill into your coin. I took jewelry in school and we used to "score" the metal before drilling it. You can do that too, by using a nail and a hammer to leave a light nail mark into the area you want to drill, but it is not necessary. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have specific questions. X

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