How to Make an Upcycled DIY Keychain
Craft a durable, personalized keychain charm using recycled cereal box cardboard, decorative scrap fabric, clear water-resistant sealant, and metal hardware.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Precision scissors
- ✓ Single-hole punch or craft awl
- ✓ Two pairs of flat-nose craft pliers
- ✓ Small flat paintbrush
- ✓ Pencil
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Recycled cereal box cardboard
- ✓ Fabric scraps or patterned paper
- ✓ Mod Podge or clear craft glue
- ✓ 8mm metal jump ring
- ✓ Standard split key ring
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Keep fingers clear of the cutting line when slicing through layered cardboard.
- • Place cardboard on a cutting mat or scrap wood backing if using an awl to pierce holes.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (5 Steps)
Trace and Cut Cardboard Core Layers
Draw your desired keychain shape (circle, heart, or arch) onto the cereal box cardboard twice, keeping dimensions between 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Cut out both shapes cleanly with precision scissors. Glue the two cardboard cutouts directly back-to-back using craft glue to create a rigid, double-thick core.
- • Two identical cardboard shapes cut with smooth, continuous edges
- • Cardboard pieces laminated firmly together into a single rigid base without overhangs
- • Cutting pieces unevenly so edges don't align when stacked
- • Using single-layer cardboard that bends easily under finger pressure
Cover Core with Fabric or Patterned Scrap
Brush a thin, even coat of Mod Podge onto both the front and back of the cardboard core. Lay fabric or patterned paper flat over each side, smoothing from center to edge with your thumb to eliminate air bubbles. Once tacky, trim the excess fabric flush around the cardboard perimeter.
- • Patterned fabric or paper fully adheres to both faces of the cardboard core
- • No fabric overhangs or loose frayed threads around the outer edge
- • Applying thick blobs of glue that soak through thin fabric or cause paper wrinkles
- • Leaving loose, frayed fabric fringes around the cut edge
Punch the Hardware Attachment Hole
Locate the top center of your charm, approximately 4mm to 5mm below the top edge. Position your hole punch or awl over this mark and press down firmly to create a clean, circular opening. Ensure the hole is completely clear of paper fibers.
- • A single round hole punched 4-5mm below the charm's top rim
- • Hole goes cleanly through all layers without tearing the perimeter
- • Punching too close to the edge (less than 3mm), risking a hardware tear-out
- • Punching off-center, causing the charm to hang crookedly
Seal and Water-Resist the Charm
Paint a uniform topcoat of Mod Podge or clear craft sealer across the entire front, back, and all outer edges of the charm. Work the brush into the inner rim of the punched hole to lock all raw cardboard edges. Allow the piece to dry flat on a non-stick surface for 10-15 minutes until fully clear.
- • Milky glue layer smoothed evenly over charm with no pooled droplets
- • Cardboard edges completely sealed under a continuous coating
- • Allowing sealant to pool and clog the punched hole
- • Drying on newspaper, which permanently bonds print to the wet charm
Attach Hardware and Split Ring
Grip one side of the 8mm jump ring with your first pair of pliers and the other side with your second pair. Twist the ends sideways past each other to open the ring without distorting its round shape. Thread the open jump ring through the charm's punched hole, slide on the split key ring, and twist the jump ring ends back flush until they click shut.
- • Jump ring securely loops through the charm hole and split key ring
- • Jump ring ends meet flush in a smooth circle with zero visible gap
- • Pulling jump ring ends outward away from each other, which deforms the circular shape
- • Leaving a gap in the jump ring joint that lets the charm slide off
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by ArtisanAlley — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Mod Podge? Clear school glue diluted with a few drops of water
- No Flat-nose craft pliers? Two pairs of standard household tweezers or needle-nose pliers
- No Single-hole punch? Push pin followed by a sharpened wooden skewer to widen the hole