DIYleatherirononkeychain_introWhile I was in Japan last April/May, despite the unhappy circumstances of my visit I did manage to go to some craft stores to see the latest trends and products.  One thing I came across were these beautiful vintage-style iron-on decals by Eruberu Co, Ltd.  They’re a company that manufactures a number of craft-related supplies, and these decals were just so lovely and whimsical I couldn’t help buying a few to play with.  Victorian-style kitties, bunnies, little girls, roses, and birds, oh my!

So I brought them home to Oregon to my trusty old iron and ironing board, and decided to whip up some quick little keychain charms using some scrap leather I had lying around.  And if you can wield an iron, you can easily make these pretty little keychain rings and cell phone charms too!  Here’s how:You Need:DIYleatherirononkeychain_materials

iron-on decals (**see bottom of post for links to purchase and ideas)  /  scrap leather, vinyl, or thick, stiff fabric  /  metal charms  /  jumprings for the charms  /  keychains, lanyard hooks, or cell phone charm lariats

Tools: iron & ironing board  /  shears that can cut through your material  /  awl or hole-punching tool  /  pliers and jumpring tool (or 2 sets of pliers or way to open your jumprings)

 

How To:DIYleatherirononkeychain_step1

1. Choose the decals you want to use along with the charm/s.  Cut out from the decal sheet.

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2. First iron your material flat (and yes, even vinyl irons flat…just don’t leave the iron on it too long!!).  Then iron on the largest decal according to the iron-on sheet instructions.

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3. Add the smaller decals onto other parts of the scrap piece/s.

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4. Peel off the decal protective layer (if you’re working with sheets that have that layer of plastic).

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5. Use the shears to cut out around the images.  Leave about 1/8 – 1/4″ around the images.

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6. Use an awl or other sharp instrument to poke a hole at the top of each piece.

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7. Attach jumprings and charms to your decal pieces, and then attach to the main keyring or cell phone charm lariat.
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What do you think?  These are super-sweet, and could make a wonderful little gift for someone in your life.

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They can also decorate your handbag, pen case, bookmark, or date planner!

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I love the look of the raw leather or vinyl with the vintage-style illustrations.
**If you’re looking for similar iron-on decals to make your own version of these DIY leather keychains, you can get these exact same ones through Rakuten sellers, or try a general search on Etsy.  You could even download some digital artwork and print it out on your inkjet printer onto iron-on applique paper!  Here is a great source for vintage-style Victorian imagery, a lot like the decals I used.DIYleatherirononkeychain_done2

Hope you have fun with this project!

What kind of images would you use in your charm keychains?

Happy DIY’ing!

~Carly

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