The Crafty Mimic: Diet Coke Dimentional Key Chain

Share a Diet Coke with Mom

Share a Coke with a Grillmaster

Share a Diet Coke with your BFF

Share a Coke with your Soulmate
Share a Diet Coke with Sara! *wink*wink*

This has to be one of the best promotional stunts that Coke has ever done. When they have the “Share” labels out, I’m hitting the stores and gas stations just to see who I should “share” a Diet Coke with. Ha! Yeah right… like I could ever share my Diet Coke.

Anyways, my husband came across a Coke can that said, “Sis,” so of course he took a picture and sent it to his sister. What did she say? “Save it.” So this can sat on top of or fridge for months, constantly getting knocked down, getting in the way. Finally, I had had enough. It HAD to go!

However, he was keeping it for a reason, so I went online to see what can be done with pop cans, and I found this. It was clever, and a definite must do!

Pop Can Key Chain

What you need:

Pop cans
Templates
Scissors
Hole Punch
4mm Eyelets
Eyelet Tool
Glue
Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
6mm Jump Rings
Chain
Key ring

Ok, pick out your cans. The Sis can was a coke, but my sister-in-law is all about Diet Coke, so I had both.

Then you need to dissemble them. You’ll probably need more than one, so make sure you have enough. Cut off the top, then down the crease, and then cut the bottom off. Be sure to save those pop tops for future crafting projects!!

**The way took apart the cans was so unsafe. I punched a hole in it with a paring knife then took scissors to the hole. Since then, I’ve seen how other people take hand held can openers to the top. It looks a lot less dangerous.**

Make templates to use that are the size and shape you want your pieces to be. I made mine out of paper.

Hold them up to the cans where you think the best designs are, then cut out your shapes.

Now, because I’m making the pieces double sided, I had to cut two shapes the exact same size. I took a shape I had just cut out and held it up to the inside of the can, and used it to cut another piece the exact same size.

**By holding it on the inside of the can, you make sure to get an exact replica with both designs facing outward.**

This is where I added my own little twist. I decided to put 4mm eyelets through the two pieces. I think it’s more secure for the jump ring hole, and it gives it a more finished look. Placing cardboard underneath where I worked, I got started. The first piece dented a little around the hole when I tried to punch it through with a nail, but when I used a paper hole punch, the cut was much cleaner. The eyelet slipped right through the hole, and I used an eyelet tool to finish it off.

Now, it’s time to glue the corresponding pieces together. I used my trusty E6000 “kidney disease” glue to stick them together, placed each piece sporadically inside my hard copy of Webster’s Dictionary, and set a heavy object on top of it. Then wait overnight.

Now, gluing them could get a little messy, (like it did with me). Don’t worry. A little rubbing alcohol takes it right off.

Now, for the Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.

I used a cooling rack, like the tutorial recommended. That way, the eyelets could sit in between the spaces and your pieces could lay flat.

Start to cover your piece with the Mod Podge. Be sure to have a toothpick handy to pop or move out any bubbles that form.

Now, you have to wait. Patience is key!!

It says to wait 3 hours for it to dry. This is where I had my most problems. I am NOT a patient person. I try to be, but it doesn’t always work out.

Here’s how my experience went…

I did the first coat, then after 30 mins, I lightly touched one to see if I could put on another coat. Yeah, it messed up the layer, and I had to take it off that piece and start over again.

Then after roughly an hour and a half later, I put on another coat.

It was well into the second coat when my 4 year old daughter got curious and stuck her finger into the big “Sis” heart.

Luckily, with some water, scraping, and rubbing, it all came off, and I could start ALL OVER AGAIN with that one.

Finally, after all the pieces had three coats and were dry, I tried to pick them up and found out that some Modge Podge had seeped around to the opposite side and stuck them to the cooling rack. Once off, I had to carefully pick and peel away all the stuff that had dried onto the other side. Apparently when doing so, the “Sis” heart hadn’t dried all the way, and when I messed with the back, it didn’t like the attention and cracked right down the middle of the dimensional side. Ugh! Therefore, I had to take it off the same way as before and when I was starting the coats to the backs of the others, I was starting on the front of that one ALL OVER AGAIN. It was about this time that I vowed never to do this again.

Once I got two coats on the backs of the others, and three coats on the front of the “Sis” heart, I let it sit overnight. The next day, I got two coats onto the back of the heart and waited till evening to put it together.

Time to assemble the keychain. Place jump rings through all your eyelets.

**Tip: Move the opening to each side rather than widening it by pulling it apart.**

Find a chain to hook your pieces onto. I used a silver necklace.

Lay out where you want your pieces, and clasp them to the chain.

**On a side note… While putting my keychain together, the chain pressed too hard against the big heart and made tiny indentions on the surface. To fix, I added one more layer of the dimensional magic, waited overnight, and it was as good as new when it dried. The extra layer had filled the indentions. Just like "magic"...**

Take off any extra links in the chain, slide an end around the key ring to attach it, and you’re good to go.

The loops on my chain were too small to go on the key ring, and I didn’t have any extras that were sturdy enough. Just out of curiosity, I clipped the necklace's lobster claw clasp around the key ring, and it worked perfectly. I think it also gives it a unique flare.