Key Hook Makeover

Key hooks.  They're essential.  When I come home every night I hang up my keys, and then know where they are the next orning (ok, ok, ok, I don't ALWAYS hang my keys up, but that IS my nightly goal).  Any-hoo, when we moved in to our home in 2006 we were given a key hook from my hubby's mom, one she had inherited after a dear friend passed away.  A special memento hanging in our dining room for all to see.  Over the years we have nailed, re-nailed, and re-nailed the key hook to no avail, the thing always comes off the wall, or one nail comes off and the hook scratches the paint off the wall.  So for the last year, at least, I have been trying to find a new way to hang the hook that would be sturdier, and less worrisome.  Well, the following series of photos will show you the culmination of my rehanging obsession!

What I used:

     •Corkboard from Walmart ($4.95)

     •Leftover Krylon white spray paint from a previous project

     •Random ribbon from my stash

     •Glue gun and glue sticks

     •Embroidery floss (again, had this on hand) & needle

     •Puff paint

Last night I started the spray painting process.  Five to six coats later, I had a white corkboard.  Once that dried I started experimenting with how I wanted the final project to look.  At first I thought the plain white board would be a great background for the hook, but it just wasn't enough, enter ribbon from stage left.  I grabbed some grey (it looks brown in the pics), peach, and pale green, and started playing with angles, and ideas, and finally ended up with one stripe of each color.  Then I grabbed the key hook and threaded another strip of the peach through the fence on the hook.  Glued all that down only to discover that the hook probably wasn't going to be attached sturdily enough for me to be happy.  After a short brainstorm with my hubby we decided I should stitch the hook to the corkboard.  Enter embroidery floss stage right.  Once I added some stitches I decided to go with another idea I had and use some puff paint to write "The Smith's".  Yep, puff paint!  So after all that explanation, here are the pics.  

It didn't turn out as "fancy" as I had hoped, but it is me, and it fits well in our home.