DIY Key Tag Charms – No Resin

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Five finished DIY key tag charms made with old playing cards where I used a 1.125 circle punch to punch out the King and Queen of hearts, added matching flat back sparkly gems and a heart locket chart to one. Each is coated with dimensional magic Mod Podge for a gloss finish with a necklace bale glued to the back.

Make beautiful charms using key tags and supplies from your craft bin!

This basic office supply makes a great tiny art canvas. I pass by these at Walmart, sometimes the hardware store, and other places. I will never know why anyone would need 50 of these. Maybe if you run a used car lot?

But today, we’re going to turn these little gems into fun charms. By the way, you really could do this with anything, like small wood rounds or bottle caps.

Check out the supplies below to get started!

A box of 50 1.25" split ring Avery Key tags used in this project to make charms.

Supplies

Tunnel of Love graphic printed large and framed in a thin black metal frame on a white background. This retro one color graphic is red with a swan graphic and large reverberating heart design in red. The bottom of the graphic says '2 Tickets' in vintage style type. The framed image is large, 16"x20" on a cherry red industrial metal table with a glass next to it with paint brushes and a to the other side is a brown leather bound journal.

Tunnel of Love 
Instant download for sublimation, cut vinyl, and paper crafts!

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How to Make Key Tag Charms

STEP 1:

Create a front and back for your charm. Use craft glue to glue elements to the tag. To make uniform paper circles, I used a 1.125″ round hole punch, but you can certainly cut paper pieces by hand.

Here are a few ideas of bits and bobs you can use to create designs for your charms:

  • Old book pages
  • Ephemera
  • Washi tape
  • Playing cards
  • Greeting cards
  • Patterned papers
  • Photos
  • Flat back gems
  • Flat metal charms
  • Small buttons
  • Small shells
  • Stickers
  • Paint
  • Markers
  • Glitter

EXAMPLE: PLAYING CARD CUT OUT

Key tag charm made with a circle hold punch from a playing card. Shown is the king of hearts.

EXAMPLE: Old book page and Flat Back Gems

In progress, making the art for a key tag charm made by hole punching an old book page for the background and three heart shaped flat back gems used ad balloon.

EXAMPLE: Washi tape on patterned paper

Using a large circle hole punch, 1.125" in diameter, to punch a design out of paper that is made of washi tape on a printed tropical patterned paper.

Tip: Flip your hole punch over to align your design in the window before cutting it out!

Using a large circle hole punch, 1.125" in diameter, to punch a design out of paper that is made of washi tape on a printed tropical patterned paper.

STEP 2:

Punch a hole (optional) before applying Mod Podge Dimensional Magic to your charm to seal and give it a finished, glossy look. Use a toothpick to pop any bubbles and smooth the Dimensional Magic to the edges. Let it dry for 24 hours. Repeat the process to seal the back.

Spreading Dimensional Mod Podge over a key tag charm. This product easy spreads around a hole punched into the tag and over dimensional flat back gems used in the design.

Dimensional Magic will have a cloudy look when applied, but it will dry clear!

A flower key tag charm made using a 1.125" hole punch that punched out a washi tape design on paper with a flat back yellow flower in the center newly coated with Dimensional Mod Podge.
Clock graphic with the words - Let Dry for 24 Hours.

Here are a few ideas for your new charms!

  • Add a tassel and beads to make bag charms
  • Add a magnet to the back
  • Decorate gifts with them
  • Make necklace pendants
  • Frame a collage of them
  • Add a pin to the back to make flair pins
  • Embellish bookmarks
  • Turn them into wine glass charms

Glue a magnet to the back, add a necklace hook or ring, or glue a pendant bail with E6000 adhesive to the back!

Punch a hole or add a magnet, necklace hook or no hole and glue a necklace finding to the back, magnet or pin.
Closeup of three finished floral tags made with vibrant backgrounds and flat back flower gems. One is a peach with a striped line pattern made from washi tape, the other uses a vibrant pink card background with flat back gem flower in yellow, blue, pink and clear petals. The last one is on a green and peach patterned paper background with peach flat gem flower. All three have a hole punched that was a choice made before the Dimensional Magic Mod Podge coat was applied, making them perfect for back charms or necklaces!
Colorful charms made using metal and paper key tags from the office supply store. Shown are sixteen designs using paper, flat back gems and other embellishments with Dimensional Magic Mod Podge to seal and make each glisten. Each is handmade and an original design.
Five finished DIY key tag charms made with old playing cards where I used a 1.125 circle punch to punch out the King and Queen of hearts, added matching flat back sparkly gems and a heart locket chart to one. Each is coated with dimensional magic Mod Podge for a gloss finish with a necklace bale glued to the back.

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MORE HOME DECOR IDEAS:

Photo of a sparkly bracelet made from paper beads. The color of the beads is pinks, fushias and cream tones. Between each paper bead on this stretchy bracelet is a metallic round silver bead.

Learn how to make beautiful paper beads!

Visit: Make Sparkly Paper Beads From Old Magazine Pages

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Watch A Video

Link to the full tutorial here –> DIY Mosaic Picture Frame Tray

YouTube video

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