Enameled Vintage Keys DIY

When I was a kid my mom used red fingernail polish and painted the first initial of our last name to identify things we had, especially on stuff we took camping or our Tupperware and Corningware dishes.  There was always a big red initial on the back, lest someone got confused that the Corningware dish with potato salad at the potluck or the cooler filled with beer at the picnic was OURS not theirs!

She also used fingernail polish to identify keys.  It made it easier to know what the keys were for.  All keys seem to look the same nowadays.  Most of the time I have no idea what some of my keys are for.

I have a huge collection of vintage keys and a bottle of nail polish near my computer.  The other day, I decided to paint a key with polish, which then led to another and another.  I couldn't stop.  Sure, you could use spray paint, but you won't get the wide variety of colors and the satisfaction of painting your keys with a little polish brush.  It's also a great way to get rid of your nail polish, something I never seem to be able to do.

The result is fun and cute.  Hang them on a chain or ribbon.  Wear them.  Admire them.  At one time they unlocked something special.

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