Cool Projects Using Recycled Packaging
Nothing is more frustrating than locking yourself out – of anywhere! Whether you’ve locked your keys in your car, or you’ve lost your house key, you’re in for a bad day – unless you’ve made a duplicate and hidden it discreetly around the house or under the car.
The little plastic snap containers are the perfect start to creating your hide-a-key. Check to see that your key will fit then get busy making the hidden container. Things like Spanish moss or even mulch will help you disguise the plastic container. Don’t use hot glue to attach the embellishments if you’ll be leaving the hidden key out in the weather, though. Spray adhesives work well.
If you’re making a key compartment for your car it’s not necessary to disguise it. Glue a button or square magnet to the back of the plastic container. Hide the key inside and stick the magnet under the fender well or another area of the car body.
When making a hidden compartment for the house there are any number of designs that work well. Glue a rock on top of the container then surround it with Spanish moss or wood chips. Make sure that whatever embellishments you add the door of the container will still open easily. It’s common to glue things on then realize you can’t open it.
Silk flowers, vines and leaves can also be used to conceal the plastic box. Glue on things you would normally see in a flower garden, around a tree, or lying in a yard. This can be anything from acorns to sticks to dried flowers.
Lay the finished design amongst flowers, saplings or other landscaping items. Step back and see that it blends in with it’s surroundings. Be sure the items you use will withstand the weather. After a season you can check it to see if you need to add more Spanish moss or other embellishments.
The keys can be made with other designs as well. Make a potted plant hide-a-key for setting on porches or decks. Cut a piece of Styrofoam to fit in the bottom of the plant pot. Now cut the Styrofoam in half, down the middle, vertically. Use a knife to scoop a section out of each piece, so that the plastic container will fit inside the Styrofoam. Slide half of the key holder into half of the Styrofoam, then slide the other half of the container into the other half of the Styrofoam. Push the two pieces of Styrofoam together and place it in the plant pot. Now use silk flowers and leaves to cover the Styrofoam. Place a dot of hot glue onto the stem of each flower and push it into the Styrofoam. When you need the key you simply pull one of the plants up and it will pull the Styrofoam out with it. Pull the two pieces apart to retrieve the key.
It’s not really necessary to use the plastic container when you create the potted plant. Simply tie a string onto the key, push the key directly into the Styrofoam, leaving the string hanging down the side of the Styrofoam. Place the Styrofoam into the pot and glue in the flowers.
There are lots of things you can hide in dental floss containers and similar packages, including jewelry, old coins, cash, and folded papers. Make your own key holder and you can hide all your own stuff. Create many different designs and hand them out to your friends and family!
