This is one of those DIY projects that is so simple with such a fun and pretty result. I love this because I can just envision getting a group of girlfriends together with some wine (or a fun cocktail) on a Saturday evening and having a ball! That being said, these hand-painted keychains are very easy to make—so it is great for crafters at any level or any age. They are also a great little gift idea or a cute gift topper.

For these keychains, we painted wooden beads We have lots of fun DIY keychains on the site, so feel free to browse for more ideas!

Have a Ball

To make your own hand-painted keychains, you will need acrylic paints, leather cording, wooden beads, and a keychain ring. We recommend heading to your local craft and jewelry stores to find a basic keychain ring, leather cording, and acrylic paints. Next, we purchased raw wooden beads to paint ourselves, and then added a couple of finished wooden beads for variation. Do not try to paint pre-coated (finished) wooden beads because it will not work very well!

When you have all of your tools and materials assembled, just follow the instructions below to create your own hand-painted keychains. You can follow our same color scheme or get creative with it! If you want to share photos of your finished keychains, be sure to tag them on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #MadeWithLia.

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Tools

• Craft Scissors
• Acrylic Paints (colors of your choice – we used white, pink, metallic gold, and aqua)
• Paintbrush

Materials

• Round Wooden Beads
• Polygon Wooden Beads
• Finished Wooden Beads
• Gold Keychain Rings
• 2mm Leather Cording

How to Make Hand-Painted Keychains

To paint our raw beads, we used the same technique as our painted wooden bead necklaces. First, set up a painting station for yourself. This will make things much easier! We used a small foam block and some wooden skewers.

Then, stick the skewers into the foam so they are standing vertically, and place a bead on top of each skewer. This way, you will not have to hold the beads as you are painting them, and you will not have to get paint on your hands.

When you are ready, paint the entire bead one color, or create pretty patterns using some blue painters tape! You can paint even stripes or color blocks with this easy technique. Or, to make scattered polka dots, you can use a pencil eraser or cotton swab.

Turn your pretty customized beads into hand-painted keychains by stringing them onto leather cording. We used a 12-inch piece of cording, placed a keychain ring in the middle, folded it in half, and then added the beads. Hold the beads into place by tying a simple knot.

Get Crafty with Us

This activity is so fun to do with a group of friends, or it can also be a wonderful kids’ craft! Hand-painted keychains are guaranteed to look great, and each keychain can be completely unique in its color scheme. Browse all of our fun DIY jewelry for more crafty inspiration! And feel free to share your project photos with us. We love to see how inspired you are, so tag me in your Instagram photos, or send them to hello@liagriffith.com.

For daily craft ideas and inspiration, connect with us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Or browse our video tutorials on paper flowers, home décor, and more.

To start crafting projects with us, sign up for your own crafting membership.