Converting Figurines Into Keychains (A Quick DIY Project Post)

I bought this C3PO Star Wars figurine by Hasbro at a flea market for fifty cents a while back, specifically with the intention of turning him into a keychain. The reason I chose this specific figure was because of his arms. More specifically, each arm is positioned so that it forms a closed loop, leaving an open space next to his body that is perfect for attaching a keychain finding.

With C3PO I chose to use a ball chain finding, since it was the easiest option. However, other types of keychain findings can be used for this kind of project. In the example below, I used jump rings to attach a split ring and a swivel connector to a Clarabelle Cow Disney figurine that I bought secondhand.

Because the positions of both figures' arms resulted in two open spaces next to the body, I actually had a choice of where to place the keychain findings. In C3PO's case, I tried both options, and discovered that the figure hung better from the chain if I used the upper opening.

I'll admit, the C3PO figure was a bit scuffed up when I bought him. But I felt this added to the overall look, giving C3PO a weathered appearance. Of course, if this keychain was subjected to heavy use there's a good possibility that it would quickly become more 'weathered' than I'd like. However, since it was intended for my personal collection it shouldn't be subjected to too much wear and tear.

Here's one final example of a figurine that I've converted into a keychain.

This Disney Crossy Road Mini Figurine of Woody from the Toy Story films was manufactured by Moose Toys. The 'pixilated' art style used for these figures is certainly unique. However, I doubt that I'll be going out of my way to get more of these. Of course, if I happen to find another one in a box of odds and ends at a flea market like I found this one, then who knows.

Signed, Treesa

Hobbies And Fandoms

Since I buy most of my keychains secondhand, it probably won't surprise anyone that I own a keychain that says, "I Brake For Garage Sales".

Even non-collectors will use keychains as a way to advertise what interests them. Whether the subject of their devotion is a hobby, a television series, a film, or a band, chances are there's a keychain in support of it. I myself have a number of keychains that 'cross over' into other areas that interest me. There are several things besides keychains that I collect or have collected over the years, and when these other collectables have shown up in keychain form, well, I just couldn't resist buying them. I collect Barbie fashion dolls, so naturally I also have a collection of Barbie doll keychains from Basic Fun Inc.

As a child my favorite animals were dolphins and turtles, and I collected both in plush form. So it makes sense that I have dolphin and turtle plush keychains.

Actually, I'm drawn to pretty much any keychain with a dolphin or turtle design.

There are other things that I no longer collect, but I still have a reminder of my past interest in keychain form. Things like...marbles.

At one time I had quite an extensive collection of marbles. What makes this really odd is the fact that I never actually learned to play marbles. I was just drawn to the pretty colors of the glass.

I also had a rock collection when I was a kid.

My dad got me into rock and mineral collecting, but I lost interest later in life. However, as you can see from the photo above, I still have quite a number of rock and mineral keychains. I have no idea which minerals most of them are made from. I think the one with the jagged edges might be Irish marble, and the two at the top of the picture are a geode of some kind and, I think, a piece of coal.

The whitish rock with the brown tip in this second photo is citrine, according to the tag. The clear rock is most likely quartz, and I think the egg shaped stone with the mirror-like finish is hematite.

However, it wasn't just my other collections that influenced my choice of keychains. It was also my hobbies.

I've been known to dabble in a number of crafts, including card making, scrapbooking,

and jewelry making.

For the record, I didn't actually make the beaded keychains in the photos above. They were made by two different women, who sold their creations to me at different flea markets.

As for fandoms that I support or have supported in the past, I'm enough of a Star Wars fan that I own several Star Wars keychains.

However, my support for the franchise stops with the original trilogy. I only watched the first of the three prequel films, and I won't watch the newer films, mostly because I've heard enough about the films' plots to know that I don't really want to see them. I'd rather pretend that things went well for the characters after Return Of The Jedi.

For those of you who have enjoyed the subsequent movies, I hope I haven't offended you. I have nothing against people who are fully committed to the Star Wars franchise. I'm just not one of those people. Now, you may be wondering why one of the Star Wars keychains pictured above is from Episode I, since I already stated that I don't really acknowledge the prequels. I just thought the keychain's design of a lightsaber battle in silhouette looked cool.

I also have a fondness for Star Trek.

My paternal grandfather loved Star Trek, and my dad is a fan of the original series. I myself watched Star Trek Voyager in the later seasons, and I even checked out the first few episodes of Enterprise, back when it was originally broadcast. I'm pretty sure that the spaceship keychain pictured above is meant to represent a Klingon Bird Of Prey. The shape seems right, although the color scheme may be a tad off.

I don't think this next keychain actually has anything to do with Star Trek. But it does say USS Enterprise on it, so I can pretend.

I guess that's about it as far as my fan loyalties go. I sort of gave up on television a few years ago, and I rarely go to the multiplex. The sound system there is just too loud for me. There are a few franchises that I'm trying to finish acquiring on dvd. But I don't have any keychains for them, yet. I'm not actually sure how much tie-in merchandise was produced, if any. So, if anyone happens to know where I can buy licensed keychains for either Mystery Science Theater 3000 or Discovery Channel's Mythbusters series, please leave me a comment.

Signed, Treesa

Walt Disney World Vacation: 2019 (Keychain Souvenirs Haul)

I posted back in March of last year that my family was planning to take a trip to Walt Disney World near the end of 2019. Back then I had this crazy idea that I could save some cash in the long run by shopping for used Disney parks keychains online beforehand. The plan was to buy only secondhand keychains that were priced more reasonably than regular retail, in the hopes that I wouldn't be as tempted to purchase more souvenirs once I actually got to the park. I was also hoping that, if I was tempted at all, seeing the full retail price would send me into sticker shock and I'd put things back without actually buying them.

That was the plan anyway. In reality I not only went a bit overboard with my online 'shopping spree', but I also ended up buying several keychains at the park anyway, though not as many as I was tempted to buy. However, my admittedly limited willpower wasn't entirely due to sticker shock. I was very disappointed by how cheaply made some of the keychains sold at the park were, especially considering how much Disney was charging for them.

Three keychains in particular stand out in my mind. One was a Buzz Lightyear keychain with a battery operated, light-up 'laser'. The proportions of this keychain strongly reminded me of the 'mini Buzz' fast food toy character from the Pixar short Small Fry. However, when I took a closer look I noticed that most of the keychains were already broken, with one arm snapped off and dangling by the wire used to power the light-up 'laser'. There was one keychain that did seem to have an intact arm, but it also had a chipped helmet. Even if I had managed to find one that wasn't damaged, by then I didn't see the point of buying a keychain that was all but guaranteed to break.

The second keychain that disappointed me was based on the ride vehicles from the Alice In Wonderland themed Mad Tea Party attraction. The keychain looked nice, but the plastic used to make it was so thin that I was worried it would crack. The most disappointing moment for me, however, came when I saw the Disney autograph book keychains in person for the first time. I'd seen these keychains before online, and I'd had my eye on them for a while. But when I was looking them over at the park I noticed that the shiny 'plating' on the keyring was already flaking off, on all of them. These keychains weren't cheaply priced either. You'd think that if Disney was going to attach their name to something, and charge so much for it, that they could at least sell a quality product. If nothing else, you'd think they'd want to maintain a good reputation for the company.

As I stated earlier in this post, I did pick up several keychains on my trip. The prices ranged from $3.99 to $9.99, not including sales tax. Half of the keychains I bought were actually from the World Showcase pavilions in EPCOT, and weren't technically Disney themed.

For example, I bought this keychain from the Canada pavilion. Priced at $9.99 before tax, this little black bear with his plaid printed hoodie was one of the most expensive keychains I got on the trip. However, he and his 'brothers' at the store were just so cute that I couldn't leave without getting one.

This keychain came from Epcot's China pavilion. As you can see, it has my name in both English and in Chinese characters. I'm always happy when I find a keychain with my name on it, because this particular spelling seems to be less common. From what I've seen, most keychain manufacturers spell my name without the letter H.

To fully appreciate this next keychain from Epcot's Japan pavilion, here's a little background information. One of the most prominent attractions at the Japan pavilion when I was there was a large store called Mitsukoshi. This store was made up of a series of interconnected rooms, and it took up a good sized chunk of real estate. Because the store was so big, there were multiple register locations strategically placed at different points throughout the building. And at each checkout counter there was a basket of 'lucky cat' figurines for sale. From what I understand, these cat figures with their one raised paw are supposed to bring good fortune. When I found the keychain pictured above of Godzilla in the 'lucky cat' pose, it amused me so much that I bought it. I'm often drawn to things that are quirky, and I'm a bit of a pop culture junkie as well.

Here is yet another keychain from Epcot. This one is based on the Figment character from the Journey Into Imagination attraction. Figment has become a Disney icon of sorts with, I believe, a rather large fan following. I would've preferred a keychain that showed Figment's full body, but this was the only Figment keychain the park seemed to carry.

Speaking of classic Disney attractions, this keychain is based on Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. The figure's mouths can actually open and close somewhat. This Tiki Room keychain was also my other most expensive keychain purchase of the trip, since it was the same price as the black bear keychain I bought at the Canada pavilion.

This last keychain was in fact the first one I bought on the trip. It came from The Lego Store in the Disney Springs shopping district. It was also the least expensive keychain I purchased, priced at $3.99 before tax. Some of you may remember that I already have a different Lego Star Wars Princess Leia keychain, which I showed off in my February Shopping Spree post. This version of Leia has her white Senate robes and her 'iconic' side buns hairstyle.

Well, I guess that wraps it up. All in all, I think I got a good haul on this trip.

Signed, Treesa

Brick By Brick (Lego Keychains)

I've been on a bit of a Lego kick recently. I'm not exactly sure why. I mean sure, my siblings and I played with Lego when we were growing up. My sister K. was especially good at building Lego floor plans for houses. I even had one of the larger pirate ship sets. Although if I remember correctly, my parents had to help a lot with the assembly.

But lots of kids grow up playing with Lego. I wouldn't consider myself an AFOL, as grown-up Lego enthusiasts sometimes refer to themselves. AFOL stands for Adult Fan Of Lego, and I only know that term because I borrowed a DVD copy of the Lego Brickumentary from my local public library. Anyway, I think my current interest in Lego keychains can be linked to two main factors: more licensed minifigures and easier accessibility.

For some reason, I'm really drawn to the licensed Lego minifigures. There's just something amusing to me about seeing a human film character translated into Lego form. However, since I need another collection like I need a hole in my head, I've been trying to limit myself to buying the minifigures in keychain form. After all, I've been collecting keychains since childhood, so it's not as if I'm starting a new collection from scratch. Although, I did pick up a few Lego Disney blind bag figures for my box of Disney collectables, but that's another story.

In the past, I've purchased a few Lego keychains here and there for my general collection.

For example, these two Christmas holiday themed keychains, representing Santa Claus and an angel respectively, were bought secondhand at different times.

And this Lego minifigure keychain of Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter franchise was found at a thrift store for a fantastic price.

Every once in a while, I've even purchased a clearance priced Lego keychain or two from one of the official Lego Stores, if my family happened to be shopping at a mall that had one and they wanted to stop in.

The purple Lego brick keychain and the Lego minifigure keychain of Indiana Jones' father pictured above both came from The Lego Store.

These next two Lego keychains, of Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 from Star Wars, were also bought from Lego Stores, though at different times.

The Yoda minifigure keychain pictured above actually came from the Lego Store connected to the Legoland Discovery Center attraction at Plymouth Meeting Mall in Pennsylvania. I also purchased the Discovery Center souvenir keychain shown below there.

My family and I didn't visit the actual attraction, but we did take a look in the store. There are a number of souvenir keychains in my collection from places I've never actually visited, as discussed in my "Armchair Traveling" post.

However, the main problem I've had with shopping for keychains at authorized Lego Stores is that all of the stores closest to me were too far away to visit regularly. And forget about shopping for Lego keychains online. Once you tack on shipping costs, it becomes very difficult to find many real bargains, though not impossible. The Lego minifigure keychain of Harry Potter shown below was purchased online, to coordinate with my Hermione Granger minifigure keychain. Now I just need Ron Weasley in Lego minifigure keychain form.

However, ever since the independent Lego store Andy's Brick Shop opened at one of the local malls, it's gotten a lot easier for me to get my hands on reasonably priced Lego keychains, without having to worry about shipping costs I would need to pay if I shopped online. Because Andy's Brick Shop is an independent Lego store, it sells both new in package items along with secondhand pieces and sets. I've mentioned the shop before in my "Disney Keychain Shopping Spree" post.

The minifigure keychain above was one of my early purchases from Andy's Brick Shop. I'm guessing it was originally sold as a souvenir in Orlando, Florida. There is a Legoland theme park near that part of Florida, as well as a Lego Store at the Walt Disney World resort. However, I'm honestly not sure which of those locations this keychain would have come from, if either.

I bought the minifigure keychain shown above from Andy's Brick Shop because my best friend and two of my sisters are all fans of the Marvel Comics superheroes film franchise, known collectively as the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the MCU. This keychain is based on the character Black Widow from The Avengers. Actually, I think the main reasons I bought her really were because I just really liked her hairstyle and her facial expression. But thanks to my best friend and my sisters, I at least knew who she was when I purchased her. I can't quite say the same about my next keychain purchase.

Another Andy's Brick Shop find, this minifigure keychain is based on a character from the Disney live action film Prince Of Persia. I've never seen the film, but this minifigure seemed to have a sort of 'Princess Leia' vibe to me, which I liked. Granted, I might feel differently if I actually knew anything about this character.

When I found this keychain, I knew right away that it was a hobbit character, despite it missing the original tag. Lego hobbit minifigures have shorter legs than full sized minifigures. However, I wasn't entirely sure which hobbit this was. I was kind of hoping it was Samwise Gamgee. But when I looked this keychain up online, it turned out to be Bilbo Baggins. It's still an interesting minifigure though.

Not only is Andy's Brick Shop well stocked, but the owner is also very knowledgeable. He was able to help me identify this Lego minifigure keychain that came in a grab bag I bought from a thrift store. Apparently, this minifigure was from the Lego Insectoids line.

Ok, so over half of these keychains were ones I already owned, rather than ones I purchased recently. So maybe I wasn't on as much of a 'Lego kick' as I thought.

Signed, Treesa

Update: Thanks to Andy's Brick Shop, I was able to get my hands on this Lord Of The Rings Frodo Baggins minifigure keychain. So now I have my second Lego hobbit character. Although, not everyone seems to think that this keychain bears a good resemblance to Frodo. Someone online compared the likeness to actor Michael Landon in Little House On The Prairie. I think it must be the hair, and maybe the suspenders.

Disney Keychain Shopping Spree: February 2019 (Keychain Haul)

I think I mentioned in a previous post that my favorite 'vacation destination' is the Disney parks. Ever since my family's last trip to Walt Disney World in 2011, several family members, including myself, have been putting aside money for a return trip. My third sister, A., had been lobbying for our next family trip to Disney to be during the winter holiday season. From what I understand, the Disney parks really go all out for Christmas. Well, it looks like A. might be getting her wish. Barring any unforeseen events or expenses, the next family trip is tentatively scheduled for the beginning of December 2019. I think I'll be riding up and down on that wave of anticipation for the rest of the year, especially since my birthday is also in early December. How cool would it be to spend my birthday in one of my all-time favorite places?

Being a keychain collector, I also started thinking about vacation souvenirs. Things are frequently overpriced at any popular tourist destination, but the Disney parks can be especially pricey. When my family was taking the shuttle bus back to the airport after our last Disney trip in 2011, the driver even made a joke about the price of a bottle of water at the park versus the price of bottled water in the 'real world'. Now that my family's next Disney trip has a more definitive time frame, as opposed to being at some undetermined date in the hazy future, I've found myself wondering if I should start putting aside even more money for a souvenir fund.

That's when I came up with a crazy idea. What if, instead of buying keychains at the park, I tried to save myself some money in the long run by going online and searching for Disney parks souvenir keychains at a discount on the secondary market? I know I stated in a previous post that I don't buy a lot of keychains online, mostly due to shipping costs. However, I figured there was no harm in looking around. Online 'window shopping' wouldn't cost me anything but my time, and if I couldn't find anything at a price I was willing to pay, then I could just log off empty-handed.

I discovered something while I was searching online that other keychain collectors might find useful. If you're searching for keychains from a specific Disney attraction, then there will be fewer search results, and the prices will be harder to justify budget-wise. On the other hand, if you're searching for more general Disney parks keychains, there will be more results at a wider range of prices. So consider that your secondhand shopping tip for the day. I was personally able to find a number of what I considered good deals. In fact, I sort of went overboard. I can definitely understand why people say that online shopping is addictive.

The first keychain I picked up on my "shopping spree" was this one. The words "Disney Parks", and a small castle in the clouds design logo, appear to be etched into the metal. This was, by the way, a bit tricky to photograph due to the reflective surface. Overall, I think the combination of the metal with the red leather or faux leather strap, I'm not sure which, gives this keychain a very classy look.

The next keychain I ordered had a nice design of the Disney castle on it, though again, the reflective surface made it difficult to photograph. However, this keychain isn't actually from the parks. I knew this was the case before I bought it, but I still really liked the design. According to the text on the back, this keychain is an advertisement or a premium of some kind for Partners Home Mortgage.

I looked up Partners Home Mortgage online, and the name seems to be connected to Partners Federal Credit Union, which, according to their website, "provides financial products and services" for Walt Disney Company employees. I wasn't aware that the Disney Company has its own private credit union. You learn something new every day.

This Lego Star Wars Princess Leia keychain probably didn't come from the parks either, although there was a Lego store located in a shopping district at the Walt Disney World resort the last time I visited. However, I'm fairly sure that the Star Wars franchise didn't officially join the Disney 'family' until more recently than that. Still, now that the Star Wars films are being produced by Disney, Leia should totally count as a Disney princess.

Truthfully, I've wanted one of these Princess Leia keychains ever since I first saw them at a shopping mall based Lego Store a while back. The thing about this particular version of Leia that got my attention was that she has a second facial expression on the back of her head.

I liked the idea of going from smiling Leia to frowning Leia.

This letter T monogram keychain was originally made for the Disney parks. It says so plainly on the back.

I also bought some theme park nameplate keychains that have my full name on them. In a shocking twist that will surprise no one, my real name is...

Obviously, the Harry Potter Gryffindor crest keychain did not come from the Disney parks. However, it is from another Florida theme park, namely The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. Both keychains are marked on the back, with the Disney one specifically being from Disneyland.

Next, we have a Walt Disney World 25th anniversary keychain.

I picked out this keychain because it had The Genie from Aladdin on it. The Genie was one of my favorite Disney characters when I was growing up.

This next keychain depicts Disney's famous Partners statue, with Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse holding hands.

If you look closely at this photo of the back of the keychain, you should be able to make out the words "Walt Disney World".

I'm not sure if this coin purse keychain is actually from the Disney parks, but I doubt it. Other keychains that I've seen from the parks with fabric labels will say "Disney Parks Authentic", or something similar. The fabric label on the inside of this coin purse keychain says "Mickey Unlimited". According to the online listing, the seller attributed the design on this keychain to artist Andy Warhol. I'm not sure how accurate that information is, but I do like the design.

This last online purchase was sort of an impulse buy. By the time I stumbled across the listing, the auction was almost over. I quickly looked over the page and noticed that the cost was low, that there were no bidders, and that the seller had an excellent feedback score. I also liked the 'Mickey Mouse head' shape of the keychain. So I took a chance on it. The Disneyland castle design on the keychain is a little more stylized than I would've preferred, with its heavy, black outlining. But overall, I'm happy with my purchase.

While I was in a Disney mood, I also picked up this item from my favorite thrift store. It's meant to be the rose with bell jar from Disney's Beauty And The Beast animated film. I found it attached to the zipper of an empty Beauty And The Beast themed art kit. Because the kit was missing all of the art supplies, the price on it was low enough that I felt ok with buying the case and then donating it after I removed the keychain. I suppose it's actually more of a zipper pull than a keychain but hey, my collection, my rules.

I also picked up this Lego Star Wars landspeeder keychain while I was at it. This keychain was purchased from a store called Andy's Brick Shop, which specializes in Lego items, mostly second-hand pieces and sets, but also old stock still in package. I'm assuming this particular keychain was used, since it didn't come with a cardboard tag or any other original packaging.

So, this wraps up my "shopping spree". Like I said, I sort of went overboard. But at least I can own up to that fact.

Signed, Treesa