Christmas Gifts: 2019

This past holiday season my third sister, A., proved just how well she knows me. She gave me keychains for Christmas!

Here's a photo of my Christmas keychain haul. My sister picked these up at various places she stopped while driving home for the holidays, after her seasonal position in the Great Smoky Mountains was over. Anyway, let's take a closer look.

This first keychain came from Goats On The Roof in Tiger, Georgia, a tourist attraction that seems to defy description. While researching the location online I saw it alternately described as a restaurant, a country store, and a petting zoo.

These two keychains came from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The purple rocket keychain is 3D printed according to my sister, and the circular keychain looks like it was made from a poker chip. There's a cool looking NASA logo on the back.

I forget where my sister said she bought the keychain pictured below.

I also don't know enough about boats to definitively identify the shape and form. But from what I found online, I think this keychain is meant to be some kind of canoe with outriggers. What I can tell you is that it's made from varnished wood.

This red, bear-shaped keychain is made of metal. I've seen similar keychains in other animal shapes before, and I'm reasonably certain that the bear's front claw is meant to be used as a bottle opener. I researched the website printed on this keychain, and discovered that it's an informational site providing safety tips for people who live in the same territory as black bears.

My sister wasn't the only one who gave me something for my collection this past holiday season. I found this little guy in my Christmas stocking. He's an Elf On The Shelf Plushee Pal. I've replaced the plastic clip with a metal split ring, as I normally do. Add this to the keychains my sister gave me, and I'd say I got a pretty good haul.

Signed, Treesa

Converting Backpack Clips Into Keychains (A DIY Project Post)

It's probably happened to all keychain collectors who shop secondhand. You're at a flea market or yard sale and ask the seller if they have any keychains, and they hold up something with an oversized plastic clip that there's no way you could store keys on. Or you're on your favorite online auction site and type in the search term 'keychain lot', only to have your search results come back riddled with these oversized plastic backpack clips. I know there are some collectors who don't see this as an issue. Large or small, metal or plastic, they collect them all. But as far as my personal collection goes, I happen to think that if something is being sold as a keychain you should be able to actually put keys on it.

The problem is that some of these 'backpack clips' are just too adorable for me to pass up. So in this post, I'll be discussing how to replace the plastic clips with actual keychain findings, just in case there are other collectors out there as neurotic as I am. To start this project, you'll need a backpack clip. Backpack clips are usually fairly easy to find second hand, because many fast food restaurants use them as premiums in their kids' meals. And when a family with young children is having a yard sale, fast food toys are often some of the first things that are put out for sale.

I've chosen a plush Simba character from Disney's The Lion King for this example. According to the tag, this clip originally came from The Disney Store, so the quality is probably a little better than your average fast food backpack clip. The important thing when choosing a backpack clip to modify is to make sure that the clip part is made from plastic, the softer the better. In this demo, the plastic clip is attached to the top of Simba's head with a small loop of ribbon. The trick for me is to remove the clip without damaging this ribbon loop, since I'll need it later to attach a keychain finding. The easiest way I've found to do this is to cut off the clip with an inexpensive pair of medium sized wire cutters, like the ones pictured below.

I would not recommend using expensive wire cutters for this project. Cutting plastic is probably not one of the approved uses for this tool, and most likely dulls the heck out of the cutters. Now, the ribbon loop on Simba's head is threaded through a plastic loop at the bottom of the clip. I carefully shift the ribbon over to one side, then cut through the opposite side of the plastic loop. I then make a second cut below the first one. If both cuts went all the way through, this will cause a chunk of the plastic loop to fall out, leaving a gap in the loop where I can remove the ribbon.

You may want to wear eye protection while you're cutting, just to be safe. Keep in mind that some types of plastic are softer and easier to cut through than others. Also keep in mind that the edges of the gap might be a little rough or jagged. Be careful not to snag the ribbon as you remove the clip.

After removing the plastic clip from Simba, I replaced it with a gold tone metal split ring.

I felt that the gold would coordinate better with Simba's coloring than silver.

If the backpack clip you want to modify uses a metal clip, there are ways to work around this. In the photo below I took a Cancun souvenir clip and added a split ring to it.

You can see that the original metal clip is still there. But manufacturers have, in the past, made keychains that feature both a split ring and a clip so I'm not that worried about it.

Very rarely, you'll find a metal backpack clip like the one pictured below. The metal was so thin and lightweight (it felt like aluminum, or something similar) that I was able to cut right through it.

Originally this clip was attached to a Disney princess coin purse. I replaced the clip with a split ring. You can see the end result in the photo below.

Of course, there are some items used on backpack clips that are too oversized to work convincingly as keychains, even if they are converted. Keychains are generally pocket-sized, though I've been known to stretch this a little in my own collection. Your best bet is to use your own judgment when choosing backpack clips to convert into keychains.

Like I said at the beginning of this post, not every keychain collector is as neuerotic as I am. I wouldn't be surprised if there are some collectors who think I'm insane for spending so much time and effort replacing backpack clips with split rings and other keychain findings. But for collectors like me who have placed certain limitations on their collections, I hope that this post helps to open up new avenues to explore on their collecting journeys.

Signed, Treesa

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

Marvel Comics Vinyl Album, Series 1 Blind Bag Keychains

I first found out about these keychains when they turned up in a list of search results on Ebay. (I can't remember now what specifically I was searching for.) I don't remember ever seeing these blind bags in stores, and there's no date that I could find on the packaging, so I have no idea what year they originally came out. However, due to the themeing, I'm willing to bet that these keychains were first available for purchase around the same time that vinyl record albums were making their big comeback and Marvel superhero films were all the rage.

According to the packaging, these keychains were "manufactured and distributed by MB Wolverine LLC". Seems to me like a very appropriate name for a company distributing Marvel products, though I doubt that the name is a deliberate X-Men reference. Then again, you never know. I wasn't actually able to find out anything about the company online, except that they were involved in a copyright infringement suit with Hog Wild, LLC. However, I couldn't find any information on that subject that wasn't written in legalese.

Anyway, when these Marvel Comics themed vinyl album keychains first turned up in my search results I was intrigued. I mentioned my fascination with 'retro tech' like record players in a previous post. Also my best friend, as well as more than one of my siblings, are fans of the Marvel film franchise. As you can see from the photo at the beginning of this post, I purchased a set of two blind bags online. According to the packaging, there are 8 different keychains in this series to collect. So, let's open them up and see what I got.

Here's what was inside the blind bags. Each record keychain came with a sleeve made from what feels like poster board. As you can see, I ended up with Captain America and Black Widow. I gave the former to my best friend, who is a huge Captain America fan, and kept Black Widow for my personal collection.

(Note: This post has been in draft for a while. I haven't actually seen my best friend in person since before the Corona virus reached the U.S., and I wouldn't put us both at risk by visiting when local government officials are issuing stay-at-home orders.)

My overall opinion is that these keychains are really fun. The combination of themes is unusual, and I think I've mentioned here before that I'm often drawn to quirky things. I do have some minor concerns over the durability of these keychains. The sticker labels on the records might not wear well. Also, the plastic itself, though it seems to be a decent thickness, does have a rigidness to it that feels as though it would crack if too much weight was applied to it.

However, these types of blind bag keychains seem to be manufactured more as collector's items, rather than as something intended for heavy use. The companies who make these products want consumers to collect a complete set. And let's face it, most people these days don't need eight different keychains to hold their keys. So by evaluating these blind bags the way they were intended, as collectables, it's harder to find fault with them. And I certainly don't regret buying them either.

Signed, Treesa

Nintendo Controller 'Blind Box' Keychains By Tomy

Let me start off by stating that I'm not a gamer, never have been. My cousin S.V. liked to show off his skills playing Street Fighter (or was it Mortal Kombat, I could never keep those two straight), and one of my blind dates tried to get me interested in an immersive, world-building game. But gaming never really appealed to me for some reason. I think part of it may be that I know I don't have quick enough reflexes to be a gamer. My family does have a Wii gaming system, but I've never used it.

I started buying the Nintendo controller 'blind box' keychains for two reasons. One is that I have a weakness for miniatures. The second reason was that when I saw the pictures on the wrapper of what keychains were available in the assortment, I noticed that one of them looked like this.

As I wrote in the last post, I'm nuts about 'retro tech'. And this keychain, with its gold and maroon color scheme and its 'boxy' shape, appealed to me for that reason. I had to have one.

Of course, the thing about blind boxes is that you never know for sure which item in the assortment you're going to get until you open it. And once you open it, it's too late to take it back to the store if it's not the one you wanted. Consequently, I didn't get the keychain above on my first try, or even on my second. I ended up with two different Wii controller keychains before I got what I really wanted.

The reason I was able to get the keychain I was looking for was due to a very specific set of circumstances. First, the controller I wanted was the only one in the assortment that was maroon in color. The second factor had to do with the way the 'blind boxes' were designed. Every one of these Nintendo keychains came in a red container like the one pictured below.

It might be hard to tell from the picture, but these red containers feature a number of small 'air holes'. I'm not really sure why. Anyway, the third contributing factor to my getting the keychain I wanted was that the craft store not far from where I live had taken their remaining stock of Nintendo controller blind boxes and dumped them into a clearance bin in a corner of the store. I spent quite awhile in that corner, peering through the 'air holes', searching for a tell-tale glimpse of maroon. It was difficult, and time consuming, but it worked. I found what I was looking for, and on clearance too.

Of course, I couldn't really be sure until I opened it. I was so nervous and excited that I ripped the wrapper off as soon as I got back to the car. When I saw that I'd gotten exactly what I was looking for I was ecstatic. I don't think the rest of my family understood what the big deal was. It was a little embarrassing trying to explain to them why I wanted a game controller keychain when I didn't even play video games. But in spite of this, I still felt the thrill of finding something that I'd spent so long looking for.

Doll collectors use the term 'grail doll' to describe any doll that they desperately want to add to their collection and that they've spent a good deal of time and energy searching for. So I guess you could say that this particular Nintendo controller was one of my 'grail keychains'.

Signed, Treesa

Update: I managed to purchase the controller keychain pictured above from the same craft store where I'd found the maroon controller keychain. I realized that the pictured keychain was one I didn't already own after spotting the colorful 'buttons' through the 'air holes' in the packaging. There were only two keychains in the assortment that had similar 'buttons', and both of them were ones I didn't already have. The keychains were also still on clearance, so I figured I might as well buy this one. There's now only one keychain from this assortment that I don't have in my collection. However, the chances of me being able to find this one remaining keychain at a reasonable price are not very good. Not only are the controllers no longer available in stores, but both the base color and the 'buttons' on the last keychain I need are quite similar to my previous purchase.

'Retro Tech' Keychains

For some reason, I'm really drawn to items that feature designs based on older technology. Typewriters, record players, audio cassette tapes - if there's a piece of clothing or a home decor item that features one of these motifs, I'm going to stop and look at it. I bought the keychain pictured below solely because it has an audio cassette design on it.

 (According to my online research, Denon is a Japanese electronics company.)

I can't really explain my fascination with this 'retro tech'. Maybe it's because I still remember some of these older technologies. I had a toy typewriter when I was a kid. I still remember how hard I had to pound on the keys to get it to work. I also had a Rainbow Brite record album when I was very young, and I definitely remember my first audio cassette. (It was Trisha Yearwood. Long story.)

Anyway, just to make the point how obsessed I seem to be with 'retro tech', let me tell you a little about the keychain pictured below.

I bought this keychain, not because it's also a pencil sharpener (which admittedly is a handy thing to have), or because I like The Flintstones (which I don't, not really anyway), but because it's shaped like a record player. True, it's a cartoony, 'stone age' interpretation of a record player. But it's still recognizable as a record player.

I've wanted one of these World's Coolest Polaroid camera keychains ever since I saw a photo posted on a doll collector's blog. The camera doesn't actually take pictures, but it does have some moving parts. The 'simulated film' is partially ejected from the camera when you push a button. Just so you know, I did replace the original clip 'finding' with a split ring, because I'm nitpicky like that.

Speaking of cameras, this souvenir keychain from Niagara Falls is shaped like a roll of film. Inside is a paper 'film strip' with photos printed on it. The back of the strip is designed so that it can be used as both a ruler and a telephone directory. (Unfortunately, because the strip retracts it was impossible for me to photograph. But I tried.)

One thing that I'd really like to add to my collection someday is a keychain shaped like a typewriter. I've tried looking for one online, and while I've seen a number of keychains that have pictures of typewriters on them, finding one that's actually shaped like a typewriter has been more difficult. Still, as someone who shops secondhand venues a lot I know that there's always a chance one will turn up at the next flea market I attend.

Signed, Treesa