Vintage Key Display

I am generally not one of those people who can’t get rid of things because of their sentimental value. I think I am pretty down to earth when it comes to most things which are no longer being used. I am the one in the house who has been throwing away empty perfume bottles from my mom’s dressing table and telling her that she needs to forget who gave them the scent and remember that they’re finished. My family likes to hold on to memories far more than I do.

 

I arranged my dads keys for a DIY vintage key frame

That doesn’t at all mean that I don’t believe in keeping a few things for the sake of memory. For as long as I can remember, I have kept a Memory Box in my room in which I keep chits, cards, small diaries and souvenirs  which are too precious for me to get rid off. There are some things in life which one doesn’t want to discard as there is a happy memory attached to it. When I open this box after a decade, I get really nostalgic and enjoy my walk in the memory lane.

Arranging papa’s keys for my frame

As far as keys and padlocks are concerned, I have always had a fascination for them which is why I was  completely captivated by Pont de l’Archevêché bridge in Paris. Since 2008, tourists have been attaching padlocks, with their first names to the railing or the grate on the side of the bridge, then throwing the key into the Seine River below as a romantic gesture.

I took this picture of Pont de l’Archevêché bridge in Paris in August 2012

I find the concept quite interesting that a padlock can not be opened with any other key in the world but the one it has been created for. That technically means that every key in the world is unique and one of its kind. That is what makes keys such a crucial part of our daily lives. We all know the plight of losing our house or car keys.

I simply put 4 nails, attached wires and slid the keys in

I was the one who sorted out most of my dad’s belongings after he passed away. While I was sorting his keys, I realized that we can’t afford to give away or get rid of everything he owned. A part of me wanted to hold on to some of his things as I wanted to be reminded of him often.

Along with his other stuff, papa always kept his keys properly labeled and organized. After checking that these keys were no longer useful, I started brainstorming ideas of what I could do with them. I thought of making a key chandelier, key wind chime, key lamp shade, key necklace but then ended up making a vintage key frame and wired key wall hanging.

Both the displays I chose were very easy to make and had almost no price attached to them. Now I have my fathers memories alive everywhere around me. Every time I see these displays with marked keys in his hand writing, I am reminded of him.

A final look at my over-the-door wired key display

A look at my vintage key frame on my picture wall