In early 2021 I was fortunate to be part of Creative SK’s Digital Marketing Group training. The course was led by dynamic Digital Media & Marketing Mentor Annelise Larson. At the time I had just finished my 2000th key and I told myself I would focus on key-making and not worry about what I was going to do with my keys (or how I was going to market them/if I was going to market them) until I reached Key 2500.

Well, that 2500 key day is now here and I really have no idea what to do. Don’t get me wrong. I have plenty of key-making ideas and I will definitely (definitely) finish making 5000 keys. I just have no idea what I should be doing with these keys besides making a few posts and storing them in the closet (and on the walls, and in the cabinets, and under the bed…).

Last week I had a wee bit of holidays and I finally made time to read Again, Rachel, the latest book by one of my most favourite writers Marian Keyes. Early on in this novel the main character is given the advice to “Golden Key it". A device described as: “when a problem has myriad possible solutions but no clear answer, you put the whole snarly mess into an imaginary box and lock it with a Golden Key - also imaginary. Then, you do nothing. You don’t even think about it: as soon as it pops up in your mind, you put it back in the box and wait until the universe unfolds the answer.”

This seemed like a good practice. And as I was nearing Key 2500 and feeling a bit of pressure to make something special and figure out my future I decided to just “Golden Key it”.

Here are my latest keys:

My husband found most of the bits in Key 2496 during his daily walks. I was particularly enamoured of the smashed earring at the top of this key - I appreciate how the abalone shell has clung on despite appearing to have been run over several times! I’m also very taken with the shape and patina of the flattened metal bit at the bottom.

I have several bike chains in my stash of key-making supplies and was happy to learn that I can easily take them apart with a Raleigh Bike Chain tool (an abundantly stocked tool at Canadian Tire). Key 2497 is mostly made from road finds. The sparkly centrepiece on One Side is an earring that belonged to my grandmother.

Key 2498 features the brooch that belonged with my grandmother’s earring before I decided life as a key was its ultimate fate. I think the shaft is part of a candlestick - but I’m not quite sure (that’s what happens when you start working on a key and then get sidetracked into making many many keys out of ornamental letters and resin). This key has so much going on it needed three pictures to do it all justice.

Key 2499 is made with some jewelry bits, some sparkly bits, a couple of cabinet knobs, a number from an antique calculator, and a nice solid piece of metal that I have no idea where I got it from. Went a bit ‘extra’ on the photos for this key too...