Monday 6 July 2015

Where are my [*insert expletive here*] keys?

In the past hubby has had an occasional habit of leaving his house keys on the outside of the front door after unlocking it to come inside. Sometimes our neighbours would see them and post them back through the letterbox for us.  It really scared me when we didn't notice they were hanging on the outside of the front door all night, glinting in the street-lights shouting "hello burglars, please visit us, we've made it REALLY easy for you" until we found them there the next morning.

So, I bought hubby a retracting cord which clipped his keyring to his trouser belt loops.  If he then left the key in the door and attempted to walk away he'd find himself attached to the door with the spring cord and his trousers would get a reminder tug.

Unfortunately the said he cord was bulky when the keys were in his pocket, so it got ditched. 

More recently his habit changed to bringing the keys in with him (some progress at least!), but instead he regularly puts them down somewhere he can't locate them.  There are often several minutes of expletives while he searches for them before we can leave the house. 

My second "bright idea" was buying him a novelty key-ring that beeped when you whistled. I picked one with good reviews, and the day it arrived he opened the package and started whistling. Each time the key finder would happily beep to identify its location. After 20 minutes the novelty of whistling every few minutes to 'find' his keys in various test locations around the house wore off and he disappeared off to the gym, without his keys as I was at home.

I was home alone, no radio, no TV, not talking to myself (honest!) and yet randomly every 2 to 4 minutes the damn thing would start beeping. I put a pillow over it. I put it in the room furthest from me. Random beeping continued. He was at the gym for 2 hours which was more than sufficient time for me to be drawn slowly mad by the constant beeping.

When he came home, I calmly made my feelings known and he laughed it off saying it couldn't have possibly beeped every 2 to 4 minutes (random not regular - trust me I checked) for 2 hours solidly. We sat down to eat the meal I had been cooking and heard a little beep from the hall table.  
The battery was subsequently removed and I relished a ceremonial slam-dunk throw into the bin.

I'm having one last attempt at finding a way for him to locate his keys and as this month the challenge at Without Words Challenge is to use blue and brown, I've made a little key plaque using part of a stamp called No. 7 from Lili of the Valley.   If this doesn't work, then I'm lost for options.




Project Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



18 comments:

Squirrel x said...

Absolutely gorgeous hun, and what a fantastic idea! Love how you have used just part of the stamp, that's very clever. But I can see one drawback - he has to actually hang the keys up to be able to find them again....... Huggles xx

brenda said...

This is something a little different Annette and so useful as well.

Many thanks for joining in at Stamping Sensations challenge this month.

B x

Jane said...

What a fabulous key hanger, and a great creation for our new challenge!

Christine L said...

This is a fabulous key hanger Annette.... and I do hope it works for your hubby!! I read your story with a smile on my face!! LOL! Maybe the next option is to take the keys off him... and make him knock or wait for you to come home!

Hugs
Christine x

Sarah said...

OMG Annette I was waiting for you to say that his mittens are attached to string and threaded through his sleeves!! Such a funny story and after the day I've had well received too!! What a terrific idea, useful and brilliantly done too xx

Sue said...

Annette, this is a beautiful creation. Such a clever design and brilliant idea. I have a similar issue with my hubby who regularly (at least 100 time s a day)! loses his glasses! He drives me completely round the bend with this so I know how frustrating it is! I'm with Christine...take the keys off him! (-; ...
Sue...xxx

Chrissy said...

Oh! dear..lol..what to do with hubby..love your key ring holder...hope he learns to use it.

luv CHRISSYxx

Unknown said...

Ahaha oh you have given me a giggle!! I can't believe he keeps leaving them in the door lol! And the retractable keyring makes me think of when kids have their gloves on elastic attached to their coats lol!!
Your key hanger is fab! So pretty I'm sure you won't mind looking at it daily to check his keys are there lol
Or will he then forget to take them out with him lol!!
Lucy x

Lynne K said...

This is fabulous, Annette! I hope it works! If not, at least you have a lovely decoration. Thanks for sharing it with us at Stamping Sensations.

Lynne

Lynne K said...
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Lynne K said...
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Carol S. said...

My husband has a similar problem, except he leaves his or even my keys,in the garage door. Leaving the door open, he can't see them!! He then has me running around looking for them! He is always losing them. Love your cute key hanger. Hope it works! Hugs, Carol S.xx

Gayatri said...

Fabulous key hanger. Thanks for playing along Simon Says Stamp - Going Dotty Challenge.

Viv said...

Great post Netty! And a fab hanger - if 's like mine he'll walk past it and chuck his keys on the kitchen work surface!
There again - he can't possibly ignore this cute key keeper!! x
PS THanks for sharing with us at stamping sensations too! x

suzanne2 said...

oh Net you have made me laugh! I think I would have taken a hammer to the bleeping keyring! I absolutely love your key holder and you have given me the inspiration to make one too only I will use it to store my dogs collar and lead in the porch. hubby is always searching for the lead! thanks for the giggle tonight. hugs Suzanne xx

Wendy Nicola Jackson said...

Hehe, I had to laugh, we have key dramas at our house too, though I'm usually the culprit! I LOVE your gorgeous key plaque. I'd love one just like it! Fingers crossed it works for your hubby. Hugs, Wends x

Carole Pollard said...

Great post in our house its glasses maybe I could make a spec store !!Your wall hanging is perfect I love the design hopefully it works a treat love and hugs Carole x

Larissa said...

Loved reading your funny story and I love your key plaque. I hope it works!!!

The bear on your plaque is so cute!
I hope all is well with you. :)

-xxx-