Virginia Kariuki transformed Tim, Armend, Florian, and Jason's vision into a collection of beautifully varied key rings, each piece rich with emotion and uniqueness. What's your wish?
A request by Tim, Armend, Florian, Jason from Georgsmarienhütte, Germany
Hello, we are 4 students of the Comenius School. We had the idea to have a metal key ring (or wood).
13 different shapes and with different fonts:
Shape – lettering – color
3x Heart – Abschluss 2k18 – Red
round Smiley – Mirco – light green
Ring – Generation Azzlack – gold plated (see photo)
Heart – family – red
Heart – Rodzina – red
Skull – black and white
Rectangle
2x trailer piston (see photo) – black
Russian flag
Floor plan African continent with Angola
Floor plan African continent with Nigeria
The Journey of Creating Custom made key rings
Negotiation & Planning
Artisan's Proposals
Hi guys, Thanks for this project.
So, I will probably use brass instead of wood which will make getting the colours a bit difficult.
Also, on this project I would do the design myself then give what you have approved to a Smith to actualize it. Please let me know if that's ok.
I have some questions about the project but I'll ask as we proceed and if you agree with the above.
Thanks
Hello from Germany, Virginia,
You can be creative and choose your own design for the keychain.
Follwing should be imrinted:
Abschluss 2k18
Please send us the offered price. Thank you.
Greetings,
Jason,Tim, Florian, Armend
Hallo aus Deutschland, Virginia.
Sie können ihren Ideen für die Formen des Schlüsselanhängers freien Lauf lassen. Auf dem Schlüsselanhänger soll folgendes:
Abschluss 2k18
Bitte sende Sie uns ihr Angebot.
Liebe Grüße
Jason,Tim, Florian, Armend
Hey guys,
I hope you're all good. Sorry I took long to get back to you.
Before I give you the price, I had a few questions that will help me meet your expectations and give an accurate price offer.
1) how many key chains do you want?
2) how many rings
3) Russian flag
Floor plan African continent with Angola
Floor plan African continent with Nigeria
Please clarify these for me.
Thank you 🙂
Dear Virginia,
thank you for your answer. Here are our answers to your questions.
1) 13 Keychains
2) no rings only keychains
3) No flags
Design as you like. just the writing has to be as follows:
Abschluss 2K18
Greetings
Jason,Tim, Florian, Armend
Hey Guys
Thanks for the clarification. This is the quote for all 13 keychains. The price is high because we will have to make moldings for the key chains.
If it's too expensive, I could make some for you using leather. The price would be 144.75€
Hello Virginia,
We would like to approve and give you the go ahead. And we would be happy if it could be done as soon as possible. We are a graduating class in a school and will be leaving mid of June. So we'd be so grateful if it could work. 🙏
Hey guys,
Hope you're all well. Here's a design I was thinking of, and I can add a leather piece with your initials.
Hello Virginia,
we can not see any picuture.
Hi Virginia, is it in produktion? 🙂
Hey guys,
Not yet just wanted you to confirm but I think am good if you like the design of the pictures I sent.
Crafting Process
Artisan’s Progress Updates
Hey guys,
Great I'll get right on it now that I have the go ahead. I hope you get them in time.
Thanks.
Hey guys, I did a sample of the leather strap then I'll have a sample of the brass one on Sunday or Monday.
Please give me the names/ initials of the 13 of you so I can emboss them on the leather strap.
🙂
Kind regards,
Virginia K
Hi Virginia, sorry for the late answer. We thought its just updates for how far you've gone. Didn't realise that you asked a question.
The names are:
Tim
Jason
Nadine
Lisa
Armend
Laura
Eduardo
Mirco
Florian
Adelina
Sophie
Jessy
Oki
Then either next to the Name or better on the other side):
Abschluss 2K18
Hey guys,
Sorry I took forever to give you feedback, good thing is am almost done.
Am using those metal letters to punch in the names I hope you like them. But the leather key holders are ready. Am finalising on the brass part where I'll engrave Abschluss 2K18. Quick question, is there a way to shorten that?
Am planning on doing the engraving myself I've been doing some research on YouTube I'll try out on other brass pieces before I start on your key holders.
The shit looking some type of the way is the brass piece am using, so that was the patterns of the pieces then after cutting them out we burn them directly before we file them and buff them. I promise they'll be gorgeous when we're done.
Please let me know if there's a way to shorten the class name maybe use initials before the 2K18.
Hope to finish this week
Love always,
Vee
I mean sheet of brass
Hey guys,
Sorry I took forever to give you feedback, good thing is am almost done.
Am using those metal letters to punch in the names I hope you like them. But the leather key holders are ready. Am finalising on the brass part where I'll engrave Abschluss 2K18. Quick question, is there a way to shorten that?
Am planning on doing the engraving myself I've been doing some research on YouTube I'll try out on other brass pieces before I start on your key holders.
The sheet looking some type of the way is the brass piece am using, so that was the patterns of the pieces then after cutting them out we burn them directly before we file them and buff them. I promise they'll be gorgeous when we're done.
Please let me know if there's a way to shorten the class name maybe use initials before the 2K18.
Hope to finish this week
Hi Virginia, I was wobderibg about the 'sheet'... 🙂
You could störten it to
Abschluss '18
Does that help?
Hey guys
I think so. Still looking for some templates I hope I'll make some progress today.
Also, I had a misfortune n my pad was stolen and it's where I'd recorded the leather work part including punching your names on it so I wunt be able to access the. Apologies for that.
Hey guys.
Hope you're all well.
I have been trying to use salt water to etch the brass but it's not working. I'll try graphite today. If it doesn't work I'll use the punching letters. I'll let you know how it goes.
Hey everyone,
so I've tried the etching with salt water and graphite but it's not working and even changed the size of cables I was using. Yesterday I found out it's because the voltage at my residence and workshop is controlled so it's low.
I'd like to try using industrial voltage at my smith's workshop next week Tuesday.
Will you wait or do I take them to be laser engraved professionally?
Hey guys,
I feel like this project has taken too long so I figured since the brass part of the key holder isn't working out, I improvised with wood and had that made for me by branding people cause it also turns out they don't engrave on brass.
Nyw, let me know what you think bout it.
Thank you 🙂
Kind regards,
V
Hi guys,
Hope you have been well and happy late graduation.
I was hoping to stitch the wooden tags with your class number that I replaced instead of the brass tags cause it proved difficult to engrave on brass. What do you think?
Hi Virginia, do as you think is best, It's ok for us.
Thanks.
Hi guys,
Hope you're well. I started on the key holders and only have 5 more pieces remaining. I'll finish them this week and send you photos
Hey there guys
Hope you've been well. The key holders are ready. I hope you like them.
Happy holidays.
Regards
Virginia
Hello Virginia, Thanks a lot. Looking forward to it. Happy holidays to you, too.
The Finished Unique Piece – Individually Handmade
Reference: ON001115E-3887
Detailed Cost Breakdown
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Cost of material |
102.66
|
| Cost of labour |
53.38
|
| Cost of packaging |
2.46
|
| Cost of delivery to local operations manager |
0.82
|
| Subtotal – payout to artisan |
159.32
|
| Customer acquisition costs (advertising etc.) |
15.93
|
| Handling fee Urban Change Lab |
15.93
|
| Shipping costs from Kenya to Germany* |
5
|
| VAT (Germany)* |
37.27
|
| Total |
54.95
|
*Shipping costs and VAT vary depending on your location.
