Altering Brads

Brads are one of our favorite paper crafting supplies—they’re pretty and practical, easy to use and they’re quieter than eyelets so I can scrap into the early hours without disturbing anyone! And while brads are great all on their own, it’s also fun and easy to alter them to suit your project. Here are some of our top tips for altering brads!

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Shauna’s beautiful page shows the versatility of altered brads! Just look—Shauna has rubber stamped, sanded, inked and used rub-ons to personalize her brads. Paper from Classic sarapapers™, brads and embellishments from Classic Embellish-abilities™.

Lightly sanded embossed brad; brad from Vintage Embellish-abilities™.	Sanding Simply take a piece of sandpaper (I like using a fine-grade) and sanding the top of the brad. If the brad is painted, you’ll reveal the silver metal beneath the paint. If the brad isn’t painted, you’ll get a great shabby chic effect. Hold the brad by the prongs, then gently sand the top. I try not to sand my brad after I’ve attached it to my paper—otherwise I might accidentally sand (and tear!) the paper.
Embossed red brad from Vintage Embellish-abilities™ inked with White Staz-On.	Inking Inkpads are great for altering brads. Just be sure to use an inkpad designed for a non-porous surface, like Staz On. I love using a white inkpad to alter dark colored brads, and a black inkpad for lighter colors. You can simply hold the brad by the prongs, then gently tap the top of the brad on the inkpad. This is a great way to add a vintage effect to either regular brads or embossed brads.
Cream brad from Classic Embellish-abilities™, inked with Black Staz-On and lightly sanded.	Inking & Sanding For a really fun vintage effect, try inking a brad, then sanding lightly over the top. You’ll get a rustic look that’s perfect for heritage or shabby chic styles.

Shaped brad on top of a button; both from Retro Embellish-abilities™.	Layering Brads and buttons go together surprisingly well! A cute trick I learned from a scrapping friend is to take a shaped brad, separate the prongs, then insert one leg into each buttonhole. Insert into your paper as usual and you have a fun layered embellishment!
Biggie brad with patterned paper. Brad from Classic Embellish-abilities™, paper from Classic sarapapers™		Biggie brad with cut-out; brad from Citrus Embellish-abilities™, cut-out from 8”x8” Birthday Papers.
Punched Paper My favorite new purchase is a 3/4” circle punch. Why? Because it’s perfect for those biggie brads. Simply punch a piece of patterned paper, then glue it to the top of the brad. The brad acts as a frame. Use it for alphabet tiles or cut-outs, too!

Biggie brad with cardstock; brad from Retro Embellish-abilities™, cardstock from 8”x8” Cardstock for 4 Seasons.	Punched Paper with Penwork I also like punching a piece of plain paper or cardstock, adding penwork and gluing it to the brad.  I always do my penwork before gluing the paper to the brad—it just makes things easier!
Biggie brad with patterned paper; brad from Retro Embellish-abilities™, paper from Classic sarapapers™.	Punched Paper with Inking Punch your circle, glue it to your brad, then skim a Staz-On inkpad around the edges of the brad for extra color and dimension.
Biggie brad with alphabet stamp; brad from Classic Embellish-abilities™.	Rubber Stamping on Brads A biggie brad is the perfect size for an alphabet stamp or small image. I always insert my brad into a piece of scrap paper, then stamp the image—it’s much easier than trying to hold the brad while stamping, and it gives me a nice flat surface to work on. You’ll definitely want to use a Staz-On inkpad.

Biggie brad with Rub-on; brad from Classic Embellish-abilities™

Rub-Ons Rub-ons are great for biggie brads too—I love the look of monogram letters on a biggie brad. They’re just perfect for album page accents or cards. Simply insert your brad into a piece of scrap paper, then add the rub-on. You can also ink or sand the brad before applying for a fun dimensional look.

Love the look of altered brads? Then check out our four Embellish-abilities™ collections, each featuring an assortment of versatile brads: Classic, Retro, Citrus and Vintage.