ALTERED BRADS: glittered, flocked, zigpainty-ed, sugared, embossed, inked, etc...

By the by, I'm goin' on vacation for two weeks, so the posts will be pretty sparse 'round here starting tomorrow. I hope to have some fresh ideas for you when I get back. :0)

DIY Glittered & Sugared brads:

Got Crystal Effects? Use it to apply glitter, fun flock, or even embossing powder. (Other lacquer/liquid glass will work too.) Coloured brads show through glitter.

1. Stick brads in a cork (if you like) makes working with it easy

2. Apply a small amount of crystal effects/lacquer evenly to the head of the brad

3. Stick it in your glitter pot (Or other powdery medium--embossing powder, flock...)

4. No need to take it out to dry (but you can to see if it's even) If it's not even, you can dab it with your finger to even it out while the glue is still wet.

It seems to work kind of like sand casting. The wet pour (or in this case the glue) will only absorb so much of the dry sand (or in this case glitter) and that keeps the wet from contaminating the rest of the dry stuff. Maybe? ;0) All I know is, your brads will dry perfectly in the glitter & your glitter will be fine.

Ideally, you'll wanna let these puppies dry for a couple hours or even over night. (They might be dry-ish after as little as a 1/2 hour, but extended dry time will cure 'em so they'll be more durable.)


These are done with Stampin Glitters Fine Cosmo & Iridescent Ice (from SU) Colours From Left to Right: Celery, Light Blue (Lurrrve that colour!), Orchid, Turquoise, Rose Pink & lastly, Iridescent Ice (which looks kind of sugary.)

Storing them:

They're quite durable, so they can be thrown in containers, but I like to put 'em in a little brad pad (made from fun foam layers) It holds them nicely. You can even pin the brad pad up on a corkboard


These are done with Martha Stewart glitters & silver embossing powder. Colours From Left to Right: 3 Martha glitters: Green Agate, Brownstone, Onyx. Lastly, the silver embossing powder (which is really neat like a brushed silver look)

Alcohol ink brads:

Need a coloured brad? Got Stazon? You can use Stazon inks to alter brads. They're solvent inks so they'll dry on metal/enamel. Alcohol inks offer even more colour (Ranger Distress inks are snifty.) After you ink them you can sand them or glitter them too. These brads are done with Tim Holtz Adirondack inks (Butterscotch, Stream, & Wild Plum.)

Anybody notice that the felt piece on the Tim Holtz applicator leaves little hairs on your work??? Drives me bonkers! Anyone have a better alternative that you can recommend? Pretty please?

Embossing brads:

(or what sounds like me havin' crazy ol' conversation with myself (again) LOL)

Problem: I tired embossing brads, but my embossing came off.
Solution: Sand the top of the brad well before inking.

Problem: The embossing still comes off even though I sanded.
Solution: Cover the embossed brads in crystal effects to protect 'em

Problem: Brads get HOT & you have no tweezers/pliers
Solution: Stick it in a cork first and then emboss it (this is great for glittering since they can dry in the cork)

Great Embossing brads tutorial here (by Kirsten)

Faux build a brads (An Affordable Alternative):

Alright, silly ol' me I tried the cheapest trick of all--a faux build-a-brad with tinfoil. I am ultra chinsy, hey? (ROFL at myself) Well, I think I've found an alternative that's still more affordable but has more substance: Bezels and clear dome stickers. The brass bezels above are painted with turquoise alcohol ink before assembling.

Ways to Embellish Brads:

Add Zig Painty pen details: Silver/gold stripes, dots, spirals:

Add rub-ons: Best on big brads

It's easier to put the rub-on onto them if you push them all the way into a cork. If the rub-on goes on crooked you can scratch it right off. Which means that they need something to protect the rub-on. These have Crystal Effects over the rub-on.

Add ephemera on top or underneath: bought or homemade:

Bought:

• Add a gem-brad to the center of a jumbo eyelet
• Add a metal flower, or punched flower or prima
  

Homemade:

• Add a punched flower, or any shape & leave as is or coat with Crystal Effects/Stickles. (Looks pretty with punched designer paper or homemade embossed papers...)

Brad Tricks Links:

Sheila's great buttons to brads tutorial

Nifty Brad Projects from the Queen & co blog:

• Flocked brads
• glittered brads
• Popsicle stick to push down brad backs
• Layered brads!
• Brads as frames: I *heart* this example & this one too!
• Stamping with brads
• Brads, Brads, & more brads (my fave is the brads as visual anchors for stitching)

From Other sources

• Use nail polish on top of brads
  
• Build a brad tutorial by Josee
• Patty's build a brad bracelet
• Taylor's velvet brads tutorial
  
• Brads as eyes
• Brad as easy hardware for a swing card
• Brads to attach real hinges
• or faux hinges
• modifying brads video by scraptheworld

Glorious brad-altering ideas here



Hope you have a crafty kind of day, :0)