Brads are extremely popular in scrapbooking and can also be used in card making and other paper crafting projects. In fact they are my favorite scrapbook embellishment. Brads are metal shapes with 2 prongs on the back that you insert through a hole in paper or other soft materials. The prongs are then pulled apart and flattened on the backside of the paper to hold the brad in place. They are very easy to use and versatile. Not only do they come in different size shapes like circles and squares, and in every color, but they come in a multitude of themed shapes such as Holidays, Seasons, sports, birthday, baby, animals, vacation, boy, girl, flowers and even the alphabet. You name it, it's probably out there.
Brads can be used as a creative way to attach journal boxes, tags, die cut shapes, vellum, ribbon and pictures to your scrapbook page. They can also be used to decorate your page in many ways. Use small brads to spell out words and dates, use them to make a frame on photo mats, to border a scrapbook page, make designs by stringing fiber or wire around them, use them as connectors on paper piecings for movable parts or as details on die cut shapes. The ideas are endless. The only tool you may want to consider buying is a small hole-punch. Pushing the prongs through without first making a small hole may bend or tear paper or photos. The point of an exacto knife is also good for this.
When I'm out shopping for brads the variety just isn't there. Stores normally carry themes based on the current holiday, occasion or season but what about everyday occasions like birthday, baby, boy, girl, etc. Most scrappers, including myself, aren't caught up enough to purchase supplies based on the current holiday, occasion or season. The other option is to purchase brads and other supplies that are currently on the shelves to have when you are ready to use them. That could get pretty expensive though. I've had better luck finding large selections of brads online Whatever your source brads are definitely a versatile and fun scrapbooking embellishment.
