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Brads
by Denise Gormish
(Mar 16, 2010)
Brads, metal dots with two prongs that are pushed through paper and then flattened, are a versatile scrapbook tool. Brads come in a wide variety of colors and they can also be purchased in shapes other than a circle They can be used as a way of attaching things on a scrapbook page but they can also be used in many creative and useful ways. Here are some ideas for using brads. Attachment. Brads will always be a great way to attach an item to a scrapbook page. Just push the brad through the paper and open the prongs on the opposite side of the paper to attach it. You can attach several layers of paper with a brad. In my layout about my daughter's soccer team, I attached a strip of paper with brads on each end of the strip of green patterned paper.
A soccer ball-shaped brad is also used in this layout near the initials.
Design Element. Brads can add punch to your layout but they can also be a design element. When properly placed, brads can give balance to your page. In my layout "Thank You Merlin," I placed three brads in a visual triangle. The brads give focus and balance to the page.
Journaling Element. Brads can also be added to your journaling block. They can be either a decorative part of the journaling block, a way to attach the journaling block or a design feature. In my layout "Trick of Treat," I used brads at the beginning and the end of the journaling to provide balance for that section of the layout.
Title Highlight. Brads can also be used to emphasize a title. My title on "Snapshot" gained focus by adding brads on each side of the title. By matching the brads to another element in the layout, it also placed the title within a visual triangle.
There are many ways brads can enhance a layout. Have fun using this versatile, cheap and fun embellishment. Digital supplies for DesignerDigitals:
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Great for scrappin' your trips, sporting events, special occasions, parties, and more! |
Flower Centers. The brad circle can be used in many ways such as the dot of a lower case "i" or as a simple circle. My favorite use of a brad is to fill the center of a flower. Here, I added brads to each of the stamped flowers. The brad provides interest and dimension to the stamped images. 
Embellishment Cluster. When creating an embellishment cluster, remember to incorporate brads. They work as an attachment for the cluster but also as a part of the design and balance of the cluster. In my layout "So Very Thankful," my embellishment cluster included a date tag, ribbon, flower and chipboard letter. The brad holds the cluster together and provides a place for the tag to be hung.
