Like so many of you, I organize the majority of my brads in little glass jars. I love how they add a splash of color to my creative environment. But, as cute as this storage solution is, I have encountered one flaw with it: some of my more detailed brads were getting banged up in the jars. So I decided to get creative and store this handful of decorative brads another way. I made brad boards. Here’s how:
Step 1: Purchase some low-cost cork coasters (or cork sheets). I got a pack of 12 coaster from IKEA for next to nothing. These will be used to hold your brads by sandwiching two of them together with dimensional adhesive.
Money Saving Suggestion: I’m a stamper and happen to have lots o’ leftover rubber scraps from my Stampin’ Up! stamps. I’ve found that these scraps work well as dimensional adhesive. They already have glue on one side that’s super strong, which is good for this project. If you don’t have this scrap material on hand, foam squares work well.
Step 2: If you go the rubber bits route, cut the rubber into little squares. If not, skip ahead to Step 3.
Step 3: Stack three squares in each corner of the cork (bottom piece only).
Step 4: Affix the pieces of cork together.
Step 5: Insert your brads. They should poke right through the cork.
Notice, I organized mine by color, but you can also do it by manufacturer or style.
Step 6: Decide how you want to store your bitty brad boards. You can either put them in a drawer…
…Or you can try attaching a little ribbon and hanging them on the wall, depending on your storage preferences (tucked away vs. out in the open).
Brad Bonanza Giveaway
Guess what?! In honor of this post, I’m giving away grab bags o’ brads (AKA Brad Bags) on my blog this week. Do you want more brads to add to your collection (and really, who doesn’t)? If so, please pay me a visit for details on how you can win. (Plus, you’ll find an extra bit of brad goodness waiting for you. It’s a surprise I think you’ll like.) Thanks! (BTW, I’ll even throw in some cork coaster from IKEA if they’re still in stock so you can try this easy idea out for yourself.)
Your Ideas
What do you think? Is this something you would do? I’m always looking for easy and affordable ways to make my life a little less “Creative Chaos.” Has this inspired you? How do you store your beautiful brads? Please, do tell.
Cheers!
Megan
I keep mine in little jars too, though the fancier ones I keep separate in some foam pieces, similar to your idea. Though I like your idea as well!!
I still store mine in the watch maker tins from eons ago
but loving this tutorial!! thanks for sharing!!
I keep my brads in a cropper Hopper, there I don’t see, which means I don’t use them. Thanks for the great idea! I see a trip to Ikea in my future……
I’ve been keeping most of my brads in their own packaging, some of the smaller ones are in tiny little jars. I really like this idea and always love a trip to IKEA.
Thanks for the tutorial.
I use Craft-Mates locking containers. So I’m not sure if I would use this idea. Love the colors!
This is SUCH a cute idea!!!
Great idea! I have been using cotton balls in a bead case but then getting out the brads I want can be a bit chaotic. I’ll have to try this out for sure!
I love love love this idea. Right now I have them in a plastic divided container but you can’t see them without opening the box. Thanks for a chance at this great give away
This is a great idea! I rarely use my brads because I can never tell what I have in my jars and plastic containers. This way you can really see everything. Looks like I need a trip to Ikea!
I also wanted to let you know that this idea will be featured on Craft Gossip tomorrow
I used one of your images, I hope that’s ok?
http://scrapbooking.craftgossip.com/
This is such a good idea! Love using the SU foam, too! Thanks!
Times are hard, great recycle of the extra SU! foam. Thanks for sharing.
I keep mine in jars but have run into the same issue with the detailed ones getting scratched…this is such a great idea! I will be doing this asap!! Thanks!
I’m sad to say I don’t have an organization system yet. All the brads I have are still in their original containers, stored in whatever spot I can find to stick them. I love the idea of using jars though, and I would definitely try out the cork board idea for detailed ones!
this is such a cute and wonderful idea!! i’d organize mine by color..
I love this idea. I have more brads than I think I do, it’s just that they are in so many different places. Thiis is this a decorative storage solution, but in the end it will save money. I will know what I have in stock and will won’t have to buy more than I need. Thanks!
Cute idea for the fancy brads. I keep all my brads/buttons/eyelets/fasteners in the snack-size ZipLoc bags, by color. I’ve been pretty project-mini album based lately, so the zip bags make it easy to grab 2 or 3 colors for the 12×12 Iris container I use per project.
Fancy brads that match a paper line live with the paper line in Cropper Hopper files until I’ve mostly used it up. Then they go in the zip bags, but I haven’t noticed any damage (so far).
this idea is adorable, megan!
What a great idea! I like how it is compact too. Currently, I store them in the original packaging container…not very creative
Cute idea…would love to have someone put these together and hang them on my wall for me! (wish I had the time…sigh).
But maybe this would be a good project to do with the kids! Hmmmm…need to think this through!
Thanks!
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absolutely BRILLIANT!!!
fun idea! I don’t have many fancy brads, but the ones i do have are in little cropper hopper boxes inside one of the embellishment boxes.
This is amazingly simple and neat.Now I have to go back out to the store and get some coasters! LOL! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Cute organization idea!! I’m always up for new ideas, especially for my scrap area. I like how it can also be decorative
Currently mine are in an enclosed container with divided sections for small embellies. Not sure of the company – maybe cropper hopper.
What a great idea. I sort by color but I love this idea esp for displaying–how colorful and practicla nd all around g-r-e-a-t!!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your cork idea but with a 17 month old around I would never get time to implement it!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Wow, I guess I’m seriously under-bradded? All mine fit in a single compartmentalized prism box. I’m really going to have to shop for some of those more elaborate types. Great storage idea – thanks for sharing.
That is an awesome idea! I totally don’t have that amount of brads, but I know many people who need to see this..
Very clever idea to keep your brads. I am not as creative. I just purchased an inexpensive chest with divided drawers from a hardware store. Men use this to seperate bolts, nuts, nails etc. I have labels on each of the drawers so I know what is is each draw. It isn’t near as pretty but it works for me. I love the look of the jars – they are so colorful!! Gail S.
I store my brads and eyelets in the weekly pill dispensers. Each one has 28 mini compartments.
Kathleen
I don’t have an Ikea closer than 4 1/2 hours away, but I want to go to one to get some organizational stuff.
I don’t have and decorative brads so this isn’t an issue for me, but it’s a cool idea.
I made a totally whopping mistake when I had this grand idea to store my brads, ribbons and embellies, I have a large sheet of blown foam which I put on my wall, I made a super mosaic with them, and now they never get used. boo hoo sorry no pictures
This is a great idea. This way all of your storage can be uniform, which makes them so much easier to access.
Cute Idea. I would probably never find the right board though so I covered a giant foamcore board with linen and hung the whole thing on the wall. the brads punctuate all my other inspirational cards, letter, cutouts, etc. sure could use those extra brads… (HInt, hint
Oooowww… so wondeful!!!! I put mine in a box!!! Only this! But I think to try this away!!!!
Thanks and kisses
Great idea! I have my tiny brads by color in little tic tac like containers and then the larger ones are in tackle type storage containers but they are getting scratched up so I may try your idea!
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