Tuesday, January 31, 2012

WOYWW Again, and my Brad Storage--Wee haw!





I had so much fun doing WOYWW I had to do it again. But there's not a ton of difference in my space. The fall decorations are still sitting there. (And I'm sticking to my story about MEANING for them to be there. Yeah, that's the ticket.) I closed a couple of drawers and a few things have been taken out and then still haphazardly put away because I went to a crop on Friday. I'm still working on putting some stuff away and minor organization, so you can see some of my brads there. Which leads me to my brad storage tip. I was keeping all of my brads in the little drawers of my tool shelves. But I was never super happy with it. I was perusing blogs and I came across an idea that I adapted for myself. I wish I could remember the blog to give credit, but alas, I have no idea. Anyway, I saw an idea to make a mini-album for decorative brads out of foam. Now a mini album for brads is just TOO much for me and a bit TOO cutesy-poo, but a little light went on in my head--and I bet my electricity bill will be sky high next month because of it, but it'll be worth it. I snagged some of that cheapie Fun Foam at Joann's and began to stick my brads through it. And right away I was loving it. I like it because I can see all my decorative brads at a glance and don't have to search through my drawers or through a million packages of them. The foam is easily to travel with--it can lay flat OR roll up into a tube. And it's just beautiful to look at. I swear I look at it and fondle it lovingly every time I see it. It's sort of a pain getting them all on there, and I'm not close to done right now, but it's the sort of thing that i can do when I watch TV. I tend to walk past and do one or two at a passing. I kept my plain colored brads in the shelves and I'm still happy with that system. I love brads SO much. I always say, "When in doubt, use a brad." People look at me really strangely when I'm at the grocery store saying it, but I'm not ashamed of my brad love. They're just too stinking cute.

51 comments:

Unknown said...

I have only recently disccovered brads but I have been loving them. I only have two mini bottles with a few so far but give me time :)
Celestial Things

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I am in awe of your low tech, high impact storage solution for brads. I don't seem to have that many. Mostly mine are all gold and I color them as I need one. But I sure like what you did, although when I first saw them, I thought they were buttons or flowers. Happy WOYWW. I'm # 30 this week.

okienurse said...

great storage idea for the brads! I am all about getting the job done and not into cutesy too! I am offering up some blog candy so come leave a comment on my blog and get a chance to win! Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Vickie #87

CraftygasheadZo said...

Great storage, and desk. Enjoy this WOYWW. Zo x 89

May said...

Now that is a lot of brads, love the storage idea, Have a good week, Hugs May x x x x

Trish Latimer said...

Great brad storage! i thought it was a finished piece of art until I read through!!! Trish #76

Julia Dunnit said...

Now that, crazy brad woman, is a brilliant idea. Although in this house, I don't have near enough decorative brads, you've made me realise!! I wanna know this though...how often do you look at a decorative brad, love it and then decide not to use it because it's too nice?

Lou said...

WOW what a brilliant idea. I think i will borrow' that idea i think i would too be staring lovingly at it too, I don't have that many brads to be honest and only a few decorative ones but i think i NEED to purchase more as this is ART! love it Hope that you have a great crafty week Lou E # 26

Karen said...

Great storage idea for your brads, mine just seem to be everywhere, in drawers, bottles, boxes, bags - totally disorganized LOL!!!

Have a fab WOYWW and a great week, Karen #108

Anonymous said...

Hi, what a great desk today, your brads are really gorgeous and what a great new way to organise your special ones. I have a tub of brads so not much organising needed there, I certainly don't have any of your fancy ones. Have a lovely Wednesday. Laura

Jingle said...

Fun brad storage!

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Love the assorted colours of all those brads. I love the drawers full as well as your pages though - would love to come and have a riffle through those beauties!!
Hugs, LLJ #68 xx

Melissa said...

That is so stinkin' cute. It makes me want to go buy a bunch of brads so I can make one, too. Yeah, thanks for that! ;)

Danielle said...

Great brad storage solution! Very cute idea! Danielle #22

Mary Jo said...

That is a GREAT idea!! :)
I love that you can roll it up, too.
I am always forgetting about my decorative brads stuffed in my little drawers!

Enfys said...

Thanks for a great crafty snoop this week. I have one of those that I use for paper flowers. Happy WOYWW!
hugs
Enfys

MvM-design said...

Busy creative desk!!Love the buttons!!
Hope you had a happy WOYWW !
Hugs Marleen #50

Sue said...

Hi ya
great storage for all your brads & little bits, lots of lush buttons, thanks for the mooch, happy WOYWW,sue,x(54)

Lisa-Jane said...

What a lovely arrangement of brads! We don't have many interesting ones here at the moment, just pearly ones etc. I have brad envy now!

Debbie Rock said...

I go through phases using brads ... the foam idea is a brilliant way of keeping them! Thanks for popping by my blog earlier ... it was great to have you visit. Debbie #84

Simple homemade living said...

I am hyperventilating at your brads!!! I love brads and thought I had a lot but wow!

Laura #86

Fuchsia said...

What a fantastic collection of brads !
thanks for passing by
Have a good week x

Hazel said...

Super way to house and show off your brads (I came across someone once who put brads on a canvas in a similar way) - one day I might do something like this with mine (I have so many that I think it would have to be a large piece of foam or a big book. -(Hazel, WOYWW #10) x

Twiglet said...

That would make a fab set of cards - just snap a few photos of those brads and print them off. I love them!!

Rona said...

Love that brad organization! I don't think anyone should be able to call themselves a TRUE scrapbooker unless they have some brads lying around.

Mary Ann Tate said...

Thank you for visiting and keaving a comment:) Wow I really love that idea for brads...anything to keep life simpler and me organized.

Barb King said...

Great visual to see your brad stash!

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

That I an incredible collection of brads, it makes mine look feeble, and that organisation is pretty good too. Thank you for your visit and kind comments, and it is good to see you back here this week again. xx Maggie #112

scrappymo! said...

Nice brads...
I love brads. I think they are so useful...when in doubt, attach something with a brad! They seem to give an instant lift to a layout or card.

Unknown said...

Glorious brads! That's quite a collection :)

Thanks for stopping by my desk. I'm amazed with new technologies myself, if you told me I'd be painting on an ipad a year ago, I would of said 'get out'. Happy WOYWW.

karen said...

Ooh, I love how those brads look on the foam board! I would want to hang that on the wall and not use the brads though!
Thanks for the snoop!
xoxo Karen

Tracy said...

LOL, when in doubt add a brad, funny thing if I saw you in the store, I would so get it, lol
All the brads on display like that is a piece of art all in itself :)

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...WOW...rainbow boxes full of yummy stuff...an awesome vision for you every time you sit at your desk...how on earth do you choose?...have a fab week...Mel :)

Annie said...

Fab rainbow of colours :-)
Hugs,
A x

Elizabeth said...

What a great idea! Love it, and so pretty too. :)

Nicola said...

What a fab idea for your brads, at first I thought it was an artistic wall hanging :) x

Carin Winkelman said...

Wow! You have one amazing brad collection, I'm a little jealous. I kindof love the little drawers, but I can understand you cannot really see everything that way. Nice idea.

Rainbow Lady said...

Great idea and fab collection of brads there. love it. Love Cynthia #2 x

Brenda B said...

Now that's what you call a good idea! However, I love the before shot with them all in their little boxes and arranged by colour group, I'd like to say I like it because it looks pretty, but really it's the OCD side of me speaking!

Hugs
Brenda 115

Craftychris said...

The brad storage looks like art! so pretty. You won't want to spoil the display! Thank you for visiting my desk and have a fab week xx

Unknown said...

Well, why would you not want to see all those lovely brads?
I'm attempting to visit everyone on the WOYWW list this week. t'is a daunting task but at least I'm trying, more than I've done before!

Sheena
xxx

Angie said...

I love brads too but recently I have stopped ...I like the sound of your brad organization. Great LO above ...a real spring feel...and I too have trouble sorting out things in order to accept awards ...luckily there are a couple of people who can help with the technical bits.xx

Jennifer Smith-Sloane said...

I love your brad assortment! I totally love using brads and wish I had that many to sort! I seriously don't even have enough to fill the little jar that I have them all in.

BumbleVee said...

But, ....wow....look at all the organizational little drawers .... how I love drawers...and I have in the past bought several that now sit empty...or I gave them away because I just couldn't make them work for me either....sigh.... different strokes for many of us. This is a great idea...even if I don't have many brads sitting around....I actually only have one little box full... as I don't actually do crafting with papers.... just needed some tp pop into a few of my ATC type cards that I send with the little bears...

Pam said...

Thats a lot of brads! thanks for visiting me I'm a bit behind in my return visits!

Hugs Pam x

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I love your different colored brads and doo-dads in the drawers. I only recently started to organize embellishments by color because der... that's how I look for them ("This needs something green here"). I love the idea for decorative brads. I don't have very many, but yeah, where do you put them so you can easily see what you have? You could even put some string on the back of your foam piece and hang it up somewhere as it looks so nice with all the different brad heads showing--like art!

Asia King (aka Joanna K) said...

OMW!!!! You might be envious of my tiny collection of mists but what do call that???? - I am soooo envious of your brads collection - BIG TIME!!! Lol ;)) x

voodoo vixen said...

Brilliant idea! I have heaps of pretty brads and they are all still in their packaging... now I will be popping them into foam so I can see them all at a glance!! Thanks!!

Tertia said...

What a fantastic idea! I can see hours of sticking brads through foam in my near future! LOL
Happy WOYWW, sorry I am so very late!

Angela Toucan said...

wow you have one incredible looking brad and button stash there.

Morti said...

Oooh - a girl after my own heart. Brads, and eyelets, and now card candy too..... sigh.....

Thanks for stopping by!