Don't you just love brads?

A few weeks ago there was a lovely 60% off an item coupon for Michaels. I was so excited. I couldn't decide what I should buy. I mean 60% off is awesome. I wandered through the aisles thinking about something sort of big that I could get with my coupon. I looked at punches, but the one I really wanted wasn't there. I looked at Tim Holtz stuff, but moved on. I looked at other things in the store and didn't really find one big thing. Well, that's what happens when you work there and you buy stuff all the time. Then, I was helping a customer locate something and we were just chatting about scrapbooking (the best part of my job) and I saw this:



It's a brad maker.

I think I need it!!

So, I bought it and bought a few packs of the brads, too. I couldn't wait to play, but had too much going on at home to really dig into my scrapping supplies. I had a trip to Memphis coming up and knew there would be some spare time so I started pulling some of my older Scripts kits out - ones I just didn't get around to using all of. And grabbed my new tool. In the meantime, I looked around for reviews on this tool and really only found one or two and they weren't really detailed. They both said they had problems with the brads staying together but this was right when the tool came out. They contacted the company and got replacement brads and it never happened again. A coworker said she had played with it somewhere and the tool actually broke. So, I'm hoping all those glitches were just random and that the kinks are all worked out now!

The tool itself is around $35. The packs of brad parts are around $3 (there are three different sizes, I believe). There's a pack of templates, as well - $3, and a punch that was around $11, I think. I wasn't willing to buy the punch yet though, but may later.

I opened all my goodies and got to work. I picked the size I wanted for my first brad, traced the template and cut out the paper. So far, so good. Used the packaging directions and made my first brad. It was pretty simple. Oh - the tool comes with a dvd showing full instructions, but I haven't watched it yet.

Here's my end result:



(don't you like how that one button is just hanging there, ready to fall off? lovely! must go back and stitch instead of glue dot that!!)

Here's a close up of my brad:



I used my September Scripts kit and these pictures from a mini photo shoot near Carol's house. Every time I drive over there, I get a little giddy over this spot in the road. I love the trees making a canopy over you as you drive through. I tell her every time I come over that I want to take pictures there and finally we did. I just loved this photo of Cole in the road - he looks so tiny compared to the surroundings!

I only made one brad and it's used to hold the tag down with my journaling. I think it turned out well. You can see the paper where it buckles a little around the brad, but I don't mind it too much. I think a thinner paper would probably be a better choice for this. Cardstock would probably not look good at all since it's so thick.

In the end - here are my thoughts:

Good points:

• with the coupon - it was a steal at around $14.
• the directions were super easy to follow.
• brads to match anything you could imagine.

Bad points:

• wouldn't buy it without a coupon, but I'm pretty thrifty
• thick paper won't work out very well
• using the template to cut your paper is a little time consuming, but this isn't a deal breaker
• I believe the punch is only good for one size brad
  
• not enough time in the day to make all the brads I would want to make!!

So, all in all, I really like my new tool. I haven't had a chance to play with it again yet, but hopefully soon!! I want to try some thin fabric and tissue paper and see how that turns out and would also love to buy the adapter to make the big brads. This tool only does two sizes, but they have an adapter for a third. I just hope this is a tool that sticks around so I can find the parts I need for a while. I may have to just keep stocking up when good coupons are available - just in case!!

Oh - if you ever come across about 60% off coupon - use it while you can! The rumor from Michaels is it won't happen again. Turns out the coupon was for certain states only, but ended up being taken everywhere. I know the Michaels I'm at had tons come through!!

Have a wonderful Monday - despite the gloomy weather outside. If you have a tool you've purchased lately - let us know about it. And if you have this tool - tell me what you think! How do you like it!!

Lisa