Can you re-skin icons without installing a launcher?

So I have spent quite a while without Android (been rocking an iPhone 4 and then 4s for the last two years), but I just recently (literally today) got a Galaxy Nexus.

Now I *LOVE* the phone, but think some of the icons (looking at you messaging, google music, and phone) are downright ugly. I would really love to re-skin them.

But I also really want to keep my Nexus as "stock" as possible. Part of my OCD habits, as well as the fact that Jelly Bean is Damn Good.

I dont want to run a launcher on top of the original OS just to skin some icons (basically adding bloatware for no good reason)

Does anyone know how to do such a thing? If so - can they spell it out in lay-man (think - hasn't played with Android in a year or two)

Thanks in advance.