Author Archives: Brae Montgomery

My Happy Life Mini Book

So a month or two ago I posted a video on my facebook page from CTMH- it featured VP Kristine W showing how to create a super-cute journal that would use up bits and pieces of other kits.  I LOVED the idea and decided to try it out! If I have enough interest I will offer this as a class this coming May!
Glitter paper cover- need I say more! I also used up some of the bits and pieces from older alphabet sticker sets! All product used is CTMH!
 Inside front cover- who we are and the year this book was created.  Don’t want to forget that important stuff in future years!  Did I mention that ALL of the pages and cute cuts for this book were done using the CTMH Artiste cartridge- if you don’t have one yet then you are missing out! Contact me to order yours today!
A view of the inside pages-
A page featuring me and my hubby! I LOVE the keyboard kraft alphabet we are currently carrying – it is a small font and it comes with soooo many letters! Lasts a long time and looks good on any layout!  I accented this page with a leftover heart and sparkle from my Canvas WOTG!

 Here I used Claire paper, one of the accent flowers from the Claire assortment and a black glitter letter from the last catalog.

A smaller page in between others- features some pennants with some journaling points about my sweet daughter!  Finished off with Claire assortment flower and some pink glitter gems.
LOVE this photo of my girl at halloween (she was Miss Piggy!) Can you believe this paper is from the Later Sk8r paper pack- mixes in beautifully with the other papers!  I also used some Washi tape- currently we only carry one (and it is awesome) so I hope there is more to come in the future!
Some other small pages- this book is bound (as per the instructions in the previously mentioned video)- it makes everything nice and sturdy!
And now some pics of my handsome son! Some more Later Sk8r paper, some cork alphabet and more Washi tape!
I really like how this small tag page turned out- I sewed it in on an angle which turned out to be so fun! More journaling and some great use of accessory bits and pieces!

Like what you see? Then send me a message and let me know- I will pick a date once I see the interest level.  If you are not local you can also purchase a pre-cut kit of paper from me- just add your own photos and bits and pieces!! Contact me for more details!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Welcome to our first Brae-er Team Blog Hop!

Welcome to my team blog hop – our first ever and we are so happy to have you here!!  My team   has chosen to showcase some of our fantastic new product and the versaitlity of our skills in this months blog hop- every month we will be back to offer something a little different!

For a full list of participants in our blog hop scroll to the bottom of this post.  Otherwise keep reading to to find out what I created and how!

I have been a Close to my Heart consultant for 8 years next month- I cannot believe how phenomenal this company has been to me in that time! I have gained so much: all the product that I wanted at the time (which was everything!), extra income, two fantastic cruises and phenomenal people in my life!! In all these things I am not lucky but blessed- which is fitting as it is also the title of my first page to share with you!


Recently CTMH held an Album Retreat for consultants- now I am a total junkie for corporate run events- they do an outstanding job and shower us with knowledge and product! But, as we just had gone away on the CTMH cruise (which I earned- yippee!!) I could not rationalize going away again for this event- sniff, sniff- I was sad!! Instead, I stayed home and just drooled over all of the gorgeous projects that friends were sharing via social media- eventually I got fed up, went down to my studio and started to create my ‘replica’s!’

My one page layout :’I am not lucky I am so blessed’ features Chantilly paper, our washi tape, Chantilly assortment, hollyhock zipper lace, sparkes, sparkle fourishes and a collection of older flowers to coordinate with the paper.  I also used some cardstock that was not in the Chantilly kit and a piece of our glitter paper (LOVE this stuff!).  The pattern for this layout can be found in our Make it from the Heart Volume 1 publication.

Here is my second project- a complete layout- also from Make it from your Heart volume 1.   This one turned out so well- I was really pleased with the results and even more happy when I realized I had the perfect pictures to go on it!

‘They mean so much to me’- features papers from Surf’s Up and For Always, CTMH washi tape, CTMH bakers twine neutral colours, Keyboard Kraft Alphabet, Pink glitter gems, hollyhock zipper lace and some extra cardstock to round it all out.  

I hope you enjoyed your visit to my blog! If you would like to purchase any of the products featured in my work feel free to contact me at braemontgomery@gmail.com or visit my online shopping page at http://ctmh.com/braemontgomery.  

Now hop on over to Lucy’s Blog!
Full list of hop particpants:
1. Brae Montgomery- https://www.brae-er.com

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Hinged Display Tray Blog Hop: Cross Canada

Welcome to our March Blog Hop featuring our Hinged Display Tray.  If you have come from Michelle at Twirl n Time then you are traveling across Canada!  This Display Tray is a 5″x7″ fold out wooden tray with divided sections. It can be found on page 125 of the 2013 Spring/Summer Idea Book for $18.95. You can purchase one from my website at http://ctmh.com/braemontgomery 

 We hope that you will take the time to leave comments on our posts, as we love to get feedback from our viewers….whether it was something that you really liked or some new technique that was used that you would like to learn how to do….by leaving us comments, we get to hear what you like, and what you want to see. Thank you… now on to our hop!
For my tray I used the For Always paper, part of the For Always Assortment and a piece of our black glitter paper.  I also cut up one of the zip strips to make the quote on my frame.  The heart, background to the flower and the letter ‘u’ are all cut using out CTMH Art Philosophy cricut cartridge- all things you can buy direct from my website!

Now if you would like to WIN one of these trays then be sure to visit Jeanette Lynton’s blog (she is the founder and CEO of CTMH)- she is hosting a giveaway at this link: http://www.jeanettelynton.com/2013/03/come-unhinged.html

Your next stop on this Cross Canada Hop is my good friend Carol!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Easter Bunny Candy Box

You know when you are on pinterest and you see that project that you just HAVE to create!  Well this morning I saw the cutest project using a little old fashioned milk bottles and a cute box to carry four of them in- I KNEW I had to create one using Close to my Heart product and I DID!!!!

To create my Easter container I used one of the boxes off the Cricut Artiste cartridge.  The box was designed to close but I cut the two side flaps off so that the top would stay open to allow my  bunny treat tubes to stick out.  For the box I used a piece of Chantilly paper, some shimmer trim, the 2 1/2 inch scallop punch to get the pink circle and the Artiste again to cut out the Easter phrase.

Here is a close up of my bunny treat tube- uses more Chantilly paper, white cardstock and our treat tubes filled with any easter candy you like! I free-handed the ears but used a Christmas decoration from the Artiste cartridge to create the pink centers- I just trimmed the ends off so that they became long ovals!

Order the supplies to create your own Bunny Box at http://ctmh.com/braemontgomery

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Studio J- Making the Most of it!

It is no surprise that I LOVE Studio J!
These layouts are very FSE! Faster, Simpler and Easier!
They suit the person who is busy and just wants their photos to be displayed and remembered off the hard drive.
They suit the person who really wants to feel like they are developing their own personal layout.
They suit the ‘techy’ teen.

They suit EVERYONE!!

The above layout is an example of an ‘Express Collection’ layout- all the accessories, papers, stitching have been done for you! All you do is add your photos and journaling! EASY!

This above layout called ‘Digging up Bones’ is one that I created myself- I chose the pattern, the paper and added stickers and accessories as I liked! I even changed the papers around so that I would get a feel that reflected a museum! 
I love that in Studio J I can take risks in creating my layouts- anything I do that I don’t like can be undone with the click of the undo button!

This country one is another favourite- mostly for the memory that it evokes! My sweet kids playing around with a stick horse that my daughter received for Christmas. They were having lots of fun and really getting into it- it actually went on for days with my daughter going around the house saying ‘Yee-haw’ in her sweet little baby voice! Pictures and memories can only live off a hard drive- don’t let your babies grow up to be JPEGS!!! Contact me today or visit http://ctmh.com/braemontgomery to get started on Studio J!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


What is a Workshop on the Go??

Have you discovered the Workshop on the Go Kits that CTMH creates?? Did you know these are on of our best selling items? You are missing out if you have not discovered them yet!

What is a WOTG kit?
These are pre-set kits that feature all the fun product you need to complete either 2 scrapbook layouts, 15 cards or a home decor item!  You just add the non-consumables like kit, cutter and adhesive.

What comes in a kit?
Each kit differs slightly but scrapbooking kits comes with a full paper pack, workshop guide with directions for the layouts, and usually two accessories PLUS an exclusive stamp set!
Card kits usually come with paper, card bases and envelopes, workshop guide with directions, accessories and an exclusive stamp set.
Home decor kits vary a lot based on what they are featuring- see below for a pic of our current kit.

Okay so excuse my photos here- for some reason I am not able to flip them correctly.  
These show the two layouts that you can create with the Chantilly Workshop on the Go kit.  I changed mine slightly (by rotating the paper 90 degrees so that they worked with my photos).  These kits are well-designed and very versatile! Best of all they are portable- grab the added things you need (there is a list in the guide) and take this with you to create at a crop, weekend retreat or while on vacation!

Below is our current home decor option- the Canvas WOTG.  I LOVED this project!! In the kit you receive the canvas (already designed with the chevron print), all the chipboard embellishments you need, sparkle flourishes, sparkles and hemp! You even get enough supplies to create two separate options (or if you pick up a second canvas at the craft store you can create two pieces of art!) 
If I have your interest feel free to contact me to order your kit OR consider becoming a member of my monthly club (you need to be in the Barrie and surrounding area to join)- we meet every month and put together a kit! 

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


On my facebook page!

Have you ‘liked’ my page on facebook yet? You should and here are some reasons why:

  • more artwork 
  • more posts
  • contests
  • Q and A
  • and fun!
I try to keep my two pages just a little different so that you have a reason to visit both my blog and my facebook page! So get over there and ‘like’ my page! http://facebook.com/BraeMontgomery

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


CTMH meets the Craft Room

So maybe I should be embarrassed to admit this but….before today I had never hooked my cricut up to my computer! So many nervous reasons not too but today I conquered that fear and hooked it up!!

I downloaded cricut craft room, did a firmware update on my machine ( Wow!!) and then waited…. It took a few minutes to get it all updated. But when I got it going it was great- and pretty easy! I created this cute card below by welding some images. In this case it would have saved paper but… I had a few creative mishaps before getting it all right in the end!

In the end I am happy with the result- this card was created using our For Always paper, accessories from the For Always card WOTG and some our sparkle paper (which is cricut safe!)

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Cross Canada Hop: Scrapbook Layout!

Welcome to our February Blog Hop featuring a 2 page layout. This is the first Blog Hop for us where we have featured just scrapbook layouts. We hope that you will take the time to leave comments on our posts, as we love to get feedback from our viewers….it could be something that you really liked or some new technique that was used that you would like to learn how to do….by leaving us comments, we get to hear what you like, and what you want to see. Thank you… now on to our hop!

If you came from Sheri’s blog then you are in the right place!

For this hop I chose to focus on Studio J- this month our customer special gives all of your Studio J layouts for only $5!! That is a fantastic savings and a great opportunity to get some memories scrapbooked or some gifts made! Last week I was one of the VERY LUCKY consultants who earned the Southern Caribbean Cruise with CTMH- thanks to Studio J and this special I already have part of my album complete! Check out my work below…. and if you are interested in learning more feel free to email me at braemontgomery@gmail.com OR visit my webpage to get started on your own pages http://braemontgomery.ctmh.com

One of the MANY great things about Studio J is the Express Collections- these are pages set on a theme and predesigned by the art studio at CTMH.  All you need to do is drop in your photos, add your journaling, adjust the title if you need to and VOILA! You can make other adjustments if you need to but they are so well done that it is rarely necessary! My ‘Soakin’ Up the Sun’ Layout is from the ‘Getaway’ Collection.  We have other collections such as: Little Man, Little Miss, Travel, Sports and many more!

Can you guess the paper these layouts are created with? I see some Clare, Tommy and Surf’s Up! Did you know that on Studio J you can even access paper from past Idea Books- they may not live as real paper anymore but in the Studio you can have whatever you want!!

The ‘A Bit of Paradise’ layout demonstrates another great feature of Studio J- the scallop frame! Fun to cut but can be time consuming and wasteful- BUT in the Studio it is a breeze! When you create your own layout you get to chose form our many patterns (from our How-to Books)- no matter how hard the pattern is, in the Studio it is a snap!

There is so much more to Studio J- visit my website and try it out today (psssst it is FREE to use- you only pay if you want to buy!)  http://braemontgomery.ctmh.com

Your next stop on the Cross Canada Hop is Crafty Carol! Thanks for hopping with me!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Fabric and Frame from the Spring/Summer Idea book

YOu may not have the book yet but those who have seen it LOVE the following project! Here is the how to!!
One way to add texture, color, and pattern to a piece of home décor is with fabric. The new Chantilly textiles make it easy to embellish with fabrics that include the beautiful colors and patterns that are typical of Close To My Heart. In the frame décor featured on page 16 of the Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book, pieces of Pear damask and Buttercup polka-dot fabric from the Chantilly textiles, as well as burlap ribbon, add a little something extra to a standard white frame. Follow these simple steps to incorporate fabric into an embellished frame that you can hang anywhere.

1. Determine how long you’d like the finished ribbon and bow. This is based on the size of your frame and if you’ll be hanging it. If you are hanging it on a wall or door, you’ll need enough ribbon to wrap around the top of the frame a couple of times and still have a long strip coming out the back of the frame.
2. Cut enough strips of fabric to equal your desired length, making sure the strips are about 3½” wide to wrap around the burlap ribbon.
3. Sew the short ends of the strips together to create one long strip that equals the finished size you need for the project.
4. Fold the long fabric strip around a piece of burlap ribbon of the same size and secure temporarily with a straight pin.
5. With a sewing machine, carefully sew four straight lines down the length of the fabric-wrapped burlap ribbon. This will keep the burlap from moving around or bunching up inside the fabric.

6. Loop and hot glue the fabric-wrapped burlap ribbon around the top of the frame a couple of times so that it is nice and sturdy for handling and hanging.

7. Tie the remaining fabric-wrapped burlap ribbon into a large bow. Fold the tails of the bow into a wave and hot glue to the frame to secure the shape.


8. Embellish frame with accessories, as desired.

Easy, isn’t it? Now you have a beautiful piece of fabric-embellished home décor that you can show off to friends, family, and especially your customers! Check out the Chantilly and For Always textiles in the Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book to get your creative juices flowing for more project ideas with fabric.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er