Category Archives: Uncategorized

July Kit – Craft with Heart Layout Subscription

So, maybe you have seen these before but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the CTMH layout subscription box. I love getting happy mail three times a year and the kits are always pretty, unique, and oh-so-fun to put together! I also like that I can add my own twist when I need to in order to make the layout work with my photos.

I just completed the ‘July’ layouts and I am again, so impressed. (I put July in quotations because you can put these together at any time once you have them but there is a kit for each month).

This first layout, ‘On the Road’ I left as it was in the kit. I didn’t need to add much as it worked really well with my photos and it was so pretty (I really wish that CTMH carried that road pattern paper because it is adorable!)

My second layout I did need to change a little because I had SOOOOOO many photos. I also did not want to cram them on the page and throw off the nice balance of photos and colours.

The Memory Protector Plus for 4×6 horizontal photos was the perfect way to add more photos. I added some cardstock in the colours that coordinated with the kit pages (blue belle and mint) and stretched the die-cut accessories a little farther so I could accent a few spots in the protector plus.

I also added a flip flap on the one part of the protector. It helps to visually tell the story of why my son is looking like a shark bit him! LOL! The water was cold and when someone jumped in … well, it was quite a shock!

If you have not yet checked out our subscription kit then I highly recommend you do- you can see all the details right here.

If you have the subscription I would love to hear about your experience- let me know in the comments below.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Canada Blog Hop: Hello Summer!

Welcome to the Canada Blog Hop where we will show you some of the fun product that is current to our catalogues in hopes of inspiring you! If you have come from Brandi’s blog then you are on the right path.

I am excited to share with you summer inspiration!

This single page layout was inspired by one of our new stamp sets, Pool Rules (there is also a Lake Rules which is equally fantastic!). We don’t own a pool but we do have family that allow us to make use of theirs in the summer. That leads to lots of fun and lots of pool memories. Summer goes by so fast so it is important to find as many ways to enjoy it as possible.

Products used: Pool Rules stamp set, Acrylic titles, Isabella Acyrlic shapes, Watercolour pencils, Liquid Glass, Sans Serif Stamp and Die cut, Wander Die Cuts.

In this picture you can see some of the detail. I stamped the background with intense black ink- I knew I wanted to add some colour but wasn’t sure if it would be marker or watercolour pencils. In the end I wanted a softer look. Liquid glass was also used to add a highlight to any water images in the background- it is subtle but looks awesome.

Thanks for joining me today. I think I am the last stop on the hop but be sure to join us again in two months for another round of new product inspiration!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Heritage pages- Do you scrapbook your family history?

Last year when my Mom first became sick I decided to start learning more about our family history. It started as a project we could do together even when she wasn’t well. She didn’t know a whole lot about her family history and she had questions about some of the things she was aware of- that tidbit I may share with you later.

So, what began as a bonding project quickly became something that I have dived into deeply. Partly, to honour my mother’s memory- to make those connections she would have loved and to live our any of her dreams related to them. I have also found that I LOVE to see and hear the stories of my family and I have discovered some really great stuff. Of course, as a scrapbooker there is only one way to share these stories is through a layout.

This is my 3x Great-Grandfather, George Boulton. He was one of the settling pioneers in the Mara township- this is fascinating to me because it is where I currently live so I feel a much deeper connection knowing that my family has lived there. In fact, in visiting the local cemeteries we have found many of them buried close by (my kids have really enjoyed these cemetery visits and hunting for relatives).

I used the CTMH mix-in paper to help document George’s story (which includes some newspaper articles from when he passed away- he was a highly respected farmer in the area so there was quite a bit written about him.) The Hillside Cottage stickers (and some older accessories from retired product) was used to accent the page.

This page means so much to me! There are no photos of the relative in this story- Louis Labatte. The story though is one that I find really amazing. He was a Metis man who settled in the Thunder Beach area of Lafontaine. The house he built still stands today which says a lot considering how that area is a huge draw for cottagers and many original homes have been taken down to make way for newer buildings. I was able to find some pictures of his house- his story in history is fairly well documented as he played a role in the War of 1812. The small photo on the bottom right is his Oath of Allegiance from 1830!

I documented this page using a mix of the Hillside Cottage cardstock and the Wood Grain paper- it was the perfect accent to my journaling.

My last layout to share (for now), is my 3x Great-Grandmother Elizabeth Dissette Boulton (George was her husband). I studied History in school so it is no surprise that it is much harder to find out much information about the women in my family. I was happy to find these photos- one that shows four generations of her descendants. The document was a baptism record for one of her children (the one that is my 2x Great Grandmother).

For this page, I used Hillside Cottage paper (the smaller print was a good one for a heritage page) and added some accessories from retired products.

As I continue this project I hope to find out more about this relatives- and if I do I will add those additional elements through our Memory Protector Plus system- fingers are crossed!

So, do you scrapbook your family history? I would love to see what you do- drop a photo or a link in the comments below and I promise to check it out.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Canadian Blog Hop- May has arrived!

Welcome to the Canadian Blog Hop featuring products from our May/June Idea Book. If you have come from Heather’s blog then you are on the right path. There are so many great things it was hard to choose one thing to feature today- in the end, I decided to showcase the May special, ‘You are Enough.’ You can see all items in this product line here.

For this layout I used one of the patterns in our new Make it From your Heart- Volume 5. I used paper patterns and cardstock that allowed the colours to flow from one colour into another. A mix of regular cardstock and rose gold foil cardstock from You are Enough, was used to create my flowers with our 3D flower thin cut (love this set!).

Can you see the smaller details I added?

Watercolour paints were used to add some spatters in the same colour tones as the paper- this was a fun way to continue on the theme and give some interest to the white cardstock. I also added a generous amount of blue belle pearls- because they are so pretty!

Next, hop on over to Colleen’s blog to see what she has to share. I am sure it will be fantastic!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Hillside Cottage Extended Story Workshop

I really, REALLY enjoy creating an extended story. In the Storyteller How To that CTMH offers, there are so many suggestions and tips for how to tell your story (not to mention all the great crafty ideas!). Extended stories are one of the suggestions- they are perfect when you want to connect a number of pages with an overall theme- for my story below my overall theme is ‘Everyday Family Life.’ Our new Hillside Cottage collection was the perfect way to document something that is often overlooked- I cannot wait to add all my pictures!

YOU can also create this fun extended story- I have designed it as a workshop that will offer written instructions, a LIVE Facebook workshop, and a replay video for anyone who cannot make the live.

You can find all the workshop details here.

If you are in CANADA, you need to purchase your workshop supplies through me for access to this event. My website is https://braemontgomery.closetomyheart.ca/

If you are outside of Canada don’t worry- I also have a plan for you. Please email me at braemontgomery@gmail.com.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Mother’s Day Cards – because Mom deserves a handmade card!

Happy weekend and Happy Mother’s Day!!

The last two years have held many challenges for all of us and Mother’s have worked harder than ever to try to keep things running in the best way for their families. To me- this means they deserve all the love and thanks for what they have done and continue to do. What demonstrates that love better than a handmade card?!

I created these two cards using the ‘Friendship is a Blessing’ stamp set that is part of our Lest We Forget special. 

I love the pretty flowers in this set and the different arrangements they create. They were perfect for the masking I wanted to do on my two cards.

To create the below look I stamped the floral images with Intense Black ink on watercolour paper. I placed a post-it note (cut in a circle) in the middle to mask that area off for my sentiment. I coloured the images in with watercolours. It is important to be careful when coming close to the masked-off area- you want to keep the circle you created intact. Once the card was dry I glued it all together and finished the piece off with some liquid pearls.

Here is another card I did using the same steps but different flowers in the stamp set and different colours.

Do you add a handmade touch to your Mother’s Day celebrations?

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Canadian Blog Hop- March/April Inspiration!!

Welcome all to the Canadian Blog Hop full of inspiration from our March/April catalogue. If you have come from Joanne’s blog then you are on the correct pathway.

I am just LOVING our new line of product but I also wanted to share with you some inspiration using our fantastic cardstock because it is on SALE this month!!!

Our cardstock has some pretty special features:

It has a white core (so great for fun techniques like sanding or distressing).

It features TWO colours!! One side of the cardstock is the true colour and the other side is a lighter shade of that colour- so you really get two colours in one piece.

It is the perfect weight for scrapbooking and cardmaking.

My layout below features Candy Apple, Lagoon, Avocado, Glacier, Lemonade and White Daisy Cardstock and I make use of both sides to add variation to my colours. I also mix in just a little of our new paper suite “Eat, Play, Love” and the fun accessories that accompany this paper- the wooden shapes (I mean they are SOOOOO adorable) and the stickers. I finished the page with a splatter of lemonade shimmer and some simple black stickle accents. It all worked perfectly for my page all about homemade pizza.

Did you notice what I did with my journaling?

I mixed in some of the stickers from this paper suite and worked them into my story- what a fun way to accent your page and offer something just a little different!

Now hop on over to Sabrina’s blog to see what she has created to share.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Who can resist fantastic new product?? Not me!

I have to admit, I like nothing better than a new release of fantastic products, and the new book that came out March 1st did NOT disappoint! You can see the online catalogue HERE.

From the papers to the thin cuts to the stamps – every item is hard to resist and I have had SO much fun playing in my craft room. Check out some of the fun stuff that I have created below.

These two cards use our Build-a-rainbow thin-cut. In the top card, I stamped the rainbow pieces with the Charming Background stamp (tone on tone stamping) to create a bit of visual interest. You don’t have to go overboard with this thin-cut- it stands out on its own really well!

This card was so fun to make! The Kitchen Gnome stamp and thin-cuts are unique, adorable and a MUST HAVE! I paired it with our Eat, Play, Love paper suite and wooden shapes (they are so detailed and just adorable!).

This card was my latest creation- made just this morning. It reminds me of good times with my friends (something that I look forward to doing someday soon). The Cheers my Dears stamp set allows you to practice your colouring skills as well. I was even able to add a cute salt rim on the margarita using the diamond stickles. YUMM!

What is your favourite item in the new book?

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


In This Together- perfect pandemic paper!

We have all had some time to make some very special memories- ones that we hope to look back on someday and remember… maybe you will remember the blessings that came out of your time at home with family, maybe you will remember the crazy things you had to do to keep safe…there are things you WILL want to remember.

CTMH released a special paper collection this month that is SOOOOOOO fantastic! The colours, the patterns, the stickers and the optional stamp set are all just so perfect. These pieces can be used in cardmaking as well but I just could not resist completing some more of pandemic memories for my album.

On my first page, I used a stencil that I created with a die-cut- I actually make a process video for this layout and you can view it on my YouTube channel here.  It is a fun technique and one that I will use again. My second page was inspired by the Creative Scrapbooking Magazine’s monthly sketch. I used my Cricut to cut out the title and backed it with another shade of cardstock. The stickers in the paper collection worked perfectly with this particular page (and really- who hasn’t done some major binge-watching during the last year?)

My third page used the Doodled Borders stamp of the Month.   The borders added fun designs on my cardstock and helped to frame out the main part of my layout. The speech bubbles are one of my favourite parts of this page- they are all hand cut out of one of the sheets of paper.

What special memories would you scrapbook with this paper?

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Sliding by to say THANKS!

How darling are these penguins!!!

I have to admit- when I created the first card in this series I got a little carried away. The Winter Penguin Stamp and Thin-cut are PERFECTLY cute!! Add to the card a fun (yet simple) distress oxide technique and I couldn’t get enough.

How was it done?

I first started by taping off the edges of my card base (with painter’s tape). I then blended Chipped Sapphire and Peacock Feathers to get the variation in the night sky for my background. Before the ink could dry I splattered some water on the background to get the fun snow effect. Our Fancy Border Thin cut was used to create the cute snow hills and I coloured the penguins with a mix of our TriBlend Markers and the Metallic markers. All of these items are available in my SHOP.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er