Category Archives: Uncategorized

Level 1 Makes it so Fast, Simple and Easy!!

I love the motto at Close to my Heart: “Faster, Simpler and Easier” and I especially love how they apply it to so much that we do and sell!! Our Level 1 Scrapbooking Kits are just one example of how this motto is demonstrated in our product.
Below is the Level 1 Layouts I created using the Wings Level 1 Paper and Stickease- for 10.95 you get everything you need to make these OR your own four pages. These are the pages that I will be teaching at my Level 1 Workshop this month (January 19th at 6:30 if you are interested in attending!)

The colours in the Level 1 paper and very neutral and make it super EASY to match the colour palette to all sorts of photos- like strawberry picking or a day at the beach!


Oh- and yes, I did add some accents from the Black Mini-Medley that is also available in the Inspirations brochure.

Want to see more inspiring product from Inspirations? Then click here to go to Tresa’s site and her blog linky party!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Happy New Year!! and welcome to the January Stamp of the Month Blog Hop featuring Find your Style. I just love this stamp set- it is a new year and Close to my Heart has so much new product that will be arriving now and in February (it is like Christmas all over again!).

My card was created using our clear circle card and a card pattern from Wishes. I ran the front of my card through the cuttlebug to create the swirl pattern and then layered my elements on top of the front and some on the inside of the card. My butterfly image is stamped in Vineyard Berry and then I added a thick layer of Liquid Glass to give it some shine. Last touch was some liquorice opaques added inside the swirls. Wondering what the paper is? That is the new WINGS paper that is available to order today!! Get yours by emailing me or ordering off my website at http://braemontgomery@myctmh.com. If you have not seem the new product that is available for January yet then check out my video post below that shows it all!

Now hop on over to Michelle Loncar’s Blog!!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Hands On Photography Assignment Entries

Two posts in one day- I have not done this in ages (can you tell I am on holidays!) This year for Christmas my husband bought me the camera I have lusted over for ages- a Canon Rebel T2i. Lucky for me he gifted it to me early knowing that I would want to take pictures with it over the holidays. I also find that I need time to get used to it! So in doing this I have gone to the Hands on Photography Blog that Sue Sykes does (she is rock-on wonderful!!). Every month it seems she has an asssignment that gets you using your camera- this months is about cropping or ‘filling your frame’. Below are my photo submissions!



Psst- there is also a prize pack so make sure you check it out and maybe get involved!!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


More Wings…

You cannot help but love the holidays… time off (if you get it) really allows you that extra time you need to unwind and have some fun! Yesterday I got together with a friend of mine and we spent the day being creative… while our children played away! It was fun for all of us!
I got lots done and am not going to post it all today but here is one project. This uses the Wings paper, Black mini-medley accents, a pearl opaque and one of our clear cards. I really wanted to try something I had seen done a lot lately with our clear cards- running through an embosser- and I got to say I LOVED this. Here I used the swiss dots on the front of my card and I really like the extra punch it packed!
Wondering about my flower? this is a simple accordian flower made from folding your paper into a fan (my paper was an inch wide and I think 16 inches long for this flower). Once you have folded you glue the two ends together and then glue the flower to your project- now when glueing down your flower be generous with your glue- liquid glass or glue dots would work best here!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Wings- SNEAK PEEK!

January is just around the corner and I cannot wait for all of you to get your Wings product and to start playing – it is so beautiful!!
Here is another look at some of the product (my last post was a video that walked you through all the new product available in January). This is a layout I created as part of a Christmas gift for some really good friends (they received it last night and loved it). The paper is Wings, stickease are all from the Wings Level 2 Stickease, and the layout is ‘Performance’ from Magic.


I think it turned out just lovely!! Remember you can place your order beginning January 1st!!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Inspirations Video!! See what is in store for you in January!

Here it is!! Make sure you have a pen and paper handy because you are going to want it all!!
shop online after January 1st at http://braemontgomery.myctmh.com/

or email me to place your order braemontgomery@myctmh.com

I do apologize as this is my unedited video- the edited one was not working 100% but this one seems to be okay- sorry to any of you who watched the first version and did not get to see all the goodies!!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


My Hockey Man!

I am so proud of my little man! This is his first year ‘playing’ hockey- I say this because he is not in a traditional hockey league but one that is designed to teach him all the skills that he will need in order to play hockey next year.
He has done so well in such a short time.
He has learned how to skate with a lot more confidence, he has developed amazing talent at skating backwords, he has learned to stop and this past week they started to learn to skate with sticks and pucks- he was in heaven!
Truly- the best thing he has gotten from this program is CONFIDENCE in his self- the kind that I cannot teach him but he must find on his own! I am so very proud!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Welcome to the December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!!

Welcome!
This month we are featuring the stamp set “Amore”- this is the perfect set for Valentine’s, layouts about Love or for those about weddings!
Using this stamp set I created a page featuring good friends of our family- the father and his daughter (are they not just picture perfect!).


To achieve the background to my paper I used an embossing resist technique.

First: I clear embossed swirls all over my paper (for this one I used the stamp set Blooming Flourishes)
Second: I inked around the flourish with Baby Pink ink and the stipple brush.
Third: I picked up more Baby Pink ink on a sponge and smoothed the ink between flourishes.
This is a great way to create your own patterned paper when what you have just does not seem to work!
Other papers and accessories used: Topstitch paper, Chocolate ribbon, Suede flowers, Mocha Opaques, Pretty Pin and Lots of Dots Alphabet.


Now hop on over to Melissa’s Blog!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Level 1 Still Means Gorgeous!!

This level one is designed to show you just how gorgeous the layouts are that they can create.
First, I have to thank FancyMelissa for the idea!! She actually did a similar layout for a CTMH contest and I loved it so much I just had to create it!!
Second, these people are not models for pictures from a frame I found at a store (ha, ha!). They are good family friends and a gorgeous family- I just had to use some of their family photos in my book!
If you are new to Level 1 scrapbooking with CTMH let me explain what you get: each kit comes with 4 pre-printed layouts, some extra patterned paper, and 2 sheets of stickease. What is means is that with just a little bit of time you can easily create 4 layouts that are FAST, SIMPLE AND EASY!! not to mention BEAUTIFUL!

In the new year I will be starting up a montly level 1 night and these are just a taste of what will be in store for my customers!!

Until we craft again, The Brae-er


Favourite Layout EVER!!

This is it- I created it about two months ago and only now have I got around to taking a picture and posting. I just LOVE this layout- the colour simplicity, the stamps and the cute little monkeys!
This layout is created using a pattern out of Magic- the papers are Grace and Twitterpatted. I also used a mixture of stamps and some simple embellishments.
Here is a close up image on the right hand side page- my little stamped tree and monkey are nestled on top a CTMH Dimensional Element Border that I inked with an olive stamp pad.


This close up is of the title and shows one of my favourite tricks. What do you do when you don’t have the right letters for your layout- be creative!! Here instead of an ‘e’ I used a monkey image instead.

Until we craft again, The Brae-er