Today we welcome Jo Johnson!!! Jo is going to be our Beyond the Page specialist for 2012. Her posts will progressively show how to assemble and decorate Kaisercraft projects.

Keep reading right to the end to find out how to win a cute Twiddleybitz Chipboard Shadow Box Mini Frame. Everyday there will be another prize to win... so don't miss a day!

Hi everyone. Sit back and find out more about Jo Johnson.
How were you introduced to scrapbooking?
I got a camera for my 10th Birthday, and then took photos and then stuck brochures and notes with my photos into a scrapbook When I got older I got a photo album and I started seeing a few people with pretty paper and that was it.

What inspires you for layouts, projects, cards?
The photo itself, the pictures on a page, and what I can do with them. The colours and smells of the paper and places where I am also inspire me. 

What other project types do you like to work on besides scrapbook pages?
Off the page is my favourite, but I like things that are really different. Sometimes when I am out and about, I will start to feel the idea coming. Then I can stand in a shop, or in a location, thinking, planning and waiting for it to hit. I will then start collecting for my projects. Ssometimes the idea changes as I find things that might work betters or colours that I prefer.

What is your favourite scrapbook brand and why?
I don't have a favourite as such, but Graphic 45 has lots of things to cut out, and because it tends to be vintage and not so bright, I can use it as a background. Websters Pages has so much to cut out as well. I like lots of flowers for layering, and leaves. Kaisercraft - I use heaps of their off the page projects and their products for scrapbooking. Bobunny I use a lot as well as it's great for layouts. Oops no favourite!

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
Tim Holtz scissors, Distress inks stains or mists. Flowers, leaves, and bird nests at the moment.

What is your current favorite technique or embellishment?
Chipboard is by far the best thing on the market, and I am a big user of it. I paint it, stain it, emboss it, cover it, distress it, cut it up.

What do you hope to try or improve on this year?
I want to push gesso to its limits - what else can i do to it? I have started art journaling, so I would like to take that style to my scrapbooking more.

What advice can you give to people just beginning to enjoy scrapbooking?
Don't worry about what other people think. Do it for yourself. If you love it, then smile, and be happy that you did it. If you feel something is wrong with it, then try layering, add pieces of ribbon, tulle, fabric, chipboard, rip some paper.... Don't give up..... sometimes it can be the smallest thing that makes all the difference. A little piece of your soul goes on each page, a great gift for future generations.

Can you share with us your three favourite projects – and tell us a little about how you created them and why you love them
Lately I found a broken vintage camera, and then glued it back together, covered it with paper, and then added birds and nests, as a play on the old saying of photographers, "Watch the birdie". I collect vintage cameras so this was fun.


I love my little Curiosity Shop from Dusty Attic. It took me weeks to make as each drawer was carefully covered, and then I wallpapered and covered the walls and floors. Then I imagined what i would find in a little curiosity shop. I found so many fun little things, broken things, weird things and then cute things. It took a long time, but I love it when I show people and they just stare and then start to hunt out all the little things hidden in the background.


Finally, I really like the tree canvas. This is a picture that I lovel. I spent ages just getting the edges of the reversed canvas to look like wood. I started with gesso and put it all over the back of the canvas edges. I then painted it, and then started the process changing my mind, colour and products used. Everything from paint, to sprays, to inks, to stains. I inked all the edges as well. I added metal Tim Holtz corners to the project. I added the picture in at this stage, it was cut from the inside of a calendar. I then added chipboard flourish painted brown, up the left hand side and then some glitter tulle stapled amongst it. Then added a Prima Marketing vine, prima birds nest and a couple of little birds. I added extra Kaiser flowers and then some black and green leaves. I still wasn't happy so I added the top chipboard flourish and some flowers in the top right hand corners.