Opposite page: Connecting with other artists and memory keepers has inspired Gina Johnson to create a YouTube channel for creatives to share and collaborate.
Her husband suggested a business of some kind, and Johnson instantly felt excitement in combining her passion toward scrapbook- ing and collecting items once destined for garbage cans. In that same car ride home, Johnson sketched out her first-ever busi- ness plan. What started as an Etsy shop has largely expanded into the greater Kansas City craft show circuit, including appearances at Strawberry Swing Indie Craft Fair and at The Swift Mile in North Kansas City, as well as a loyal following on social media. The limits of Etsy, Johnson said, were realized when she was unable to explain the elements of a junk journal to her custom- ers. She created an Instagram account for greater detail into both her creative processes and how others could use her products. In January 2017, Johnson launched her YouTube channel, largely due to her positive “Oh, I get it now!” conversa- tions with craft-fair customers. With more than 4,100 channel subscribers, viewers see just her hands, as Johnson moves through her ephemera packs and completed jour- nals. Common materials include wallpaper samples, recipe cards filled with cursive handwriting, trading stamps, greeting cards, stickers, and of course, the spines and covers of old textbooks and cookbooks. Whether it’s a memory of her grandparents’ wallpaper or dishtowels, Johnson’s own 1970s and 1980s childhood nostalgia fuels her creative energy. “The American Woman’s Cook Book” – fully decorated and repurposed with John- son’s mixed-media techniques – is among her collection favorites. The book was once falling apart, its spine no longer even con- nected to the book. She felt instant attraction to it as it was her maternal grandmother’s first cookbook when she got married. When she gets a new, old book, Johnson immediately removes the stained and molded pages; if she needs to rebuild the spines, re- cycled cereal boxes go a long way. From there, it’s the mix of the reclaimed bits alongside what remains of the original pages and the in- corporation of brand-new scrapbook papers. Authenticity – above all else – is the key component that Johnson wants to keep at the forefront of her work as an artist and as
Top: Collecting books, fabric, old papers, and interesting ephemera has become a treasure hunt for Gina. Middle right: Sitting at her sewing machine instantly connects Gina with her grandma - who is a continual source of inspiration even after her passing. Bottom right: Most of her materials are stored in hand-me-down objects from her grandparents. Bottom left: Currently, her favorite journal is a huge cookbook that has been transformed into a colorful and quirky place for her to record her thoughts, feelings, plans, and memories. Middle left: Rescuing discarded books and breathing new life into them has become Gina’s mission.
important than the things you succeed at,” Johnson said. “There were a lot of crafting endeavors that I tried at and failed miser- ably. All of those failures led to this.” ^
a businesswoman. Johnson also encourages others to practice their craft and to explore all avenues available to them. “Sometimes, your failures are more
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