An Interview with Jo-Anna from ‘A Pretty Life in the Suburbs’

Welcome to the worldwide blog hop tour, that introduces you to creative people from all corners of the globe.

Every week, our hosts on each continent will introduce you to someone new whose creativity is inspiring! Come take this worldwide tour with us!

You can visit each host below and read about a featured creative person on each continent! All interviews are posted simultaneously around the world, resulting in one big crafting party. And then, add your blog to the Blog Hop party below. You could be featured in the next Around the World Interview! Fame. Notoriety. Pure Awesomeness! It’s all in the touch of a keyboard button…

Jill in Australasia
Suzy in the Americas
Suzy in the Americas
Divya in Asia
DIvya in Asia
Larissa in Australasia
Charlene in the Americas
Charlene in the Americas


This week we are welcoming Jo-Anna from ‘A Pretty Life in the Suburbs’.  Jo-Anna comes to us all the way from Western Canada.  Her blog is a wonderful mix of recipes, beautiful photography, with a bit of family life thrown in.  She even makes use of the three months of growing season she has to do some gardening!  We are very excited to have her here with us today.

Here at the Green Room, I am in the midst of interviewing a temporary assistant to cover for my buddy Tom Selleck and his mustache while he goes on vacation. Tom suggested I interview Kim Kardashian. She hasn’t had a lot to do lately and could use a break from trying to get on the front page of the National Enquirer. But I found that she had a very short attention span and frankly had no idea what to do with a glue gun. Last thing I need is a glue gun accident around here. Workers comp isn’t cheap!

He then suggested his old stand-by buddy, William Shatner. Now, I really have no problem with Bill. He’s a nice guy. But he comes with clingers-on. Folks dressed up like aliens follow him around. Fourty year old guys with fake pointy ears.

Really.

And I can’t trust him to set up a nice buffet for my guests. His idea of a good meal is wings and beer. And between all the fake phaser fights and long-winded discussions full of long…dramatic…pauses, I’m betting I’d be ready to have someone beam me up in no time.

So, when Phil Koeghan from the Amazing Race showed up this morning to interview, Tom was a bit perturbed. You see, Tom is famous for his mustache. Phil is just as well known for his amazingly handsome raised eyebrow. Every time he shows up here, there seems to be a silent competition between the eyebrow and the mustache. The mustache might have it’s own dressing room and possible zip code (if the paperwork goes through), but that eyebrow…well that eyebrow can move mountains. Sigh…

But since Jo-Anna just showed up, I will leave Phil to fill out his job application while Jo-Anna and I sit down for the interview. Tom, be a good sport and get Phil a soda, will you?

Suzy: Tell me a little about yourself, your family, your other hobbies…
Jo-Anna-  I am a wife, and a mom to two sons and a daughter, and we live in the suburbs of a big city in Western Canada.  I love to craft, decorate and bake!  And I’m busy chasing and shuffling my three kids around every day!

Suzy: When did you start blogging, and where would you like your blogging to take you?
Jo-Anna- I started blogging in October of 2010, kind of on a whim!  My mom started a shared blog between herself, me and my sister, and while I did enjoy posting there, I really wanted my own creative freedom, so A Pretty Life in the Suburbs was born!  My blog has taken me so many places I never dreamed of!  I do hope some day that my blog will become a full time (paid) job, so I can work from home!

Suzy: Can you tell us a few things that most folks don’t know about you?
Jo-Anna- I can be kind of cheeky, ha ha!  I really try to keep things light and positive on my blog and Facebook pages, but I have a bit of a fiery side to me!  I actually struggle with whether or not I should share this side of myself in my blog posts!  Who knows, maybe some day!  😉

Suzy: Your photography is breath-takingly amazing.  Of course I’m on a diet right now so food looks fabulous, but you made me drool on the keyboard.  Anyway, can you give some potential bloggers out there some photography tips?
Jo-Anna- Thank you for your lovely words about my photography!  I always find it so hard to believe that my photography is ever admired by anyone, as I am self taught!  I just take a lot of pictures, and play around with different lighting and props!  I have learned that indirect day time light works so great for me!  And I have a fondness for weathered wood back drops!

Suzy: This blog community is full of wonderful folks.  Can you tell me what blogs inspire you?
Jo-Anna- I am so inspired by the blogging community!  There are so many blogs out there and so many creative people that it’s mind boggling!  Some of my most favourites are: My mom’s blog:  Keeping up with the times – I am inspired by her photography!  It’s amazing! Delighted Momma – Lindsay’s blog is full of amazing recipes and I love all of her DIY beauty tips!  Amazing!  A Rosy Note – Trish’s photography is breathtaking! Especially her food photography!  I only hope I can one day take photos like hers!  And of course I love Centsational Girl!  Hers was one of the first blogs I followed!

Suzy: What do you plan to be doing five years from now?
Jo-Anna- In five years I hope to still be happily mothering and taking care of my family!  And maybe my blog will be one of the BIG ones!  Crossing my fingers!

Suzy: Please take a few moments to swing by Jo-Anna’s blog- ‘A Pretty Life in the Suburbs’.  I bet you are inspired!  I know I was.

Well, we really better get back in the Green room. We’ve kept Phil and his eyebrow waiting long enough. Maybe the four of us can go get some lunch at Waffle House. Since they are my main caterers, it would do Phil some good to meet them. The head cook, Rastus, and his waitress, Jilly Bean make some great hashbrowns- smothered, covered and chunked. And maybe the mustache and the eyebrow will just agree to disagree. Heck, many an argument has been solved over a good meal.

Phil just raised his eyebrow at me and I’ve totally lost my train of thought…sigh.

Tom, maybe you’d better do the driving.

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