Yes, I know it is literally 100 degrees out there! But my fall calendar has a tendency to fill rather quickly, so I want to give a special gift to all you overachievers out there (like me!) If you book and pay for your family photo session by July 31st, you’ll receive a FREE set of 25 custom holiday cards! I’ve got some super cute new designs this year!

To book your session, please email me at christy@christyjohnson.com!

I’m always a little sad when babies graduate from the Building Blocks plan (our baby’s first year package), but this one is especially bittersweet.

Sam and her family recently moved out of state…so when they came back this past weekend for Sam’s final session, I knew it really was my final session with her.

I know! I felt the same way! Boo! Ah well, such is life. In the meantime, we got some fantastic photographs of Sam so she can always remember her first year in NC.

So to Sam’s mom and dad: thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to watch Sam grow up before my lens! I have enjoyed her so much!

One last one for good luck! I love her expression and the tippy toes!

Fond farewell!

Have a great weekend!

~Christy

Okay, sorry about that. I know, it was bad. But keep reading! What comes up is good!

I need to freshen up my maternity portfolio for the new website. I am looking for 2-3 ladies who are in their third trimester, somewhere between 30-36 weeks. I’m offering a complimentary maternity session and a free 8×10 in exchange for a model release allowing me to use the images on my site!

Please contact me at christy@christyjohnson ASAP so we can set up your session before baby arrives!

I have opened up some mini session availability for July & August. Let’s face it…who wants to try and look pretty for the camera for an hour and a half while sweat is pouring down your face because the humidity is so high? Enter summer minis…a perfect way to get updated photos of your young ‘un in a quick 30 minute timeframe. Capture their latest milestone without melting into a puddle! Sounds good to me too.

Contact me at christy@christyjohnson.com to schedule your mini before they fill up!

Faelen’s mommy is a super talented artist specializing in hand-painted jewelry and oil paintings. Check her out at Allover Art! I may need to have a piece commissioned in celebration of my new name and brand!

Alaya had a rough time letting go of her mom and dad during the shoot, so we ended up getting a lot of fun family shots!

I’ll be going to Alaya’s house soon to hopefully capture a few more individual shots, so I’ll have more of this little ladybug to share soon!

2. I can’t quite remember if I’ve shared the news here, but I am doing a bit of rebranding. And when I say a bit, I mean the whole kit and kaboodle. New NAME, which means a new logo, new marketing materials, new everything! Including a new website, a new blog. New packaging. Oy, the list goes on and on.

3. I first started the rebranding process by meeting with my friend and business coach, Kathleen O’Grady. (I’ll be profiling her on the blog very soon!) Kathleen helped me to dig deep into who I am as an artist and how I want to define my business. She helped me brainstorm, she brought up fantastic points, she helped me muddle through the doldrums, and she cheered me on every step of the way. THANK YOU, Kathleen!

4. Geez, I love these two.

5. Macy has been quite the comedian lately. The other day, I got pretty stern with her about not listening to me, and she said “I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. Let’s talk about this.” Where oh where does she come up with this stuff?

6. Claire is at a stage that I think tortures a lot of parents. The stage where she pulls your hair or grabs your earrings and PULLS, or headbutts you. And then laughs and laughs when you correct her. Oh, it’s great fun, alright.

7. Why do I always get stuck on #7? I start off with furious typing, then always run out of steam by #7. Once I get to 8, the train usually starts off down the track again, but that elusive #7. Oh, and this totally counts as my #7!

8. We are heading to Georgia for a family reunion this weekend, and I’m excited. My grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary just this week, which simply amazes me. I hope Mike and I make it sixty years. Heck, I hope I make it to 60 years old!

9. As we celebrate love and family, two dear friends are grieving the tragic loss of loved ones…one a husband, the other a father. I hope they both know that they and their families are in our thoughts and prayers every day.

10. Are you signed up for my newsletter? If not, what are you waiting for?! This month we had a very fun contest with a super cool prize, and there’s more where that came from! Plus, you’ll be in the know about upcoming events, see extra sneak peeks and get a first glimpse at new products! Stop on over to the photography website and sign up at the bottom of the front page. I’ll wait here…oh, wait a sec, no I won’t. That’s ten and I’m outta here!

Smooches!

And on January 14th, Rachael Lenore was born. Two months early. Three pounds, six ounces. Fifteen inches. She spent two months in the NICU at Duke, and finally made her way home on March 8th, into the loving arms of her mommy and daddy. Who, by the way, are absolutely over the moon thrilled with her.

Can you blame them? She’s a beauty!

Rachael is almost five months old now, and just thriving.

Sara and Mike, your perseverance and positive natures are just inspiring. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart on your beautiful daughter. You are such fantastic parents, and the joy just radiates from both of you. I only hope she’ll be a little less rascally when she becomes a teenager!