Well, the time has finally come…Christy Johnson Photography is now Be True Image Design!

Please visit the website here.

The new blog is here.

And the new Facebook page is here.

And today is a good day to visit, because there’s a Groovy Giveaway starting today!

Don’t forget to update your RSS/google reader/feedburner thingys (heehee) and thank you for joining me on my new journey!

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’ve been working on my website, all the live long day.
I’ve been working on the website and I need some more bell-ays.

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 first met Alaya when she was still residing in her mama’s belly. Then again as a newborn. I hadn’t seen her since last summer, so when I first laid eyes on her this past weekend, I couldn’t believe what a little girl she had grown in to! She is celebrating her first birthday on Friday, complete with a ladybug theme, and her mom had the cutest ladybug outfits for Alaya that I had ever seen!

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!

1. Hi, it’s me again. It’s been pretty quiet except for sneak peeks around here, hasn’t it? Lest you think I’ve run off to some deserted island with Jack from LOST my husband, I’ll share a little of what I’ve been up to.

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!

Don’t forget to reserve your spot for the Mommy & Me mini-sessions scheduled in May! Dads, this would be a fantastic and original idea for Mother’s Day! Photographs can last a lifetime, and they never go out of style. And one size fits all!

I have changed things up a bit, and added a digital collection to the offering. Questions? Email me! christy@christyjohnson.com.

Calling all moms! Do you have the “always-behind-the-camera” blues? Do you ever flip through your family’s photo albums and wish you were actually IN the pictures?

The time is NOW. Don’t worry about getting your hair did. Forget about those last 10-20-30 pounds you want to lose. Your relationship with your child is so special…it’s unique…it’s right now, ever fleeting. Put some photographs in that album that your child will cherish for a lifetime.

Mommy & Me Mini Sessions are limited, so make sure to get on the calendar soon. And Dads - can you think of a better Mother’s Day gift?!

A quick calendar note: April and May are fully booked, and I am beginning to book for June and July! Of course, I always try to leave room in the schedule for newborns - but make sure to contact me before baby arrives!

Valentine’s Day, the day to celebrate love of all kinds. It’s this weekend, by the way! Do you and your honey do anything special for each other? Mike and I have never really been that into it, but we’ll get each other a card, maybe a little candy or something small. But we really like doing a little something for the kidlets. I found these CUTE personalized fabric mail pouches at Pottery Barn Kids, and I can’t wait to stuff them full of some goodies! (I was going to link them here, but it looks like they have sold out! Never fear, I promise I’ll take some pics this weekend to share.)

I have been poking around one of my favorite sites Etsy looking for some unique ideas for the mail pouches, and I have found the most fun little gifts for little ones! I thought I’d share some here…follow the links to buy these sweets for your sweets!

This hat has got to be the most darling thing I’ve seen!

And look at this sweet outfit…couldn’t you imagine your little girl wearing this for a photo session?

This little sheep has stolen my heart! And it would be great for any occasion, not just V-day!

I can’t forget the little men out there…Valentine’s Day gifts are harder to find for boys, I guess. But check out this adorable Robot Love onesie! Be still my heart!

If you’ve never visited etsy.com, I highly recommend it. It’s become my go-to place for any kind of gift, and the best part is (if you’re short on time like me) you can shop from your couch!

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared my own kids on the blog…far too long, in fact! I got some cute shots of them playing earlier this week in our (messy) playroom, so I thought I should come and share.

Claire will be a year old in February, and I just can’t believe it.

I know I’m biased, but admit it - you think she’s seriously cute too.

Awwww, sisterly love.

It just makes your heart melt. Until the big one grabs the little one in a headlock and spins her to the ground. Not that that ever happens around here or anything.

Claire’s latest thing is brushing her own hair. Good thing, since she’s got quite the messy mop!

OH! And she said “mama” for the first time today! I was cooking lunch, and she was really upset that I couldn’t pick her up. She kept pulling up on my leg, and I’d have to sit her back down on the floor as I moved from one spot in the kitchen to the other. Finally she pulled up on my leg one last time, and literally yelled “MAMA!” clear as a bell! Of course, she hasn’t done it again since, even though we’ve been trying since lunch. Lil stinker.

Is it just me, or does Macy look so grown up here?

She’s really giving me a time lately. Defiant, independent, stubborn, actively ignores me. We thought we were lucky because we never really had to deal with the terrible twos…but I honestly think this is worse. She is so smart and has comebacks that make me stop in my tracks!

Tonight, she absolutely refused to eat one. single. bite. of dinner. I know she was hungry, and I knew it was a control thing. I also know that I’m not the kind of mother who is going to get up from my dinner to go make something else for her. I tried taking away privileges. I tried reasoning with her. And as lame as it sounds, I even pulled out the old “choooo choooo…open up, the train is coming into the tunnel!” Oh yeah, she opened up, I deposited the “train.” One second later, she spit the food out and said “the tunnel is broked.”

Seriously! How am I supposed to discipline this child when I can’t stop laughing? (By the way, we compromised on 6 bites of dinner. And then some healthy, no sugar applesauce to make me feel better that at least she got a vitamin or two in her.)

No matter what though…this girl has me smitten.

We got about 5-6 inches of snow here today, and I got to stay home from work and enjoy some super awesome family time. I got a lot of fun pictures from today, so look for those to come (hopefully tomorrow!)

A reminder about the winter newborn promotion! If you are expecting a new baby between now and March 31st, book your newborn session today and receive 25 complimentary birth announcements + one free 8×10 print!

Be sure to reserve your spot on the calendar early ~ newborns must be photographed within the first 10 days of life!