Lemonade Mini Sessions

Lisa Marie’s little lemonade stand is opening the weekend of June 22nd and 23rd. This is a sweet little session made for both boys and girls! We have taken a favourite past time that never goes out of date and are bringing a sweet vintage twist. The promo shoot below was done with my own kids and I can say these images will be past down for generations. I adore them, simple, sweet, and just screams summer kids. I hope you will all make it out and cherish these just like I do :)

Lemonade Stand, Vintage Lemonade Stand, Cute Kids, Vintage, Lemons, Lisa Maire Photography, http://lisamariephotography.ca

Dates: June 22^nd and 23^rd, 2013 From 9am – 8pm Sat and 9am-2pm Sunday ( I MAY open up the friday before is there is a waiting list)

Place to be: Outdoor location address to be sent with confirmation email (Langley)

Arrival Time: Please arrive 10 mins prior to your shoot time given at your time of booking, late arrivals will cut into your session time.

Session time: 15 mins

Cost $75.00 (Add up to two siblings for $15.00 each)  If you have more then 3 children you must book a back to back session.

Custom Designed Facebook Timeline Cover Photo available for an additional $20.00

Includes: a min of 5 edited images delivered High res, via downloadable gallery to your email address.

Attire: Hair Bows and Bow ties to match the set available for session as well as all sew accessories are from the lovely  Sewful Designs, as well as a couple of cute little yellow aprons! Also assorted sizes of overalls and lots of white tanks for boys are on hand for the little boys but you are welcome to bring your own. Little Girls pretty white dresses recommended, or shorts etc.

Age Recommendation: Must be sitting to 12 Years. Younger babies are welcome as well just note that a sibling would be helpful in holding, and there is obviously less “posing” options with a baby who can not sit up.

Booking Info: To book please email bookings@lisamariephotography.ca  with your preferred date and approx. times, Thank you.  Please also indicate if you wish to have the Custom Designed Facebook Cover Photo for the additional $20.00.

Disclaimer- Mini sessions are in no way guaranteed. You are given 15 mins with Lisa only. Lisa makes every effort to work with your family and kids,but she can not be responsible for members who are not cooperating/smiling for photos, this includes fussy babies, toddlers who will not pose, teens who are stinky. Just keep this in mind when you are booking mini sessions. All finished photos will receive editing, but not full retouching or extreme measures such as “swapping heads” ;), please make sure your kids are TATTOO free (big pet peeve lol) Please also note anyone saying, “oh but you can just photoshop that right?” will get a pinch in the bum :D Parent participation is sometimes needed to range kids back into a frame, so be ready to come and have fun and play with us too moms and dads :) Thank-you for your understanding.

Daddy and ME!

Ok daddies it’s your turn.  This time the mommies need to beat it and you need to grab your babies and come meet up Lisa Marie at one of her favorite outdoor locations, The Historical Stewart Farm House. These mini sessions are just for dads and kids (sorry moms you had your turn) the focus on these sessions are capture that bond with you and your kids, grandpas welcome too!  Dads don’t worry its ok to have moms get the kids ready for you, we know not all of you can do pigtails.

Dates: June 1st  & 2nd 9am-5pm

Place to be: The Historical Stewart Farm House 13723 Crescent Road Surrey BC

Arrival Time: Please arrive 10 mins prior to your shoot time given at your time of booking, late arrivals will cut into your session time.

Session time: 15 mins

Cost: $95.00 + tax and are NON-refundable. Please bring a $2 donation we can donate to the farm house for allowing us the pleasure of this amazing place.

Attire: Recommended attire for kids and dads is casual yet not TOO casual. NO sweat pants and old tennis shoes, think stylishly casual, and comfortable.

Includes: 7-10 edited images delivered High Res, via downloadable gallery to your email address, all images are focusing on Fathers/grandfathers/children, immediate families only please. If you are planning to get uncle and cousins involved please inquire as to how you may book back to back sessions. *note, these are not family sessions, no moms please (unless you are there for hair and wardrobe malfunctions)

Booking info: To book these sessions please email bookings@lisamariephotography.ca  with your preferred day and approximate times, thank you :)

Disclaimer- Mini sessions are in no way guaranteed. You are given 15 mins with Lisa only. Lisa makes every effort to work with your family and kids, but she cannot be responsible for members who are not cooperating/smiling for photos, this includes fussy babies, toddlers who will not pose, teens who are stinky.  Just keep this in mind when you are booking mini sessions. All finished photos will receive editing, but not retouching or extreme measures such as “swapping heads” ;), please make sure your kids are TATTOO free (big pet peeve lol) Please also note anyone saying, “oh but you can just Photoshop that right?” will get a pinch :D Mini sessions are rain or shine, Thank-you for your understanding.

Boudoir on the Beach! (season 2)

The team is assembled…….

The hotel rooms are booked!!!!

All we are missing is YOU and your sexy self so snap up one of these long awaited sessions!!

Back by VERY popular demand, and promising to be another kick ass fun week of boudoir, the Beach Event is BACK!!

Last year we had 16 amazing ladies in over 3 days,  my hair and make up team, my assistant and I are still getting emails about it, we had a BLAST!! We also had some very brave woman who dared to run across the sand and bare all their sexy on the beach. (I sure hope the hotel concierge has recovered)

And why? Because this is the best gift you can give to yourself….. ok, and maybe to your significant other, but lets be honest. This is a day about you. They can reap the benefits later ;)

Who does a boudoir session? Any woman looking to spice up their self esteem,  to find their own sexy and gorgeous side, anyone wanting to give a gift of a life time to a new husband perhaps, or just for themselves. All shapes, ages and personalities are welcomed and encouraged. Boudoirs are about bringing out the sensual side, and my style is more of a soft and subtle sexy, one that leaves you wanting more, and leaves you FEELING and knowing you are just as amazing as we see you.

The place: South Surrey, hotel information will be issued at time of booking.

Dates: May 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th 2013

What To Expect: The session will take approximately 3 hours. When you arrive at the hotel, you will be directed to the hair and make up room as your session includes pampering with full hair and make up by the talented team at Gaby Ramirez Make . Gaby and her team have the most amazing way of putting any nerves at bay, enhancing your natural beauty like you have dreamed. Once you are ready, my assistant will direct you to the suite where you and I will go over the wardrobe you have brought, discuss your visions, and mine and create the session you have been excited for. If the timing is right and you want to take your sassy self out to the beach, we will run with you! This is an option but not necessary. 

What you will receive: A gallery of  professional fully retouched images (yes, this does mean any blemishes you might be concerned about), you will then get to choose 15 of your favourite images included your  package. Once you have chosen those images, they will be sent to you via email where you can download them, all high res images that you may print and  cherish forever. You will also have the option to choose additional images,  or the entire gallery for a fee.

Cost: Everything above is $450 plus applicable taxes, as a bonus, since I love to share the love, if you book with a friend both of you will recieve $50 credit to purchase extra photos or put towards a boudoir book ;) *can not be combined

OPTION: A custom designed book of awesomeness, made for you with spreads of lay flat seamless pages on the finest Crystal Archival paper. (The perfect gift for a new husband to be!) Your choice of Leather, or Linen cover, and your choice of colours. Books start at $375.

To book your boudoir session please send an email to bookings@lisamariephotography.ca with your preferred date and approximate times that work best.

I can’t wait to see everyone again and get this party started!

XO

Lisa Marie

Mommy and ME mini sessions

Its your time mommies! If you are anything like me you are always the one behind the camera snapping cute photos of the kids and dad, or the only ones you are in are  where your holding your iPhone up high right?? Well here is you chance,  grab your kids and come meet me at one  of my favourite outdoor locations, The Historical Stewart Farm House. These mini sessions are just for moms and kids (sorry dads, your turn will come) The focus on these sessions are to  capture that bond with you and your kids, grandmas welcome too!

Dates: April 27th and 28th from 9am-5pm      

Place to be: The Historical Stewart Farm House 13723 Crescent Road Surrey BC

Where: 13723 Crescent Road
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Arrival Time: Please arrive 5-10 mins prior to your shoot time given at your time of booking, late arrivals will cut into your session time.

Session time: 15 mins

Cost $95.00 PLEASE  bring a $2 donation per person for the Farm House, its always nice for us to give back to our amazing city and preserve its fine history :)

Includes: 7-10 edited images delivered High Res, via downloadable gallery to your email address, all images are focusing on mothers/grandmothers/children, immediate families only please. Groups of up to 5 members per session. If you are planning to get aunty and cousins involved please inquire as to how you may book back to back sessions. *note, these are not family sessions, no dads please :)

Attire: Recommended attire for kids and mommy’s is casual yet not TOO casual. NO sweat pants and old tennis shoes, moms leave your lulu’s at home!

Think, cute,  trendy, and comfortable  YES you can go a little matchy match, its allowed.

Booking info: To book these sessions please email bookings@lisamariephotography.ca  with your preferred day and approximate times, thank  you :)

XO~ Lisa Marie

*Disclaimer- Mini sessions are in no way guaranteed. You are given 15 mins with Lisa only, and even though she makes every effort to work with your family and kids, she can not be responsible for members who are not cooperating/smiling for photos, this includes fussy babies, toddlers who will not be perfectly posed, and teens who are stinky :) Just keep this in mind when you are booking mini sessions. All finished photos will receive editing, but not retouching or extreme measures such as “swapping heads” ;), please make sure your kids are TATTOO free (big pet peeve lol) Please also note anyone saying, “oh but you can just photoshop that right?” will get a pinch in the butt! :D Thank-you for your understanding.

THANK YOU thank you THANK YOU!!!!!!

I am in AWE of you.

YES you, my friends, my clients, my fans….. My new business manager Kim just arrived, we meet up most Sundays and work on my business a few hours in the afternoon, organizing and working on some new systems. This afternoon Kim came in and handed me a card….

The Awesome Card!!

Inside that card were letters of encouragement and love from a few pretty amazing ladies who have gone above and beyond anything I have ever seen AND PLANE TICKETS!!. Oh Em GEE!!!!

Today i was given the gift of an all expense paid trip to go to the finals by you all. To say I’m surprised and excited is an under statement.

Kim and I had a conversation after the Top 10 were announced and I made a hard decision to not go to Toronto for financial reasons, having been off a few weeks with the flood in my studio and then the hit I took with the accident i was just in just really has stretched the bank account, I just could not see a way or feel good about spending that much money on me, AND also I was a little afraid to head out alone across Canada. Kim and my husband both encouraged me to go but I just couldn’t see a way, well apparently you guys all had other plans and now I AM GOING!!!! And as a bonus, Kim has offered to come along at her own expense….  how amazing, I am so so so freaking out right now!!!!

I have a couple other companies I would really like to thank Gillanders Wine Cellar (please go like them) and Rosa from Rocofit Heath and Fitness (please go like them too for me!!) …… from what I have been told these 2 companies have donated some amazing prizes to a raffle that was organized by my  new friend Felicia Foggetti (mentioned in my previous blog) and a new client of mine and long time fan (you really put me in tears) Chris and Belanina Brant the Owners of Gillanders Wine Cellar…. (i still can’t get over how you 2 would take so much time out of your lives to do this for me)….. and I have to thank Sarah Henderson my very talented seamstress and friend for all your hard work on selling so many tickets, Kim has filled me in on all your efforts and you did it, you all raised enough money  to send me round trip, AND hotel!!

I had given Kim a free session a few months ago for a wedding client she sent my way and she told me that this was one of the prizes she donated, with that and the above donors prizes ($100.00 gift basket from Gillanders, and $95 gift basket from Rocofit)…. First off YOU ARE ALL SO DAMN SNEAKY  ( i was wondering why i had no bookings next weekend and since Kim does my bookings I should have known!!) and secondly, you ALL ROCK!!!!

I have decided to match Kim’s session and donate another one as a second prize……. but really thank you all so much for all your support and donations. Im extremely humbled by this no matter what happens next weekend, in my heart I feel like I have already won the best prize ever.

Having you all on my team is more then any business and Mompreneur could ever ask for.

Love

Lisa Marie

Voted Top 10 Momprenuer of the year 2013 but #1 in your hearts :)

The Autism Chapter Pt 2

How do I even begin… I can NOT believe its been just over 6 months since we got his diagnosis and I was sitting here still in shock writing that first blog, reaching out to my amazing network. I have wanted to post an update for ages now, but life has been kicking my ass a little this past year. Not a lot of time for personal posts, and to be honest I was struggling on if I should be posting about my sons diagnosis again. It was brought to my attention about 6 weeks after my blog that a mutual friend and colleague was speaking out (or gossiping lets be honest) by saying that my son was not autistic (in her apparently highly educated opinion after meeting him on sparse occasion) and that this was an attempt on my part to get attention. Yes. She. Did. Ill never ever understand how anyone could be so insensitive and cruel, but thats something I have decided I don’t CARE to understand.  So maybe this incident had me a little insecure about who I was reaching out to for a while but THAT was only until I met my new friend Felicia in early October…. :)

I was booked to have a meeting with a new social media company who wanted to offer me some assistance with my networking and a few other cool business tasks. I had never met Felicia before, but had met her business partner Jessica in a workout class a few months before. We met at one of my offices haha, —> (ok Starbucks lol) and started out just chit chatting about my company and how things have grown, what I’m about and who my clients are…. we talked a lot about being moms and working at home, some of the challenges, it was great! At one point in the meeting Jessica got up to grab a new cup of water for her tea, and Felicia looked at me square in the eye and said, “Lisa I read your blog about your son…“She teared up and went on to say “Its like I wrote this or you were talking about us, I was so moved by your blog and had related to it so much that I sent it to my husband and he encouraged me to talk to you, would you mind Lisa can I ask you a few things? We are so worried about your little boy”… I just reached out and said, “Of course you can!”

That conversations led to a very hard phone call that Felicia made the next day, and a little boy who was in fact diagnosed with ASD just this past November. Of course we are not saying this is a good thing, but its just that “it IS what it is” and if my little blog helped to have  just one little guy get the help he needed maybe a little sooner then if I had not. Well that’s enough for me. I am not here to prove to anyone what, or who my child is. I’m just a girl, a mom, a mother who is JUST like everyone else and loves her children JUST like you. I may be in the public a little more then some, and I’m learning that it comes the  extra opinions and or as my teen says ‘the haters’ but….as my new friend recently said when I asked her if I could post about our story, she replied; “ I have nothing to hide”. Our children…., well, they have autism. So what!!

I may have let ONE negative comment sway me slightly for a second, but I have about 100 more positive comments, emails, and messages about the blog that helped others like Felicia. Not only that but…. because of your support and love for my baby and me, we have managed to build the most AMAZING team for little J. This was 100% because of that blog and it was my hope when writing it that using this network, and reaching out, I would maybe utilize that and know what??? IT WORKED!!

I can tell you building a therapy team for a child with ASD is no picnic. The funding you get is just not enough for the recommend therapy our children need to make a difference. So we crunch and we budget and we learn to do a lot of the therapy on our own. The first thing you do when you get your diagnosis is finding a Behavioural Therapist who will develop all the programs that your team will be working with. She is the top of the chain lets say… after that its up to you to advertise and build your team that will consist of about 3 BI’s (Behavioural Interventionists) that will cover 7-10 shifts per week… this is probably the most daunting of the tasks. But this is where you came in. I posted after I wrote that first blog that I was looking and you sent me the contacts that changed my life. I was sent an angel (no really, I have dubbed her Angel in my contact list) named Catherine. Catherine and I connected and she rode in on her white horse (ok it was a white Honda Civic) and waved her magic wand of AMAZINGNESS and took all the worry away. This woman who is my Senior BI is my Teams manager. Catherine is 100% responsible for the kick ass team we have and I will never ever let her go…. EVER (yes Catherine you can run but Ill find you!!) Our team was assembled and we began the training process. I began the renovating process, since we don’t have any more rooms; we turned our living room into Jakes Therapy room, which now is covered in chalkboard paint!! LOVE IT!

It’s been 5 months since our team was trained and began, only 5 months but they are part of our family. Any parent with a team like this can relate, we just adore all of them. And best of al,l they adore our son. Scratch that, they LOVE him. In the beginning he did struggle with having lost control of his situation, and with J he has a bit of a different approach then ASD kids. He does not get mad, hit, or tantrum, he gets sad. Really sad and it just pulls at your heart. I sat outside the therapy room for hours and hours and listened to him cry that first month, just wanting him mommy, it was horrible. I wanted to just run in every second and steal him away and make this all disappear. They would walk out of each session and I would go in and debrief with them, bring Jake back in and have them all hug it out, I know it was just as hard for them as it was for us to make him stay and get him accustom to this new routine. We all cried those first few weeks…. that I know. But we got through it. And now J is actually really enjoying his “big friends” and all his “work” he does. The team that consists of, Michelle, Kim, Catherine, Rebecca, and Elbert has impacted our family and J and is going full steam now. When I’m downstairs shooting I know lots of you clients have heard the BANGING and JUMPING above while he doing his “ big boy work” . Seriously these guys are the silliest group (and remarkably good looking as you can see) and LOUDEST, but they LOVE him and I won’t have it any other way

So, in a nutshell, we are on track. Mr. J is getting the help he needs and we are really happy about that. Things are changing, as life does and we are changing with it. I knew in my heart I would rise to this challenge and now I’m feeling it. I have yet to reach out to some cool support groups, I’m not quite ready to extend my bubble just yet, but I am getting there. My next hurdle is J starting Kindergarten in the fall of this year!! I. AM. PETRIFIED. I can’t even lie at all!! I just recently got a (gasp) mini (MOM) van and have decided I will be camping out in the back, hiding like some lunatic while he is at school. So far that’s my plan but its possible the principal will now see this blog and be onto me, so I may need to get more creative!

Thank you again for ALL of your support and messages. I’m here for anyone, anytime, EVER, if you have any questions. I don’t know a lot about what I’m doing most of the time but if I can help you, I will. I don’t know if your child has ASD, only someone with the proper training can tell you that. ASD is different for every child, so just listen to your gut. There is no doubt now that J’s diagnosis was 100% accurate, its been nothing but a blessing to have the last piece to that long puzzle we could not figure out. The piece we have knowing and ending that constant “I don’t know” battle is worth it all.

My only advice is exactly what I said to Felicia. “It is scary to make that call, but wondering will ALWAYS be worse then knowing”. If you have concerns, don’t wait. Get answers. The waiting times in our public health system are INSANE, so if you can somehow afford it, go private. I know, I know… it’s a lot of money if you don’t have extended health care like us. But let me tell you, the only regret I have about all of this is not finding out sooner.

~XOXO

~Lisa Marie Johnson

Proud mommy of 3 amazing little humans, wife of one adoring husband and photographer to the BEST clients EVER!!

Sweet Spring Mini Sessions

It’s that time again!!

I for one am really excited to kiss this winter goodbye and say HELLO to SPRING!!

As so many of you requested I have decided to add a spring mini session to the year calendar again and have designed the sweetest little set. It took me a little while to come up with the idea but with the help one of my good fiends and new seamstress Sarah, I think I have got it, and its going to be CRAZY cute :)

SO….. Let’s *hop* to it once again and *spring* into the next mini session of 2013! Lisa Marie’s Sweet Little Spring mini sessions!

When: March 15th, 9:30-5pm, and 16th and 17th from 9-5pm both days.

Where: Lisa Marie Photography Studio (address issued with invoice)

Cost: $55 plus tax (add sibling $10 each up to per session 3 in total MAX)

Includes a 15 min session, plus the best 5 high res images issued via email in a downloadable gallery.

Dress: Think spring, not too fancy, keep it light and fun Head accessories and bow ties to match if wanted.

Add a custom made spring themed Facebook time line with 3 images $20

Example of custom Facebook time lines from valentines mini session event, The spring ones will be designed to match the SPRING event!
(my boys are the super models ;)

Ages: 3m-12yo (younger babies, please note there is a limit on time and poses, but all babies are welcome, with older kids please note the session is designed for the little’s, older children are welcome if they are not too “cool”.

The Set will be as usual a *surprise* but handmade, the back drop will be blue sky and the rest all neutral.
Cute hand held Easter and spring signs. Handmade head bands, and bow ties to match for the kiddos!

AND if all goes well in bunny land, we will be blessed to have the cutest little (LIVE) Easter bunny on hand and fresh picked carrots for the kids who would like to have him in their photos!
Looking forward to see you all once again!!

~disclaimer~ Parents please understand, these sessions are not guaranteed in anyway. They are mini sessions and if your baby/toddler is not cooperating, and to my best efforts will not take part, I cannot guarantee anything. I will ALWAYS do my best to have you leave with a few great images but realize, babies and toddlers are unpredictable and in my opinion even pouting and acting silly is part of the process, if you want perfectly posed kiddos and air brushing I am not the photographer for you. All images receive a light edit but these are not fully retouched images. Thank you for understanding ~