Stylin Granny Mama, Blogger. Fashion Photography. Toledo, Ohio.

Meet Amy Christensen. She is the creative mind behind the Stylin Granny Mama faith and fashion blog. Fun fact, she is also my mom! Amy has been a writer of sorts for much longer than I can remember. In high school, Amy wrote lyrics to songs she composed on her guitar. Amy took a creative writing class when I was a child and I remember how much she enjoyed every assignment. Amy has also been a regular in her journal over the years. It was no surprise when she decided to take writing a little more seriously. Amy decided that a blog would be a great way to invest time in her craft. A blog gives her a commitment to be writing every week.

What about fashion? Amy grew up a self-proclaimed “tomboy”. In junior high, my sister and I were fiercely attempting to get our mother out of her “mom jeans” and into something slightly more trendy. Who knew that a few years later, Amy would be teaching these same daughters about the newest fashion tips? Amy is now a thrifting queen and can name the silhouette of any dress. Amy’s love of shopping and love of writing have inspired Stylin Granny Mama.

Working with my mom to pursue the creative things she loves has been such a fun experience. We have photographed outfits in snow, in rain, in summer heat. We have made some tricky locations look great and working with Amy has taught me new things about my own craft as well. Fashion photography is very different from portraiture or event coverage. I thrive on the textures, patterns, colors and flow of each outfit. I can’t wait to see the next ensemble she has for me to photograph.

Get to know more about Amy and the Styling Granny Mama Blog:

What is your blog about? How long have you been doing it? My blog is a faith and fashion blog. I style outfits and talk about ideas pertinent to my faith. I have been officially online for over three years.
Why do you love discussing fashion on the blog? I really enjoy putting outfits together. It is sort of like doing a puzzle, where you have to find the right piece to connect to another piece. There are many things about fashion that I love from the colors and fabrics, to the actual pieces themselves. I'm not really all that trendy, but I do try to stay on top of what's out there for the sake of my readers. I am more conscious of things like repurposing and saving money, so shopping clearance racks and thrifting are a big part of my fashion philosophy.
What is one professional struggle you have had in regards to becoming a blogger and how did you overcome it? Did it make you stronger? There are two things I struggle with, self-confidence and motivation. Initially, I began the blog as a way to get myself consistently writing. My true muse is to write fiction. Writing for the blog, three days a week, has really improved my writing overall. As far as feeling like I was pretty or knowledgable enough to blog about fashion, it has really been a work in progress. I am more confident now in how I look and what I wear, and I also feel I have ideas and knowledge to offer other women who are struggling with the same issues. I think the key for me, has been having to meet a deadline every week and being consistent with my message and my brand.

Who is someone you look up to professionally and why? This is a hard one, because there are so many people I look at who have decided to pursue their dreams. Rebecca Trumbull @RebeccaTrumbullPhotography, Jodie @jtouchofstyle and a few other bloggers, continually inspire me to quit whining about what I am not doing and just do it.
What is one tip you would give other bloggers who are just starting out? Be true to yourself. I started out posting 5 days a week and being overwhelmed by the statistics about who had visited my blog and how many subscribers I had, but now I don't care. I do it because it is fun and because I believe I have my own unique perspective on fashion. If you are in it to make it a job or become popular then you are going to have to make it a priority, beyond a few posts a week.
What is the most important thing you hope to teach your readers about fashion? You are a unique and beautiful creation of an Almighty being which means you are more than just what you wear. Fashion is a way to make ourselves look better and feel better, but that is not what makes us beautiful. God made each of us beautiful and playing with fashion is a way to fine tune that beauty to make us uniquely confident.
How has working with a professional photographer impacted your brand? I think having a professional takes my blog up a few notches. Rebecca doesn't just provide professional quality pictures, she works with me and my insecurities. She'll remind me how to stand, to smile, to walk and so on, where before, I would have just been a bit of a blob in front of the camera. I love having professional pictures and am fortunate to have access to them through Rebecca.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Amy a little better and I hope you enjoyed this collection of the fashion photos we have created together. Be sure to find Amy and her work here: