Decking the Halls at the You Impression Confidence Studio

Switch-up your classic holiday: instead of evergreen, use lime green - take ornaments off the tree and hang them from windows. Overplay certain elements and use glitter generously. There are no rules to seasonal decorating, so be inspired by the You Impression Confidence Studio: be jazzy and make a welcoming statement with your holiday decor.

1. Simple and Stunning Trees

Erin O. Photography

You Impression remixes Christmas tree traditions by showcasing three small trees in the foyer of their Confidence Studio.  Featuring natural tree toppers with glamorous details, decorations on the branches are simple, yet drenched in glitter. Instead of using traditional lights, ornaments, and ribbons, trees are dressed with miniature, sparkle-green pine cones and white, glitzy snowballs. Try this sophisticated style in your space and experiment with different elements - combine oversized tree toppers with tiny decorations; mix natural burlap textures with sparkle; and play with elevation by utilizing tree stands with varying heights, such as the logs used here.

Erin O. Photography

Erin O. Photography

2.  Seasonal Picture Windows

Erin O. Photography

You Impression fills their street-view windows with a playful and eclectic display of extra-large ornaments. Providing great curb appeal, diamond shaped mesh ornaments are accompanied by finial shaped baubles with glitter and velvet stripes. Candy apple red and lime green hues create a whimsical and spirited atmosphere. Snow white glitter balls are intermixed with iridescent clusters that capture light and reflect varying colors throughout the day - suspended from fishing line, they create a light, floating look. An giant “Ho, Ho, Ho” ornament covered in fine glitter provides the main focal point for a side window and is paired with flat, festive glitter ornaments. Larger ornaments are hung with tinsel garland, adding a softer textures and flair. Sparkle is a primary element in the window displays. Utilize a similar look in your home by using an abundance of glitter - extra twinkle adds eye-catching interest to any space. Display ornaments in new places besides your tree - try hanging them in windows, or from vaulted ceilings or chandeliers.

Erin O. Photography

Erin O. Photography

3. Enjoy the Season

Erin O. Photography

Nothing says “holiday” like smiling. The season is known for love, family, and friendship, so enjoy holiday decorating...live in the moment….make memories. The You Impression team encourages you to have fun, collaborate with one another, explore new textures and styles, and be easy with it.


In appreciation,

Kristina

Kristina@youimpression.com

3 Ways to be More Courageous

drawingmyownconclusions.wordpress.com

Everyone can be courageous by living their best self every day. Here are 3 Ways to be More Courageous - you might find your life a little more effortless and a lot more fun.    

1. Dream

Courageous people dream. Dreams are ideas, sparks, inspirations, goals. It is never important to have any or all of it figured out - how it’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen, where it’s going to happen...dreams are boundless and too many details can squelch them. Dreams unfold naturally through imagination, focus, and inspired action. Dreaming is never done and you can never get it wrong so be courageous and dream your dreams...believe you can achieve them and watch your dreams become reality.  

2. Take Risks

Courageous people take calculated risks. Risk taking includes trying new things; exploring new ideas; meeting new people; learning new skills; stepping outside of comfort zones; pursuing new opportunities. Don’t get caught in a routine of behavior or thought...trust your intuition and take the risk of personal freedom - allow you to be you. Now that is courageous.

3. Love Yourself

Courageous people love themselves. Truly loving yourself is about appreciating the core of who you are; your very being, your essence. It is knowing you are awesome, valuable, and worthy...always, no matter what. Courageous love isn’t dependent on anything outside of yourself; it doesn’t need approval from the peanut gallery or a straight-A record. Loving yourself is about laughter, acceptance, and growth. Don’t be so hard on yourself; love the person you are now and the person you are becoming. There is so much to look forward to...love yourself courageously.  

You Impression feels honored to work with courageous people who are willing to know themselves better and explore new ideas in their lives. The You Impression team is especially inspired by the courageous, young women who participate in the Miss America Scholarship Program. You Impression has partnered with several local Miss, Teen, and Little Princess programs, encouraging girls of all ages to live confidently as their authentic selves.  

If you want You Impression to host a workshop for your program, team, or group, contact Kristina@youimpression.com.

In appreciation,

Kristina

Confidence Coach

Kristina@youimpression.com

Let Appreciation Rock Your Socks in 5 Easy Steps

thelaughbutton.com

Appreciation has powerful mojo. Not only does appreciation feel good, it can literally lead to better relationships, new opportunities, a happier life, and a bunch of other greatness. Don’t limit appreciation to the last Thursday of November or your Facebook status updates the days leading up to your turkey feast. Live appreciation on the daily and let it rock your socks.

Here are 5 easy ways to have more appreciation in your life:

1. Give Yourself a Gold Star

You deserve a gold star. Not because you've done anything noble, generous, intelligent, or good, but because you are you. You are the only you that has ever existed, and honestly, you’re doing a fine job of it. Celebrate that. It’s difficult to appreciate the things around you when you don’t appreciate yourself. You are valuable, worthy, and downright neat. There is no need to strive for improvement...just start appreciating yourself. Pronto.   

2. Open Your Eyes

Serious talk: find something in your life to appreciate. Once you find something, find another thing. Keep finding things until you snowball into a big mess of appreciation. It’s best to start with the little things that you don’t normally think about. When you start appreciating things like your toothbrush, it becomes excessively easier to appreciate bigger things...like the universe. You are living on a planet that is spinning perfectly in orbit. Better yet, the sun came up this morning and it wasn't on your “To Do” list. That’s pretty cool. Make it a habit of identifying the everyday things that are easy for you to appreciate...focus on those. Then do things that make you happy...that will lead to even more appreciation. Walk a dog, pet a cat, play with a baby, eat delicious food, look at the stars, breathe deep, drink a beer. Appreciate the fact that you are alive and surrounded by awesomeness. Life is for your enjoyment...get to enjoying.  

3. Wake Up on the Appreciative Side of the Bed

The moment you wake up, you have the opportunity to set the stage for your entire day. Don’t mess it up. The thoughts you think at the start of your morning will set the tone for the rest of your day, so be deliberate. Lay in bed for a couple minutes and appreciate things you love...your pillow, your dog, your footie pajamas. If you have to hustle, feel appreciation for the running water in your shower and the jolt of your coffee. It doesn't matter what you appreciate, as long as it feels good when you think about it. Try to stay in appreciation as long as you can every day. I pinky swear promise that when you start your morning in appreciation and maintain it through your drive to work, you’ll have a better day. And honestly, who doesn't want a better day? No one I know.

4. Feel Something*

Appreciation has zero to do with words and everything to do with feeling. If you are saying appreciative words, but not feeling anything, you are blowing smoke. Appreciation in it’s pure form feels a lot like love, worthiness, clarity, fun, passion, excitement, exhilaration. These super cool emotions are powerful and they create momentum that will move you toward big improvements in your life in a short period of time. Get excited.

*Added bonus...when you feel appreciation for your yourself, your surroundings, and your awesome existence, you find yourself totally in control of your mood. Your appreciation isn't dependent on anyone’s actions...no one has to do anything to make you feel good. You just do. And if someone happens to hold the door open for you or buys you lunch, that’s icing on the cake. Appreciation FTW (for the win).

5. Ride the Wave

Don’t force appreciation. The momentum from Step 4...ride it like a wave. Once you get the momentum going, it takes minimal effort to keep it going. So enjoy it. Don’t stop your momentum by trying to appreciate people or situations that irritate you. Keep appreciating what makes you feel good. Be easy with it and your perspective will change, your days will improve, your hold ups will disappear. It’s easy to appreciate, it’s fun, it’s beneficial. No joke...feeling good is easy and it all starts with a little appreciation.

In appreciation,

Kristina

Kristina@youimpression.com

Table Makeover - Vintage Blue Beauty

Creating a vibrant, vintage masterpiece is an exciting and creative experience. We use this table in our You Impression Studio to display our organic lavender scented goat milk soaps and seasonal products. It is the perfect combination of nostalgic beauty and spunky chic.     

First – Find a wood table that can use a makeover. It’s important to find a real wood table…you’ll be sanding this thing and making it jazzy; if it’s faux wood, it won’t work out well. We found this table for FREE alongside the road. Free is a great price and this table is octagon shaped with great details. So naturally, we snatched this thing. Fast.

Second – Clean the table and sand it. I used an electric sander on our table because my arm felt like it was going to fall off sanding it by hand. But seriously, you want to sand the finish off the table…an electric sander will work best.

Third – Prime the table. This is a pretty straight forward and unexciting step, but totally necessary. I used a Killz primer. 

Fourth – Sand the table. You’re just taking off the rough edges and making the table nice and smooth. You can easily sand this by hand. 

Fifth – Paint the table. Choose a color and have fun with it! You will always have a more enjoyable painting experience when you choose a high quality paint…it takes fewer coats and it’s easier to work with. I bought a quart of all surface enamel – acrylic latex satin from Sherwin Williams. It’s awesome interior/exterior paint and the 6767 Aquarium color is funky fun. I painted two coats and waited for the table to be super dry between coats.

   

Sixth – Add interest. If you’re like me, you’ll be super impressed with your painted table and you’ll be tempted to leave it as it is. Don’t do it. Follow the rest of the steps…you’ll love your table even more.

You’ll need some white paint (you can buy a small tube of white paint from the craft store), some glaze (also buy a small tube of glaze from the craft store), and water. Mix the contents in a small paper bowl or a cup. I wasn’t really scientific about this step, so just wing it. I probably used one part white paint, two parts glaze, and a tad bit of water. You don’t want it too runny, but you also want the white paint to be diluted enough so you can easily wipe it off. I applied the glaze with a little craft paint brush from a children’s watercolor set.

Seventh – Paint the glaze mixture over the table, starting with the cracks, grooves, and seams. This step adds depth to the table and highlights the details. It’s almost impossible to get the glaze only on the parts you want glazed. So the goal here is to apply a little glaze in a small section and wipe it off with a dry cloth, keeping the white glaze in the cracks of the table.  This step involves a lot of application and wiping, but be patient. Don’t strive for perfection here…wild, roughed up, multicolored furniture is really trendy nowadays, so don’t hesitate to let loose and give your perfectionist self a break. After glazing the edges of the table, lightly glaze the top and the base of the table. Work in small sections so the glaze doesn’t dry and you are still able to wipe the glaze off.  

Eighth – Let the glaze dry and Verathane the table. This is just a clear coat that will protect the table from wear and tear and give it a finishing touch.

Ninth – Voila! Show off your finished furniture piece; add a centerpiece and decorate it; eat brunch on your table; do whatever you want, just enjoy it. 

In appreciation, 

Kristina 

Kristina@youimpression.com 

The Good Stuff

September 3, 2003.

It was the first day of school and I was ready to take on Ferrucci Jr. High as a “sevie”.  I had flourished at orientation a few days prior, learning how to open my locker, meeting the students below and beside me, and successfully tracking down my 6 classes all over the school.  I had watched my older sister enjoy her three years at Ferrucci so I had no conscious worry about what fun, excitement, and adventure lay ahead of me in my 7th grade year. 

However, as my mom meandered through neighborhoods, driving to drop me off for my first day, I lost confidence in my preparation.  Turning into the drop off line my stomach hit the floor and my heart started racing as I saw the school buzzing with excited students heading off to their first class.  As I stepped out of our beloved minivan my brand new shoes couldn’t carry me across the lawn and into the school.

I took a few steps and time stood still.  I was in fight or flight mode with everything in my little body wanting to take flight back in the van, never to step foot on the Ferrucci campus again.  But there was a small piece inside that told me to fight the urge to run and push on to conquer my first day of school.

I am proud to say that I walked into school that day and never looked back.  It was a defining moment for me.  I am confident that few experiences have rivaled the fear I felt that morning but few times have I felt such conviction that going backwards was not an option.  To become who we are, get what we want, and truly live life according to our dreams, we need to embrace change. 

The words: Change, Variation, Evolution, Alteration, Transformation, Adaptation, Expansion…This is the good stuff!

September inherently means change: changing grades, changing schools, changing of the weather, changing your wardrobe.  Since kindergarten each September signified new teachers, new friends, new knowledge, and new school clothes.  Looking back over the years I realize how much I have embraced new experiences and variations in life- some coming easier than others.  But unknowingly, I have fallen in love with the idea of expansion.  This year is the first year I will not be heading ‘back to school’.  I have graduated onto learning my newest lessons from experience rather than textbooks, being graded by my personal ambition rather than a professor, and measuring success in my ability to grow and learn instead of beating a class curve. 

I encourage you to enjoy the good stuff! Embrace the transformation this fall holds for you and remember a saying I learned from the ladies of the American Legion Auxiliary, “Forward ever, backward never. Within ourselves our future lies.”

Delightfully,

Melanie

Welcome to Life

Today I ate lunch. A fast, easy, inexpensive $0.68 TV dinner. It didn’t take me long to realize that the picture featured on the front of the TV dinner box was not an accurate depiction of the food I pulled out of the microwave. Lesson learned; $0.68 does not buy you any sort of visual appeal, but it does provide an unusual sort of pure deliciousness. So next time I eat a meal like that, I might blindfold myself.

As I was eating my steamy mozzarella lasagna in a cardboard box, I felt strangely excited. I felt excited about doing something new. The TV dinner was insignificant, but the feeling it evoked was powerful. It was a feeling I’ve had many times before – the feeling of being on the brink of something different, embarking on uncharted Kristina territories. The feeling of something new.

In my life, new experiences have always been the most empowering. When I stretch myself, when I let myself evolve into something greater than what I was, I find my happy. I try to find my happy every day…in the little things, like when I took a kayaking class, competed in a pageant, started a business, remodeled a commercial space…when I let myself wear casual clothes, and did the YMCA on the dugout at the Rainiers Game.  

So I can rescue myself from a capsized kayak, I can walk on stage in a swimsuit, I am capable of taking big risks, my drywall patching skills are bomb, I feel comfortable wearing blue jeans with holes, and I can dance in front of crowds. I felt happy. Big whoop.

But actually, it is a big whoop…let me tell you why. All of these things expanded me outside of my comfort zone. These experiences defied the limitations I set for myself and helped me change my mind about myself. In each of those moments, I didn’t let myself fall for some bogus story telling me that I couldn’t…that I shouldn’t…that I wouldn’t. Because guess what? I did it…I had fun with it. I let go of fear, grabbed some crayons, and colored outside of the lines in my life. It was messy and emotional; it was frisky and exciting; it was scary and exhilarating. That’s called living. Welcome to life.

Through stretching yourself, you gain range. Through allowing, you experience fun. Through dreaming, you create momentum.  Don’t underestimate the power of little things and when you stop judging yourself and start enjoying new experiences, you may just surprise yourself.   

So go, get out of here and live it up. Let your life expand, let your heart imagine. Care less about restraints and be more playful. Do something you’ve never done before, even if that means eating a $0.68 microwave meal. Color outside of the lines…let it be new and different…let happy find you.   

In appreciation,

Kristina

Kristina@youimpression.com   

Time Travel: My Newest Endeavor

Life is busy.  Our to-do lists are full of tasks like buying school supplies, mowing the lawn, preparing lawn furniture for its winter hibernation, so on and what have you. Well, in addition to my daily tasks I’ve added a new and unlikely item to my list, time travel.  Now when I say “time travel” my mind is instantly taken to an image of a crazy scientist and a big time travel machine complete with knobs, wires, and a spaghetti strainer for the victim….uh I mean person’s head.  I assure you I haven’t been scouring junk yards looking for metal and I don’t plan on beaming anyone anywhere anytime soon.   My form of time travel is simple, fun, and provides great insight to be applied to our lives today, right now.

Let’s do it! Let’s travel back in time…Let’s go to the time when:

-The most stylish men sported frosted tips…

-Our newest friend was our brand new in-car GPS system…

-Transforming our image involved an attractive carpenter and a television crew from the hit television show Trading Spaces…

-Managing your digital persona meant accurately selecting self-inspired personality traits for your Sim character…

-Welcome to the year 2000.

Now, Y2K doesn’t seem that long ago, but we have traded frosted tips for a myriad of fashion styles, our friendships are constantly expanding thanks to Facebook, and managing the appearance of our online image is of utmost importance in this digital age. 

We are continually undergoing change and expansion and have managed to catch onto the evolution of trends…trading our flare jeans for skinny jeans, low waisted pants for high waisted, and our short hair for ‘long hair don’t care’.  But the big question is have we allowed our online image to evolve and keep up with the tech trends?   

There are so many questions:  “To filter our photos or not?”  “Post on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three simultaneously?”  “How do I manage my LinkedIn?”  “Snapchat…Vine…Foursquare…?”  “To check in, or not to check in- that is the question!”

It’s a big thing to keep up with the latest and greatest of websites, blogs, and apps.  Whether you are a professional, a college student, a parent, or a teen it’s important to understand the trends in tech and to use them for your greatest benefit.

Here are a few social media tips that will enable you to portray the best of yourself online:

First, Be Yourself.

As social networking becomes increasingly more integrated into our daily lives the notion of separating your physical and online identity is near impossible.  The person you portray yourself to be online is what friends & co-workers will expect when they interact with you in person.  You are uniquely you and this is a good thing.  It is unnecessary and potentially troublesome to change your persona for your online communities.  Use social media as an outlet to expand your personal qualities and share them with your online community. 

Secondly, Know Your Audience.

On most social media sites, you have a degree of control as to who views your profile or sees your posts, etc.  Be deliberate when choosing your privacy settings as well as be selective when deciding what information you want to share about yourself with your online audience.              

Finally, Time Travel.

Always take a moment to travel in time before you post.  Travel to the future to think about the potential impact this comment, picture, video, link, or tag will make.  Remember, less is often more when using social media.   

So while I perfect my means of time travel, apply these tips to your social networking practices and go be successful in your personal and digital endeavors.  May all of your post leads to only good and happy things!

Delightfully,

Melanie

[real life] encourager

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Each night as I put my dinner plate in the dishwasher my mind wanders to what sweet, chocolately dessert is sitting in the pantry or freezer, just waiting for me to devour it.  I’m a lover of chocolate chips and cookies, brownie batter is a weakness, and most recently I’ve rekindled my love with the cold, nutty, chocolately, waffle cone goodness called a Drumstick.  No need to wait for the ice cream man, this girl has Drumsticks stocked in the freezer- vanilla Drumsticks, chocolate Drumsticks, even triple layer chocolate Drumsticks. Oh, yum! 

But I have to confess that as I reach in the freezer, mouth salivating with delicious expectation, my mind takes a sad spiral, “Is this a healthy choice? Could I run fast enough or far enough to work this thing off?”  I’ve been through enough days of personal training, even working at gym for a while, to know my answer should be, “probably not.” 

In this instance I could try to offset my indulgence by running first.  I mean, I enjoy running… on treadmills (people tell me is easier than running outside, but I frankly don’t care.  I ran my first, and more than likely my last, 5k this past November at a conference I was attending in Amelia Island.  But let me tell you, Florida sands are meant for relaxing, making sandcastles, and nodding to sleep as the waves crash against the shore… NOT for running).

So back to where I am… standing in my garage with the freezer door open, reminded that life is all about choices.  While standing, Bob Marley’s voice (just like superman swooping down to save the day) sings in my head… “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” 

I think Mr. Marley was onto something.  He discovered that making the decision to be happy is incredibly powerful.  Every moment of the day we are making choices; choosing what to do, what to say, what to eat, what to think about our friends, family, work, and our very own selves.  These choices are very powerful and shape our lives.

So instead of laboring away on my treadmill, I choose to be easy about what makes my heart sing.  If I make myself happy first, the things that I want to come easier.  I have found that I actually DO run farther and faster when I am happy.  I sing as I run, sometimes skipping, take high powered dancing breaks (my secret form of interval training), and enjoy every ounce of my workout. 

Today, I’ll eat my Drumstick because I know the happiness it brings will spur me on to bigger, better, healthier, and most importantly, more enjoyable moments.  So go and enjoy whatever your ‘Drumstick’ is and watch how the power of happiness leads you to even greater things!

Delightfully,

Melanie

[real life] encourager