United Colours of Design • Copper Edition • January 2021

How excited were you to give your gifts to loved ones this year? I was soooooo excited! And what made it even more exciting was the fact that my people were excited to receive what I was giving! Their joy, their happiness, their excitement fueled my joy, happiness and excitement… making the process of giving and receiving so fun!

Imagine your disappointment if you were totally excited to give a gift to someone and they were not excited to receive it? Deflation, hurt, and you may be fearful or reluctant to give that person a gift again… maybe.

I had an ah ha moment the other night… God/Universe/ Allness is the excited gift giver!! (AKA ME!) They are conspiring to set in motion, every gift I have ever wanted… all I have to do is be equally excited in the receiving (or they may be reluctant to offer a gift again!) My job is to see the gift so clearly that there is no option of not receiving it… match their excitement, be ready to receive it and be eternally grateful for it!

I never thought about Them being super excited to give and if I did not match their excitement They would begin to feel deflated and not want to keep on giving. (In other words… why would the universe keep giving to me if I lost my excitement?)

When I was going through my divorce I had to make three things happen…

1. Sell my home… my mantra every single day was… the perfect family will find this home!
2. Find a job… my mantra every single day was… the perfect job will find me!
3. Find a new home… my mantra every single day was… the perfect home is waiting for me!

My house sold before the sign went up!

I found the perfect job with the perfect location!

I found the perfect home a stones throw from my kids school in my budget!

I was soaring… literally I had flying dreams where I could control where I wanted to go … I could feel my stomach flipping from my Ariel acrobatics in my sleep! It was magnificent!!

What I know to be true is that unwavering faith, excitement to receive and action got me those things. There was nothing that was going to stop me from my mission and within a year of setting my intentions.. all was well in my world.

That was almost 9 years ago!

Over time I lost the excitement, I forgot to be grateful for what I have and although I have continually taken action… in retrospect, it may have been inefficient action.

Copper grounds us and connects us to Gaia, to Mother Earth. Copper says it’s ok to be a soul in physical body and it is possible to create heaven right here on earth.

Soaring is the feeling of creating heaven on earth! So my mission for 2021 is to soar again! I want to fly and I want everyone I know to fly with me.

I want you to know the unbelievable feeling when your stomach is alive with butterflies!!

I want to grow United Colours of Design ❤ Magazine into a creative empire where we all grow and HUGELY prosper together!

I want the value of what I give to surpass the money I charge.

I want everyone who is a part of this project to see it as a vehicle for their ultimate success!

There is more than enough for everyone, we are all worthy and deserve to take advantage of this abundant human life we’ve decided to play in! Juicy sex, decadent food, buckets of money, dazzling partnerships, amazing creative sparks… all of it… there is no limit to what we can achieve together!

If you’ve made a decision while sitting in “black” for the last few months it’s time to walk your walk and get ready to do the physical work necessary to bring this vision to life. You can no longer hide, you can no longer make excuses!

Are you ready to do what you love? Are you ready to make a career change? Are you ready to start that art series or try a new medium? Experiment with new techniques? Were you inspired in our planet’s dark night of the soul to take your work out into the world? Whatever your spark of genius was, now is the time to act on it. But make sure you have a mentor to help you through the process… it takes a village!

Copper is an energy conductor and integrates changes after an initiation. And we’ve all be through a major initiation these past few months… so use copper to support you in getting shit done!!

In all forms of art, there is a base that the artist starts with to create their masterpiece; from a blank canvas, to a slab of marble, to a chunk of clay and beyond. With make up, there are similarities but also huge differences to this approach.

In all forms of art, there is a base that the artist starts with to create their masterpiece; from a blank canvas, to a slab of marble, to a chunk of clay and beyond. With make up, there are similarities but also huge differences to this approach.

We are beauty alchemists; we must continually update and upgrade our knowledge on the features and benefits of cosmetic ingredients and their contraindications to not only provide beautiful applications but to also properly inform and improve our client’s understanding of the why’s of their make up. We must go beyond colour theory and see deeper into the uses of colour and ingredients in make up products that can help or hinder each specific client.

We at UCoD understand colours have power. Colours contain energies that express themselves differently based on the medium and how they are used. For example, Copper. Copper is a reddish-brown colour which in cosmetics is normally presented with a metallic or shimmer finish depending on the type of make up that is being used, mimicking the naturally occurring copper metal. Copper is also defined by the encyclopedia Britannica as a malleable metal that was one of the first metals ever used by humans, as it can be found in a “ready-to-go” form right in nature. It easily conducts electricity and heat, and also in certain forms can aid in pain management through its anti-inflammatory effects as well as in beauty. Specifically, Copper Peptides. Known by dermatologists to have notable antioxidant properties, Copper Peptides protect the skin from oxidative stress, thus boosting your own production and retention of anti-aging heroes collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans (protein derived sugars that are known to increase and strengthen cell communication) leading to the appearance of smoother, tighter, more even, and more youthful skin.

A smokey take on a copper eye brings out a warm bronze effect that suits the model’s skin and hair colouring. Pairing the copper colour with various cool browns, greys and black disrupts its tendency to present overly red on medium to fair skin. The copper product used contains larger sparkles that reflect light well and has more texture, this model has a large surface area on her eye and this type of product is suitable for her skin and features.

Knowing that red is associated with energy, vitality and passion, and variants of brown are reminiscent of Earth; solid strength and resilience, it is no wonder that their shiny combination in Copper boasts so many benefits to the human experience in so many of its forms.

From a beauty perspective, copper make up has gotten somewhat of a bad rap. Poor use of certain tones and products on the wrong skin tones and types have often led to an over-saturated, rusty tinge of wrinkle-amplifying texture that neither amplifies nor complements a wearer’s features. Even the way products are applied can greatly affect their outcome on how they appear on the skin and what effect they have on the client’s features.

For example, on an eyelid of a person with considerable crepiness, a metallic copper powder eyeshadow with a high content of mica can exacerbate the appearance of wrinkles and age the eye area, even adding a red or tired affect when used on skin tones that are medium light to fair. Despite its general warmth many people associate copper with jewel-tone colours like yellow-gold/ emerald green etc. and reserve their use on deeper skin tones, which is not correct. Conversely, a cream or liquid product that dries to a non-transfer finish that is still copper with a lightreflective quality helps to smooth out the eyelid, and paired with a cool dark brown or black tightline and lid liner (on a fair skin) cuts the red and can make blue and green eyes absolutely dazzle like precious stones, finished off with dark or black mascara to further emphasize the whiteness of the eye, enlarging the area and making for some truly stunning make up.

Additionally, based on the undertones of the other colours used in the make up look, your focus colour(in this case, copper) can pull more red, more bronze, or more orange. Taking into consideration your client’s typical colour palette from their clothing to possibly their favourite daily lipstick will help you help them properly navigate how to effectively use copper in their daily life and also for special occasions. The pictures included in this article perfectly showcase how pairing copper with tones that exist in the mutli-dimensional colour can encourage it to appear more alike one of them than the other.

Our minds must be vast record keepers, keenly connecting each detail of our knowledge to create beautiful looks that exceed expectations. Let the power of Copper invigorate you to approach your work with fresh new takes on ideas or comfort levels you may have fallen into. It is the privilege of our craft to be working with colour; something that has existed for eternity but can change our lives every day.

Wield it well.

On this freckled, natural red-head, we paired a shimmering copper with ultra-fine, crushed pearls in the powder with ivory-champagne, dove grey, light mauve, and a neutral chocolate brown. This combination on her skin tone, along with a peach-based blush and blush-nude lips, has resulted in the copper shadow pulling orange, making for the perfect contrast that intensifies the blue in her eyes.

Copper hair is a blend of red and bronze colours and because there is no natural tone, a copper hair dye is needed to achieve it. Copper is one of the most popular red hair colours for women right now. There are different shades of copper hair, including soft strawberry, deep ginger to copper penny. This hue is a slightly darker red compared to auburn hair colour.

“Is it time for a change?”

Picking the right combo will brighten your skin and give life to your tresses.

Red copper hair colour is a rich, bright blend of red and orange/ brown. This shade will flatter fair-to-medium, peach-coloured or golden-toned skin and blue, green or hazel eyes.

Copper hair is primarily comprised of a near equal blend of the primary colours red and yellow, with just a bit of blue.

In hairdressing, colours go by numbers. If Copper has caught your eye and you’re not 100% sure of the serving suggestions, start with this first tip. The colour copper’s number is .4 which means any colour with .4 in its number has a Copper reflect.

There’s a lot to consider. Not only do you need to take into account the price of getting your hair dyed, you also need to consider the maintenance, the perfect shade for your skin tone, and how to adapt your beauty routine to suit your new hue. Of course, there is no right or wrong when it comes to deciding on a new hair colour, but if you want to make a copper hair colour work for you, you’ve come to the right place.

People love copper because it tends to have a subtle golden undertone, but gets a little pop of brightness from the orange. Copper is on the “warmer” side of red since all the components of its base include warm shades like yellow, orange, and gold. … All in all, copper is for everyone.

If there’s anything to take away from copper’s hues is that they are diverse. Some rich, others deep, the occasional auburn hues and some intense as well.

If you not ready to change your hair colour completely, but want to add some drama – copper highlights are a great solution for you.

Of course proper maintenance is a key. Colour safe shampoo and deep conditioning mask are the must haves to create that multi-dimensional shiny depth of the colour. It requires a bit of upkeep and is slightly harder than if you are dark going to blonde. When you’re dark going to blonde, you’re removing all colour molecules from the hair. With red, you have brown molecules incorporated that tend to wash out faster, which is why there’s more maintenance.

Stay beautiful inside and out. xo Anastasia

What colours goes with copper hair?

Here are the best (and unexpected) colours for a redhead’s daily wardrobe:

• GREEN: Green hues look amazing on all redheads; from emerald to teal, these shades are stunning when paired with red hair.
• PURPLE: Remember art class?
• BLUE: Cobalt, navy and light blue are all must have’s.
• RED: add some fire.
• WHITE: perfect base for contrast.

Here are the five things you need to consider before going COPPER.

1. What shade are you thinking of going?
2. Will it work well with your skin tone and eye colour?
3. Are you prepared to change your make-up colour choices?
4. Colour-protecting products will make or break the vibrancy of your colour.
5. Colour-protecting products will make or break the vibrancy of your colour.

COPPER is a classic and fun hair colour… everyone should try it at least once!

Does anyone actually use this phrase anymore? I know it’s an old time saying, but it’s the sentiment behind it that I’m trying to focus on. During this time of a global pandemic, it has been hard to collaborate or get feedback as we normally would in a corporate setting or studio. In the right environment, giving or taking that proverbial penny to share your thoughts and ideas with colleagues tends to open discussions and hopefully sparks further creativity, concepts and conversation. This is where many have struggled as of late during these times of social-distancing and working from home. In what ways can we explore, share thoughts and find inspiration that we all need from time to time when we’re spending so much time alone? Below are a few ideas that I have tried over these long, socially-isolated months that have worked.

“How are you staying CREATIVE”

First off – get outside! Take a walk. Grab your phone and some headphones (or not) and get out. It might be raining and cold, but grab your umbrella and a coat because it’s worth it. Aside from having numerous health benefits, nature inspires us. There are so many things to see and do; watch the clouds moving in the sky, the leaves blowing in the wind or watch the hustle of the city and people going about their daily activities. The shapes, the sounds, the smells – they can all spark inspiration. Use your camera to capture your thoughts and ideas as they arise; record sounds or movie clips; jot some notes down in a notebook – whatever works! Turn up your favourite playlist and gather motivation from the music mixed with the beauty of outside and really focus on seeing more than just what’s right in front of you. For me, being outdoors more during working hours has given me healthier daily rituals, fostered greater creativity and in turn has resulted in increased productivity in my work.

While you’re outside, why not get that heart rate up – and I don’t mean by downing that fifth espresso. Getting some exercise during your work day helps you blow of some steam, enabling you to keep your mind focused. I work in a corporate world and pre-Covid, we would work until lunch, have a quick bite as a group and then be back at it; no other down time, no getting outside and no break from a screen. While working remotely, I’ve decided to make it a priority to take time at lunch to exercise 30 to 45 minutes at day. Some days it’s hard to find the motivation to do so, but I remind myself how much better I feel both mentally and physically after I do. Lately, I’ve been taking my little guy out on his lunch break and while he rides his bike, I run alongside him; like me, he gets some physical activity into his day to stay healthy and I’m also preparing myself to tackle the afternoon. Getting the blood flowing and getting my mind focused on something else for that short period of time has been a game changer for me.

If outside isn’t your thing, there are a bunch of websites I look at when in need. I’ve curated a number of bookmarked sites over the years that I visit frequently. Instagram is a good one for some mindless scrolling; the picture perfect imagery along with some well written captions can be of great inspiration. Searching your normal feed or a specific hashtag can help if you need to be precise. Behance is another great site for motivation. It’s a collection of a number of portfolios from around the world in various media. You can search by any topic or look at ‘Best of Behance’, which is a collection of random artists from day to day. Online magazines like adage. com, layersmagazine.com, and of course, United Colours of Design help as well. A quick search through Issuu can bring up numerous digital magazines that could solve your inspiration woes. While browsing online why not listen to your favourite music; it might be a playlist you have for how you’re feeling that day or just your favourite radio station. Music has a wonderful way of inspiring people and creates vision that may not appear in silence. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, maybe you would prefer to find some quiet time through meditation or being still in a quiet room just as effective.

Of course, there are many other ways of finding inspiration out there, writing, taking pictures, keeping a daily journal and more – it’s just a matter of finding the one that’s right for you. Find the balance of what inspires you and you’ll always have something to keep you creative.

Of course, there are many other ways of finding inspiration out there, writing, taking pictures, keeping a daily journal and more – it’s just a matter of finding the one that’s right for you. Find the balance of what inspires you and you’ll always have something to keep you creative.

Winter is the best time to “explorament” with copper and fresh flowers. (Explorament is explore + experiment according to my seven-year-old daughter.) Metal can seem rather cold in the winter, but the sparkle of coppery metal and its brown/reddish tones can actually feel warm, especially against the backdrop of fresh white snow and scented green cedar and pine, typical of a northern Canadian winter.

The most natural way to bring copper elements into floral design is by using copper coloured containers and pots. There are a myriad of options, and some may already be in your kitchen cupboard. Coffee sized copper mugs (I’m thinking about those Moscow Mules you enjoyed on New Year’s Eve), or even copper candy bowls that are deep enough to double as a vessel for flower arranging. One of my favourite from my own pantry is this vintage copper coloured water pitcher. Round with a smaller neck and wider bottom is perfect for arranging flowers. It is also an ideal height to display on any table and admire from afar (it is about as tall as a milk jug). Also, the reflective and hammered texture will shine in any setting and can suit the most casual to the most formal room. So, whether you re-purpose a copper vessel from your own home, or purchase a new one from your favourite décor shop, you can’t go wrong with a copper container.

It is classic, timeless, and can have many uses around your home. The masculine colour of copper and texture of metal always balances the femininity of any florals or foliage you choose. Luckily, this balance automatically creates an equal contrast, too: hard metal vs. soft flowers, and, shiny surface vs. misty textured petals. The balance and contrast is very pleasing to the eye. It’s probably why you are easily draw to any flower arrangement in a shiny metal container before any other.

The next step in creating this arrangement is selecting the right flower colours to use BEFORE selecting the type of flower. This is a crucial when designing with copper containers. Copper is such a distinct colour, it may be more difficult to find flowers that match. For instance, if you are planning to wear copper coloured pants, you need to select the right colour shirt BEFORE you can select the actual shirt. Make sense? Since copper is a warm brown/ orange/red colour, there are two classic options to choose. First is to select copper’s complementary colour; blue. On the colour wheel, blue is directly across from orange (the colour most resembling copper), therefore blue flowers in a copper container will result in a vibrant, energetic arrangement. The second classic option is to select colours analogous to copper: yellow, red, and brown. These are the colours on either side of orange on a colour wheel, and result in a calming, relaxed arrangement.

“The masculine colour of copper and texture of metal always balances the femininity of any florals or foliage you choose.”

The primary reason we opted for an analogous palette in this arrangement is simple and brings new meaning to “tis’ the season”. The festive holiday season naturally lends itself to images of cedar garlands with red holly, snow covered brown pinecones, and warm wood-burning fireplaces. For a floral designer, the best way to capture that winter scene, is within a copper container.

So, as you take down all that holiday and New Year’s décor, remember there are still a few more months of winter to enjoy “winter floral décor”. Find yourself a copper coloured container, and try a winter arrangement like this. The energy and warmth of copper is always helpful to have near you as you patiently anticipate Spring.

Included in this winter arrangement:

• Bleached pampass grass
• White dogwood branches
• White snapdragons
• Cream riceflowers
• Brown pinecones
• Byrgundy Kangaroo Paws
• Green cedar branches
• Variegated Oregonia leaves

Think of Pride Day parades, the Super Bowl, New York Fashion Week, and other massive events that reach thousands of people annually. The COVID-19 crisis has called their future into question. With the congregation of large groups largely restricted, how will the show – sporting, fashion, trade, music, and the like – go on?

Think of Pride Day parades, the Super Bowl, New York Fashion Week, and other massive events that reach thousands of people annually. The COVID-19 crisis has called their future into question. With the congregation of large groups largely restricted, how will the show – sporting, fashion, trade, music, and the like – go on?

Reflecting on the pre-pandemic realities of event design, the consumption of event entertainment has not changed in centuries. We are a tribal people; emerged from a society that has always been narrative driven, congregating around a campfire and social circles, telling stories and sharing memories. Even as we’ve progressed with industry, architecture, technology and entertainment and ever changing settings and communication channels, the essence is still to come together and share these experiences.

The shared experience is what has always driven – and what I suspect will always drive us – toward live events.

While the pandemic cut off our ability to gather literally overnight, the desire to meet up did not stop. Social distancing is described as the measure we must take to not spread the virus, however, it is a somewhat misleading term. We have come together more actively than ever socially, on Zoom and FaceTime sharing experiences.

“This lock-down period has been a great experimental petri dish for our industry.”

As we continue to gather around this proverbial, digital campfire, we have all become more adaptable as we seek out technologies and technologies seek us out in delivering some wonderful new opportunities. We are constantly reminded that technology is never static, and that some of the most creative periods in human history have come out of extreme situations of stress and duress.

“The only certainty that is out there is change!”

Until groups can occupy venues again, what opportunity is there for people to consume events and entertainment?

Over 20-million viewers tuned into Global Citizen’s One World: Together at Home concert to watch the Rolling Stones and other music powerhouses perform from home with very little production value. While typically live concerts can attract two to three million attendees,that pales in the face of 20-million VIRTUAL viewers soon after the breakout of a world-wide crisis. This April 2020 event was a shining example of how our industry could move forward, even though there is still a long developmental period for digital events to anticipate ahead.

More than 12 million players tuned in for Travis Scott’s ‘Fortnite’ event. That is roughly the same size as the average ‘Monday Night Football’ audience.

One cannot underestimate how we, as human beings, engage in all our senses.

At this stage, you can’t imagine that technology is capable of replicating the feeling that you have attending a summer festival, enjoying the balmy breeze in close proximity of your friends, glass of wine or beer in hand. While the consumption of music in this way may not be perfect, the experience is embellished by the overall environment.

That is where this lock-down period has been a great experimental petri dish for our industry. How much of this new technology and virtual experience that we’ve been forced to discover will stay with us as we move out of this period? And how much will disappear because it just never really fulfilled the overall desire to experience events live?

With tech becoming more readily available, live performances are now happening in empty spaces that are outfitted for digital engagement.

Right now, the production value of these events is in flux, as consuming these virtual events is still a novelty. How important production value will become, once the ability opens to consume events on different platforms — virtual and live — remains to be seen. While the virtual world still has not come up with a design language that does it justice, its designers continue to use visual reference points for building, from the physical world. When we start talking about VR and events and how we can move forward into a future where we mix both remote and live audiences and performers, the landscape starts to get interesting. In fact, I believe we are in the midst of a renaissance on many levels where we’ll see an increasing blurring between the virtual and the real.

The short-term future will rely on the decentralization of events.

While the pre-pandemic event-scape highlighted major venues, the post-pandemic venue will be spread out by different hosts across various countries. Audiences are still there; they just will not be congregating.

Event professionals are having many conversations about the future of this “distributed” event model, driven by the business incentive for holding these events in the first place. The challenge is we now must find the locations that can physically allow for these events. Due to the continued need to physically distance, a lot of the venues coming out of this lockdown will just not be able to cater to the measures that need to be put in place.

At which point in the business model do the arenas, theatres, and stadiums open to a smaller crowd? How can you incorporate the remote audience who would normally go to that event, but cannot?

We are still very bound by the things we know. Surpassing this limitation depends on strategizing how the physical and digital event worlds can be merged.

The generation of consumers that just consume what was given to them has come to an end. People want to participate in virtual and hybrid events and therefore, we need to personalize the shared experiences as the demand for individualism is leading the way. The design world has yet to catch up to the virtual world. However, a new design language will emerge out of this, yet this is clearly not present now. The production value for most events is relatively poor but there is a novelty about it.

There are no constraints in the digital world. What will happen is the digital and live will co-create together. The current technology is communicative rather than genuinely collaborative. This is the struggle for remote designers and this too shall change in time but likely not until 2021.

Virtually Yours,
JC

Have you ever noticed a certain green discolouration on your skin after wearing a piece of jewelry?

Well, that means your piece of jewelry is made out of the metal, copper. You may have seen labels saying that these pieces were “plated” in other metals such as gold or silver. Plating means that the base is made out of copper and coated with another metal. If you don’t take care of your jewelry, this plated layer will wear off eventually and expose the base metal it’s made out of.

The green colour is a result of oxidization and it is not harmful to your health, though some people experience an itchy rash or another sensitive reaction to the metal and may wish to avoid exposure to it. An interesting example of how copper turns green is the Statue of Liberty. The skin of the Statue was dull copper and over the years a green layer called patina was formed due to the exposure to air and weather conditions. The artist intentionally used copper knowing that this iconic statue will change in colour to stand out in shades of green.

There are several ways to prevent future discolouration of your plated jewelry and specifically your copper metal ones. A simple way to do this is by coating your copper jewelry with a lacquer finish (clear nail polish) using a soft paint brush. Another option is to coat the item with a thin layer of beeswax. You should also always keep your copper plated jewelry pieces in plastic bags removing the excess air and sealing it. If you don’t catch it in time, though, don’t worry. A little trick of the trade that I’ve learned over the years is that copper jewellery can easily be cleaned with some lemon juice and warm water.

“Copper jewellery can “ easily be cleaned with lemon juice and warm water.”

Copper is a recyclable metal and can last several generations with reasonable care. It is a durable metal that will not rust over time but rather form a green patina. Because of its pliability and durability, many jewelers prefer crafting their designs out of copper, I personally enjoy working with this metal especially when I came to realize the beautiful colours that come out when copper is exposed to oxygen and fire.

If you’ve ever wondered how to match your copper jewelry with your wardrobe remember that copper jewelry complements mostly all colours on the colour wheel such as peach, sage green, terracotta brown, coral, turquoise, orange and jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire blue, and deep purple. Nowadays, it’s very trendy to mix and match metals, so feel free to enjoy the contrast between the cold tones of silver and the warmer tones of gold with your timeless copper jewelry piece!

One of a kind pieces are available on my website.

One of the most beautiful and unique piece I have created for one of my solo exhibitions back in 2012 was copper made statement necklace. This necklace was inspired by a view from my window of three birds on a branch, I translated this image in my head into a wearable artistic piece and made it out of copper and leather. The process was so interesting, as I had played around with the shades by exposing the metal to fire. What is interesting about copper is that it flares up displaying beautiful colours. The birds got some texture by hammering each one and finally gold leaf-paper was applied to resemble the reflection of light on the feathers. This unique piece traveled the world and landed in Paris, France and now, it is part of a collection owned by a lady that loves and appreciates Art.

Metals have been an integral part of homes and domestic lives since ancient times, first used for tools and then gradually for utilitarian and decorative purposes. Copper gained popularity instantly amongst designers because it offers endless possibilities – it is malleable, ductile and has a very appealing chromatic look. Above all, it has a wide palette ranging from red to brown to green – so it is a unique coloured metal. The best part about copper is that it looks beautiful even after oxidization with its bright green/blue patina layer, giving you the ability to change décor with changed colour.

“Here are some tips on using this beautiful and versatile metal in your homes”

LIGHTING

Lighting is both functional and aesthetic, it illuminates the space and also adds the design element almost instantly. Copper looks best when used as pendants or contemporary chandeliers in the finish ranging from shiny and raw, to a natural or heavy patina. Whether you have a light colour palette or one that is dark and moody, copper lighting can add a soft touch of colour and glamour (if used as shiny) and rustic (if used as matte and patina). Mixing metals is a big trend and one example is this powder room design with brass pendants (which is made with copper and zinc), nickel frame mirror and chrome faucet. Keep the colour palette neutral and earthy when following this trend so that different colour metals can act as accent.

HOME DÉCOR

This is the easiest when it comes to switching up the look of a space. Whether you are a DIY’er or prefer to shop for premade, with the seasons, you can blend in the home accessories by switching up pillows, coffee table & mantle décor, throws, dining table centerpieces, console décor etc. The possibilities are endless. Copper planters beautifully accentuate greens, copper accent pillows look beautiful paired with a deep gray sofa as well as a white or light coloured sofa, copper utensils look elegant and timeless whether kept on a dark countertop or white. You basically just can’t go wrong when playing with copper home accents. This metal makes everything look good.

ACCENT WALLS & WALL TREATMENTS

Whether using a patinated copper or original, green becomes an obvious colour choice to pair. Think of creating an indoor garden with copper cladded walls, big beautiful green plants in the front, water cascading from the copper wall making the soft metal sound, white pebble rocks on the floor- it’s glamorous and serene the same time!

Did you know that copper is considered a sterile and hygenic material? Harmful microbes die after just a few hours of habituating on copper, coming in contact with its surface! And that makes it ideal for using as a backsplash and countertop in your kitchens.

Connecting times and tying the spaces, copper has been going strong and has never gone ‘out of style’. Consider giving it a shot as a subtle backdrop, an accent or a bold artefact or a combo thereof in your upcoming space planning project.

“Where do you get the inspiration for your paintings from?”

It’s a question I have been asked often. I think the answer lies along the quest rather than at a destination. This journey sometimes leads me inwards, and then the painting is a snapshot of my mind at that moment.

At times I find it in the landscapes that surround us. And then there are days when I find nuggets of inspiration on display.

It was a beautiful Autumn day when I accompanied my daughter Juilee on a visit to the Art Gallery of Guelph. It was only through pure serendipity that I found the inspiration I was looking for. The installation on display, What is Left (2015), was by the artist Tsema. It belonged to the exhibition Grounding, curated by Maya Wilson, the recipient of the 2020 Middlebrook Prize for Young Canadian Curators.

In What is Left, melted coins resembling natural copper nuggets suggested the transformation of the metal back to its natural state and away from its use as a material commodity. Copper being a grounding element connecting us to Mother Earth. As an energy conductor, it integrates change. What a fascinating concept!

On our way back home, the glowing leaves on trees seemed to echo this natural cycle of nature. Being a visual artist, these literal nuggets of inspiration find their way onto my canvases in a flurry of creative energy. Inspiration leads to creation, and a series “Copper Musings” is born.

My mandate at Blue Amber Arts is to add a unique value to everyday living. Transformed into art decor, attire and accessories, these paintings can be presented as aesthetically pleasing, tangible, and healing experiences. The presence of online Print on Demand services have made this possible without the need of having to possess an inventory. Wood panels, soft silks and ethereal chiffons, velveteen, sturdy canvases…the possibilities are endless.

That brings us to the “last but not the least” area of marketing. Social media presence is a boon for creatives to get a message across, and it invites a wider audience to share their vision. User friendly programs like Canva and Pic Monkey can create beautifully effective posts in a jiffy.

Thus another cycle of Inspire/ Create/ Share is set in motion with these Copper Musings!

I was first issued in 1876

My production moved to Canada in 1908
My shape changed from round to 12 sided from 1982 to 1996
My composition changed 2 times; in 1997 and 2000
My outside design changed 5 times
My peak production was 1.26 billion in 2006
My last production was on May 4, 2012
I was removed from distribution on Feb 4, 2013
What am I?

Did you know that the original Canadian penny contained at least 95.5% copper and that an 1870 penny would be worth about 31 cents today, adjusted for inflation? And by 2012 it cost the government 1.6 cents to produce a penny, so by canceling its production, they saved over $11 million in 2013? And finally, did you know that in 1936 three “dot cent” prototypes were produced and are so rare that they are estimated to be worth over $400,000.00 today (Schwartz, 2013)?

Did you know that the original Canadian penny contained at least 95.5% copper and that an 1870 penny would be worth about 31 cents today, adjusted for inflation? And by 2012 it cost the government 1.6 cents to produce a penny, so by canceling its production, they saved over $11 million in 2013? And finally, did you know that in 1936 three “dot cent” prototypes were produced and are so rare that they are estimated to be worth over $400,000.00 today (Schwartz, 2013)?

It’s time to calculate your net worth

Let’s start the New Year by calculating your worth in dollars; other stuff is nice and it makes you feel good but you need a benchmark. You need a line in the sand or at least a starting point so that you can compare yourself to yourself one year from now when you do it again. Dave Ramsey—America’s trusted voice on money and business—says that, “You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.”

Where to start?

When it comes to calculating your net worth, don’t compare yourself to others; compare yourself to yourself. This is about knowing your starting point, planning to improve your personal best, and measuring your net worth at the beginning of each new year. If you’ve never done it before, let’s do it right now – 2021 is your year to start a healthy new financial pattern!

“You must gain control over your money or the lack of it will forever control you.”

Dave Ramsey, Money Management Expert

Your first net worth calculation

Your net worth is based on the following standard equation and I’m going to take you through each variable one by one. So grab a scrap piece of paper or open a separate window to gather the following numbers and add them up.

ASSETS – LIABILITIES + INCOME – EXPENSES

So what? Now what?

So now that we’ve gathered the numbers for your assets, liabilities, income, and expenses, plug them in and what is the magic number? What you do with that number next is up to you. If you want to engage the services of a financial advisor or an accountant, your net worth and the breakdown of assets, liabilities, income, and expenses is going to be the first information they will collect from you so they can help you manage your finances.

Net-worth and a growth mindset

Motivational speaker and ex NFL football player Trent Shelton famously said, “You accepted less because you thought a little was better than nothing. Know your worth.” 2021 is a perfect time for you to explore what you have to offer, tap into your greatest asset, and grow your net worth!

Five ways to increase your income:

• Work more hours
• Add a product or an additional service
• Create an online course or a workshop
• Become a business owner and hire someone at a lower cost to do some or all of the work
• Specialize your products and/or services and increase your rate.

I want to leave you with this… this article begins with the journey of the Canadian penny and how its value changed over time. Also remember how those three pennies produced in 1936 are now worth around $400,000.00 because they are unique. It’s 2021—a fresh new year—I challenge you to tap into your greatest asset and explore how to specialize your offerings because that is where you will discover the full potential of your net worth!

ASSETS:

Assets are things that have value and can be sold or converted to dollars – what is the total value of all your assets?

Here are some examples of assets:

Business • Real Estate • Investments • Insurance • Jewelry

**Did you know that your biggest asset is YOU and your ability to earn income? We will address that in the Income section!

LIABILITIES

Liabilities are money that you owe – what is the total of all your outstanding loans?

Here are some examples of liabilities:

Mortgage • Car & Student Loans • Line of Credit • Credit Card Balances

INCOME

Income is the total of all monies received on a regular basis in exchange for products or services or dividends earned from investments. Here’s the official calculation for income: rate hours worked or products units sold. What is your annual income?

Here are some examples of income:

Work salary • Paid invoices from services provided • Income from side gig Payments from affiliate programs you belong to

Do you know how much income you will earn in the long run? The following table illustrates how you can find yourself earning well into six figures by the time you are 65

Amount you can earn by the time you are 65 based on today’s annual income

Annual Income
$50,000
$90,000
$150,000

At Age 25
$3,370,128
$3,370,128
$10,110,383

At Age 35
$2,195,135
$3,951,243
$6,585,405

At Age 45
$1,277,233
$2,299,019
$3,831,699

Based on your current annual income and assuming a 2.5% increase each year.

As your number one asset, if you are currently 45 years old, earning 50,000 dollars per year, you will find yourself with over 1.2 million dollars by the time you are 65… assuming a 2.5% increase each year. Now is a good time to remind you that it’s not always about how much you make, rather how you choose to spend it. We touched on that subject in the previous issue (Black).

Remember I mentioned that your ability to earn income is your biggest asset? Well, it’s also the asset that is the quickest and easiest to grow, and that’s something to get excited about! We will address this after you’ve finished calculating your expenses and current net worth.

EXPENSES

Expenses are the cost required for regular products or and other miscellaneous goods and services – what is the total of all your expenses?

Here are some examples of expenses:

Rent or mortgage payments • Utility bills • Daycare, food, and clothing for children • Gas and car payments • Cable, Wifi, and cell phone bills

Happy 2021 beautiful UCoD readers!

2020 is finally completed! Phew… are you relieved? As a humanity… we can say “We DID it”!

When my fabulous editor Amy told me that COPPER was this first quarter’s colour… I dug deeper to find the significance of this colour… and I got some major chills… or as I like to call them… ‘truth bumps’

From spirit and intuition… ‘Copper’ is muddy. Taking on a Mentor/Coach is a powerful way to help sift through the mud to help you find YOUR truth.

Do you find that when you hear something that completely resonates with you, you experience this ‘goose flesh’ too?

DIG DEEP: As a coach, one way I reveal ‘truth’ is through my body… making me ‘clairsentient’. I do experience ‘truth’ somatically. Do you have this ability too?

As a coach, one way I reveal ‘truth’ is through my body… making me ‘clairsentient’. I do experience ‘truth’ somatically. Do you have this ability too?

Before embarking on a journey to your heart & soul, this voice is actually a very loud voice that can drown out your authentic voice… the voice of your heart & soul.

Before embarking on a journey to your heart & soul, this voice is actually a very loud voice that can drown out your authentic voice… the voice of your heart & soul.

In time, this voice is ‘aligned & authentic’ and FULLY self-expressed. It does get louder and it does not hold back for fear of being judged. It’s the voice that has the courage to break free… that has us say: “I GOTTA BE ME”!

Which voice are you driven by? Can you even tell the difference between the voice of your ego & the voice of your soul?

Building your life around YOUR truth… the truth of YOUR heart & soul is ultimately what will bring you true joy… ‘heaven-on-earth’.

Trust me… I see it ALL the time.

CLEAR THE WAY: I lived it up front & personal; I buried myself to escape living to look good to my parents & the world as a health care professional & then a corporate pharma ROCKSTAR.

Not listening to MY truth as I was SO driven to people please & look good actually triggered depression, anxiety, panic disorder, addictions big & small, and adult bullying (what can happen when we in essence, live ‘out of alignment’, with a ‘kick me’ sign on our back).

Fortunately I had a ‘blessed breakdown’ in my last 2 years of my 20 years of my corporate facade. It was the catalyst that forced me to leave as my inner voice of truth was SO drowned that I was forced into that dark space for 2 years as the ONLY way that I could EVER leave my 6 figure award winning corporate ‘ROCKSTAR’ (she says in jest) existence.

When I left… and started practicing the holistic system that I was divinely gifted with… that helped me get aligned & authentic & FULLY self expressed, I became a pro jazz artist at the age of 51. I went on to perform & record with Juno award winning artists on world-class jazz stages. More importantly my jazz voice turned into a sound healer’s voice.

REVEAL YOUR TRUTH: I believe that when each of us does our inner work to heal & connect with OUR truth… and live as we were born to live…it COULD truly be ‘heaven on earth’.

I believe that when each of us does our inner work to heal & connect with OUR truth… and live as we were born to live…it COULD truly be ‘heaven on earth’.

SO much of the stress & strife on our planet is caused by humanity living out of alignment…in ‘survival’ not in ‘thrival’ mode.

I’m here to help turn that around through the support of the system that saved my life at my rock bottom.

This antidote to inauthentic/ego led living has actually become a beautiful movement led by my beloved team of Lightworker leaders globally, who wish to serve & support others’ journeys…very affordably in community (yes, 1:1 coaching is a deeper investment).

Join our Facebook Group to learn more about the beautiful : ‘The Love Your Vibe Movement’!

You can also book a ‘Miracle Life Breakthrough Call’ if you are open to a deeper 1:1 container of support (Life, Biz & Legacy) with me…a powerful & intuitive…loving yet kickass, ‘Miracle Mindset CoacHealer’…as I feel we all need to heal before we can move forward into our brilliant future.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to live YOUR truth…and to live the life of YOUR dreams… not your parent’s or society’s .  E.V. Hopper”

If someone had told me that a Pandemic would have answered many of my wishes, I can’t say that I would have believed it. If you had told that I would receive a vision that would change my entire plan, I would have rolled my eyes in disbelief. Nothing could have prepared me for the major evolution that my life was about to take.

Most of my life, I have been alone. Not lonely, don’t get me wrong, but alone. I have always yearned to be a part of something that really mattered and would create massive impact on the state of humanity. Even as a small child, I knew that I was a part of something cosmic, something much bigger and that there was bigger plan for me, which is probably the reason that my aloneness, did not lead to excruciating loneliness.

I realized early on there was something different about me, that I had some “gifts”. One of the words I have heard my entire life was “intimidating”. I heard it from friends, men, business colleagues and even strangers. I had learned to hate that word and it took me a long time to see this as my strength. I realized that it is amazing that I can stand in my strengths and feel confident about it. I learned that people that were not able to stand in their strength “yet”, were the ones that found me intimidating.

“Magic does exist and wishes do come true! You knew that as a young child, re-ignite that belief in you now!”

Ok back to the pandemic. It slowed my hypnotherapy & coaching practice considerably. I was a little concerned because it was my only source of income. I chose to look at it as a sabbatical and took some time for me. I allowed myself to simply be and put my faith in what will be.

I was meditating one day, a few weeks into COVID, and I quite literally and magically felt myself pulled from my body. I had never experienced anything like this before. I was very conscious of this happening to me and it was swift. I barely had a chance to acknowledge what was happening fully when I found myself standing on a field, in front of thousands of people, who were all dressed in white, on golden yoga mats. I was standing behind a microphone, inside this other version of myself, looking through these other eyes. It was freaky and fascinating.

I barely had time to adjust or understand what was happening when I heard a voice speak into my ear saying, “Ayse, look right”. I turned these other eyes to the right, and saw the most beautiful campus, many old buildings with a powerful energy pulsing all around it like a heartbeat I don’t even know how I knew it was a campus. There was a message delivered to me instantly about what I must do when I returned, but with no indication as to how I was to do it. Just as swiftly as I had arrived, I was brought back. It was like no time had passed, although, I had been there for quite some time. I came back with questions and a divine mission. I had to build an academy that focused on community and collaboration.

I was in disbelief for many reasons. Of all the people in the world, why was I chosen for this mission? I knew this was my purpose, my reason for being. I went to work, pulling on every resource, capability, skillset and tool I had, and somehow gathered over 100 passionate faculty created a council and share my vision. I knew that this was the answer to my prayers.

Since the vision, I am so filled with BIG LOVE and connection with others that I can barely contain my joy. Never alone again and I my vision exactly. I cannot explain the feeling of knowing that you are fulfilling your soul destiny. All my fears about life have simply dropped away. I really believe that when I was sent back from the vision, my fears were healed.

I have an important message for you in what I am sharing. Remain grounded in the belief of yourself and that there is something more powerful than you. Allow yourself to surrender, listen and receive the messages that are meant for you. Like a copper wire, become the conduit and amplify that message as far as you can. Keep your AUSM energy flowing for the goodness of humanity. Don’t be afraid to be the you that you were meant to be, because it is time to step into your self-mastery!! Magic does exist and wishes do come true! You knew that as a young child, re-ignite that belief in you now!

Embrace what makes you DIFFERENT CHEMISTRY + MAGIC = YOU

Whenever I get to the ‘Your Difference’ section of my signature process called Brand Camp, I can feel the energy change. My clients get uncomfortable, embarrassed and modest. A whole pile of limiting beliefs rear their ugly head.

“I’m not that special.”
“Being different is a bad thing.”
“I’m not good enough.”
“How could I possibly stand out in my industry.”

These are things we’ve heard or felt many times in our life, from school, to work, to relationships and so on.

“The Magic is in what other people say about you”

We spend so much of our time trying not to stand out, that we forget or hide what makes us special. What makes us special is why people love us and work with us. So why do we try to blend in rather than stand out? Because standing out can be a scary place. As soon as you have a different way of doing things, a different opinion, or shine too bright, you open yourself up to judgment. And people can be horrible (just read the comments on any story in the news or social media).

We can play it safe and hope that no one notices us, we can look and act just like the other businesses in our field, or we can tap into our secret sauce and show up wholly as ourselves in our businesses.

The biggest challenge with figuring out what makes you different is you. You are too close to yourself and your business to be objective and see what other people see.

I met a woman at an event just over a year ago and there was an exercise where we had to spend 10 minutes talking to the person next to us about what we do and then we each had to interpret back to our partner our perception of them and what they do.

My initial thought was, how could someone possibly get to know me well enough to give an insightful response. However, after 5 minutes of sharing what I do, my partner Patty said: “You see deep into people souls, pull out the best of them and then put it into words and visuals.”

I will never forget this moment and how it made me realize that while there is a lot of chemistry in the work I do, there is also a whole lot of magic.

Since then, I’ve explored this even deeper and came to the realization that there are 3 key things are that make you different. They are your head, your heart and your personality.

Your head is the part that shares your knowledge, experience, creativity, process and ideas. It’s what makes you REALLY good at what you do.

Your heart is the part that shares your values, passion and your purpose. Letting people know WHY you do what you do and the impact you want to have, will give them deep insights into what drives you.

And last but definitely not least, your personality is what magnetizes the right people to you. It can also repel the wrong people and that’s okay! Letting your true personality shine allows you to create a business and brand that deeply aligns with you.

It’s time to stand out, be different and stand for something. Remember, there’s magic in what other people say about you. So what are people saying about you?

 As creatives, there are times when your muse does not turn up. Periods of time when you feel stuck and no matter how hard you work, not a single creative idea is forthcoming. Those times are the perfect opportunity to consult with your shadow self to analyze why you are staring at the blank page, unable to produce a single word or image.

Chances are, your soul has been trying to get your attention, trying to coach you towards a new direction, perhaps a new beginning or a life based on bliss; and you have missed the signposts to transform aspects of your life for the longest time!

Eventually, your soul invites your shadow in to help get your attention, often resulting in your shadow hitting the creative pause button so firmly that you end up feeling stuck in the mud.

In your shadow analysis, there are two specific copper patterns of behaviour you can identify and transform to get creative again; being celibate and unconscious passive aggressive habits.

“Use Copper to Release Limiting Vows”

What does being celibate have to do with your creativity drying up? It so happens that the energy of creativity is linked to the energy of sexuality, sensuality, intimacy, commitment and sharing love with a partner. If you are isolating yourself from love, you will eventually be separated from your creative muse. If you cannot commit to love, you will struggle to commit fully to your projects. Sex can amplify your creativity. As you open up to more intimacy, passion and love, automatically new ideas and successes will manifest.

Copper in its light aspect is a message from your soul to remind you that you did not come to this planet to be alone, lonely and unloved. You were meant to enjoy your body, feel love, give love and receive love. The frequency of copper will help you release old limiting religious vows of chastity and obedience relating to past lives. This is important spiritual work to do as the chastity vow included the vow of poverty. When you release those vows, both love and creativity will begin to flow again – bringing with it more money!

“Copper teaches you how to be responsible with your Anger”

The more difficult copper shadow pattern to master, is being fully aware of your anger. How you express or suppress your frustrations has a direct impact on your ability to succeed as a creative. When you practice passive aggressive behaviour, you may be perceived by potential clients as being untruthful or lack transparency. To attract more clients and grow your creative business, set an intention to speak your feelings more often.

Instead of going underground with your feelings, let people know in an appropriate way how they are annoying you or making you angry.

You may think that by being polite and not saying how you feel in the moment, that you are avoiding confrontation and the feelings will go away over time. What is actually happening is that the feeling you had and trying to avoid dealing with, amplifies when you fail to express it. Suppressing those angry feelings transports the energy to your unconscious mind, where it grows and waits until it can be expressed at some point in time. Because your shadow has guardianship of your unconscious, it has carte-blanche to release the pent up anger to whomever and whenever it feels like doing it. Often the release happens when you are driving and road rage occurs spontaneously, leaving you wondering why you had such an intense reaction to the driver cutting you off in your lane. Another favourite of your shadow, is to make you late for appointments, deadlines and commitments – often to the very people who annoyed you the most. Unknowingly you are getting back at them through the stored, now unconscious energy for how they previously made you feel. You being late annoys them, gets them angry, gets their blood pressure up, it can even give them headaches. Know though, that the energy intensifies while it travels and has to return to source and the headache your shadow sent out, returns to you as a migraine!

Copper teaches you how to be responsible with your anger, to always say how you feel in the moment as kindly as you can. Once felt, acknowledged and expressed, anger is transmuted and cannot go underground where it can cause havoc in your business. Healthy expression of anger and frustration frees up your energy to connect with your muse and get doing what you do best, create!

DEEP BLACK: Every cycle of growth has a beginning, middle and  an end. You tend to use the ‘I Know’ defense to learning more when you are at the end of a cycle, the top of your game. So this becomes a  two edged sword; you are acclaimed as having achieved top level success, however your arrogant ‘I know it all already’, is keeping you from the information you need for a new beginning in the next cycle of your personal, financial, business and spiritual evolution. 

Your fears that you may not be good enough to step up to the next level, or that you will have to switch from being the big fish in your pond to the little vulnerable fish in the unfamiliar bigger pond, has you resisting with ‘I know more than you’ to stay both safe and admired.

Your fears that you may not be good enough to step up to the next level, or that you will have to switch from being the big fish in your pond to the little vulnerable fish in the unfamiliar bigger pond, has you resisting with ‘I know more than you’ to stay both safe and admired.

COPPER: Vows of celibacy and poverty were used by organized institutional systems to enforce guilt if you enjoyed your body or wealth. Money and sex were perceived as human evils, abstaining from sexual activity and money meant you were considered to be a pure spiritual being. Sex and money served humans, purity served God.

Your judgments that the work you do is pure and money is not, has you limiting your ability to make a difference in your community. Depleting your resources by not charging your value or limiting sexual passion, is not serving anyone except your shadow that wants you to make sacrifices to feel accepted.

When you deny yourself joy through money and sex you have cut off your connection to your creative centre. Having fun with money and sex will activate your creative centre and reconnect your thinking and feeling body to once again allow you to be the inspirational genius you know you can be.

When you deny yourself joy through money and sex you have cut off your connection to your creative centre. Having fun with money and sex will activate your creative centre and reconnect your thinking and feeling body to once again allow you to be the inspirational genius you know you can be.

PALE COPPER: You are using indirect behaviour to express your anger in the use of subtle insults, moodiness, stubbornness, arriving late, forgetfulness, misplacing items and not finishing jobs.

Withholding intimacy, sex and open communication has you set on a path to sabotage your relationship. Your partner may or may not be the person that originally offended you, however there were instances in your past where you failed to express your opinion or needs in the moment and they are now conveniently placed to be at the receiving end of your passive punishment.

You are not completing the courses or projects you committed to do and will find someone else to blame as the interference or perceived block to you moving forward instead of looking at your repressed emotions as the cause.

This behaviour may not spill blood, however it does increase the blood pressure, stress levels and headaches for the person to whom you are directing your displaced emotions towards. Become aware of and transform this pattern fast, as what you send out energetically has to return to its source – you – and when it does your passive anger will have amplified and multiplied in force. You will get back more than a headache.

By the end of 2020, 45% of the Canadian workforce will be self-employed individuals, such as independent contractors, freelancers, and on-demand workers. With almost 19 million people working in Canada today, which means the population of Toronto and Montreal combined will be self-employed by the end of the year. Half of those individuals are becoming entrepreneurs to achieve a meaningful work-life balance and only some will open a side business to increase their income.

No matter what the motivation might be, all the business owners are legally required to register their Startups.

Starting a business creates a wonderful feeling, but whether you left a full-time job for this Startup, or you are still working other day jobs, it is important to understand the legal aspects of the business and their practical application.

10 MUST-DO STEPS to start a successful business!

1. Select your business structure : The first requirement to meet as a business owner is to choose the legal structure of your entity. The three most common business structures are sole proprietorship, partnership, and incorporation. There are pros and cons for each type of business. If you will be operating your Startup as a sole proprietorship, you will enjoy the simplicity of setting it up and maintaining it and a basic tax structure. A partnership provides partners with greater control over how the partnership is governed, the profits shared, and a plain structure for financial management. If you choose to incorporate, there are many means to optimize tax planning, such as income splitting, dividend sprinkling, and lifetime capital gains exemption. Business owners generally have some initial idea on what type of business they want to open, but it is advisable to seek professional advice on the right structure for the specific business. Some factors to consider are your special circumstances, the costs involved, corporate complexity, and tax benefits.
2. Select the name : When you carefully choose your business name, you need to conduct a name search to ensure that the name is not taken by other companies. Once you have decided on the business name and structure, you need to register your business name with the provincial or federal government. Your Startup will be ineligible to operate without the name registration. After you register the name, you will receive a business license and a business number.
3. Obtain licences & Permits : Certain companies require additional licensing to operate. Depending on the nature of your activity, you may need to apply for a business license at the federal, provincial, or municipal level to carry on commercial activity. In Ontario, the provincial government places some name restrictions on businesses and every entrepreneur needs to consider these limitations when naming their Startup. In some cases, you may be required to obtain a specific license or permit to be allowed to operate the chosen commercial activity depending on the industry you work in and your business location. You must inquire at your local municipality if your business requires additional municipal, provincial, or federal licenses or permits.
4. Register your Startup : Startups are required to register with the tax authorities within the federal and provincial governments for the appropriate taxes to be collected, reported, and remitted. The most common registration is for the Goods and Services Tax/ Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) which will allow your business to charge these taxes. If you have employees, you need to register for a payroll account and deduct the income tax from paid wages, Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance premiums and submit these deductions to Canada Revenue Agency.
5. Get business insurance : It is also recommended that you purchase business insurance to protect your Startup from other potential risks. Some common business insurance options include general liability insurance, commercial liability insurance, product liability insurance, commercial property insurance, business interruption, and disability insurance.
6. Open a bank account : Whether you are operating through a corporation or sole proprietorship, you should open a business account separating your personal and business finances before you start collecting payments from your customers. You may open an additional tax account to hold the HST you collect from your clients.
7. Find business funding : Funding can be a major challenge when starting your business. Some owners can fund their businesses out of their own pockets, however, most Startups need capital from other sources to get started. You should ponder all your options for instance debt financing, sharing equity, and government grants. Make sure you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each financing option, including your specific legal rights and obligations.
8. Set up your contracts : After your business is formed, you will require business contracts with suppliers, distributors, and service providers. In the event you are selling goods or services, you will need a service agreement, supply agreement, distributor agreement, sales agreement, and licensing agreement. Entrepreneurs selling goods and services without a written agreement should know that they are forming an oral contract with no written terms. In this case, it will then be left up to the judge and case law to solve any potential disputes. A written contract will clearly convey the rights and obligations you and your customers have, which is a must in the business realm.
9. Lease your space : If you need commercial space, a real estate agent can help you obtain the prime location for your business. You need a professionally written commercial lease. Landlords routinely present their own standard commercial leases to prospective tenants. But you need to carefully consider and negotiate all the lease’s terms, including your rights and obligations. Many clients come to me after they signed a lease and faced difficulties in amending its terms which were not as favorable as they initially thought.
10. Protect your brand: For some Startups, intellectual property is the main or the only asset. Devoting time, effort, and capital to create an innovative product justifies the investment required to protect it. The lawsuits for the groundbreaking works being copied by competitors are countless. Think about what intellectual property you have created, and how you can safeguard it through trademark, copyright, and patent protection.

BONUS! Consult a professional: To make sure you understand all the legal aspects of a Startup, it is always a good idea to consult professionals for advice. Consider meeting with both a lawyer and an accountant to make sure that your business is legally and financially sound before the grand opening.

Do your contracts give you the right to temporarily lay people off? If not, you risk a constructive dismissal claim if you impose temporary layoffs, even during a pandemic.

Do you use contracts for every employee, with a termination clause that has been approved by an Employment Lawyer recently? If not, it may not be worth the paper it is printed on.

And if you have employees sign their contracts on their first day of work, it is unlikely to be enforceable.

Employment laws are designed to protect the rights of employees. You may not realize it, but all of your employees have contracts; however, unless there is one in writing, they have a verbal contract comprised of the terms that you discussed, such as position and compensation, and a bunch of other terms that will be implied by law to protect the employee.

Employment contracts are the best way to strengthen your legal position as an employer. When done property, they can help reduce your labour costs and give you more flexibility.

The problem is that most employers don’t take the time to implement contracts strategically, because they don’t think of their employment relationships as legal relationships. We are usually asked to help our clients implement strong contracts after they have suffered the consequences of failing to do so in the past. That can be a costly lesson.

In recent years, there have been hundreds of court challenges to contracts of employment, and in many cases, the contracts have been found to be null and void. Even in the past few months, we have seen several significant judicial decisions assessing termination clauses, with the end result that many current termination clauses are probably not enforceable.

The most common mistake is to have the employee sign the contract at the time they commence their employment, or even later on. At that time, there is already a verbal agreement in place and it is tricky to replace it with a new one that is drafted for the benefit of the employer.

The other common mistake is drafting the termination clause in a way that is either ambiguous or creates the potential, albeit narrow, to breach the employment standards legislation. For example, you may not provide benefits currently, but if your termination clause does not say that any benefits that the employee receives at the time of termination will continue, it will be offside.

In a very recent case, the Ontario Court of Appeal held that if you dismiss an employee without cause, and your termination without cause provision in the Employment Contract is perfectly enforceable, you may still be out of luck because your termination for cause provision is void – even though you are not dismissing them for cause. As a result, you may be liable for exponentially more severance than you think.

And although you may think that your severability clause will protect you, the court held that severability clauses cannot be used to “save” illegal clauses in a contract.

What about existing employees?

Once our clients understand that all new hires should sign a contract, they ask what to do about existing employees that do not have a contract. While some are tempted to simply put a new contract in front of them and tell them to sign, we always remind our clients that the test is not whether or not the employee signs, it is whether the contract will be enforceable if and when it is challenged.

We work with our clients to ensure that it will be, which involves providing either consideration or notice (which can be extensive). Promotions and salary increases are great opportunities to have employees sign new contracts.

The Bottom Line

Employers can reduce their labour costs, maximize their rights, and even reduce legal fees by avoiding uncertainty, all through the use of strategic contracts. This can save you tens of thousands of dollars, usually at a time when you need to cut your costs. It can also give you more rights than you will otherwise have. A simple example: a dismissal without an enforceable termination clause could require two years of severance. With a termination clause, it could be as little as eight weeks.

“Employment contracts are the best way to strengthen your legal position”

When I think of copper, I think of pennies.

“Save your pennies for a rainy day.” — How many of us heard that expression growing up?

Is there any importance today in an old proverb such as this? And how is this possible when I am running a business that seems to be feast or famine? How much of this money is mine between taxes, HST, invoices and accounts receivable? I love the proverb, but how realistic is this in today’s world?

The more you know how to manage those “pennies”, the more you will have at the end of the day.

Business isn’t always predictable. But when you learn how to manage your money, you can feel secure during a rainy day — or splurge when you want to! (Your choice!)

Understand your numbers so you can increase your profitability. SUSTAINABLE, PROFITABLE BUSINESS

Copper is an energy conductor, and energy flows where focus goes. To get what we really want in life, we need to have a clear goal that has purpose and meaning behind it. As an example, one of my goals is to have a sustainable and profitable business so that I can service and help people for the next 3 decades. When you become focused and obsessed about your goal, amazing things will happen and your penny pile will grow!

Not only is copper a conductor, it has sustainability, it corrodes slowly, meaning, we want to build a sustainable business that lasts. Build your business with the longevity and energy of copper.

Not only is copper a conductor, it has sustainability, it corrodes slowly, meaning, we want to build a sustainable business that lasts. Build your business with the longevity and energy of copper.

5 TIPS

1. Build a business plan : I hear you, “Sigh, why do we always have to do this?” Because what we measure grows. Where focus goes, energy flows! Write your business plan for YOURSELF!!

We want to have a business plan laid out to ensure:

– What are the costs of our goods or services?

– Are we profitable?

• What are our overhead costs?
• How can we create a buffer for error?
• How can we create some retained earnings for future growth?

I’ve designed a simple template that will set the framework for anyone who wants to start a business, to an established business owner who has been running their business for quite some time. Every business owner needs a template to model out costing and to model out growth.

2. Revenue – Expenses = Profit :

There are 2 kinds of expenses:

Cost (implies a return on money spent)
Waste (implies no return on money spent)

Cost is an expenditure where there is a return. “The cost of doing business.”
Waste is an expenditure with no return. “Lavish employee perks drain the bank account.” $1,000-$350=$650 Remember this model, how much of the $350 is used to make money

3. Profit Margin = Percentage of Revenue

Stay inspired by the impact and ripple effect you want to create — AND do the simple math to make sure you’re actually making money. When your business isn’t generating a healthy profit, you aren’t actually able to serve people. In this example, each time an item is sold, this business owner will make 65% profit. Establish your profit margin.

Your package, service or product is priced at $1,000. Your overhead is $350. The remaining profit is $650. An annual goal $100,000 in sales, less $35,000 in expenses = $65,000 profit.

Now let’s take this a step further and create a ratio model to retain some earnings and organize a steady pay cheque.

4. Ratio model :

Retained earnings is the money left over in your company after all expenses have been paid (net profit). They can be used for cash savings, paying down debt or reinvesting back into the company to make it grow.

Once there is a cash flow, how do I create retained earnings? Money coming in and out can be confusing. What is mine? What is owed to bills? Do I have profit? This is all too confusing. Build this ratio model and the confusion will end.

Here is a ratio model to follow: 40/35/25

(Keeping with our example from step 3) Build a monthly excel spreadsheet where all your numbers are summarized into these categories:

40% Owner Revenue
35% Overhead (Cost to do business)
25% Retained Earnings

$100,000 ($40,000 to owner, $35,000 to overhead and $25,000 to retained earnings) Instead of having 65% profit and 35% overhead, we want to split the 65% to retain some earnings. You can work with whichever amount works with you to start. BUT DO START NOW. Even if it is 10%.

5. Retained Earnings and Personal Savings:

By working with a ratio model, savings will occur. If you do not see retained earnings, review step 1-4 and increase your prices if need be.

There is no sense in running your business, if no wealth is accumulating. Business is not only about serving, it is about growth and profits. Once this nest eggs starts, some of these retained earnings can be transferred to your own personal RRSP or TFSA. Always take chips off the table. Keeping all your money in your business puts the owner at risk.

Building this discipline creates an automatic CFO template. Once you understand the numbers, you can increase your profitability and net worth. There is a cost to doing business. We need to factor in overheads and retained earnings when pricing contracts or products for sale.

Be a conductor, do not erode yourself: Build a Sustainable Profitable Business.

TIMELINE FOR FORECAST: Happy New Year! January, February, March 2021
COLOUR FOCUS: Copper
NUMEROLOGY: 2021 = Number 5 Year,
RULING PLANET: Mercury, Green, New Space.

2021 Theme of this Year is a Push & Pull Energy .Try not to fight it, go with the flow and take one day at a time. January starts off with a lovely configuration of Venus, Moon, and Mars in fire so people are hopeful, with a ‘ready let’s go’ attitude. With Jupiter and Saturn conjunct in Aquarius since mid-December we should start seeing a shift in human consciousness for the better. Are you doing what you love? Number “21 The Key”, gold colour of wisdom and yellow for what brings you joy and healing in the solar plexus. Ask yourself these questions: are you living in fear? Are you with “the one you truly love”? Are you now making money from what brings you self-fulfillment instead of just existing at a job to pay bills? I hope not!

Mars will transit into Taurus January 6th giving us more earthy energy and the fire has gone out. Our thoughts are calmer, there is a warm sensual loving energy and it’s very happy here. January 13th New Moon emotions in Capricorn conjunct with Pluto death. This could bring us into deep dark thoughts about these new beginnings and just because it’s new we could doubt our decisions. When this comes up, look back at how far we have come and a ray of sunshine will come in. Put on your brightest green hat or orange and yellow scarf and have some fun with colour in the few days before and after this day. Venus in Capricorn from January 8th till February 1st with Mars in Taurus they are in love, getting along nicely all month long, which is good for male/female relationships. With Uranus squaring Saturn, “freedom” is the word of 2021 where you need to free yourself. From February to July in the collective, the world is fighting for our freedom and the dark against the light.

Venus goes into Aquarius February 1st, lovely day with the moon in Libra trines 4 planets in Aquarius, what are you thinking about? How to get off Earth and live in Space perhaps! February 14th the day of romance and love starts off a bit dreamy with the Moon in Pisces then moves into Aries in the evening time, so say what’s on your mind all while wearing that hot red sexy dress. Mars in earthy Taurus is definitely sexy for hours, going out for dinner perhaps, yummy. On the 25th Venus goes into Pisces with lovely romantic energy.

March 1st the moon is in Libra in a lovely aspect to Jupiter and Mercury, a great day for expanding our emotional thoughts. From March 12-13th Moon, Sun, Venus and Neptune all together in Pisces, psychic storms are very possible with heightened intuition, so don’t forget to ground yourself with your copper gold scarf. On the 20th the Sun goes into Aries followed by Venus the next day for a burst of energy in Love and Money. Another sexy day is March 24th when the Moon in Leo meets up with them, all things Red for that day. if you have been on the fence about a decision this is a great time to move forward and put it into action.

ARIES: You start the year 2021 off with some very positive energy of fire and air from Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius, they all get along beautifully. Having Mars your ruler, in Aries last year was amazing now it’s going into Taurus January 6th to make all your changes you made last year stable and will have a grounding effect on you. Yes making more money is good, but it is not just about money. Are you making money that feels beneficial to you? A lot of planets are in your 11th house of friends and groups you belong to and you want to be seen as someone with long term goals. Are you reconsidering who you reconnect with? There will be push-pull energy this year between Uranus in your 2nd house of money, square with Saturn in the 11th house of friends, creating a clash to break down and build up energy, very confusing right? Please don’t resist the changes, it’s very uncomfortable energy. February 14th is the first of this energy, mark it in your calendar. The beautiful thing about having Jupiter in our 11thhouse is this spiritual guardian angel energy is looking over you, helping you with the difficult decisions. Awaken the Goddess within you by wearing the colours copper over olive green. A difficult colour for Aries, so have an open mind at this time.

TAURUS: You start 2021 with the thoughts of “what makes me happy” this time around. All the dreams you dreamt when Mars was in your 12th house last year are about to come true. It goes into your first house of self – more energy, feeling fresh, a readiness “let’s go” energy. You are now re-evaluating your career and public reputation. Big changes are coming with Jupiter and Saturn in your 10th house of career expiation – what do you value? Jupiter is here every 12 years so use this energy wisely. Venus is in Capricorn getting along nicely with Mars in your first. Is money or love coming from a foreign country or spiritual practices? Uranus, planet of shock, and surprises will be in your sign in the first house of self and this will square against Saturn planet of restrictions. You, your career and reputation are going through big changes and clashes. Don’t resist the changes and go with the flow; it’s going to take you places you have never seen before. Earth colours are your thing, pull out hats sweaters, dresses in olive green with copper accents, you look amazing.

GEMINI: You start 2021 with, well it’s still seclusion time. New Moon energy on the 13th in Capricorn in your 9th house with Sun, Saturn, close to Pluto conjunct end of Capricorn. Yikes, careful of dark thoughts. This could be an interesting time to get in touch with your spiritual side, go deep, and start painting or play music to get your feelings out. The sun goes into Aquarius in your 9th house, Mercury goes retrograde in Aquarius on the 30th, and you being an air sign you can intellectualize your thoughts, a much more comfortable place for you. What about a new business with foreign connections, online travel sites where people can chat about their upcoming summer holidays? Till the 20th when the sun goes into Aquarius Full Moon on the 28th will be a great time to plan a party. Yes I said it, fun! With 5 plates in Aquarius including Venus there is definitely love from another planet, perhaps an alien, maybe traveling to a spiritual place to meet up? Sweet. Don’t forget to wear the colours of Buddha magenta with golden copper, divine love with new beginnings.

CANCER: 2021 starts off with a beautiful trine in fire the first week; this gives you improvements with health and career. The word detoxification will be needed throughout the year. There will be heavy amounts of energy on the 8th house of your deepest fears, transformational sex, with Saturn & Jupiter in Aquarius squaring Uranus in your 11th house. This is the year to be breaking away from things from the past. You are now breaking free from things you avoided the last few years, you are now in motion. A lot of thinking this year and turning your dreams into reality, reading some self-help books. Meditation is a great way to do some healing and mending of relationships. On January 8th Venus enters your 7th house of relationships with the sun and Pluto. Is this the year you will enter a partnership, marriage or business relationship? Meet the one soul connection you’ve been waiting for all your life? Uranus is still in Taurus, healing friendships through the year. Mercury retrograde starts at the end of January in the sign of Aquarius, joint resources, collaboration, and interdependence are getting a second look until February 21st. March has a lot of Pisces energy, a sister sign energy for you, foreign travel, learning a new language, or spiritual business dealings abroad, all sounds amazing. Colour for you at this time might be sea green with some gold and copper trim sweater, so go for it.

LEO: 2021 is a very big year for career, healing, letting go of people, places and things that no longer serve you. This will be most apparent during the times of mercury retrograde in the air signs. The first one starts at the end of January till February 21st. Saturn and Uranus are squaring your 10th house Career what are you known for? And your 7th house relationships will affect you by bringing changes, get out of your box, change your thinking Leo; please don’t resist, try to go with the flow. Mars in Aries, action and movement, this was a comfortable place for you till January 6th. Now you will take that energy that’s going into the Career 10th house in Taurus and gowned it. Make your breakout move in February, you did the work last year now it’s time to put it in place. You really know how to make an entrance gold and copper in your wardrobe will make you feel powerful.

VIRGO: 2021 the big focus is with home and work, not a traditional year at all. You will be making big decisions. Don’t lose control, think big, what are you known for in the world? When Mars goes into Taurus in your 9th house, Mars wants to move fast but in Taurus it wants you to slow down, some rebirth, and learning, maybe spiritual travel? The 6th house of physical and mental health is squaring your 9th house of what we think; do you think you know it all? Is clashing with the “push pull” energy, this will take place throughout the year. Things might change and if you don’t move forward you won’t feel good at all. Try to be more creative with your problem solving. Be flexible, this is certainly not easy for the earth signs, but you have Mars backing you up. Use earthy colours to get you through it all such as a deep copper sweater dress or scarf.

LIBRA: 2021 is a ‘say what you need to say’, kind of year. Mars goes into your 8th house January 6th, you are building security in finances, this slows you down a bit and has transformation in a calibration. Then Mercury in Aquarius retrograde the end of January, go back, and check everything, maybe a reunion will happen? After all the seclusions of last year maybe you are reconnecting with people on a social level. The Saturn Uranus square wants to push us, and for you it’s in your 5th house self-expression, taking risks, fun, romance and 8th house intimacy, finance, fear. Go with the flow, there are many planets in the air signs in February. The first of the month is a wonderful day for fun and romance. Talk about your emotions over a romantic dinner, dress up with some copper and gold. With all that air you might need some grounding.

SCORPIO: You were very comfortable last year having Mars, your ruling sign, in Aries. It’s here till January 6th 2021 now it’s going into Taurus in your relationship house. It will feel like things are slowing down and you will be taking your time. There is a tense square between Saturn and Uranus, this will play out throughout the year in your 7th house of relationships and 4th house of home. Do you have some unhealthy relationships that need shaking up, are you finally letting go? Moving house? Is it time to allow for the harmony and expression that you so desperately need. I would not fight against it, try to be flexible and at the end of January beginning of February you will get a chance to re-examine this relationship. March could bring in some much needed sweetness and romance with all that Pisces energy. As you are resisting time for meditation, surround yourself with earthy colours or ok, mix black with copper to be comfortable and be yourself.

SAGITTARIUS: Well you start off the year with a WOW of energy. Moon, Mars and Venus in fire signs, Venus in your first house you have been looking so good through the holidays. Mars now going into Taurus the energy will slow you down, slow and steady will win this race with new health routines. A big theme for you especially after the eclipses you had last year is; “My thoughts become my reality” with Saturn in your 3rd house of communication and siblings squaring Uranus in your 6th house of health of body and mind. Your health is wealth for this coming year. How can you get grounded as a fire sign? Maybe put on an olive green sweater and tan vegan leather purse over your shoulder and go for a nature walk with your sweetheart or friend.

CAPRICORN: Oh my goodness my little goats, in 2021 you are showing up this year with this new maturity and are spiritually self-aware. Saturn was in your own sign what seemed like forever and now it will leave a gift. Saturn and Jupiter have moved into your 2nd house of; income and self-esteem. How can you grow your money and your sense of value. Pay attention to where you put your energy the last few years, this is what will start growing at this time. Uranus in your 5th house squaring Jupiter can be difficult but growth and learning on a higher level will mean you will be expressing yourself by taking a risk in maybe romance or something to do with children? There will be a sense of freedom coming back in your consciousness. A colour you are happily in would definitely be copper, with maybe a bit of gold running through it.

AQUARIUS: Time for some growth; in 2021 Saturn and Jupiter in the first house of selfdiscipline, raising the vibration baby, shaking you up to get you to the next level of maturity and break free. Mars in Taurus in your ruling sign is in your 4th house of home, where in the family are you taking on too much responsibility? Family structures are changing and your role in it as well. Now that Saturn in your 1st of self and personality is squaring Uranus energy in the 4th house will play out through the year as a shake free feeling from the family. Please do not resist the change that will give you that space of freedom you need so much. Mercury going retrograde at the end of January to February 21st in your sign, you are rethinking things from the past. With Saturn and Jupiter in your sign you are asking yourself, “what part of my life am I willing to do to remake, re-edit myself?” Especially in February, get grounded even though you feel like breaking out; wear some copper and orange coloured socks for that cozy feeling you will need in February. Jupiter will go into Pisces May 13th to July 28th 2021 this will be in your second house of finances. Let’s see what happens, this will give you a heads up for 2022 where it will be for one year.

PISCES: Are you now working from home? Are you hiding? What do you have to say? Do you believe things that are not really there? This year in 2021 you will change your thinking and you will be changing it throughout the year. With Mars going into Taurus, what are you selling? Slow and steady Pisces with mars in Taurus in your 3rd house with Uranus there they will be squaring Saturn in your 12th house, freeing you from ghosts from the past. There will be struggles in February. Use your voice this year and break down your boundaries by using your intuition that you are so good at. If you do the work this year you will be ready to bring the plan you put in place for luck and expansion for 2022-2023. There is something to look forward to with Venus going into your sign the last few days of February, maybe a good time for a facial or haircut. March 12-13th Sun, Moon, Venus, and Neptune all in your first house. You are looking beautiful, feeling soft, emotional, dreamy, Psychic and strong all at the same time. Use the colour copper to ground you in your thoughts or you will lose sight of reality.

If I was to ask you which celebrity has made a significant contribution to humanity in our understanding of our ‘copper’ planet Earth, who would you think of? The first person to pop into my mind was the legendary Sir David Attenborough because of his consciousness expanding wildlife documentaries created over the past 70 years.

Here is a man who demonstrates a huge passion for investigating and honesty revealing life around the world in all of its glory and decline. A clear juxtaposition between heaven on earth and duality.

I can still remember the first time I watched those poor penguins in Antarctica struggling for survival in some of the most extreme weather conditions the earth has to offer. It felt so unfair that any creature should have to endure such hardships just to keep their eggs incubated long enough for the continuation of their species.

So why him? What fuels his fire to continue to create these epic, visual masterpieces? There is something so unique about this magical earth wizard that sets him aside from the plethora of other documentary makers in the media industry.

As a Numerologist specializing in Colour Therapy, I observe the world through the lens of the soul. Before we incarnate upon this earthy paradise, we must make an array of fateful choices. These will determine our true purpose, personality blueprint, deepest inner yearnings, how we are perceived by the outside world, our strengths and weaknesses and the best times to embark upon new projects and ventures.

This is not only reflected in our numerological influences such as our Ruling Number, Day Number and Peak Years of Maturity but also through a sequence of soul colour vibrations. This is not only reflected in our numerological influences such as our Ruling Number, Day Number and Peak Years of Maturity but also through a sequence of soul colour vibrations.

So, let’s take a look at his influences…

NAME: Sir David Attenborough
DATE OF BIRTH: 08/05/1926
SUN SIGN: Taurus
PLACE OF BIRTH: Isleworth, Middlesex, UK
RULING NUMBER: 31/4
SOUL URGE NUMBER: 31/4
OUTER EXPRESSION: 47/11
DAY NUMBER: 8
CURRENT LIFE LESSON: 15/6
PERSONAL YEAR: 8
ARROW OF DETERMINATION: 1, 5 & 9
ARROW OF EMOTIONAL BALANCE: 2, 5 & 8

Soul Urge Number The total of the vowels gives you the Soul Urge Number – An inner number, which represents your inner self, your emotional self, your feminine energies.

Outter Expression Number The total of the consonants gives you the Outer Expression Number – An outer number, which is your face to the world, your masculine energies, your outer self.

Current Life Lesson Number When we combine the two single-digit outer and inner numbers together we get the number that relates to your current life lesson.

The first thing that strikes me if that all of the ‘earth’ energy present in both his Numerological and Astrological influences. Firstly, he is a Taurus which is an Earth sign meaning this sign is able to view things from a realistic and grounded perspective. It is easy for them to stay on the same projects until they are completed. The ruling planet of Taurus is Venus, the planet of beauty, love, creativity, and gratitude. This makes Taurus people excellent artists and lovers. Then, we can observe that both his Ruling Number and his Soul Urge Number total 4 which has been reduced down from the number 31.

What is a RULING NUMBER?

Your Ruling Number reveals your life’s purpose including your talents, obstacles, skills, strengths and abilities and how you experience your emotions. It also helps you to comprehend why you have chosen various life lessons, circumstances and challenges. The lessons you are meant to learn are usually the most difficult for you but it also reveals where you have the most potential. It offers the biggest influence in your Birth Chart so is an exceptionally important number.

What is a SOUL URGE NUMBER?

The Soul Urge number is derived from the vowels in your ‘living name’ and offers you an understanding of your more subtle aspects of your spiritual sensitivity, courage and ambition. It is like a reflection of your deepest inner, soulful yearning. These are expressed through feelings, emotions and desires and will vary with each Soul Urge Number.

So what does this tell us about him?

Ruling 4 – Practical, Organized & Reliable

Number 4 is a practical and material number which corresponds to the Earth. This means David’s major emphasis lies on the physical and material. He is a ‘do-ing’ person who strives to master the material world. We have witnessed these traits throughout the course of his life in his dedication to showcasing the hidden depths of the world to the mainstream. It is believed he now has a net worth of over $35 million dollars.

Soul Urge 4 – When the practical 4 is expressed at the soul level it indicates that the individual is very orderly, conservative opinions on a wide range of spiritual and emotional subjects embracing religion, love, marriage and life in general. This is also very evident in his earlier work in 1954 whilst at BBC Television at Alexandra Palace when he presented political broadcasts, archaeological quizzes, religious programs and his famous Zoo Quest series

Colour Influence – 4 – Uranus (Yellow / Deep Turquoise)

This is the planet of the future and indicates change and disruption of the old order. Uranus energy will clear everything that does not align with the Golden Age of Aquarius. In a very real sense, Attenborough is a pioneer in his field and a change maker as he has raised conscious awareness of the Earth for the collective. We must also look at the influence of the number 31 as it appears twice so is amplified and compounded.

31 – The Hermit (Pale Green / Deep Green)

In the Colour Mirrors system this bottle highlights a need for your own space and boundaries. When we get overwhelmed by responsibilities we often seek time out to rest and reflect. We can see this pattern appearing in Attenborough’s life after he resigned as Director of Programs in 1973 to return to program making. Eight years behind a desk has become far too much for him!

In the Colour Mirrors system this bottle highlights a need for your own space and boundaries. When we get overwhelmed by responsibilities we often seek time out to rest and reflect. We can see this pattern appearing in Attenborough’s life after he resigned as Director of Programs in 1973 to return to program making. Eight years behind a desk has become far too much for him!

The Hermit offers a deep connection to the Earth and the devic realms and is about being able to function at the deepest levels from your heart, in the sense of making a difference in the world. Green like Copper relates to the earth as well as the human heart chakra. As David decided to heal his heart, he healed the Earth.

And then the New Earth COPPER energy arrives…

In the Colour Mirrors system, the first 36 bottles very much relate to the human condition and are aligned to ‘Old Earth’ energies and then bottles G1-G36 align more to where we are headed the ‘New Earth’ energies. It is essential to observe both when creating an accurate Colour Numerology Report as the Gaia’s offer a higher perspective version of events.

Colour Influence G4 – Ancient Mother (Pink / Copper)

This bottle promotes a deep reconnection with the Ancient Mother. The medicine of this elixir releases any problems with the physical mother or Gaia, your earth mother. It can also resolve issues about being on Earth and feeling unsupported or alienated and reminds you of the deep and unconditional love that Gaia holds for you. The colours reflect the teachings of Christ, who brought love (pink) to the earth (copper).

Colour Influence G31 – Galactic Gateway (Silver / Indigo)

This bottle is also a gateway to higher dimensions and the wider mysteries of the universe. It is time now for you to own who you are and your ability to bring about shift and transformation for yourself and for the planet. David has certainly built a bridge connecting the Earth plane with the cosmos in his transfixing cinematography in his latest documentaries about the Living Planet! It literally appears like a celestial object of great beauty and reminds us of our place in the solar system.

Day Numbers 8 and G8

The second biggest influence in the someone’s Birth Chart is their Day Number which in David’s case is an 8. The number 8 in Numerology is about independence, organization and control. Anyone with this Day Number needs independent expression of their feelings, emotions and intuition. They have power, ambition and can achieve great success. They are often found at the head of large businesses such as the BBC in David’s case.

Interesting during the nine years following his second ‘Peak Year of Maturity’ he also had the number 8 influencing his chart. Between the ages of 41 and 50, David became the Controller of BBC2 in 1965 and then in 1969 he was appointed Director of both Networks. He even introduced colour television into Great Britain!

This denotes independence as the prevailing force during this very powerful period. Bottle number 8 in Colour Mirrors is represented by the planet Saturn and is pale violet over deep violet. This teaches us the value of persistence, or not rushing things and insists that the future needs to be built on solid foundations. This was quite literally where David was laying his career foundations which clearly manifested as great success later on down the track!

During the final phase of David’s life following his fourth ‘Peak Year of Maturity’ when he turned 59, his numerical influence became a number 5 which is about freedom, communication, travel and versatility. Number 5 relates to the qualities of the planet Mercury which is fluid and flowing and does not want to be restricted. This is when, in 1985, he was Knighted to Sir David Attenborough and he started his ‘Living Planet Series’ which as we all know, took him off the beaten track to many remote locations around the Earth making him one of the most well-travelled men in history. It can also facilitate the emergence of spiritual growth and understanding which leads to even greater personal freedom.

There is so much more that we can read into David’s charts, but for today, we will leave it here. Our planet needs people like Sir David Attenborough living upon it, paving the way for the New Dawn as the Earth ascends rapidly into the fifth dimension.

Happy New Year! Now is a terrific time for thinking about new goals and plans for the coming year. Usually instead of a New Year resolution, I make a ‘to do’ list – some items with timelines, some without. When I’m asked about how I stay organized as a busy Wife, Mom, Nana and school board employee, my short answer is “I make lists.” My process, at home or at work always starts there. To begin this article, I wrote down ideas to share. Then I let them float around in my head for inspiration and creativity to weave together. Later I sat down with my list of ideas and got started on creating. Funnily enough, problem solving inspiration often hits when I am in the shower. Over time, I’ve realized that I am most creative in the morning so that’s when I start a new project. Once I do, I hate being interrupted and want to keep at it until it’s finished. Then I take a break and look at it with fresh eyes.

I take great satisfaction in checking off items on my lists. My school ‘to do’ list is written on my weekly schedule clipboard in blue ink. Planning ahead makes meeting deadlines easier and keeps me on track. Then I check off completed items with red ink so I can instantly see my progress. Tasks that don’t get done are moved to the next day. The process continues and each day I rewrite my list adding and deleting as necessary.

I have seen many work style ‘types’ based on student’s strengths and challenges over the years. Just for fun, I named and categorized them, based on my observations. I have included strategies to help children to stay on task. There the ones that I use regularly at school and with my grandsons’ so I hope you find them useful.

7 LEARNING STYLES

1. BREAK TAKER: The “Break Taker” understands what needs to be done, starts easily and works well for short bursts of time. And then they stop! They are like the rabbit in the fable who ran intensely and then needed a nap. They may get bored, need a body break or to switch focus to a new activity. They do best with tasks broken into sections that can be completed in short chunks of time. Simple 1 step instructions also keep them on task. “Make your bed.” Once that’s done, say “Go feed your fish”. After that tell them “Empty the dishwasher and then you can go out to play.” Switching gears periodically helps them stay focused and get the job done.
2. I WANT CONTROL : The “I Want Control” type likes to be in charge and assign tasks to others. However this leadership characteristic doesn’t always translate into respectful communication and getting it done. Check in regularly with the “Controller” to make sure people are being courteous, they know what to do and are working together. At home, try giving the “Controller” specific choices and a timeline. “You need to make your bed, feed your fish and empty the dishwasher before you can go out to play. What are you going to do first? Second? Third?” Wait for answers and then say “Great! I like your plan. Check in with me if you need help or when you’re done.” Then follow up, periodically checking in. Enforce the, ”no outside play till the job is done’’ expectation. Children are more likely to comply when they feel consulted and in control, understand the expectations and there is a clear and attainable goal.
3. SLOW STARTER : The “Slow Starter”, like the tortoise from Aesop’s fable, takes a long time to settle into work mode, but once started, works steadily. Before beginning, they may ask for instructions again, need to see an example, sharpen their pencil or get their materials aligned just right. They ease slowly into work mode. I encourage adults to let the “Slow Starters” work until the job is finished. Switching focus is hard, kind of like a computer that won’t shut down with a program open. They have trouble moving on to the next activity and often take a while to switch back to work mode again after an interruption. It’s faster to let them finish one task at a time. However, if that isn’t possible, when feasible, have them leave things set up, so resuming the task is fast and easy.
4. VISUAL TRACKER : The ”Visual Tracker” likes to know what to expect and functions best with visual reminders. Without visual clues, they may forget to do things in order, like piling the blanket and sheets on top of their pillow while making a bed. Pictures on a daily schedule make it easy for the child to keep track of what is coming next. Taking a series of photos of your child, performing the steps to making the bed sequentially, ensures the child can complete the task independently. Post the photos where they are visible. Then cheer on their efforts!
5. TASK AVOIDER: The “Task Avoider” is a master at the art of negotiating and pushing boundaries because the task may seem overwhelming. They disappear to the washroom or look busy doing something else. They may need questions answered, may be afraid to attempt a new skill or need the task broken down into more manageable steps. Talking about their ideas or strategies before they start helps. Often children think that the result needs to be perfect so it’s easier to avoid the job than make mistakes. Get out the Patience, Practice and Persistence flags to wave as your child begins and continues something new or challenging.
6. GET IT DONER: The “Get it Doner” is usually eager to move on to something more fun. They work quickly and aim to please but may not put their best effort forth and it shows in the quality. They may get discouraged if they have to redo or add to the job. Talking about what steps need to be done to improve it and showing examples makes it more achievable. “First I straighten the sheets, next I spread out the blanket. Finally, I put my pajamas and pillow on the bed neatly.” You can always set a timer and play “Beat the Clock” to make a chore fun. Reassure children that it will get done faster if they concentrate on doing a good job.
7. MOVER AND SHAKER : The “Mover and Shaker” is high energy and needs to move as they learn. They are the multi-taskers who are drawing or squeezing a squishy ball so they can focus on listening. Having a ‘“Mover and Shaker” take a body break by moving with a purpose around the house or school helps them settle and focus too. So the “empty the dishwasher job” has 2 steps with a break between the top and bottom drawers to feed the fish. The Persistence flag comes in handy to encourage them to keep at it until they are done.

Did you see any styles that resonate with you or remind you of someone you know? Is there a work style that you noticed should be here but isn’t? I welcome your feedback. I think it is possible to have more than one style for a unique combination. For the record, I think that I am a Slow Starting, Visual Tracker with a generous splash of Break Taker!

In the black issue, we looked at intimacy with yourself. In this copper issue, we are going to explore the intimacy you share with Mother Earth Gaia. As mentioned in the previous article, intimacy is not sex, although sex can include intimacy. So, we are not talking about having sex with the Earth, but rather, how connected, and grounded do you feel here on Earth.

Do you feel safe?
Do you feel like you belong?
Do you feel like you are rooted and secure?

Begin to ask yourself these questions and see what is alive inside of you as you do. How is your body responding to these questions? Do you feel any tightness, restriction, or pain in your body suddenly that you may not have been aware of previously?

This is your subconscious nudging you to pay attention! Many of us take our connection to Mother Earth Gaia for granted. We are here living on this planet, but we are not conscious of the impact we have on the Earth. Perhaps you have never even considered that the Earth is a living, breathing soul just like you and I, and that she deserves our utmost respect. She provides us with everything we need to live and thrive on this planet, what do we do for her in return? How can we show her more gratitude and appreciation for all she does for us?

When you feel grounded and rooted here on this planet, you will feel safe and supported to achieve your wildest dreams. You will know that you are worthy of being here and that you deserve to take up space and be seen. You are here to speak your truth and share your gifts, but this cannot happen without first grounding yourself deeply into this present moment.

So how do you begin the process of connecting with Mother Earth Gaia in a much deeper and more meaningful way? How do we develop an intimacy with her that we can trust we are supported and safe in every moment here on Earth?

First, identify the areas in your life where there may be an energy leak or where you do not feel safe. These may include: Health, Career, Finances, Relationships, Family, Sexuality, Community, Spirituality, Creativity, and any other areas that come to mind.

“Perhaps you have never even considered that the Earth is a living, breathing soul just like you and I and she deserves our utmost respect”

Second, begin to think about what you really desire your life to look & feel like. What would it look like for you to be thriving in each of these areas? What needs to change for you to begin thriving in these areas? Is there a small step you can take over the next few days that would move you in that direction?

Next, as you begin to move in the direction of your new life, take note of where you are blocked. Become aware of the subtle energies, unconscious beliefs, limiting thought patterns and past programming that is stopping you. These will show up as feelings and sensations in your body, thoughts in your mind or simply a feeling of resistance. Again, this is your subconscious nudging you to pay attention!

Finally, work to remove the blocks and resistance one-by-one. Until we can become deeply intimate with the unconscious within us, we will not be able to live our best life, to show up fully and to fulfill our creative potential.

As you continue to deepen your connection and intimacy with yourself and with Mother Earth Gaia, you will be able to eliminate all the things that are blocking your success and happiness. You will have the power within you to fulfill your life purpose and share your creative gifts with the world.

The beauty of this magazine and how Amy Barroso has designed it is in a manner where I get to help you understand yourself. In turn, you will be able to help recognize when you, or someone you know, is “out of whack,” so to speak.

Most people are familiar with the 7 chakras/energy centres of the human body. We have 7 major, 21 minor and, over 100 prominent chakras in our body, but all colours affect our bodies.

In the inaugural magazine, Black Edition (Oct 2020), I explained the chakras/ energy centres, what they are, what they do and how to tell if they are out of balance. The fun now begins. This edition is about the warmth, silkiness and importance of copper! Yes, warmth and silkiness. Sound strange? Shouldn’t be unless your root chakra is out of balance?

About two-thirds of the copper on Earth is found in volcanic rocks. So it’s no wonder there is so much energy around volcanoes, active and dormant.

A Bit of History about Copper.

Copper is an element and mineral and crystallizes in many forms. Copper was first reported by Pliny (Roman savant and author) in 77 AD. (britannica. com) Cyprus is where the first deposits of copper were ever found. True tin bronzes appear to have been made on Cyprus as early as the beginning of the second millennium BC. In the nineteenth century BC. Many trades and professions use copper daily and is a metal needed to keep society running. (metmuseum.org)

Where is Copper Located in the Chakra/Energy Centres?

Copper is a colour that is associated with all chakra’s/energy centres. Many associate it with the root and sacral chakras because it helps with intuition, desire and vitality. While most people see copper as a brownish colour, it is in fact, a reddishmetallic colouring. So, this is why many consider the colour copper to be associated more so with the root chakra.

What Does Copper Do to our Energy Centres?

Copper conducts spiritual energy within us and between other people. It helps the body to repair and heal by stimulating our soul and any free flowing emotions.

Copper helps to lessen mental burdens. It has been used for thousands of years medicinally. Since copper helps with blood circulation by increasing your physical vibrations, it also encourages the opening of blocked energy. It does this by sending healing energy all over the body to help promote your overall health. Copper absorbs the negative energy from the body and projects it away from you. Copper also grounds you. This is particularly helpful when you feel like things are becoming out of control.

Copper helps to shift vibrational frequencies. Working with copper will bring more awareness and clarity of your thoughts, emotions and how you communicate them. Copper is great to use when you want to balance the Chakras and meridians in our body.

If you look at gems, crystals, or rocks that have been wrapped for jewelry, you will see most wrapped in copper. Copper amplifies the vibration of the gem/crystal. I have copper all over my house and carry a small piece with me all the time. Because copper is a conduit it helps to amplify your thoughts. It also is amazing to help boost crystals that you may be using at the time.

Is Copper Good for Our Physical Bodies?

You bet it is! Copper, the mineral, is an essential need for our bodies. Copper supports our tissues and red blood cells. You see many people wearing copper bracelets, necklaces, rings or earrings because it helps with ailments such as arthritis, treatments of skin diseases and wounds.

Copper is an essential element for the human diet. It is critical for blood cell formation and can be found in many foods and most water supplies. Some foods that are high in copper are leafy greens, grains, potatoes, and beans. It is possible to get too much copper in your body so, it is always good to check with a health professional before adding any supplement to your diet. It has been said that too much can give you diarrhea and it could be blue! Before adding any supplement to your diet always consult a physician to ensure it’s right for you.

Why Would I Want to Use Copper?

• Copper helps to promote energy flow and boost your psychic abilities.
• Because copper has a high electrical conductivity, it is perfect for meditation.
• Since it is a conductor, it will help move the energies, intensify and amplify your thoughts.
• Helps with communicating with higher dimensional beings.
• Copper is a soft metal so it is flexible. So when you are feeling stuck, or something is stuck in a task, bring copper out and let the copper’s energy help soften the situation to become more flexible.
• Copper helps clear up your mind and helps you stay calm and composed when life gets chaotic.
• It will help to bring your physical body and emotional body into alignment.
• It helps to give clearer thinking and is said to lessen aggressive behavior.
• It helps to boost your self-esteem and calm your energy as well. This is particularly helpful if you work with or are around people who may be frustrated or agitated.
• Copper is known as a warming “stone.” It will help you to release any anger or resentment that you may be holding.
• It helps to support your body’s natural healing process.

She could feel the electric current coursing through her body, one that stimulated both her brain and body. The itching to take action, the fidgeting that seemed to help her focus, the need to push forward on her dreams. She knew she wanted to get stuff done but these impulses weren’t being solely triggered by a clear vision, a trust in the plan, or even a healthy body . No, these impulses were supported by brain fog, mood swings, lack of satisfaction, exhaustion and high impact anxiety! This constant state of fright or flight was caused by an overload of copper!

Copper is a must in our bodies and is absolutely essential to the proper functioning of the immune system, the endocrine system, and the nervous system but it needs to be in the right balance or it can have a negative and harmful effect on our entire system and lives.

This ambitious woman, ready to feed the fire burning from her purpose spark, was about to write her new lifestyle love story as she explored her relationship with copper and began dating her diet.

She began privately investigating copper’s slick moves with hair analysis but learned that testing hair would only give her half the story. Partnering hair and blood work would add so many more juicy details. She learned of the torrid affair copper was having with estrogen and dopamine as well as zinc! This mineral seemed to really get around.

While she continued getting to know copper more intimately, her chronic fatigue, insomnia, skin sensitivities and fibroids kept increasing. She loved the rush she’d get from the dis-regulated copper but the ‘crazy in love’ feeling was only giving her ADD and anxiety symptoms. Copper was talking over and she just didn’t have the chemical fortitude to manage her feelings. Her moods were all over the place and she feared her love story would end with a broken heart.

“She needed a knight in shining armour to ride in on the white horse to help save her relationship with copper.”

She needed a knight in shining armour to ride in on the white horse to help save her relationship with copper. She didn’t give up, she knew romance could still be in the air, and to her surprise it came in the food as well! She wanted to love the copper in her body and appreciate its strengths and conducting ways. She wanted copper, zinc, folic acid, and dopamine, to all be friends again like the perfect group date.

This motivated woman determined to show up in this world and take action, opened her eyes to what copper was really doing to her. Her lifestyle love story was finally beginning as she learned of the hold copper had on her with its excessive presence in her life. With this awareness and nutrient therapy she and copper got their relationship back on track!

*This awareness piece was written so that you may recognize some of the symptoms or unexplained health situations you might be facing and to encourage you to get the necessary tests done that you need to write your own lifestyle love story. Please connect with me so that I can help direct you to some resources and play match maker for you and the right amount of copper.

Yoga happens both on and off of our mats. It is a lifestyle, a way of being and existing in this world. Yoga is movement, stretching and deep belly breathing. It is also complete stillness and quieting of our mind, or at least the process of working towards a clear mind. Yoga is the connection we have and the presence we can find in mind, body and spirit.

Copper is an energy conductor and represents our connection to Mother Earth/ Mother Gaia. When we can ground, we are connected to the earth. From this space of being grounded, we then have the stability and strength to move forward. My favourite yoga poses, as both a teacher and a student, are grounding poses. Poses which remind me of my connection to Mother Earth. They are sometimes simple and restful, like lying and meditating in Savasana (corpse pose). In reality, Savasana may not be easy for everyone. Some may find their mind wandering to their after class to-do list or their body may start fidgeting after only a few minutes. Other grounding poses such as Tadasana (mountain pose) requires your feet to be about hip distance apart, planted and grounded into your mat/floor with your arms resting by your side. This takes focus and balance.

Vrksasana (tree pose) has you balanced on one foot at a time. No matter where you are along your yoga journey, you can modify this pose by adjusting the location of the lifted leg and foot. You can also increase the intensity by raising your arms, raising your gaze or even closing your eyes. Tree pose helps improve your balance, strengthen your spine, as well as open your shoulders, chest, thighs and hips. It also aids with circulation, calms the mind and helps you focus.

Thinking about the colour copper and focusing on earthly energy for the beginning of 2021, grounding poses really resonated for me. I will share two of (what I consider to be) the most grounding poses you can do. First is Apanasana (knees to chest pose). This pose is has so many benefits. It stretches your spine and shoulders, it massages your abdominal organs and back and improves digestion. It also helps to open your hips if you move your knees apart. It can also help to alleviate stress and anxiety. May you find the time to rest, re-set and ground for the New Year. Take time to connect to your breath and body. Namaste.