Be the Change Designs

The Dis(place)ment: Explorations of Place, Past, Present and Future exhibition at Skwachàys Lodge Aboriginal Hotel and Gallery closes in less than a week! Don'...t miss this stunning exhibition, curated by Cheyenne (Natoyihkii) McGinnis, which attempts to highlight the issue of displacement in Indigenous Communities while simultaneously inspiring individuals to create their own spaces through sharing culture, self-reflection, and community-building. Here are a few snaps from the opening of the exhibition for you to explore! Visit daily from 10am-5pm at the Skwachàys Lodge Gallery (31 W Pender St) until November 23, 2020. A presentation of the Skwachàys Lodge Gallery, in partnership with the Carnegie Centre Association and the Eastside Culture Crawl Society. Learn more: culturecrawl.ca/events/55428

Earlier this year, I signed to have my artwork represented here in the Lower Mainland of BC, Canada by Van Dop Gallery and would like to share my sincere gratit...ude and appreciation for gallery owner, Trudy Van Dop. On a professional note, Trudy has allowed me time to focus on my public art project, teaching classes online, and making art while her team have been there to facilitate sales and represent my work in three separate art shows in the past six months. On a personal note, she heard that my daughter Ruth is passionate about sewing, and generously gifted her a beautiful collection of vintage Vogue patterns. Trudy is kind, thoughtful, and goes the extra mile for her artists. I am honoured to be amongst them! You can find a selection of my artwork at Van Dop Gallery at the Van Dop Gallery located at 421 Richmond Street New Westminster, BC, Canada V3L4C4. This gallery offers a unique one-of-a-kind experience showcasing a selection of Canada’s best contemporary fine artists in all media: glass, wood, metal, ceramic, fibre, oils, acrylics, watercolours, and handmade papers in a contemporary home and garden setting. The Van Dop Gallery is Canada’s premiere home gallery, exemplifying the union of art and living. Gallery visitors feel at home as they explore Van Dop’s lush gardens and myriad of artworks in every room. The goal of this unique gallery concept is to transform art into an intimate experience, allowing guests to discover how art can become an integral part of everyday life. To book visit the gallery, please book an appointment call: 604.521.7887 or e-mail [email protected] Thank you, Trudy Van Dop, Tracy West, Chester Kmiec. I am grateful for your enthusiasm for my work, your support and our partnership to bring the beauty of original artwork into the world! . .. Van Dop Gallery FB Van Dop Gallery: Art Consulting & Installations IG @vandop_gallery_ https://vandopgallery.com/ .. Featured artwork: ‘Freedom’ 48 x 60 x 1.5 mixed media on Canvas (c) Deb Chaney Prints and Original Available date of post: https://www.saatchiart.com//Painting-F/499285/4148289/view See more

Let’s join Marlyna April 10th at 10am and support each other through this time

Here's Joey explaining more about the Flying Stars, the East sector, who is more affected and how. There's a whole series, so have fun exploring! https://youtu.be/64NKNey5vNU

Had a beautiful evening with my Feng Shui friends looking at our I Ching hexagrams for 2020. Mine is #38 Opposition/Disharmony and the core lesson is about good communication, understanding, cooperation, using a soft and gentle approach, not engaging with those of lesser virtue, self cultivation, restraint and self-discipline. It is not a year of great progress, but small achievements little by little that add up to turn negative situations into positive ones. All in all, I think this is excellent advice for my year! How cool is this image about line 4 of the hexagram (the line with my particular lesson within the greater meaning of the whole hexagram). Full props to whoever created it - here’s the site... https://www.ichingmeditations.com///17/hexagram-38-line-4/

As Lunar New Year approaches (Jan 25), installing the salt cure is a key thing to do. I did mine on Sunday Jan 19 - it was a day with supportive energy that fit with my personal energy blueprint (BaZi or Chinese Astrology). This year the salt cure goes in the East. I did a smaller one as it is a bedroom - something is better than nothing. I used the salt I had on hand, kinda wish I had a bit more but there it is. Used 6 pennies and 1 silver quarter in the center. Our te...acher uses six $1 coins and a $2 coin in the center - if it were a larger container I would do that. Last year’s salt cure remains in place until after the solar Chinese New Year, which is February 4th. Then we pick a good day to remove it. Will post about that later, and I’ll show you the pictures of how it looks in the end. Happy Chinese New Year preparations! There is lots going on this weekend, so check out what’s happening and go out and have some fun with friends and loved ones! See more

In North Van? Might have to check this out!

For those that are local, come learn from the Master

2020 will be the year of the Metal Rat. I will share more about that in the coming days, but as we prepare for CNY please keep in mind that the ‘do not disturb’ direction for the Metal Rat year is East, so if you have renovation projects in the East, either finish them up, start them now, or wait until next year. Starting a project in the East after CNY is not advised.

I am sharing Sherry’s post mostly for myself, but for those that wish to study, Sherry is a masterful teacher and when it comes to this subject the more study you can do the better. I have not been posting a lot but this is prep time for Chinese New Year and you know what to do - clean, tidy, fix, plan, prepare (and for those that go deeper there is always more)...if you have questions please ask and I will help you

Here is a small sample of what caught my eye at the Eastside Culture Crawl (back in Nov). The wish list grew, not in proportion to the bank account, so had to leave some things behind!

Is has been a while since I posted, but I am on the ferry to Nanaimo and have 1 hour 40 minutes to stare at the scenery and contemplate life. I did not yet share one of my key planning tools. These photos give you an idea what Joey Yap’s Tong Shu Planner looks like. It is packed with useful information. If you can believe it, this is the simple version - there is a pro version with tons more info! These calendars show the energy of the year/month/day (pro version gets down... to the hour + a bunch of other details). In order to use it as a tool in life you need some training and to understand your own birth chart, your goals, and the associated elements that support your goals. That way you can look through the whole calendar, find when those elements (energies) show up, and plan accordingly. At the beginning of the year I highlight, circle and make notes. I have my eye on September. It is a ‘He Tu’ month for me. This is general good luck. Luck = Opportunities. Sept 9 is a Combo 10 day for me. Combo 10 = $ Luck. Is is also an ‘Establish’ day, which is great for starting things - new growth. The daily flying star is 9. Nine is fire. I analyze what fire is to me and get more info on how to utilize that energy. The monthly flying stars look amazing as well - this tells me the energy of locations, so I know that there are lots of locations in the home that will have positive energy. I can activate and spend time in those locations, doing specific activities that support my goals. Just like ‘law of attraction’ your actions have to be in line with your intentions - you don’t just sit and wait for good things to come your way - you go for it! You still need to make it happen, but wouldn’t it be nice to smooth the process and boost results? That’s what this stuff is all about! So, what do you think I should do on Sept 9? Happy planning and manifesting y’all! See more

Progress pics of our salt cure - as water evaporates we top it up just to cover the salt.

Part of Chinese New Year is celebrating happy times with those we love. Today we'll enjoy the parade and festivities in Chinatown with our friends and god-sons! https://www.cbavancouver.ca/

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone! May this year bring you an abundance of health and happiness in all areas of life!

Another opportunity to study with my teacher - she has programs that fit all levels so if interested I encourage you to check out her website. Happy Feng Shui’ing!

If you follow Feng Shui then each year you’ll be doing a salt cure (or equivalent) in the area where the negative energies of the year are located. This is like acupuncture for the home. You do it on a ‘good’ day prior to Chinese New Year. I did mine on Jan 24, and also selected a good hour to do it (actually, my husband did it as he was home at a better hour than I had available in my day). The negative energies (very heavy earth energy) is in the SW for 2019. We used jus...t over 20kg of salt (can be table salt, even road salt - this year we bought sea salt from Bulk Barn - I like the pure white look). On the top is 6 copper coins (pennies) and one silver coin (a real silver quarter - still tarnished from the last salt cure). It is filled with water just to the top of the salt (got a little extra in there but it will evaporate). This will remain in place until 2020 when we select a good day to remove it. We’ll keep topping up the water, and then just watch and enjoy the formations - I’ll post throughout the year so you can see it - super cool. I do not suggest that you ‘wing it’ and try it for yourself without a Feng Shui consultation. Like acupuncture, you don’t just start poking needles all around, you get a diagnosis and then work on the solutions. I just thought you might like to see what it really means to follow Feng Shui. Have a great day Everyone! Count down to Chinese New Year is on! Feb 4/5 and year of the Earth Pig here we come! See more

Oooooo - love this!

Getting ready for the Year of the Earth Pig - in one of my last posts I talked about activities to get ready for Chinese New Year - I have attended our yearly class to learn what is in store for us in relation to our birth chart and house plans (will post more about that later). Since then I have been taking the actions (cleaning, fresh hair cut, new clothes). We have also been attending to repairs around the house - the little things like replace the toilet handle, new hand... shower etc. In Feng Shui we like to keep things tidy and well maintained. Does your home need a little love? New sheets, new pillow, fresh towels etc? All these little things add up to refresh the energy around you and start the new year with positive growth. Tonight I am getting together with some Feng Shui friends to mark our calendars so that we can align our goals to the most supportive energies throughout the year. Have a great day Everyone! See more

Had a fantastic weekend studying with Marlyna in the advanced class - here is an opportunity to see for yourself what it is like to study with Vancouver's own Master who brings with her so much more than Chinese Metaphysics. Marlyna's motto is #togetherwearemore

Here’s a few more things to do to get ready for Chinese New Year (eve in Feb 4, day on Feb 5): * Pay your debts (or what you can, especially if you owe someone money) - I like to use Dec 31 as my deadline, then if anything is left over I pay it before Chinese New Year * Get a fresh hair cut - most of us have to book ahead so go for it! * New outfit - let’s look fresh - you deserve it!... And remember to have fun doing it - bring joy into all the little things and get in the right energy for an outstanding year! Happy Prepping!

Part of getting ready for the New Year involves cleaning. I am fascinated how so many cultures have cleaning rituals. When I was in Mexico for New Years all the brooms were sold out because they do a big clean before Dec31. Jewish cultures clean their cupboards for Passover. If your culture does not have cleaning rituals, I suggest following along with all of them because there is magic in a clean and tidy space. If you have clutter problems then perhaps Marie Kondo can ...help. Her system brings consciousness and awareness to ‘stuff’ and I promise that if you follow her system you will never look at ‘stuff’ the same way. She has books and a series on Netflix to inspire you . What I found interesting is that she ‘greets’ the home and it looks like she does this in the ‘heart’ of the home. In Feng Shui we like to keep the ‘heart’ (center) of the home open so that energy can circulate. She is also clear about the energy of stuff. In Feng Shui we say that clutter is sticky energy - if you let it pile up it is easy for it to take over. How wonderful to see the correlation across cultures. Chinese New Year is Feb 4 - let’s get ready! Xox See more