This past month, the CreativeMornings global theme was COLO[U]R, and here in the Toronto chapter, we decided to take the theme very literally.

Enter Tiffany Pratt. On her website, Tiffany describes herself as, “… a fairy godmother. [Whose] joy is to sprinkle possibilities everywhere [she goes], into everything [she does], and elevate the world to a more beautiful place.” Before meeting Tiffany, you might imagine that this is somewhat of an exaggeration, but when she enters the room, you immediately know that it is not. Tiffany Pratt literally embodies the spirit of everything colourful and good in the world – she is glitter and rainbows and hearts and unicorns all wrapped up into one amazing, warm, and genuine human being. Tiffany Pratt will greet you with a bear hug even when you’re covered in bike sweat. Tiffany Pratt will bring you cocoa when you’re sick.

Bright and early on the morning of her talk, Tiffany led a crew of volunteers in transforming 918 Bathurst into a colourful wonderland. Every free surface was draped in streamers, and every chair was donned with a wooden rainbow beaded mandala bracelet, which had been made in a CMTO volunteer craft night with Tiffany earlier in the week.

Attendees filtered in, and after a brief introduction by CMTO’s Trailblazer Christina Hug, Tiffany Pratt took to the stage.

There were so many amazing quotes from this month’s event, and I’m sad to say that not many of them were actually captured in my personal notes or on the twittersphere. I attribute this to the fact that the air at 918 Bathurst was so filled with magic, that being wrapped up in tweeting about it rather than being present seemed like it would not have been true to the spirit of the event itself.

But if I can paraphrase, some of the overall lessons learned went something like this:

• When you wake up in the morning, stand tall, take a deep breath, raise your arms to the sky, and imagine rainbows shooting from your fingertips.
• You can be all the things; you do not have to pick one path in life, nor should you. Do all the things, and be all the things.
• Plant seeds today, and tend your garden, because you never know when the seeds you’ve planted will come to fruition. Sometimes a project that you start today will finally all make sense and hit its stride years down the road.
• Everything in life is a balance between shit and luxury.
• Be true to yourself. Love completely and with abandon. See beauty in everything.

Tiffany’s energy as she spoke on stage, about her journey as a designer and in life, had the audience absolutely captivated. She is so incredibly passionate about what she does and the world around her, that listening to her talk, you can actually feel yourself starting to believe that you are stronger and more capable than you had previously thought. This is how Tiffany Pratt is a true Fairy Godmother; not just for all of her glitter and colours, but because being around her will make you believe that anything is possible, and it will make you believe in yourself.

To end, I will leave you with the same Roald Dahl quote with which Tiffany Pratt, overwhelmed with emotion, closed this month’s talk: “And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

See more photos at http://bit.ly/1sggGEq

Thanks to Shutterstock sponsoring September’s event!