Mehndi, or henna painting on the body, has been around for centuries in countries such as India, Africa and the Middle East. The henna plant is thought to bring about love and good fortune. While Mehndi is traditionally used for rites of passage and special occasions, it is also permeating western culture in more traditional body art practices.
I am not big on permanent tattoos. I have no desire to be 80 and covered with designs that you can no longer distinguish, but more importantly, I am scared to death about what my dad might do if he ever saw me with one (this prevented the normal college drunk moment when I considered having a wolf tattooed to my tush). Having said that, I really love body art. The idea of painting something that will only last a few weeks, that is creative and beautiful, that allows for me to explore different patterns and symbols, that I find to be fun.
Jacob Painting a freehand Design on Elwood
Mehndi uses the leaves from the henna plant, and then once the paste is applied, it sits on the skin for a minimum of 6 hours before being wiped away. The color is a rich golden hue, and the design possibilities are endless.
This morning the kids and I headed out into the sunshine to paint Mehndi designs onto our hands and feet, and they were just so full of pride at the designs that they created. I made the horrible mistake of not showering before doing this, but oh well, it will just have to wait until evening.
Mehndi is a beautiful project that kids can do with each other to symbolize something special taking place in their lives; a birthday, an achievement, etc. It can also just be fun and special to do on a lazy day. Natural food stores sell small boxes of henna kits that are easy to use, and that are plentiful enough to last for many applications.
The pictures above only show the wet henna, not the finished look, so tomorrow I will include some photos of the finished design.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the om and lotus on your feet. I have a henna kit just waiting for us in my closet. I guess waiting for an inspiration to use it. I think I will pull it our right now!
Kyndale, it is so much fun! Can not wait to see your pics.
So fun! I am going to try that with my kiddos soon. Thanks for posting.
Love henna tattooing. Looking forward to seeing the finished pictures.
Yep, Woody would kick your butt if you ever came home with a tattoo. Phyllis would probably not be too happy either
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Really cool look with the Henna. It suits you
I'm going to do this with you some time…this may be just what I need to get my tatoo itch out..or at least tide me over!
Oh, I really love henna. I do have a "real" tattoo though. It's on my back, and I wanted it, because I have a scar there as well. So now I have something nice, and something not so nice on my back…
About your previous post: I think it's great you allow yourself to take a step back, in order to do everything just the way you want it. I think it's very admirable.
I have been doing a lot of henna painting this summer with my sisters and girlfriends. It has been so much fun! I just wish I could draw a little better!