Upcoming Events

Friday, July 18: Henna on Craig Torres for City Mystery - Theatre District, Boston, MA

Saturday, July 19: Henna @ India Restaurant, 1060 Hope Street, 7-9pm
Also... The Dirge Carolers perform at KC's Tap in Pawtucket...we go on after 9:30, obviously :P

Wednesday, July 23: Private party @ Mediterraneo, Federal Hill, Providence, RI... and thus an excuse to go to a swanky restaurant I've always wanted to check out. Email me if you would like to set up an appointment before 6:30 or after 10:30 @ Jessie's, the awesome dessert cafe down the street...

Friday, July 25: Providence Roller Derby:


Saturday, July 26: Private party in Pawcatuck, CT... book a party geographically between Attleboro, MA and Pawtucket, RI for a time between 2pm and 6pm for NO TRAVEL FEE

Saturday, August 2: American Cancer Society Benefit @ Bella Nova Salon

Saturday, August 16: The Goddess Coyle Gypsy Faire...email for details.

Sunday, August 17: Henna party with bellydancing!!! Just $30 admission covers your henna and entertainment! 12-2pm, Manchester, NH. email for details.

............there is more, but this is enough to share for now :)

Hennaing body builder Craig Torres

In a couple of weeks, I'll be doing henna on body builder Craig Torres:
http://www.repetrope.com/men/competitors/detail.asp?CompetitorID=1617
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTwxd-NP8wc
I'll divulge details of why once they aren't privileged information anymore... but it will be pretty cool, I'll say that much.

3rd Annual Goddess Coyle Annual Event / Gypsy Faire :: August 16th

3rd ANNUAL GODDESS COYLE EVENT/ GYPSY FAIRE

Posted By:
THE GODDESS COYLE
Hosted By::
Holly Ferreira and Miladys Leblanc

When:
Our annual event celebrating talented artists of all natures....
Saturday Aug 16, 2008
At the stroke of 12 noon ~ 9pm

Where:
RIVERSIDE SPORTSMAN ASSOCIATION
WAMPANOG TRAIL
RIVERSIDE, RI 02916

The cost for this event is $20.00:
That includes a wide range of food, but the drinks need to be bought at the bar(including water).

THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR VENDORS OR PERFORMERS!!!!!!!

*This is a gypsy faire...so anything goes.
BUT!! it is also a family event, so it needs to remain a safe, friendly atmostphere..
If you are an artist, drummer, musician, henna artist, painter, dancer, fortune teller, juggler,massage therapist, reiki master, or if you have something important to teach people ** ANYTHING!!!
please contact us,

THE GODDESS COYLE

We will form a list,
and choose what we will need from there....
.
I will be updating with more information as I get it... there will be plenty of things to buy and do...so be prepared...
looking forward to this amazing event!!!

Miladys and Holly will also be discussing which charity(or charities) we will be donating to..

~*~

Already signed up to participate...

HENNA BY HEATHER~*~ the best henna artist I know
J & E CREATIONS ~*~ a bunch of magical trinkets
MY WICKED GARDEN~*~ balms for henna or permanent tattoo/specialty soaps and other lovely potions
THE BEADED PEACOCK~*~ costumes for the gypsy and goddess in you.
MY FAVORITE GYPSY SHEILA~*~ (tribal jewelry)
TEMPLE OF THE DIVINE SPIRT~*~ (rev. mother susan) handcrafted jewelry, magick supplies
TAROT READINGS KIM DEPINA~*~ tarot card & angel readings & reiki
KRIS McCOLLOUGH~LABYRINTH WORSHOP/DON'T MISS THIS!!!!!!!!!!! she will be the first workshop
JONI RAE~*~ goddess dolls (so beautiful)
GIFTS OF LIFE~*~ benefit of fair trade products
LISA GUILLIMETTE ~*~JewelryKRIS~* graphic belly dance/gypsy art
!!!!!DANCERS!!!!!
Brenda (RI Belly Dancer)
The Beaded Peacock
Kristie Speck & Sheherazade's Sisters/
Miladys & Holly
The Keepers of The Flame
Zoe*Mekenzie*Charlotte(the little flames)
Lilymoon Storm""""(hopefully)
DRUMMERS
Phillip~amazing artist
Belladonna~middle eastern goddess
Diane~african drum goddess
STORYTELLING
American Indian stories
FIRE BREATH
JOHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Henna class TOMORROW in Providence

My henna class tomorrow @ the Learning Connection in Providence has TWELVE people signed up!!! Wowza!

It seems like the trend is for my classes to be empty and canceled, empty and canceled, repeat all fall, winter, and spring...
....and then in the summer they are Crazy Full.

This is my only henna class this summer... and probably the only class all year that is 100% sure not to be cancelled... so if you have been waiting / hoping to take a class... tomorrow is the time!

Sign up at:
www.learnconnect.com

The class is listed under crafts rather than art for whatever reason, so look there :)

Henna class TOMORROW in Providence

My henna class tomorrow @ the Learning Connection in Providence has TWELVE people signed up!!! Wowza!

It seems like the trend is for my classes to be empty and canceled, empty and canceled, repeat all fall, winter, and spring...
....and then in the summer they are Crazy Full.

This is my only henna class this summer... and probably the only class all year that is 100% sure not to be cancelled... so if you have been waiting / hoping to take a class... tomorrow is the time!

Sign up at:
www.learnconnect.com

The class is listed under crafts rather than art for whatever reason, so look there :)

World Night of Henna

On the night of June 20th, the eve of the first true day of summer,
henna artists around the globe celebrate their artistry by creating
elaborate designs laced with images of the season. This amazing array of art, created between sundown and sunrise, blooms into life on skin over the following 24 hours, a beautiful tribute to the changing of the seasons and the celebratory power of henna. In order to link art with social aid, many artists will donate proceeds from their event to a charity of their choice. Information and other event listings can be found at www.WorldNightofHenna.com.

I will be celebrating the World Night of Henna at 1060 Hope Street, Providence, RI from 7-9pm on June 20th. Free henna will be provided to all customers at India that night, and rather than tipping the henna artist as is the norm there, customers are asked to make a
donation to the Red Cross's Disaster Relief Fund.

RI PrideFest

Tiffany (80s pop icon!!!) will be performing FOR FREE.... and yes, of course I will be doing henna.

It's so hard to pick which event to come to and get henna at, isn't it? They are all so cool!!! I love my "work".

World Night of Henna :: June 20

World Night of Henna
June 20: Free Henna at India Restaurant
7-9pm, 1060 Hope Street, Providence, RI
Come to the most gorgeous Indian restaurant in Providence, have free henna done,
donate to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund in leiu of tipping your artist, AND be part of the World Night of Henna!

PROVIDENCE ROLLER DERBY :: tomorrow :: Sea Shanty Shakedown

The Providence Roller Derby's season kickoff is TOMORROW!

The Old Money Honeys vs. The Mob Squad

halftime performance: Sharks Come Cruisin'


And, yep, you guessed it... there shall be henna!
Designs start at $5. Your artists are Mina and Peter.

May 30
2 Kennedy Plaza
7pm
$13
http://www.providencerollerderby.com/



...meanwhile, I will be @ India... being responsible to a fault...and thus missing this awesome event.

Go have fun @ the Roller Derby for me!!!

Looking for Models :: June 22nd, New Haven, CT

June 22: International Festival of Art and Ideas - New Haven Green, New Haven, CT

LOOKING FOR MODELS: Would you like a giant and/or intricate henna design on your back, stomach/chest, or bald head? For free?

I will be doing henna demos from 1pm-5pm along with at least 2 other henna artists.
We would like to have 4 models each, one for each hour...for a total of 12 models.

If interested, please explain why you'd like to model and send a photo of you in whatever outfit you would wear for the shoot to info@hennabyheather.com.
(If you're having your head or hands done, the outfit doesn't necessarily matter; but if you're having another part of your body done, it will be of the utmost importance that the outfit be photogenic and leave enough skin exposed to henna.)

Your compensation for this is your henna, valued at $100.

You can take a photographer with you and get portfolio pics out of this that way... I can't promise I'll necessarily have a professional one around.


Also, my band, The Dirge Carolers, will be playing this same festival!!! So come check us out at that...details will be posted to our webpage soon : www.dirgecarolers.com. We'll have CDs for sale, as well as probably bumper stickers.

Speaking of merchandise... I'll probably bring some nice 8x10 and 5x7 prints of some of my better-shot henna photos as well.

Dancing for Darfur - UNICEF benefit - details

Note: 20% of all henna proceeds will be donated to UNICEF

------------------please repost ------------------------

Osiris and The Triple Goddess Belly Dance Troupe present
DANCING FOR DARFUR

May 18th at Riverside American Legion in Riverside RI.


A charity event to benefit the rehabilitation of women and children who have been victimized and exploited by militia troupes in Darfur, Sudan.


http://www. unicefusa.
org/site/c. duLRI8O0H/b. 50755/k.A58/Crisis_in_Darfur__Feature_Stories__Emergencies__What_We_Do__US_Fund_for_UNICEF.

htm
unicefusa. org

A gathering of artistic talents, entertainment, and food including Henna by Heather , Tarot Card readings, Reiki, an assortment of Vendors, BELLY DANCE PERFORMANCES and a drum circle to complete an extraordinary day!

Workshop and Performance by the amazing and beautiful SABRINA!!!!
http://www. bellydancersabrina. com
http://groups. yahoo. com/group/BellyDancingbySabrina/

Additional performances by members of Osiris and Triple Goddess troupe as well as many other talented belly dancers offering a variety of styles.


The date is set for Sunday May 18th, doors open at 11:30, there will be a FREE yoga workshop from 12:00-12:30.


Sabrina is giving a belly dance workshop from 1:00-2:00.


Break time to visit our many vendors
Then belly dance performances are scheduled to start around 3:00pm with a drum circle to follow :)

Admission information:

Sabrina’s workshop is $10.00 in advance $20.

00 at the door
Sabrina’s workshop plus performances is $25.00 in advance $35.00 at the door.


Performances only = $10 in advance, $15 at the door

For information on where to send advanced payments or any other inquiries please contact my dance troupe Osiris and The Triple Goddess at:
www. myspace. com/osiris3goddess or email us at osiris3goddess@gmail.com.



Thank you & Hope to see you there!

-----------------------------------
More Details about Dancing for Darfur Benefit

- ADDRESS:

Riverside American Legion

Riverside, RI 02915
(401) 433-9859

-FEES:

Checks accepted for in advance payments.


Make checks payable to Cristina Soares.

Send it to 59 Richfield Ave.

East Providence, RI 02914
Please include your email address for payment confirmation.


In advance payments are recommended:

- $25 for workshop and performances
- $10 show

LAST DAY FOR ADVANCE PAYMENTS IS MAY 15

If you prefer paying at the door: cash only

-$35 for workshop and performances

- $15 for show

KIDS UNDER 11 ARE FREE! :)

-SCHEDULE:

11.30- Doors open.

(get henna, shop, etc)

12.15- Yoga workshop- warm up, stretches, flexibility, and strength

1.00 – Sabrina’s workshop

2.00-3.00 – get ready for the performances (or get henna, shop, etc)

3.

00- performances begin

4.

30- drum circle

- WHAT TO BRING:

Bring your veil for Sabrina’s workshop. If you don’t have one, we will have some extra ones available- first come, first serve basis.


If you are planning to stay all day, bring your lunch. We’ll have some snacks and beverages available.


If you are performing, make sure you bring your CD – keep in mind that performances are around 7 minutes or less.


Bring your own business cards.


We will have a table available to display them

Bring your positive energy, your smiles, and your shimmies! It will be a wonderful day! :)

Fun May public events - come check them out ...and get henna :)

From my events calendar at www.hennabyheather.com/events.html:

May 9: Dartmouth College's Relay for Life - Hanover, NH


May 18: Dancing for Darfur : Charity event hosted by Osiris and the Triple Goddess
20% of all henna proceeds donated to UNICEF's Darfur initiative

May 20: South Coast Learning Network Henna Body Art Class
7-9pm, $39 registration, $30 materials
5 Dover Street, beautiful downtown New Bedford, MA 02740
maximum class size: 20
Register: http://www.learnconnect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=1013&courseid=4146&categoryid=42&subcategoryid=77&catalogid=8

May 30: FREE HENNA TATTOOS @ India Restaurant - Providence, RI
7-9pm (I'm paid in gift certs only - please remember to tip your artist :)

May 30: Providence Roller Derby - Downtown Providence Skating Rink
doors at 7 - come early for henna
artists = Peter and Mina


Check out even more events in June and throughout the summer at www.hennabyheather.com/events.html

Meriden Daffodil Festival

I will be doing henna at the Meriden Daffodil Festival this Saturday and Sunday!

I have a corner spot on crafter's row, and intend to have helium balloons coming off my tent so that it is easy for you to find me from a distance :)

The fest sure has been getting a ton of press! It is going to be an awesome kickoff for the henna season, for sure.

I've drawn up about a dozen daffodil designs specifically for the occasion... they are purdy, if I do say so myself!

Hope to see you there!

www.daffodilfest.com

(ps - there will be a face painter there, apparently also doing temporary tattoos...if you haven't met me in person yet and aren't quite sure who/what to look for...be sure to look for the henna tent, not that.)

New pics

My parents got me some awesome new design books (imported from India courtesy of Magical Mehendi) for my birthday! Three of them were by Asha Savla.

Here are the first two things I tried from those. They're on Jess of J and E Creations, who will be selling her wares alongside me at the My Wicked Garden open house and artisan party this Friday. Email me if you want details about that!

On with the photos:

Expert Village Henna How-to videos now reasonably linked from my site

It just occurred to me that there is no way to know that I did the ExpertVillage.com henna how-to series from looking at my website... so I've added stills and descriptions of each clip to my "learn to do henna" page that was previously reserved just for workshop info.

http://www.hennabyheather.com/hennabyheather_workshops.html

Ambidextrous!!

Check this out:

Not super impressive, right?
Look again.
That's my RIGHT HAND.
That means I did this with my left hand.
Aw yeah.

(design inspiration comes from Riffat)

New Henna Gallery

Finally, I have updated my henna photo galleries to include work from the past year! You can check them out at the top of the page here:
www.hennabyheather.com/gallery.htm

Also, it would be even better if you could check them out on Flickr or MySpace (same photos) and leave comments!

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7394880@N04/

MySpace: www.myspace.com/cherrytreedusk

Little girls as animals = adorable!!!

Check out this photo of some face painting I did this Sunday at a birthday party in RI:


At the party, it was asked whether or not I could do superheroes for a boy's birthday party, too... the answer is, of course!

Little kids are adorable, and this brought me back to my middle and highschool years as a YMCA daycare volunteer and latchkey worker :)

My Wicked Garden Open House and Artisan Party

28 Mar 2008, 7pm

My Wicked Garden Home
Johnston, Rhode Island

Herbal products, hand made Jewelry, henna, tea and snacks! What more could you want!

Open house see all My Wicked Garden Goodies and taste some yummy tea! J&E Creations will be here with their beautiful hand made jewelry http://www.jecreations-llc.com/ and the amazing Henna Heather will be here doing some complementary Henna pieces on those who would like them! http://www.hennabyheather.com/
Snacks provided by best Café in Providence Carmichaels Café! http://www.restaurant.com/microsite.asp?rid=317062&rpid=3514

email me for details if you'd like to come!

I need a logo! CONTEST

I need a logo... I've needed a logo for years, and have just been way too lazy about it, figuring having a signature photo was enough for most of my purposes... And now that I'm trying to come up with something on my own, I just can't decide!

So... I hereby announce the "make Heather a logo" contest!

The winning entry will:
-"feel" like a henna design
-be complex enough to make a nice t-shirt design
-be eye-catching and scream "HENNA!" from a distance - like on, say, a booth banner
-be simple (or simplifiable) enough to make into a nice "favicon"
(like the HP leaf you (probably) see at the top of this tab right now)
-appeal especially to teenage girls and middle-aged women
-be monochrome and easy to change the color of as needed w/ photoshop (submit as black)

Your entry should include both:
a 800x800 (or bigger!) JPEG image at 300dpi resolution
a 16x16 favicon

(the favicon has to be square, but the logo itself need not be)

Email it to:
info at hennabyheather dot com

What you'll win:
-500g of Jamila
-henna aftercare balm from My Wicked Garden
-a copy of my henna design e-book
-top billing in the 'henna artists' section of my link page
-a henna-decorated hand-shaped notecard from my local fair trade store
-some bangles
-whatever else I come up with

Deadline:
March 22nd (so that I have it in time for the Northeast Henna Gathering, should I need it for then)

If a submission comes in earlier that totally blows me away and I decide to go with that before the actual deadline... that is my prerogative. So, the earlier you submit, the better the chances your logo will be chosen.

A wake-up call to future henna artists!

I just got emailed this job posting... and wanted to remind my fellow henna artists and henna artists to be that you can *easily* charge $50/hr even in the slowest location, and should probably be making more like $150 if you're in a busy beach / resort-ish location like this one:

-------------
ARTISTS - TATOO ARTISTS ARTISTS WANTED Temporary Henna Tatoo Artists for busy [Famous Beach Name Erased] Beach location. $8-$10/hr. CALL (XXX) XXX-XXXX
----------

...job postings like this make me ill. (and yeah, that 2x misspelling of "tattoo" was theirs... really professional, huh?)

If you are or know a local highschool student who thinks $8-10/hr to draw on people is great compared to whatever other minimum wage job you might be able to easily get... you're very right... but these rates are utterly abusive when you look at the big picture. A "busy beach location", if they really are busy and really by the beach, is probably bringing in $200/hr+ worth of business! So $190+ per hour is being stolen directly from you, the artist, and put into the pockets of the corporate fat cats running the establishment you're working for. Even if it's insanely slow for a beach location, you should *easily* be bringing in $60/hr...and thus $50/hr is being stolen from you.

If you want to start working as a henna artist, work with an independent professional who will show you the ropes while giving you a fair share! Even a beginning apprentice tends to make $25 per hour at a busy location, and that's if they work incredibly slowly...

If you want to learn henna from real henna artists and get hooked up with the well-paying gigs, consider coming to the Northeast Henna Gathering where there will be artists around who will be happy to work with you as a peer-in-training and not someone to blatantly exploit...




(note: monetary amounts [except for the hourly rate this establishment is paying its artists, which was published] are speculation, as every situation is of course different, but it's very much experience-based speculation...)

Northeast Henna *AND BELLYDANCE* Gathering

We are thrilled to announce that the Northeast Henna Gathering is now the Northeast Henna and Bellydance Gathering. Dance teachers from all over New England are teaching workshops on everything from foundations to improvisation to hand and arm movements!

Also, the Gathering has moved to a GORGEOUS venue - The Dark Lady, 124 Snow St, Providence, RI. This is just 15 minutes down the road from where it was originally going to be... so your long-ish distance travel plans shouldn't really be affected. The venue is FABULOUS (truly gorgeous - you MUST come see the deep red and gold walls, the chandeliers...) and has a real dance floor, a nice sound system, and some *very* comfy furniture.

Here's a complete schedule:
---------------------------------------
 Noon - 12:30 p.m. - Get settled in, meet people.
12-12:30 get settled in
12:30-1:30 Intro henna workshop (mixing, rolling cones, basic design elements)
1:30-4:30 More henna small group training and practice
1:30-2:30 Dance workshop by The Goddess Coyle: Intro to Bellydance
2:30-3:30 Dance workshop by Aepril Schaile:
Eerie Serpents, Ethereal Grace : Hands and Arms in Dark Fusion Bellyance:
Learn to achieve dramatically expressive and "bonelessly" undulating hands and arms via moving meditation, drills, and visualization. Suitable for all levels of dance experience.
3:30-4:30 Dance workshop by Neylan: Improvisational Tribal Style
4:30-5:30 Downtime to chat, henna each other, practice new dance moves, etc.
5:30-6:30 Indian Dinner (catered!)
6:30-9:00 More henna workshops, including
-pattern drawing (and creating a the Northeast Henna Gathering Design Book using templates from HennaTribe and Henna Page)
-other crafts to do with henna (drums, clothing, wooden boxes, etc...these materials are *extra* for those interested.)
-pastry decoration for henna artists
(how many times have *you* heard "wow, you would be really good at cake decorating!" ?
We'll explore this while decorating cookies to be shared at Raqs Gothique

9:30 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. Bellydance nightclub takeover!!!
Sanctuary Presents:
Raqs Gothique II
@ The Dark Lady
124 Snow St, Providence, RI
9:30pm-1am, 18+, $5 for those not already attending the daytime festivities
(admission included for those attending the daytime Gathering)
Live band: Copal
Performances by Aepril Schaile and The Goddess Coyle
DJ Lost Boy
Get your shimmy on and take some fabulous photos of your
models and newfound friends their bellydance finery.
---------------------------------------------

The registration fee is $35 through March 1st (that's tomorrow!!)...after that, it goes up to $80 for ALL dance and henna workshops, or $40 for just dance or just henna.

To register, go here:
www.hennabyheather.com/northeast.html

Current probable henna artist count: 16 (13 confirmed, 5 not quite confirmed yet)
Total attendee count so far: 28

Hope to see you there!


-Heather

Meriden Daffodil Festival

I just applied to be a part of this year's Meriden (CT) Daffodil Festival.
My dad found out about this one by asking people at work what festivals they went to... he is the best research/pr guy ever! :)

It'll be April 26-27, and will take the place of the way-too-expensive-for-way-too-little-payoff MayFair in Harvard Square this year as my big henna season kickoff event!

The Animals (of "House of the Rising Sun" fame) will be headlining this huge outdoor festival... so come check out "New England's Most Beautiful Craft Fair!" with way over half a million daffodils in bloom!

Free Henna @ India Restaurant, Hope St, Providence

FREE HENNA TATTOOS @ India Restaurant
Fridays and Saturdays in March (and maybe indefinitely!)
Hope Street (where it meets Blackstone Blvd), Providence, RI
8-10pm
Small motifs (typically $5-10 at festivals) are free!
More elaborate henna is $15+

Feb 29 + Mar 1
Mar 7 + 8
Mar 14 + 15
Mar 21
Mar 28 + 29

Henna Workshops this Summer

Of course, coming to the Northeast Henna Gathering on March 30th is the best (and cheapest!) way to immerse yourself in the world of henna and learn all about it...


But for those of you who can't make it (why not??), or who want to continue with your henna practice, I am holding some more workshops in May and June:

May 20: South Coast Learning Network Henna Body Art Class
7-9pm, $39 registration, $30 materials
5 Dover Street, beautiful downtown New Bedford, MA 02740
maximum class size: 20
Register: http://www.learnconnect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=1013&courseid=4146&categoryid=42&subcategoryid=77&catalogid=8


June 25: Learning Connection Henna Body Art Class
7-9pm, $39 registration, $30 materials
201 Wayland Ave, Wayland Square, Providence, RI
maximum class size: 20
Register: http://www.learnconnect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=1013&courseid=4146&categoryid=42&subcategoryid=77&catalogid=7



I'm also teaching a face painting class this summer:

May 7: Learning Connection Face Painting Class
7-9pm, $35 registration, $30 materials
201 Wayland Ave, Wayland Square, Providence, RI 02906
Register:
http://www.learnconnect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=1013&courseid=4225&categoryid=42&subcategoryid=77&catalogid=7



Feel free to contact me for more information.


email: info@HennaByHeather.com
web: www.HennaByHeather.com
phone: 401-831-7375
cell: 617-429-6301

New henna / mehndi photos!

The first two of these are inspired by Nick Cartier's new "bookini" Rajasthan (available through the shop @ HennaTribe.com)... both are on Peter. I also did one on myself, but it hasn't darkened up yet and I didn't get a good paste-off picture. You should *definitely* get a copy of this mini-book...it is very excellent stuff! Check out Nick's work at www.NomadHeart.com.

Foot (the excess # of dots are the main change I made here... dots make everything better! right?):


Hand:


Continuing on that same sort of geometric sort of train of thought... here's a hand design with a Moroccan feel, designed on the fly for the daughter of a very sweet massage therapist at Eastover Resort's January Girls Weekend Away:


Here are two pieces for the Dances of Vice festival that was the 2nd weekend in February... it was an excellent time and you should go next year if you have any sort of love for costuming or over-the-top artsiness. The model is Sally - whose skirt she made herself and is *phenomenal* up close. The compass rose on Sally's back is by Colleen, the flowing flowers down the shoulder/arm are mine:


This is also from Dances of Vice...the club lighting made for a pretty neat photo, although of course it is too dark to really see the henna... it's another compass rose (it REALLY is true that people always want whatever they see!) with some stars:


And last but not least, two photos of the bridal henna I did, based on a design by Jessica McQueen of Henna Caravan in Southern California. It looks to me like her design was almost certainly inspired by Kim Brennan...who might've been inspired by Asha Savla? The chain of inspiration is pretty much never ending... it's amusing to be able to trace it back!



It's the "slow season" for henna... but what that actually translates to is more time to do some big, beautiful pieces. A much needed break from the gazillion Chinese characters and other tattooz that I did all fall and will start doing again come March or so.

stART in the Park - June 1st

The absolutely fabulous people who bring you stART on the Street every September in Worcester have lined up another sure-to-be-excellent event for June! What an awesome way to start the summer!

stART in the Park (www.startonthestreet.org/start-park)
Sunday June 1, 2008 11am - 4pm (rain date: Sunday June 8th)

FREE ADMISSION!

Beaver Brook Park, Mann Street in Worcester, MA

75+ artists and crafters, performers, food vendors, kids activities, local farms and organizations, celebrity softball and more!

A day long celebration of arts, crafts, culture, cuisine and fun in the sun! Join us for a free celebration in Beaver Brook Park on Mann Street in Worcester, MA. Bring a blanket and spread out a picnic lunch or purchase food from area restaurants and caterers.

Items available for purchase include arts & crafts, produce, decorative and edible plants and more - be a responsible member of the community and sustain local small businesses!

Bellydance benefit on Sunday

This Sunday at the American Legion in Warwick, RI, the Ocean State NBDA is hosting a benefit for Day One.

I'll be there doing henna, and donating a percentage of all proceeds to Day One. Designs will start at $5, and admission to the event is only $10!

More info:

Henna Designs for Dances of Vice neo-Victorian / steampunk music festival

Here are some designs I drew up for Dances of Vice... the scanning resolution is way low and they don't look as good as they will in the final polished versions....but for now, here they are:

Appointments at Color Bomb Tattoo

I'm now accepting appointments at Color Bomb Tattoo, 150 Broadway, Providence, RI

Email me at info@hennabyheather.com or call at 617-429-6301 (my cell) to make an appointment.

Appointments start at $35 for 20 minutes.

Henna @ Bellydance Benefit for Day One

I just got asked to do henna at this event - yay!
20% of all henna proceeds will be donated to Day One.

One of the best of the best...

Check out this beautiful work by an insanely talented Korean henna artist:

http://www.ejbodyart.com/

Free patterns page updated

I've updated my Free Patterns Page so that it's:

a) easier to navigate
b) faster to load

Soon I'll put up a list of henna-related books that are for sale on Amazon.com so that people have a quick and easy way to go from searching for free patterns to buying professionally printed patterns from a reputable source.

Kuchi Belt from The Fair Trade Store (Flavours of Life) in New London, CT

Check it out - ooooh, shiny! I got it from Flavours of Life, the fair trade store in New London, CT.



This gorgeous kuchi (Pashtun) belt was made by Afghani refugees in Pakistan. I've been looking for this type of jewelry with this sort of high quality for a long time, pretty much ever since I got the necklace in the center of this photo back in 2002 at the Harvard Peabody Museum.

Look for the belt in future photoshoots and maybe in more 'authentic' feeling henna booth setups.

And, importantly, at Raqs Gothique!

Sweet 16 Party

Colleen and I did henna tattoos at a sweet sixteen party last night... it was nuts! They had what seemed to be a rave/retro 80's theme (do the two to together? you be the judge), in a giant house. The bday girls and moms were very sweet and great to work with/for. We mostly did tattoo designs, no "real", authentic henna.

It was totally worth the trip all the way down to Wilton (Norwalk) CT, and I was glad to have Colleen by my side!

We only got a few photos... but they aren't anything worth posting here really, as they're just little tattoo designs.

Flickr Account

I just got myself a Flickr account... because it seems like a neat way to share photos with other henna artists and get their quick comments. It's way better than MySpace or HennaPage for that specific purpose.

If you're reading this blog and have a bit of time... it would be really great if you could go to Flickr and leave me comments! You might have to create an account if you don't already have one.

Gulf style henna gauntlets for Mandy

A video of this being applied has been taken and just needs to be mixed in with some music and posted to my YouTube channel :)

Not bad for 2 hands practically up to the elbow in under an hour, but they are a bit shakey looking... the goal was speed, though... All in all, I'm pretty happy about how they came out given how quickly they were done, but certainly I could have done it crisper.

Henna Pattern Book for beginners, mehendi party guests, and festivals now available!

Now available: E-book with 24 hand patterns, all hand-drawn by Heather!
The book was originally conceived of as a book for festivals and mehndi parties with designs that take under 5 minutes each while still being true to the authentic-yet-cute spirit of my style.
Great for beginners! Includes a broad array of styles and many different pattern elements, including:

Peacock
Lotus flower
Mandala
Flowers
Khamsa (hamsa)
Jewelry-style
Pashto / Kuchi jewelry inspired
Celestial (sun, moon, star)
Veve inspired
Paisley
Indian
Morrocan
Ankh
Feminine *and* masculine henna designs
Vines and swirls
Om


Click the button below to buy your own copy!
$10
delivered electronically - download instructions will be emailed
Now available: E-book with 24 hand patterns, all hand-drawn by Heather of www.HennaByHeather.com!

The book was originally conceived of as a book for festivals and mehndi parties with designs that take under 5 minutes each while still being true to the authentic-yet-cute spirit of my style.
Great for beginners! Includes a broad array of styles and many different pattern elements, including:

Peacock, Lotus flower, Mandala, Flowers, Khamsa, Vines, Swirls,
Om, Jewelry-style, Pashto / Kuchi jewelry inspired, Celestial (sun, moon, star), Veve inspired, Paisley, Indian, Moroccan, Ankh, Feminine *and* masculine designs

....so as you can see, there's a lot of variety in there!

Click on the button below to purchase your copy for only $10!

Recent Henna

Here's some henna I've done on myself in the past week or so:

based on an Asha Savla design



this went all the way up my arm, but it was tough to get a good photo of all of it...



And here's the henna I did on Anastasia and Amy at their party on Saturday:

Northeast Henna Gathering - complete information

Northeast Henna Gathering (#2)
A day of henna – a night of bellydance!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
12:00 noon – 1:00 a.m.

Your host:
Heather Caunt-Nulton
Attleboro, MA (45 minutes south of Boston, 15 minutes north of Providence)
Exit 5 off of I-95 in Massachusetts (you could also take exit 2, but that way is a bit trickier)

RSVP, address and further information:
web: http://www.hennabyheather.com/northeast.html
e-mail:info@hennabyheather.com
home office: 401-831-7375


Tentative schedule:
(we are very laid back about the schedule…as such, it is subject to change)
Noon -1:00 p.m. - Get settled in, meet people.
1:00 -3:00 p.m. Henna and photograph models and each other.
3:00 -5:00 p.m. Workshops on different techniques and styles.
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Indian dinner.
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. henna-esque decoration of cookies, cupcakes, etc.
7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Draw patterns for our Northeast Gathering Henna Pattern Book, finish up
(and gild, glitter, or crystal-ify) any remaining body art, get pretty for the club
9:30 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. Bellydance nightclub takeover!!!



Raqs Gothique II
@ The Dark Lady
124 Snow St, Providence, RI
Live entertainment and much dancing!
Get your shimmy on and take some fabulous photos of your
models and newfound friends their bellydance finery.


Accommodation:
Up to 15 people can henna and hang out comfortably at Heather’s house.
Possible accomodations include the Days Inn and Super 8 Motel in Attleboro and North Attleboro. You may also wish to stay in downtown Providence so you don't have far to travel after the bellydancing.

Fees:
$35 to cover dinner, bellydance club event, henna and baking supplies, modest pay for models

What to bring:
Yourself, any special henna tools you want to use and/or share



Photos from last year and updates can be found at:
The Northeast Henna Gathering Webpage

Upcoming gigs

Colleen and I will be doing henna in Wilton, CT (practically NYC) on Saturday, January 25th. We'd be very happy to take other gigs in the Fairfield County area that day before 6pm with no travel fee. Simply email Heather to arrange for an appointment.

Also, I'll be at Eastover Resort in Lenox, MA (The Berkshires) for their increasingly popular Girls' Weekend Away.

And Colleen and I will be doing henna at Raqs Gothique II, hosted by Sanctuary at The Dark Lady (and part of the Northeast Henna Gathering) on Sunday, March 30th.

For more information on the Northeast Henna Gathering, please check out HennaConference.com. It's a mere $35 for henna supplies, models, dinner, and admission to Raqs Gothique!

New camera!

I got a new camera! I'm looking forward to using it to get some nice henna photos in the upcoming months.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Henna for Eid

I just got home from doing henna / mehndi for Eid! I've been wanting to do henna for Eid for years now, but since it always coincides so closely with Christmas or the end of school, I'm usually away and/or insanely busy... not so this year!

The hostess and her family and friends were incredibly kind... they were definitely some of my favorite cl