Mehendi

   Yesterday my youngest daughter and I went to a women's health show. Perhaps the best part of the experience was when she and I sat down with a mehendi artist to celebrate ourselves with a little traditional adornment. The artist drew patterns on our hands with a mix of dried, powdered henna leaves, water and a little lime, using a cone applicator that looks like the one used to ice a cake. The application had to be allowed to dry and when the henna came off, an orange-red pattern was left behind. The art will last from one to two or more weeks, depending on where it is situated and how much "wear" it is subjected to. This is the artwork that was painted onto my daughter's hand.