What color is henna?
Okay. 
Let's start with the basics.

Henna is a plant and its leaves are harvested, dried and milled into a powder.
This powder is used to make henna paste. 

Let's take an example of spinach that you can buy at any regular grocery store.
When you cook these green spinach leaves, they turn to a dark green mess...lol.
Henna paste is the same color - dark green.

Now let's talk about the color that henna paste leaves behind on the skin.
The naturally occurring dye in henna is a translucent orange color.
When exposed to air, this dye gets darker - more red to dark brown shades.
Watch this video to see the progression of henna stain on skin.

What else can I help you with today?
  

I bet you are one of those people who like to educate yourself before you get into something. 
If that something is getting henna done then you're in the right place!
I'm sharing my aftercare instructions below. 

• Once the design is applied, keep it on for 4 to 8 hours. The longer the better!
• Keep the design from getting wet during this time.
• This is the 'Setting time' and affects how long the stain will last.
• After the Setting time, first scrape off the paste or gently pick at it with your finger.
• Do not wash it.
• Then apply coconut oil on stubborn bits to remove easily.
• Lastly, avoid getting the design wet for 12 hours after scraping the paste off. This step is important to get a beautiful dark stain.
• Stay warm. This is important to get a dark stain. 

Watch the video below.

If you follow these instructions carefully, I'm sure it will result in a beautiful henna stain. 
I would love to hear from you if it worked or not in the comments below.

Wedding planning can definitely be an overwhelming experience.
Let's help you by asking you some key questions.

Ask yourself this to help prioritize your favorite wedding vendors.
Question 1
Every time you think about your ideal wedding, an image may pop up into your mind. What do you see?
Is it how beautifully you are dressed up? Is the venue and beautiful décor, or is the pictures and videos of a beautiful wedding?
Note this down.

Question 2
Do you have a Pinterest board of bridal henna designs and/or the mandap décor?
What is the Pinterest board about? 
Note this down.

Question 3
Is there something without which your dream wedding won't feel complete?
If you don’t have them as you wanted them, would your dream wedding still come true?
That’s a tell-tale sign of you where your priority lies.
Note this down too.

Look at your notes. 
Did the answers surprise you?
Maybe deep inside you already knew, but now it's crystal clear.

If this was helpful in any way, please let me know!
Whether  you’re  feeling  overwhelmed or determined, discover more  about bridal henna at HennafyMe.com

Is henna considered a 'tattoo'?
The short answer is No.
It is a form of art that stays on your skin for a few days and then goes away.

The long answer:
By definition, the word tattoo has two meanings according to google search.
1. mark (a person or a part of the body) with an indelible design by inserting pigment into punctures in the skin. 
2. a rhythmic tapping or drumming.

None of these apply to henna or its application.
Here's one of my Instagram videos showing henna application using a cellophane cone applicator.

Henna paste is applied on top of the skin.
The paste sits on top of the skin and there are no needles or any kind of pain involved.
Getting henna design done is a very therapeutic, calming and pampering experience.
It has no religious affiliations.
The henna art form is a part of several cultures spanning the continents of Asia and Africa. 

Please leave me your questions below.

Would you believe me if I said that henna is a plant?

You read that correctly!
Henna is a plant, a tall shrub in fact, that grows in harsh desert areas of Africa and Asia.
It has fragrant flowers and often planted as hedges.
The leaves are harvested for their staining properties, sun dried and ground to a powder.
Coarsely ground powder is often used for hair application.
Body art quality (BAQ) henna powder is often very finely ground. As fine as all-purpose flour!

The henna paste that you see applied on skin?
That is a paste made by mixing henna powder + water (or a liquid like lemon juice) + sugar + essential oils.
That is it.
Very simple! Watch my henna paste making video here.

What questions do you have for me?
​​

I know you are excited about your beautiful henna design. Most probably you are told to keep the paste on for several hours for best results.

But it's already bed time.
The henna paste seems to be cracking and flaking off in places.
What can you do protect your henna design?
What can you do to protect your bedding from getting stained?

Don't worry my friend! I got you.
Below is my true and tried method that'll take care of your worries.

Grab a toilet paper roll and an old sock.
Good alternatives for the sock are nylon stocking. If none of those are handy, grab cling-wrap or a plastic bag.
Follow these steps:
* Take the toilet paper roll and start wrapping the henna design. Wrap it a couple of times.
* Make sure all the henna design is covered in toilet paper.
* Now wear the sock/ stocking over it. If using cling-wrap or plastic bag - wrap it covering the bundled up design.
That's it!
​
Was this helpful?
If you've tried it, I'd love to know if it worked for you too!
If you'd like to see pictures or a step-by-step video of the above process, comment below!

​Hi friends, if you are feeling overwhelmed right now...I can totally relate to your situation. 
At one time you are looking forward to meeting and celebrating with all your friends, family and colleagues, not to mention all the awesome wedding festivities...and within a few days everything has gone topsy-turvy.

No worries, friend. I'm here for you.
Below you'll find answers to your questions and help gain some clarity.

Your most burning question probably is:
Should I cancel or postpone or just have a very private wedding?

Postpone
For everyone involved, the best option is to postpone. It is less inconvenient than canceling the wedding altogether. Letting everyone know via phone calls or emails (with a read receipt) will guarantee that everyone has received the news and the new dates.

Cancel
If you feel that there is no choice but to cancel, then I recommend  that you immediately inform your planner, all the vendors, any hotel bookings, travel arrangements for honeymoon, etc. Depending upon how close you are to the wedding date, you may be able to get few refunds. 
Make sure to call all the invitees to let them know about the cancellation. Have a family member help you with this.

Private ceremony
Finally, there's  the option of having a very private ceremony. I'd suggest to doing things just like you've canceled the wedding...with the addition of modified preparations for the now-much smaller wedding.

We'll lose the deposit paid to wedding vendors if we cancel. Is it okay to ask for a refund?

Here's the bad news.
Yes, there is a high chance that you'll lose those funds.

First, I'd suggest going through your copy of the signed Contract with each vendor. Check their refund policy.
Next, check if the vendor has already done any work. For example; wedding planners start  planning everything several months before the wedding day. Your henna artist probably has already drafted out and finalized the bridal designs with you. You probably had consultations with the vendors which were included in the bridal services. 

Also take into consideration that the Wedding industry is one of the worst hit by Covid-19. Your vendors most probably have many clients asking for a refund, which could financially cripple any small business. 

Lastly, while taking all the above factors into consideration, contact the vendor.
Yes, it's okay to ask for a refund from your vendors. Most vendors will work with you. These are unprecedented times and we all are in this together.

What about my custom bridal lehenga? We can't have a wedding and I have no use for it anymore.

These are unprecedented times, agreed. But weddings get canceled for other reasons too.
Contact your designer/boutique to check if they have started the work on it. 
If there is no way to cancel it, check with the store. See if the boutique can put it up for sale at a discounted price. Out of which they keep a percentage you both agree upon.
​
***
I'd love to know if this helped you in any way. Did you take a different route that worked better for you may be? I hope you'll share your experience with me!

-Manasi
ManasisArt 
​

Just like rest of the residents of Peachtree City, my family and I have fallen for this city. We all lovingly call it our "Bubble". And now our Bubble has its very own Face painter and Henna artist! All it takes is a Google search of 'Hennafy Me'!


Moving is never fun and this time it was no different. We have moved so many times over the past 5 years, it has taken its toll. Among them is my beloved business. Although it is a pain, it is also a fresh start to make new friends, and wow new people with my art!

I was thrilled and saddened by the kind words of my repeat clients in Chattanooga, TN. Sharing few of them:

"I hate to hear that you are moving! You will definitely be missed at Color the Curve After Dark - we agree that you are the best in Chattanooga!" 
- Jennifer

"Thank you for all the marvelous face painting you've done for us. xxxx followed up on a couple of your suggestions, so we will be booking with someone soon. Best of luck on your move!"
- Betty P.

My fresh start started with a bang! I arranged a jam with the artists from the surrounding areas....and we had a wonderful time discussing, hennaing and painting each other! We had artists come in from Mcdonough, Newnan, Cummings, Decatur, GA. What an amazing group of artists we have in this area!

Below are pics of henna I did at the jam. Hope you enjoy the pics, as much as, I enjoyed applying henna!
Don't forget...say Hennafy Me!!

I believe all creatures are born free and should remain free. That includes birds. Owls in particular fascinate me because they are different. They are magnificent and extremely skilled hunters. I am always amazed how each and every creature is different in its own way.

Nature is undeniably an artist....THE most creative artist!!

My obsession toward the bird has led me to collect Owls.... made out of different materials and textures. I hope you enjoy browsing through my tiny collection of Owls.

If you ever come across a unique Owl, I would love to hear from you!