Like A Glittering Prize...

... I saw you up on a clear day...
Remember that song from Simple Minds? Everytime I create some glitter body art, I can't help but sing the song Glittering Prize. Here's my latest glitter body artwork.

Monday's Magnetic Poetry

A few weeks ago, I finished my magnet board project (DIY instructions coming soon!) and decided to place it in the hallway where everyone in my household who passes in front of it can create their own strange and unusual poetry.  Some of it is so poetically out there, I just couldn't resist to have a section for it on this blog!

The Making of Twiggy Tights

The Inspirations...

The idea for the Twiggy Tights all started when I saw my friend, Sarah, wearing a pair of bright yellow rain boots.  When I asked her where she had found them, she told me they were old boots that once belonged to her mother. As I was taking a closer look to admire the vintage style and the colour,  I started to think how great it would be to find some way to integrate them into a henna photo. Nothing really came up at the time, so I just let it go.

Many months later, I was walking back home and came across an alleyway where I saw this lovely blue brick wall.  I  stared at it for a long time trying to visualize how I could use it as a background for a photo shoot.  I didn't know what kind of design I would create, but I was sure that the colour of henna and the blueness of that wall would be a perfect combination.

Then some time later, my daughter came home with a pair of funky and colourful stockings she had just bought at a store.  Once I saw them on her legs, everything got connected in my brain: the tights, the blue wall and the yellow rain boots. I suddenly had a clear direction of what my next henna project was going to be.

The creative process...

So I started doing some research on styles found during the 60s and 70s; things like vintage fabrics, clothes, shoes, photography, jewelry, etc. I also looked into Twiggy fashion since I had associated the yellow boots with that era. Once I felt I had accumulated enough material, I started working on sketches, creating various floral patterns and trying to mix them with more traditional henna motifs.

Once I was happy with the final design, I started thinking about what I wanted the model to wear. For the Twiggy Tights photos,  I went to have a look at Sarah's closet.  After all, she was the one who would be my model. I figured since she had those fabulous boots, she might also have other goodies that could be used.  I ended up selecting a dark blue dress and several pair of shoes including the yellow boots that blended really well with the vintage feel I wanted the photos to have. 

What's a model to do?...

Ever wonder what a henna model does during a henna session, aside from standing, sitting or lying still for 10 hours?

• Book: Women Who Run With The Wolves,

   by Clarissa Pinkola Estès

• Food: Salad, black berries, Pasta alla Gigi

   (prepared by the henna-artist!)

• Naptime: approx. 50 minutes

• Candies: Smarties

• Movie: Milk,

   by Gus Van Sant, starring Sean Penn