Little Henna Glove Tattoo

Here is a quick little henna 'glove" style. It has that lacy sort of feeling that many people like.

This photo of course is not the big news. The BIG News is that I I just "met" a very talented henna artist from Singapore, and she sent me a link to her blog.

To see some fabulous bridal henna just visit SJ Henna Designs. I hope to be able to do more of this kind of henna... so if you want to come on by Midnight Sun & get glamourous, or adventurous.. please do.

On Saturday, henna is by dontation. That means you give what you can afford, although the preferred minimum is $10... give what you can.

Tribal Tattoo - Spirit Tribe Healing Tattoo

Here's a Sprit Tribe pattern. The pupose was to facilitate healing, balance, a return to ground.

Archtypal energies from Spain & Scotland came to play in the creation of this tattoo.

Of course I have just finished printing up new books full of traditional henna tattoo as well as some nice "Anywhere Designs" if you are not having a tribal moment when you stop by Midnight Sun

Be sure to visit Spirit Vision Henna to see the updated "henna movie"

Tribal Tattoo - free hand Spirit Tribe tattoo

Here is a "Spirit Tribe" tattoo. It happens when henna sort of finds the tribal nature of a client. In this case the client's nature was powerful, bold & passionate.

Done in the "Chef's Choice" tradition of seeing what the artist gives you, this design was created for the inner forearm.

Next post will be another Spirit Tribe pattern, this one with a healing intent.

Taureg Henna Pattern for Soles of Feet

This is a Taureg pattern for the soles of the feet from the Joyous Art of Henna by Catherine Cartwright-Jones. Henna by Ann George of Spirit Vision Henna, foto by Chelsie.

If you would like a tattoo like this, it's best done at late in the afternoon or in the early evening. Or you could chose to have a henna party. (Nope... it doesn't tickle.)

Full Palms Henna - traditional henna tattoo!

I had the good luck to be able to do this lovely full palm henna tattoo today. I hope you enjoy it.

I suppose it took about 45 minutes from start to finish. I hope to have a foto of the finished color on line soon.

Just stop by Midnight Sun to look thru lots of pattern books... maybe you will find something you like. (Click the image for a larger view).

Gilded Chrysanthemum Tattoo

Here is a gilded mum tattoo for a young woman who stopped into Midnight Sun last Saturday. She was very patient with me as I did my first ever chrysanthemum henna.

The design is gilded with a lovely pearly white paste touched with a bit of rose glitter to make the flower... the leaves are done in a peridot gilding paste.

Spicy Eggplant Slices

Vangyache Kaap in marathi

Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Time: 30 minutes



Ingredients:
1 medium Eggplant
1/2 cup Rice Flour
1 tbsp Chickpea flour
2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp Dry mango powder (optional)
Salt to taste
around 1/4 cup oil

Method:
1) Wash eggplant thoroughly. Make thin, round slices of the eggplant. Take a deep bowl, fill it up with cold water and immerse these slices into cold water to avoid darkening.
2) Mix together all the dry ingredients (Chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida, salt, cumin-coriander powder, dry mango powder). Do not add water.
3) After 8 to 10 minutes remove eggplant slices from the water and place onto a clean towel and pat dry.
4) Dip the eggplant slices into the above flour mixture and coat both sides of each slice.
5) Heat a nonstick griddle. Spread 2 tbsp oil over it and place the slices on it. Each slice should be separated. Cook the slices in batches or use multiple griddles to cook them. Do not cover while roasting.
6) Drizzle little oil and cook both sides until golden brown over medium heat.
7) Serve them as side dish in your meal.

Tips:
1) Eggplant should be fresh.
2) Any kind of eggplant is good to make above recipe. Please note that Japanese eggplants are convenient because of its small size, however it has little sweet taste.

वांग्याचे काप - Vangyache Kap / Kaap

Vangyache Kap in English

२ ते ३ जणांसाठी
वेळ: ३० मिनीटे

साहित्य :
१ मध्यम वांगे
१/२ कप तांदूळ पीठ
१ टेस्पून बेसन पीठ
२ टिस्पून लाल तिखट
१/४ टिस्पून हळद
चिमूटभर हिंग
१/२ टिस्पून जीरेपूड
१/२ टिस्पून धणेपूड
१/२ टिस्पून आमचूर पावडर (ऐच्छिक)
चवीपुरते मीठ
साधारण वाटीभर तेल

कृती :
१) वांग्याच्या गोल चकत्या कराव्यात. ८-१० मिनिटे मिठाच्या पाण्यात भिजत ठेवावे.
२) पाण्याबाहेर काढून वांग्यावरील पाणी टिपून घ्यावे.
३) चणा पीठ, तांदूळ पीठ, हळद, तिखट, हिंग, मीठ, जीरेपूड, धणेपूड, आमचूर पावडर एकत्र करावे. (अजिबात पाणी घालू नये)
४) काप दोन्ही बाजूंनी वरील मिश्रणात घोळवून घ्यावे.
५) नॉन स्टिक तव्यावर २-३ चमचे तेल घालावे. आणि काप तव्यावर ठेवावे. मध्यम आचेवर वरुन झाकण ठेवून काप शिजू द्यावेत. बाजूने थोडे तेल सोडावे.
६) एक बाजू गोल्डन ब्राऊन झाल्यावर काप दुसर्‍या बाजूवर परतावे.
७) ३-४ मिनिटांनी सुरीने काप शिजले आहेत की नाही ते बघावे. जेवताना गरम गरम तोंडी लावणी म्हणून हे काप छान लागतात.

टीप:
१) वांगी ताजी असावीत, जुन वांग्यामध्ये बिया असतात, तसेच काही वांगी खाल्ल्यावर घशाला खवखवतात. त्यामुळे वांग्याचा एखादा तुकडा जिभेला लावून पाहावा.
२) मोठी वांगी किंवा जपानी वांगी (लांब आणि बारीक) दोन्ही कापांसाठी चालतात, फक्त जपानी वांग्यांना किंचीत गोड चव असते.

Labels
vange Kaap, Vangyachi Kaape, Eggplant fritters, eggplant fry

Artists Henna Kits - Fresh Tea & Jamila Henna

I have four henna kits ready to ship by First Class Mail if you are in the mood to try your hand at the fine art of henna tattoo. The herbal tea blend is super fresh! and a great addition to your henna recipes.

Just click HERE and scroll down the page a bit, for complete information on the Artists kits that include a 35 bm package (foil sealed) of super fine Jamila henna.

Traditional Indian Henna for Feet

Want to see all the images of this henna pattern? Just CLICK HERE for the slide show.

This is a Sunday afternoon henna moment for a friend. It was a very peaceful time, and a great help to me to be able to practice bridal style Indian henna.

Come back.. I hope to have photos in color soon.

Henna Dragon Tattoo

Here is a wrist tattoo that became a wrap around dragon. We weren't sure quite how the dragon would go... but as always seems to happen, henna has a way of finding the natural patterns in a person.This tattoo is one example. Click the image for a full sized photo.

If you want henna, remember, Spirit Vision Henna is avilable Saturday afternoons, or by appoitment for parties of all kinds.

Geometric Henna Pattern for Toes

Here is a pretty geometirc henna pattern for toes. It is done with Jamila Henna using the recipe methods posted earlier in the blog.

There is a sweet little embellishment for one heel that is not picutred today, I will have to put it online soon.

Of course, if you are coming to Midnight Sun for henna toes.. it may be best to go barefoot for the rest of the day, or to wear the tiniest flip flops possible.

पुदीना आणि बटाटा बॉल्स - Pudina Batata Balls

Mint Potato Balls in English

बेक केल्यावर

साहित्य:
२ शिजवलेले बटाटे (मध्यम आकाराचे)
१ कप किसलेले चीज़ (मेक्सिकन चीज़ ब्लेण्ड मिळाल्यास उत्तम)
७-८ पुदिन्याची पाने आणि ४-५ मिरच्या मिकसर मध्ये वाटून घ्यावे किंवा एकदम बारीक चिरून घ्यावे.
२ टेबलस्पून बटर
१ छोटा चमचा कॉर्न फ्लोर
चवीपुरते मीठ आणि मिरपूड

कृती:
१) सर्व साहित्य एकजीव करून घ्यावे. पाणी घालायला लागत नाही.
२) घट्ट गोळा करून घ्यावा. व तो २० मिनिटे झाकून ठेवावा.
३) वाटल्यास थोडे बटर वाढवून गोळा मळण्यायोग्य करावा.
४) त्याचे सुपरीएवढे गोळे करून घ्यावेत.
५) हे गोळे कनवेन्शनल ओव्हन मध्ये बेक करावेत (३५० F वर ७-८ मिनिटे). साधारण गोळयांचा रंग थोडा बदलला की लगेच काढावेत.
६) हे गोळे साधारणतः २० मिनिटनंतर गरम तेलात तळावेत. गोल्डन ब्राऊन रंग झाला की बाहेर काढावेत.

हा पदार्थ बिघडण्याचा चान्स कमी आहे आणि चवीविषयी मी काही लिहीत नाही ....तुम्हीच सांगा !!

Labels:
Potato Taters, tater tots, potato cheese balls, cheese balls

Mint potato balls

Mint potato balls in Marathi

Time: 40 minutes
serves: 15 Balls


Ingredients:
2 potatoes (Boiled and peeled)
1 cup grated cheese (Mexican cheese blend)
Paste of 7-8 Mint leaves and 4-5 green chilies or chop them finely
2 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Corn Flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1) In a mixing bowl add all ingredients, mix, and make dough. Cover with lid for 20 minutes.
2) Add more butter if needed. Make 1-inch balls of this mixture. Bake these balls over 350 F for 7-8 minutes. Once the color changes slightly, remove from oven. Keep these balls aside for 20 minutes to cool down.
3) After 20 minutes, deep fry balls in oil to Golden brown color.
Serve hot with mint chutney or Tomato ketchup as an Appetizer.

Abstract Henna Lotus - Gilded for summer fun.

Don't you love gilding? I think it is great fun!

Here is an abstract lotus pattern that a favorite here in Jax.

If you know the author of this design, please send that info along so I may give credit where credit is due.

Henna by donation (folding money please) at Midnight Sun on most Saturday afternoons.

This design features glitter as gidling in ruby, turquoise & "diamond" (which is hard to see in the foto). The photo shows paste on the skin.

Quick Henna for the Back of the Hands

I have a new tip, which is probably not news to more expericenced artists, but you may find it helpful.
I have some henna powder, that while still good, is not super fresh... so I decided to put it in a mortar & pestle & grind it a bit more. (This powder is already super fine, so the pulverizing was not to improve the texture, rather to see if the grinding would help the powder release it's dye.)

The result (which surprised me) was that the newly ground henna (from Pakistan) suddenly behaved like Yemini henna I had purchased in the past in that the henna had that gummy, yeasty quality when mixed as a paste.

Abstract Lotus Palm & Henna Tips

Here is a quick henna tattoo for the palm. It is possible to get henna on your palm & do all sorts of daily activities.. you just have to stay away from water for a while.

My new henna recipe seems to be the best yet. The recipe creates a paste that easily stays on the skin. Instead of adding fructose, (apparently I can't measure that correcty) I add a bit of pomegranet juice concentrate to the finished paste. This little bit of natural sugar seems to keep the henna on the skin nicely.

I also decided to put my lemon sugar glaze in a little spray bottle this year. This works great! Instead of dabbing little bits of lemon glaze on a design with a Q-Tip, I just give the finished pattern a qucik spritz. My clients love it!

पालक परोठा - Palak Paratha

Palak Paratha

साहित्य:
१ जुडी पालक (बारीक चिरून)
१ छोटा कांदा (एकदम बारीक चिरून किंवा मिक्सरमधून काढावा म्हणजे लाटताना परोठा फाटणार नाही)
कणीक
६-७ लसूण पाकळ्या
३-४ तिखट मिरच्या
१ टीस्पून जीरे
मीठ
तेल
परोठे लाटण्यासाठी जाड प्लास्टिकचे दोन चौकोनी तुकडे घ्यावे.

कृती:
१) मिरची आणि लसणीच्या पाकळ्या मिक्सरमध्ये वाटून घ्याव्यात.
२) पालक धुवून बारीक चिरून घ्यावा. त्यात मिरची-लसणीचे वाटण आणि बारीक चिरलेला कांदा घालावा.
३) त्यात १ कप कणीक घालावी १ टीस्पून मीठ आणि जीरे घालावे.
४) अगदी थोडे पाणी घालून मळावे. जास्त पाणी घालू नये कारण मळताना पालकाचे सुद्धा पाणी निघते, जर गोळा सैल झाला तर गरजेनुसार कणीक वाढवावी. मिश्रण एकजीव झाले की त्यात २ टेबलस्पून तेल घालावे. पीठ जास्त वेळ मळावे.
५) आधी प्लास्टिक शीट्सला तेल लावून घ्यावे, नंतर हाताला तेल लावून मध्यम आकाराचा गोळा एका प्लास्टिक शीटवर ठेवावा, दुसरी प्लास्टिक शीट त्यावर ठेवून हलक्या हाताने त्यावर लाटणे फिरवावे. जास्त जोर देऊ नये नाहीतर गोळा खालच्या प्लास्टिक शीटला चिकटतो.
६) गोळा लाटून झाल्यावर फुलक्या एवढा आकार होतो.
७) एका हाताने लाटलेला परोठा प्लास्टिक शीटसकट उचलून दुसर्‍या हातावर ठेवावा. आणि हलकेच प्लास्टिक शीट परोठ्यापासून सोडवावी. आणि परोठा गरम तव्यावर टाकावा. बाजूने तेल सोडावे.
८) दोन्ही बाजूने मध्यम आचेवर भाजून घ्यावा.

टिप : आवडीनुसार परोठा बटर वर करू शकतो.

Full Palms Henna - traditional henna tattoo!

Here is a new sample of traditional henna tattoo. Designs on the palms of the hands always yield the deepest color. (This is a photo of the paste still on the skin.)

Spirit Vision Henna thanks our hostess for the opportunity to do tradtional mehandi - and a bit of gilding - at her wonderful party. The pattern is original, but based on traditional componenets. I call it "Chef's Choice" henna. This means you tell me what you like (floral, tribal, African, Indian, geometric) and I create design to suite your style, your budget.. and of course your body.