Henna Tattoo & a Month End...

Now, I can scratch one thing off my Bucket List.  This last Tuesday morning,  I had a henna tattoo applied by Malynda in my home.  I had given her a very rough drawing of sunflowers and a bicycle, and she drew this free hand and came up with an amazing piece of artwork on me.   It was rather amazing thinking of my body underneath and as a part of a piece of art.  I never considered my body to be a possibility of art; which was rather a new concept for me.  One that I may have to explore some more in the future,hmmm?

Let me preface this with a warning-- Not all hennas are created equal!!  ***BLACK HENNA WARNING!!***  If you come across a henna that stains your skin black immediately avoid it.  It probably contains a harmful chemical called PPD(para-phenylenediamine).  PPD is ILLEGAL to use on skin and can cause painful rashes, disfiguring scars, increased allergic reactions to safer black dyes (such as used to dye your clothes), to more serious conditions such as heart failure and life-long illness.

My upper left arm just after application of henna paste.

View of my back with henna paste still on.

The henna goes on with the consistency of black pudding.  Then, you leave it on your skin any where from 4 to 8 hours.  That allows your skin to absorb the coloring from the henna.  I had about 6 hours after Malynda left to sit and let my skin do nothing but absorb.  I was trying not to move or touch anything with those areas of my body.  Oh, did I mention it was my back, left shoulder, and upper left arm?  And I never realized how hard that is not to touch something with those parts of your body when you are trying not to. OMG!  I ended up leaning on my right side and slightly forward on my love seat as I watched a movie and then did some reading on my nook.  At shortly after 5pm, I changed into some cycling clothes and went to ride my Tuesday evening Emigration Canyon ride.  The henna paste was starting to crack and fall off.  I imagine I looked rather yucky during the ride, but the sweat was supposed to help set it in I was told.
 

Henna tattoo the morning after most of the paste was removed.

The henna tattoo on the second day.  It's gotten darker.

And an monthly update....
Weight- I've 9 lbs to go till my goal weight.
100 SLC Porches- I finish #73 & 74 the other night.  I'm right on track!  Check out the project on my other blog- Allgood Art.
Uncluttering my life- I still have a pile in the bedroom that's growing that I'll eventually send to the good will.

Stats for the month...

28 miles running

385 miles biking

3 hours 41 mintues on elliptical

and

read 5 books this month (up to 44 for the year!)

Old Navy + Me = Dangerous Territory

Sunday early evening, as I had dinner plans cancelled I found myself at the local Old Navy Store. I figured I would go in to get a cheap tube top. I needed something to wear while I have my henna tattoo applied at the end of this month. Yes, I didn’t own a strapless top I could use and thought I could pick up an el-cheap-o at Old Navy. I came out an hour and a half later spending almost $60. Can you say, “Oppppsss!”

I did manage to find the tube top for about $3. I also managed to find a pair of jeans, a sleeveless top, a floral tank, and a cute skirt. That’s the problem with going straight to the discount area at Old Navy. There are just TOO many bargains to be had and then the next thing I know I’m trying on this and that; followed by another this and that. AND before you know it the hanged section of “LOVE IT” is filled up. AH-OH! Then, I’m going through and try to narrow down everything that will make it over to the register with me. YIKES! This is dangerous and originally I just came in for a cheap tube top.


But on the fantastic side, I discovered I can fit rather snuggly in a pair of 12 jeans! Yahoo! I normally wear a 14. The jeans were on sale for $15. So, of course, I had to get a pair of them! Then I discovered that the large shirts that I usually get are too large. I go back and grab the medium and WOW! I’m fitting into medium shirts! How cool is this? This is making me feel really good till I try on a pair of 14 jeans in a different style and I can barely get them up my thighs. What’s up with that??!


I look more closely and discover they are mismarked. The clipped on tag says size 10, but all the stickers say size 14. Whew! That was a load off my mind because I was wondering if I was in a special twilight zone of the dressing room. Ooooo Spooky!  I go back to get another size 14 and discovered 4 other pairs that were marked the same way! I immediately grabbed a sales gal and showed her. I did it because I hated the idea of some other gal trying on a pair of mismarked jeans, and ended up with a bruised ego.


AND so, that’s how I went into Old Navy for one thing and came out spending almost $60. But I will say that I’ve improved! The last time I went into Old Navy I had spent $120. Thus, in the new math method:
Old Navy + Me = Dangerous Spending Territory!

Bucket List Thoughts & an Update...

It was as we stood in the elevator that Diane said,” You need to add that to your Bucket List and then check it off.” I could not help but smile at her plan. We just got done watching a movie (Rio) on an inflatable BIG (HUGE- 10' x10') screen TV while we were leisurely sitting in our swimsuits ensconced in a hot tub. I was also enjoying one of those sweet “chick-like” beverages that tasted like margaritas and we could see the stars above in the dark night sky. It was amazing night that had started off with a dinner done alfresco near the pool area and a "homemade" (not really- Diane tried to pass it off as such!  Nice try girlfriend!) Key Lime pie. Yum!  It's one of my favorites!


I will admit that it was one of those wonderful memories that I’ll look back on but I could have never perceived putting it on a bucket list. Not because it’s not worthy of a bucket list, but what made it so special was the chance that it occurred and with such wonderful company too. Some moments are just made better because they are NOT planned or anticipated. It’s those unique moments like this that I believe make life so amazing and interesting. But I couldn’t help but smile and chuckle inside as I thought over what Diane had said. I would put it on another list though; a list of 100 Best Unplanned Moments.


But I’ve already lined up one item to do that’s on my Bucket List. I’ve made an appointment to have a henna tattoo near the end of this month. I’ve sent a prelim idea for the design and the lady that’s going to do it is working up a sketch before the appointment. Yes, there’s a bicycle involved in the design but I’m not sharing any more than that for right now.  I got the impression from the lady that she had never had such a design requested and I think she might have been intrigued by it.  I managed to find this lady through some on-line searching.  She does henna tattoos locally, but is currently doing a booth at a festival in Washington State.  I was rather surprised when I learned that she even comes out to your house which I thought was really neat but not a requirement.  But I thought that since I've decided to have this henna tattoo go from the back of my neck, along my shoulder, and to the top of my left arm it might be nice to have it done at home.  I'm getting excited about doing this!


An update on my weight, I’m up 1 pound which I wasn’t too surprised because I wasn’t really good this week but I’m planning on trying harder this next week. The good news is that I’m still down a total 23 lbs. and I have 9 more to go!