Last week of the year....

First, an appology! I am sorry to Kim. I did not get her post up about how to henna a glass ball. I promise I will put it up as soon as I can. ( We do not have internet at home so I have to get time at the local library to upload the big blog posts.  Small posts like this one I can enter on my phone. This week we had some issues and I could not make it.)

The weeks seem to go faster and faster and faster and I turn arround and go " whoa.... What happened?" Now that the holidays are over, hopefully things will calm down.

Christmas morning we had a huge shock, my sister, bro in law and neice came from Ohio and suprised us. ( we are located in Kansas City, MO. We were told she wasn't going to make it, it sent our plans into upheavel in the most wonderful way!) So, my time to work on this blog is even shorter this week, but I am so happy I do not care! I miss my sister... This made the holiday happy!

Next week starts a massive project for me. A personal one I have been needing to do for YEARS! I plan to organize and declutter my house!

I am close to being a horder. People tease me all the time about my piles of junk. I am a pack rat, my piles of crap complete me.... BUT as I get older I really hate steping over piles & around crap. We have a small house and with four of us we must use our space wisely!

SO... The month of January my goal is to CLEAN, DECLUTTER and ORGANIZE....

The main goal is the studio so I can work. My craft supplies need a serious clean out and organizing party.

On top of that I have taxes due, so an organized system for that must be put into place.

I must find simple ways to stay organized through-out the year!

This month the blog is going to be all about organizing our Henna chaos. How to make various things to help us as artists. Tips for keeping things straight. How to make space count.

Hopefully; by the end of the month I can show a proud picture of a clean studio I can work in.

Anyhow... This week is a rest week. No fun art projects. Next week starts cleaning boot camp!

Are you ready? I totally am not!

Wish me luck...

Turning this holiday onto the ON position!

We should have a post later today or tomarrow from Kimberly on how she applies henna to a glass ball...

But for now, another quicky.

I have been crafting like a mad woman to finish up the holiday's goodies.

It is the season of giving, so give from the heart. Craft something for your loved ones! Make some cookies, brownies, hot chocolate or chai mix. Help your kids make your parents make an obnoxious ornament for the tree.

My mother helped my son make a picture ornament from a foam tray ( those ugly sea green ones meat comes on.) Damn thing has hung on my tree ever since he proudly gave it to me 6 years ago. Lol

(Now I have to aquire a meat tray so we can make our daughter one!)

The perfect crafts you slave over to make pristene never last, it is the awful uglies and fails that stick around and make us chuckle! Memories are made from imperfections.

Henna is an art of imperfections. Not every swirl is perfectly shaped, some peacocks turn out looking like deformed cucumbers... it is all part of henna's earthly charm.

So,

My tree is adorned with beautiful henna ornaments.... And the plastic spoons my mother put ornament hangers on as placesettings several years ago. And pine tree shaped air freshners because my dad would hide them in our fake tree to make it smell good. ( thanks to my sister for reminding me.) A bunch of toys from Kinder Eggs.... And my son's face on a meat tray...

My imperfect eclectic tree will never be in Better Homes & Gardens... but to me, it's the best damn tree ever!  

So, find some new traditions. Go make some stuff.  Hide something ugly in a perfect tree! ( hmmmmm there is an evil idea... Making ugly ornaments and hiding them in perfect professionally decorated trees... Ohhhhhhh must remember this for next year!)

Anyhow... Enjoy the season with your friends and family. :) Happy holidays :) 

Hopefully the snow will hold off so I can get to the library to upload Kim's blog post.

But first; nap for baby then to the city to see redneck Santa at Bass Pro.

I appologize for all of the misspellings... No spellcheck on my phone lol.

Simple Skully Ornaments

Simple Henna on Card Stock Ornaments

Just a simple how too today... a perfect last minute gift tag or ornament. The holiday is coming and I still have so much crafting to do. It is tradition in my family to craft until 4am on Christmas morning. I think the tradition started one year when my father made us all (there are 4 of us girls total in our family) hope chests. They were beautiful! I still have and use mine, 20 some years later. 

Handcrafted is eternal! 

 

On to the craft:

These are super super simple.

Take card stock, cut out a skull shape. Henna, color, done!

Variations? Too simple you say? 

Cut out the eyes and tape some velum behind the eyes so the glow in the lights. ( I see spooky Halloween skulls done this way in our future.)

Let your kids do some for the grandparents, teacher, creepy guy down the street.

Henna on card stock for decorations are so so simple easy. I am currently using cut outs of my children's hand prints to make super cute ornaments / gifts for the grandparents!

Ok, I must run! My oldest turns 11 today and I must get his birthday underway. Next week we will have a special guest blogger showing us how to decorate glass ornaments. You do not want to miss that!

:)

3d Sugar Skull Ornaments

Our humble tree

I Love this time of year!

The Christmas trees, the scent of pine, the sales at Goodwill.

The usually kind composed people turning into sale hungry

vicious " run you over and steal your Elmo doll" zombies.... ok, maybe not THAT part. ( OK, I do like to sit back and watch grannies turn into blue haired football quarterbacks and beat the hell

out of people. It

is just human nature, and cheaper since we can no longer afford Netflix! Just saying.)

My favorite part of this season is the crafting. It is the perfect excuse to MAKE SOMETHING!

This week I am going to show you a super simple ornament craft for your tree... or car... or, well, use your imagination! (Don't like skulls? The internet has a ton of free 3d templates to make ornaments. Same steps, different shape!)

3d Triangle Ornaments

The first step to this amazing ornament is to go visit " Skull a day" and download the free skull template.

You can cut and glue the template to a piece of card stock OR, just trace the pattern since you do no not need the printed skull.

This is arts and crafts, make modifications to your hearts content. I did not do the jaws, but you certainly can, you CAN do anything!

2. Construct your skull.

Glue is wonderful, so is double sided tape.

3. Decorate to your heart's content! Use henna, gems, markers. ( This is a great family craft everyone can help with!)

4. ( Optional) Want to protect your piece? Give it a coat of Modge Podge, then a spray coat of clear sealant.

Throw them on the tree and enjoy a craft well done.

See how easy that was?

Try it and link us to your pictures.

(Next week I will show you an even simpler skull.)

3d skully and next weeks simple skull.

Welcome

Henna crafts have gained popularity the last several years.

Using Henna to embellish common and, not so common objects is easy and fun but requires a little knowledge and planning. While henna on the skin is temporary, henna on most surfaces is permanent.

Paste can be left on to create amazing 3d art or

the paste can be scraped off to leave henna stains.

Unlike any other art medium, henna can be used on almost any surface including hair and skin. Henna requires some preparation but it is a small investment for such a versatile product.

In the next few months expect to see henna on...

candles

paper

wood

silk

cotton

AND, expect to see how to apply henna to these objects yourself!

Expect amazing guest bloggers sharing their amazing henna art and how to's.

Helpful tips, product reviews, and more!

Have a comment or suggestion?

Leave a comment or send us an email at info@kchenna.