Mehndi on a Pregnancy Belly

My daughter, Alethea, of the "Confessions of a Bookworm" post, found here: "Confessions" is pregnant with her first child.  She will be traveling to New Mexico for a baby shower in April so that all of her friends and those of mine who know Alethea well, can participate in a celebration of this important milestone in her life journey.  She has asked me to do a Mehndi design on her pregnant belly while she is in Albuquerque.   Although I have worked in many art media, this will be my first experience with Mehndi painting, but I am touched that Alethea has asked me to try.

Now I will have to draw the design and practice, practice, practice!
Some ideas....

We talked about a "Tree of Life" design.  One of Alethea's favorite childhood books is Shel Silverstein's,  The Giving Tree .  Here is a design that I found at La Baleine A Plumes Blog
for a Tree of Life Pattern:

The author of this blog (seems to be very private, I cannot even find a first name anywhere on her blog) is a dancer, a translator and a crafter.  She adapted the above design from a book cover, Tolkien’s (on the top ten list of my favorite authors)  "Farmer Giles of Ham". The cover had been embellished by Pauline Diana Baynes.

 I will use it as the basis of a Mehndi design that will not have so many birds, but use some other animals, like a scorpian for the father's birth sign, ram, for Alethea's, and a crab for Pebble's (baby's in utero nickname) probable birth sign.  Will also include a rabbit as that is a good luck sign for a quick and easy birth.  Love the peacock at the base of the tree, which Pebble's Auntie "B" collects.  Will certainly include a chicken too, as Tim, Pebble's father,  Uncle "C", Pebble's uncle, and grand auntie Linda all raise chickens. 

Somewhat simpler design

 Here is another peacock, added just to give you an idea of what a Mehndi design looks like.

Belly with tree, although the one we will do will be a more traditional linear design.

 Very nice...off center in case Alethea's tummy is not symmetrical.


Don't know if Alethea will want photos posted of her, but will certainly post a drawing of my final  design on my portfolio page when I complete it.  If you have any great inspirations, let me know by clicking on the tiny "comments" link below.  A box will pop up into which you may enter your idea.