June 2012

Aloha Aina Henna by Hilary Manning (eBooks)



Hawaiian inspired patterns for body art!  Over 25 pages of matching hands, matching feet and even a few loose motif's!

Inspired by the lush and tropical Hawaiian islands, as well as her own wedding there, Hilary Manning has created a book that will do double or triple duty!  These graceful patterns look wonderful on their own, but also allow for artistic interpretation with areas to shade in, or further decorate.

available here: http://store.payloadz.com/details/1035306-ebooks-beauty-aloha-aina-henna-by-hilary-manning.html



2010

Hilary's Henna: Ancient art form provides wedding, party, personal adornment

The art of henna has been on the mind of Willits' Hilary Manning since she was 12 years old and introduced to the natural body art at a friend's house during a sleepover party. Henna is a natural, plant-based dye that originated in the Middle East and can be used to temporarily adorn the body. Henna has been used for this purpose for some 5,000 years.

Already in love with Middle Eastern and Indian culture, Manning started researching henna art, exploring its history and how it permeated so many cultures from Morocco to Spain. Even ancient recipes for henna had been found, Manning discovered, spelled out in hieroglyphics on Egyptian walls. As soon as Manning turned 18, she bought a car and drove alone to Oakland where she flew?by herself for the first time?to the Big Raindrop Henna Conference in Seattle, Washington. At the conference, and others she attends throughout the year, Manning wass able to met influential and important people in the henna industry, including Catherine Cartwright Jones, the first female to receive her Ph.D in henna. Cartwright is working to create regulatory guidelines for imported henna to ensure safe, consistent standards are met. Over the past five-plus years, Manning has become a certified natural henna artist, teaching herself, learning from internet instruction, gathering information from conferences?and even put herself through school. She graduated this spring with an associate degree in nursing from Mendocino College and looks forward to getting into the medical field. Currently, Manning is offering henna services for traditional and non-traditional brides and wedding parties, birthday parties, baby showers, girls' nights, school functions like Sober Grad, corporate events at the Willits and, sometimes, Ukiah Farmer's Markets, and at a menagerie of festivals, including this year's upcoming Reggae on the River. There are a range of images to choose from, or Manning can freehand a design for a client. Henna powder, made from the plant's ground leaves, is mixed with sugar, tea and a combination of essential oils?lavender, tea-tree, cardamom, geranium and the like?filled into a baggie or cone, that resembles that used by a cake decorator, and is then piped, or applied to the skin in a controllable line with a paste-like consistency. The paste dries for 10 minutes before a sugar-water solution is sprayed on, helping the henna adhere to the skin for the duration of the four- to six-hour dry time. When the paste is dry, it is flaked off and discarded. Manning then recommends rubbing the design with balm or olive oil to help set the henna. The area should be kept dry for 24 hours to allow it to soak in. Henna lasts anywhere from one to three weeks; the design slowly fades as the skin exfoliates. Manning encourages anyone interested in learning more about henna to check out HennaPage.com for helpful information as well as her website, HilarysHenna.com, for galleries and more. Manning is available for appointments in-house or at her downtown location year-round, and can be reached at 456-1078. 

2005
Hilary Manning was mentioned in a article in the Willits News about Jan Hinker a friend and volunteer of local nonprofits benefiting those in need. As Jan was undergoing chemo treatments she opted to not wear a wig and don henna instead--as a result she received much support from the community and other cancer patients. Hilary loved working with Jan and helped her to choose a healing pattern from Rajasthan.