A warrior - One that I have yet to meet. As a first generation Canadian, my lens will always be full of colour. My perspective on life will be to always circulate around inclusivity; creating a world of my own. To provide a platform of expression to define society and it's elite.
0 Comments
|
Writing hasn't always been my strength, which may be a surprise to some of you. Throughout the course of last year, my work has been published in wedding, fashion and art magazines. Starting the year fresh again, I wanted to create poetically and so I masked my words into the crevices of paper with paper flowers. When there is an event, I always want to pursue it individually; challenging myself with time. Punctuality always came late to me but that never allowed a dent into my creativity. As promised, here is my written tutorial on hand made paper flowers. For the Must Be Kismet Wedding Show, I wanted to create paper flowers. Not your average paper flowers that every decorator creates (frames, arches and flushed walls). I wanted to give life to my booth as being a Henna vendor many associate mehndi colours with deeply saturated moroccan stones and South Asia's vast variety of coloured spices. I always want my Brides to feel breath taking and beautiful. These flowers had to speak by their weight and size. So I found my way researching paper stores the first week of January and found an intimate space, decorated in all its charm, The Paper Place. |
S
TE
PS
The nectar - twirl & pull
|
Once you've collected all the bundles together, now you can glue them using your hot glue gun. Placing them equally around the rod (plastic wrap roll). Your nectar should now look like the above image on your right. This tutorial took me three days to perfect and I'm still in awe of how I'm losing site of the cuts I needed to make for their leaves. With January being mental health awareness month, it's vital that we all take a breather and slow down. When creating something so heartfelt, we should value the time that it takes us to create. If it makes you feel good, there should not be a doubt in your feeling. Allow your hands to communicate through your creations. You'd be surprised how many individuals I had smiling
through
life size
paper
peonies.
S
TE
PS
The BLOOM - cut, twirl & pull
|
For additional petals and bloom, cut paper in 1 m length and fold 2 xs vertically. You can either separate the petals in pairs (image 2 above) or pinch strip of petals in a circular motion around the 18" circle. For the first and second round of petals, don't forget to push them upwards and stretch each petal to create its fullest volume. To maintain it's shape, you can add some hot glue on the petal under and pinch with your fingers until dry. Do you remember the 18" card stock disk? Take a round of petals and pinch them while gluing them around the exterior circle. Glue this round under the large flower to create fullness. You should have 4 rounds of petals with a heavy nectar now. As the flower grows you are then ready for more individual petals and leaves.
I hope you all enjoyed this short and sweet written tutorial of my beautiful paper peonies! Here are some photos of what these beauties looked like at the Must Be Kismet Wedding Show! I now rent these out and am taking orders from decorators for your special day! Don't be shy and send your inquiries to my email: breathofhenna@gmail.com.
Love
&
Tea
Photography: Monika Mistry
COME into the garden, Maud,
For the black bat, night, has flown,
Come into the garden, Maud,
I am here at the gate alone;
And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad, 5
And the musk of the rose is blown.
For a breeze of morning moves,
And the planet of Love is on high,
Beginning to faint in the light that she loves
On a bed of daffodil sky, 10
To faint in the light of the sun she loves,
To faint in his light, and to die.
All night have the roses heard
The flute, violin, bassoon;
All night has the casement jessamine stirr’d 15
To the dancers dancing in tune;
Till silence fell with the waking bird,
And a hush with the setting moon.
I said to the lily, “There is but one
With whom she has heart to be gay. 20
When will the dancers leave her alone?
She is weary of dance and play.”
Now half to the setting moon are gone,
And half to the rising day;
Low on the sand and loud on the stone 25
The last wheel echoes away.
I said to the rose, “The brief night goes
In babble and revel and wine.
O young lord-lover, what sighs are those,
For one that will never be thine? 30
But mine, but mine,” I sware to the rose,
“For ever and ever, mine.”
And the soul of the rose went into my blood,
As the music clash’d in the hall:
And long by the garden lake I stood, 35
For I heard your rivulet fall
From the lake to the meadow and on to the wood,
Our wood, that is dearer than all;
From the meadow your walks have left so sweet
That whenever a March-wind sighs 40
He sets the jewel-print of your feet
In violets blue as your eyes,
To the woody hollows in which we meet
And the valleys of Paradise.
The slender acacia would not shake 45
One long milk-bloom on the tree;
The white lake-blossom fell into the lake
As the pimpernel doz’d on the lea;
But the rose was awake all night for your sake,
Knowing your promise to me; 50
The lilies and roses were all awake,
They sigh’d for the dawn and thee.
Queen rose of the rosebud garden of girls,
Come hither, the dances are done,
In gloss of satin and glimmer of pearls, 55
Queen lily and rose in one;
Shine out, little head, sunning over with curls,
To the flowers, and be their sun.
There has fallen a splendid tear
From the passion-flower at the gate. 60
She is coming, my dove, my dear;
She is coming, my life, my fate;
The red rose cries, “She is near, she is near;”
And the white rose weeps, “She is late;”
The larkspur listens, “I hear, I hear;” 65
And the lily whispers, “I wait.”
She is coming, my own, my sweet;
Were it ever so airy a tread,
My heart would hear her and beat,
Were it earth in an earthy bed; 70
My dust would hear her and beat,
Had I lain for a century dead;
Would start and tremble under her feet,
And blossom in purple and red.

Define - Mithu: a woman of overwhelming intelligence and a heart filled with infinite delight. A character that devours the light and emits all of it within the darkest of nights to keep her loved ones away from hesitating surprises.
Sitting with her on the morning of July 18th, the drapes on the windows casted romantic shadows on the tapestry and mahogany table which I lay down my cones on. I usually pack light but there was something weighing over my shoulders. A process that I had been prone to since I was a mere 11 years old, was all buried. I could not bare witness to this feeling so I let myself work with the idea of Bridal outside it's regular conventional design compositions. Strange though, I had the design right infront of me but I could not figure out where to begin. I was the Artist, 'I AM THE ARTIST.' How could I have possibly let my mind go idle in the start of the appointment? This beautiful bride became a treasure as she filled her morning henna appointment with laughter and an unbearable twitch. As she spoke, I drew and as I drew she blossomed as a new Bride. We worked around a couple sets of arm rubs and intimate finger abrasion. A set of arms (front and back) till her elbow's very curves and feet (5" above her ankles) I versed her favourite poet's verses; Tennyson.
Her diary from start to finish was created with her favourite verses from the famous poet Alfred Tennyson. The beautiful photos by Monika Mistry instil each and every memory from that blessed day. Her greatest companion, Tigger joined in on the action as he enjoyed the scent of lavender. We watched the lines dance on her arms as she floated above the earth with her heart locked in a chest adorned in emeralds and delight. Her grandmother came to us to see her transform into a Bride. Trinkets from the family adorned her neck and fingers. An arrangement of gifts from her mother and the voices of beloved family and friends joined us later in the evening. A woman is unaware of the changes that once were custom or known.
What happens to a Bride who is not familiar with a custom?
Who does a Bride turn to when she is alone?
What colour does she wear during her wedding?
Does she love the conventional wedding?
Who makes the rules?
Speaking to Mithu throughout her henna diary days as well as during her diary event, we had several discussions on customization and where Brides feel their true selves are reinstated. A Bride becomes a woman in her own element while having support. An avocado is at its ripest when it is the happiest of green, a soft firm hold around an avocado provides this delicious vegetable interest to uncover it's juicy and highly nutritious valuable personality; it's interior beauty. Mithu wished for an intimate and private affair because she was used to this element, she is my perfect avocado. Her choice of Mani Jassal was a suitable one for her transitional period. Being adorned as a Bride, you wish to be at ease and fall into a nurturing state of sheer beauty. She gracefully presented herself while being enhanced by Rav B Beauty Concepts. Her flowers in her hair and romantic updo defined her soft hues and natural tan.
For many of us who choose to contrast heavily in our wedding's desires, we would rather invest in feeling than show and tell. Mithu is that Bride. She wanted to feel the warmth of her friends and so she invited her radiant mother to her consultation. A friend, a best friend, a companion for life is your mother. Mithu's mother was a pleasure to meet and talk to about her daughter's favourite moments. They are a compelling duo. When the consultation had completed, I had the pleasure of creating a beautiful rendering for her while the elements danced and spread throughout her palms.
Embedding her palms
In emerging crystal banks
Afloat
Gentle strokes along her limbs
Along crevices that bloomed once again
She stood humbly as florals drifted along her skin
Time
Give birth to a being rendered in light
She bares herself
Reigning in crystals delight
Air, water, white
She danced
Written by Sarah Hussain
Photography by Melissa Matheson
Midnight to living at 29
By Sarah Hussain
As I converse with my inner light today, I hadn't the idea of the pain she had been afraid to admit. It wasn't an ordinary form of frustration but a transition that she was asked to submit herself to. She needed a calling but what she didn't know was that her soul was the one calling out to her. It was as if an alarm was going off constantly but being silenced every time it tried to wake her up. Her slumber was nonexistent to the people around her, her voice would vibrate off her surroundings and then come back to her. Not one individual could hear her speak because they didn't care, they would intoxicate her rise with sultry smog and diffuse her glow with their own anxiety. Then one night, she was confronted by a task that was pending and she thought, "if I combine healthy choices with productivity maybe this will finally complete itself." She took back a step and reminded herself that the work needed to be done by her. Herself. Loving herself.
No one can make you feel good about yourself better than yourself.
29 - to each and every being in your life craves your energy. Note to self, learn to be selfish for yourself. Everything is temporary.
Changed
Awakened state - 2017
Stylist/Henna/Direction: SarahHussain (@breathofhenna). www.breathofhenna.com
MUA: JenelleForde (@jenelleforde). www.jenelleforde.com
HairStylist: ChristinaGomes (@christina_gomes). www.suprememobileandspa.com
Photographer: MelissaMatheson (@melmath)
Wardrobe: MonaLisaBridal (@mona_lisa_bridal_gallery)
HairAccessories: IlienaGeorge (@ilieanageorge). www.ilieanageorge.com
Model: JennaBorisevich. www.peggilepage.com/models/jenna/
Saira Hussain
Art Director
Stylist
Artist
Bridal Diaries
Archives
December 2020
October 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
January 2019
September 2018
August 2018
May 2018
April 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
August 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
June 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
November 2014
February 2014
January 2014
Categories
All
Art
Art Community
Art Direction
Art Director
Artist
Art Therapy
Bazaar
Bazaarbride
Bazaar Bride
Bazaar India
Beautiful Weddings
Beauty
Beauty Blogger
Blog
BODY PAINT
Breath Of Henna
Bridal
Bridal Bliss
Bridal Culture
Bridal Henna
Bridal Narrative
Bridal Registry
Bridal Style
Bridal Stylist
Bride To Be
Buzzfeed
Buzz Feed
Buzzfeed Style
Buzzfeedweddings
Chai
Consultation
Couture
Craft
Creative Photoshoot
Creative Writer
Culture
Cultureshock
Destination Wedding
Diverse Weddings
Divine Light
Diy Wedding
DMG Designz
Editorial
Editorial Photoshoot
Eid Henna
Elan
Elle-canada
Empowerment
Enchantment
Engaged
Etiquette
Fashion
Fashion Blogger
Fashion Wedding
Feeling
Film Photography
Friendship
Handmade
Harparsbazaar
Healer
Healing
Healthy Relationships
Henna
Henna Artist
Henna Healing
Henna Tattoo
Henna Therapy
Henna Workshop
Henna Workshops
Hennygraphy
Holiday Reading
Holistic Henna
Huffingtonpost
Husband Wife
I AM A GIRL
India
Indian Bride
Indian Wedding
Indian Wedding Site
Ink
Intimate
Lifestyle Blogger
Lingerie
Love
Love First
Love Letters
Mani Jassal
Marriage
Married
Maternity Shoot
Mehndi
Men's Fashion Post
Muslim Weddings
Natural Henna
New York Weddings
OCADU Alumni
Online Workshop
Pakistanibride
Pakistani Bride
Pakistani Street Style
Pakistanvogue
Pakistan Vogue
Paper
Paper Art
Pinterest
Quarantine Art
Republic Day
Self Love
Social
South Asian Bride
South Asian Bride Magazine
Style Blog
Styled Weddings
Style Guide
Stylist
Sustainable Art
Sustainable Craft
Swagy Bride
Tea
Toronto Artist
Toronto Bride
Toronto Fashion
Toronto Henna Artist
Toronto Stylist
Toronto Weddings
Trending
True Love
Veil
Vogue
Vogueitalia
Vogue Weddings
Wardrobe
Wearable Art
Wearable Artist
Wedding Blogger
Weddingbuzz
Wedding Coordinator
Wedding Decor
Wedding Inspire
Wedding Planner
Wedding Planner Toronto
Weddings
Wedding Strategies
Wedding Stylist
Wedluxe
Wellness Community
Whitehenna
White Henna
Women
Women Entrepreneurs
Women's Collective
Women's Health