For my babies

This one goes out to my munchkins.

Thanks to Timmy B at Black 13.  I love it.

(In case you can't tell where this is, it wraps around my left hip)

Tattoos, I love you

Just realized I hadn't posted pics of my finished half sleeve.  I was reminded by a post from Aunt Becky over at Mommy Want's Vodka today--she's getting her next one today.  Can't wait to see what she gets.  Her last one, a beautiful phoenix, was strikingly awesome.

Anyhow, here's the pics (taken a few days after it was finished).

Tattoo Frenzy

There’s a tattoo thread over at the Compuserve Writers Forum.  It’s got a few of us craving more ink.  Three weeks from today, and my half-sleeve will be finished.  How long will I be able to wait for the next one?  Not sure.  The funds will likely make that decision for me.

I have ideas for my next five.  

#1: Inside the right upper arm—all my kids names end in the letter “n.”  I want a lower case N done in the story book fashion like the picture below, with all the kids names leading up to it, like a fairy tale story, only backwards.

     (Image above taken from a search of Google images)
   Daga
       Ia
Bronwe
With their names stacked up (above), the tattoo will loosely resemble the number three, which I like for some reason.

#2:  Left shoulder/back—Black and grey portrait of my maternal grandfather, using a picture taken of him shortly after returning from WW2 (1943ish) angled so that he looks at …

#3:  Back—a black and grey portrait of my maternal grandmother, from her “Beauty” portrait done her freshman year in college.

#4:  Right shoulder/back—black and grey portrait of my paternal grandparents, if I can find the picture I have in mind.  Pop (6’4’’)  holding up Grandmom (not quite 5’) around her waist, or her standing on a stool next to him.

#5:  Back of neck—black sketch of an open book.  I picture it with blank pages, literally like someone doodled it on my skin.  Wispy strokes, a few pages curled up.  

Once I find the actual pictures of 2 and 4 I’ll scan them and post them here with a link to this original blog entry.

t-minus 35 days and counting

Not quite 48 hours post-tattoo...

Is it possible to have a crush on one of your appendages?

Exactly five weeks until it's finished, and I'm as giddy as a school girl.

Tattoo #3

Some people see their body as a temple and feel they should not taint it.  Other people, like me, see their body as a temple and choose to decorate the canvas with art.  And sadly, there are people who don't see their body as anything at all.  I feel bad for them.

The idea for this tattoo came to me when my husband gave me a necklace back in 2004 (exactly like the plaque below).  I always thought it would be a great tattoo, but waited six years for money, time, and to be sure I still wanted it.  The shape and layout are perfect for the upper arm.  Ian White (Black 13 Tattoo Parlor) took the two pictures  (below) and created this beautiful piece.  I'm ecstatic with the results.  He changed the scrollwork to a tree which would probably be the length of my whole arm if you straightened it out. We have one more session in February to finish it off.

The artwork represents the three phases of Woman--Maiden, Mother, and Crone.  (Scroll about halfway down for the individual explanations)

The tattoos I have, as well as the future ones, are for me-not the rest of the world.  I do want to share them, because they are beautiful and part of me. Until tattoos are accepted in the workplace, I'll keep mine covered.  I understand the stereotypes and don't want to scare any of my older patients.  But outside of work, I'll show them with pride.