A Brief Glimpse at Megan's Bluebells on Fifth Avenue

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5QGQzgUa7H7a5n0lN0eud3_APO-XpwAMOMWSV3V-ultkezpqYN_58LRjS_vplVkudWEChi7euBp74XiT-fsUyjTzKIKJquEelhFSeCzuxwPh2RBMEHN_OHf1r1y3yBwRSX8h-PdSHGQ/w325-h659-no/IMG_1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5QGQzgUa7H7a5n0lN0eud3_APO-XpwAMOMWSV3V-ultkezpqYN_58LRjS_vplVkudWEChi7euBp74XiT-fsUyjTzKIKJquEelhFSeCzuxwPh2RBMEHN_OHf1r1y3yBwRSX8h-PdSHGQ/w325-h659-no/IMG_1051.JPG" /></a></div><br />I know that this looks like I took this photo surreptitiously, but trust me, I had the woman's permission.<br /><br />I spotted Megan on Fifth Avenue, near the Mid-Manhattan Library, last month. Unlike many of the people I interview, she was not interested in stopping to talk to me, but did share, as long as I walked with her. The photo was snapped when we waited for the light to change.<br /><br />She got the tattoo somewhere in the East Village, she said, and explained a bit about the tattoo:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"I collect agricultural books, like pieces from old books from the 1800s, early 19th century, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinthoides_non-scripta">bluebell</a> is my favorite flower and I came across a few that were bluebell dissections ... it's taken from that."</blockquote>Thanks to Megan for sharing her favorite flower with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday.</span></span></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-793fe941-12ca-8005-8952-c60e790c37a3"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are seeing this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></div>

A Brief Glimpse at Megan's Bluebells on Fifth Avenue

I know that this looks like I took this photo surreptitiously, but trust me, I had the woman's permission. I spotted Megan on Fifth Aven...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Margaret Bashaar

Today's tattooed poet is <a href="http://margaretbashaar.wordpress.com/">Margaret Bashaar</a>, who sent us this stunning photo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7WVO2EZEAA5mkeib0IqEuazLFnXm476GJnfffqywZssbNQq4vSM4mdEZKwvJzFSPKyzdH7l30fWKsCWUB1MnryEGUmNgcfR2pW-CWC0UdWcoU3bHNYCqHdMiZ_W1meYUUjUtXJD8OVQ/s572/IMG_4888_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7WVO2EZEAA5mkeib0IqEuazLFnXm476GJnfffqywZssbNQq4vSM4mdEZKwvJzFSPKyzdH7l30fWKsCWUB1MnryEGUmNgcfR2pW-CWC0UdWcoU3bHNYCqHdMiZ_W1meYUUjUtXJD8OVQ/s640/IMG_4888_2.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><br />Margaret explains what's on her back:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60C8GjbSCqIAyhqCrKpzdVAHqsyNnLI35lgWg8GqyqUbo-XvxzlJvBnvLZ8d3LInQICwnan74Eu8O2eE_m70HvY7Acn-kZsmD0R3-ioxlYkhv7rAAyAKSuMS7eyCaeBJN3INojsE__Qo/s360/close+up+peyote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60C8GjbSCqIAyhqCrKpzdVAHqsyNnLI35lgWg8GqyqUbo-XvxzlJvBnvLZ8d3LInQICwnan74Eu8O2eE_m70HvY7Acn-kZsmD0R3-ioxlYkhv7rAAyAKSuMS7eyCaeBJN3INojsE__Qo/s320/close+up+peyote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"The tattoo of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote_cactus">peyote</a> cactus on my upper back was done by <a href="http://octeel.zenfolio.com/">Octeel</a> at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/drawingroomtattoo">The Drawing Room</a> in Pittsburgh, PA. Over the past few years I've taken part in a number of medicine ceremonies with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakota_people">Lakota</a> road woman, and it will probably sound really corny, but they completely changed my life. I'd been battling with severe anxiety and depression for a few years when I attended my first ceremony, and that ceremony was the turning point for me. Since then I've made huge strides with my emotional and spiritual self and credit ceremony for turning the trend I'd been on around. Octeel is a part of the group of people I'd met through ceremony, and it seemed only fitting to ask him to create this tattoo."</blockquote>About the piece on her lower back, Margaret filled us in:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"The tattoo on my lower back was done almost 11 years ago at a studio in Pittsburgh called Z Spot, which has changed locations and owners since and is now called <a href="http://www.alteregobodyartstudio.com/">Alter Ego</a>. I'm about 95% certain the woman who did the tattoo (which I designed) no longer works there. It was more of a 'yay, I'm 18 and can get a tattoo now!' sort of tattoo, but I still love it and am very glad I decided to get that first tattoo." </blockquote>Margaret also shared this photo of her thigh:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBerANlSPlTFZ4iFEzPhvuPJ4d9luNnXzcAM3RGDmdgsFIb-h6ldkmigDu-74vZQ15-15RzAnBGBYuXvpTMtz6tn-utRzh9YuJyLjeecZe7UOcg64BLGsOuBmktkhArzDy4lx9eoztNg/s614/Tattoo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSBerANlSPlTFZ4iFEzPhvuPJ4d9luNnXzcAM3RGDmdgsFIb-h6ldkmigDu-74vZQ15-15RzAnBGBYuXvpTMtz6tn-utRzh9YuJyLjeecZe7UOcg64BLGsOuBmktkhArzDy4lx9eoztNg/s400/Tattoo2.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br />and she explains:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"This particular tattoo is ... by Terence Kauffman at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinkd-Ink-Studio/126690804062326">Kink'd Ink Studio</a> in Windber, PA. It started as a tribute to my poetry press, <a href="http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/">Hyacinth Girl Press</a>, with the hyacinth at the bottom of the tattoo, and has grown into a whole garden, which will eventually extend up my ribcage. There are two lines of text hidden in the tattoo - in the stem of the hyacinth is the line 'Let us love, since our heart is made for nothing else' which was written by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se_of_Lisieux">Saint Thérèse of Lisieux</a>, and on one of the leaves are the lines 'yes the pun's/the devil's work, but God made language/let him in' by the poet <a href="http://de-cidered.blogspot.com/">Niina Pollari</a>. The lines are from a poem in her chapbook, <a href="http://www.vianegativa.us/2012/04/book-four-by-niina-pollari/">Book Four</a>, which I published in 2011. The flowers in the tattoo (daffodil, hyacinth, tulip, cornflower, lily of the valley, and poppy) are all flowers that my mother grew in her garden when I was growing up, and all the flowers I plan to add are in the same theme."</blockquote>I am grateful for Margaret sending these photos and, accompanying them is this poem she sent, as well:<br /><br /><b>These are the small moments when you know you love</b><br /><br />When the legs that tremble are not mine, <br />when I have not spoken in days, <br />when the last taste on my tongue <br />is the sour of coffee <br /><br />the mountain opens its mouth and I step in. <br /><br /><i>See, these are the tunnels </i><br /><i>you must hold your breath through, </i><br /><i>these the traffic signals that will always </i><br /><i>make you lift your hands from the wheel, </i><br /><i>tell you to make another wish.</i><br /><br />You are where I go when I think I know myself,<br />to remind me I never can, <br />that there is always a new scar <br />to discover at the back of my thigh,<br />always a new lust to draw <br />like a needle down my back. <br /><br />I am full of torn up stamens, <br />petals chewed to pulp. <br /><br />I watch your hands grey as the days pass, <br />I see your hands in the fire.<br />They snatch the hummingbird from it.\<br /><br />I've rolled this sun, <br />these broken branch tips <br />into a ball to slip <br />beneath your mattress. <br />I will keep you awake at night,<br />coax out your royalty. <br /><br />I know you want to be suspended in the air, <br />full of spells or something like them, <br />that you see a warm blanket as the first step <br />toward seduction, and a badly timed joke <br />as the second. <br /><br />Maybe we all do the same things to each other - <br />cut our teeth on one another's scapula, <br />scrape at each other's signatures with a straight razor. <br /><br />Swing your legs over the edge with me and you will feel the planet <br />as it tries to shrug you off,<br />the whiplash of elliptical orbit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: left;">That lovely poem first appeared in <i><a href="http://menacinghedge.com/fall2011/entry-bashaar.php">Menacing Hedge</a></i> (click through to hear Margaret reading the above poem, along with two others).<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Margaret Bashaar's second chapbook, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/80737587/letters-from-room-27-of-the-grand-midway">Letters from Room 27 of the Grand Midway Hotel</a>, was published by <a href="http://bloodyooze.blogspot.com/">Blood Pudding Press</a> in 2011. Her poetry has also appeared in or is forthcoming from journals such as <a href="http://www.caketrain.org/04/">Caketrain</a>, <i>New South</i>, <a href="http://www.copper-nickel.org/">Copper Nickel</a>, <a href="http://menacinghedge.com/fall2011/entry-bashaar.php">Menacing Hedge</a>, and <a href="http://rhinopoetry.org/">RHINO</a>, among others. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA where she edits <a href="http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/">Hyacinth Girl Press</a> and collects antique typewriters, which may be haunted by ghosts or demons.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Thanks to Margaret for her contribution to this year's Tattooed Poets Project on Tattoosday!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.15415130858309567" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2013 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoos are reprinted with the poet's permission.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit </span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b></div>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Margaret Bashaar

Today's tattooed poet is Margaret Bashaar , who sent us this stunning photo: Margaret explains what's on her back: "The tattoo ...

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Megan Shares a Floral Sleeve from Edmonton

Back in May, I met Megan in Penn Station. She was visiting New York City from Edmonton, Alberta. Her lovely full sleeve caught my eye:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoBwRgAg91_4bGW9-13d1F81OAqEWlsEkoe3KaXOgPlf6g25EQd3t5qNDenil-Wpk0Ks9ENp54sMrUtMcf72eOnCfMal5j4XMKVKs_7sM5yBci_b4q5MBGGocXRiJB61iAwgZXegE0qU/s615/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoBwRgAg91_4bGW9-13d1F81OAqEWlsEkoe3KaXOgPlf6g25EQd3t5qNDenil-Wpk0Ks9ENp54sMrUtMcf72eOnCfMal5j4XMKVKs_7sM5yBci_b4q5MBGGocXRiJB61iAwgZXegE0qU/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></div><br />I mean, it really is spectacular: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPqJC1zF2ciN1BsFSisbExtf7pw8V3lnQRm6uJidhi4O0E_WzX6Lc3aH99QdUJPs5IEFTRtVu9FArLTnZ1T7zedMxguDKPZj5qOoKvywYxSWHlELW9-ClZAv7QuzFw2MKUBZnzvQ5pds/s615/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPqJC1zF2ciN1BsFSisbExtf7pw8V3lnQRm6uJidhi4O0E_WzX6Lc3aH99QdUJPs5IEFTRtVu9FArLTnZ1T7zedMxguDKPZj5qOoKvywYxSWHlELW9-ClZAv7QuzFw2MKUBZnzvQ5pds/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></div><br />With "love" and "faith" inscribed on her wrists, her arm is a bloom with roses, chrysanthemums, calendulas, and a bright sunflower at her shoulder, with a hummingbird fluttering on her back:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKX-hLdOJj33iXhRtrhyphenhyphenycPMR4Hzyp04Ty4NywL340SsShyphenhyphenvsVY6cYbbS36RZu0Aebwahmk6gyt-Qy7u_sjvYqpm4EDqI5BGg0pKqzIQp-kzra0eRF5M6fhLNCvITuJuy5lrPIqjNwRI/s614/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKX-hLdOJj33iXhRtrhyphenhyphenycPMR4Hzyp04Ty4NywL340SsShyphenhyphenvsVY6cYbbS36RZu0Aebwahmk6gyt-Qy7u_sjvYqpm4EDqI5BGg0pKqzIQp-kzra0eRF5M6fhLNCvITuJuy5lrPIqjNwRI/s1600/photo.jpg" /></a></div><br />The pink flowers below the hummingbird are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiolus">gladiolas</a>. It's really quite an extraordinary sleeve.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9oOqVWNV_drAz-5gZMk-TQt9cC1i1eig5gwMrIIYbfwqlHMNihoR6JyIGNzYuS6VXEYMjMutDvLyTo1MTKqeZ1K4wthWQZVhoA-M4NvlDfJjIDeIz4ZQizAFERGsxuvTiaNztEKLtfk/s615/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9oOqVWNV_drAz-5gZMk-TQt9cC1i1eig5gwMrIIYbfwqlHMNihoR6JyIGNzYuS6VXEYMjMutDvLyTo1MTKqeZ1K4wthWQZVhoA-M4NvlDfJjIDeIz4ZQizAFERGsxuvTiaNztEKLtfk/s640/photo.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br />Megan elaborated:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"It's all the birth flowers of the people in my family. The butterfly represents change, the rose represents love, and the hummingbird is for my grandma. The sunflower is for my mom."</blockquote>She estimates that she has spent about 55 hours under the needle for this sleeve.<br /><br />Megan credited <a href="http://crimsonempiretattoo.com/section/126191_Jessica.html">Jessica Adler</a> at <a href="http://crimsonempiretattoo.com/home.html">Crimson Empire Tattoo</a> in Edmonton.<br /><br />Thanks to Megan for sharing her beautiful sleeve with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7975553791038692" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b>

Megan Shares a Floral Sleeve from Edmonton

Back in May, I met Megan in Penn Station. She was visiting New York City from Edmonton, Alberta. Her lovely full sleeve caught my eye: I mea...

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Work by Rev. Jorell Elie on Tattoosday

<div>Trying to not to talk about the scarcity of posts back in August, we're expanding a little here, and sharing work by Rev. Jorell Elie.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV5gD9zu4gt4DP6QUNqWD2wEtvSyn6H2CHBuNrp6flHCTorxrFUOjX2pom66DbApjamIM4vrG0gfjgdViDhXxCjQ9kS7jDfZ0kowSdN7OZYnqbIzc2zsj3qFqJ_zxq3-1ohEEJFNwUWc/s572/20120710_195301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV5gD9zu4gt4DP6QUNqWD2wEtvSyn6H2CHBuNrp6flHCTorxrFUOjX2pom66DbApjamIM4vrG0gfjgdViDhXxCjQ9kS7jDfZ0kowSdN7OZYnqbIzc2zsj3qFqJ_zxq3-1ohEEJFNwUWc/s640/20120710_195301.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I am told Elie "is an incredibly talented artist out of West Hollywood, CA, who happens to travel to Brooklyn, NY quite often (this month in fact)."</div><div><br /></div><div>No arguments there. The photos were sent along to highlight the Rev.'s work.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqqlX0YrcHdvzv4K-PdnZyw3KX4eDl39AY48zzZh5HuXfXc1o5Cszbnw0YRRj33BxyA72LnYG0qFIZtwQ5auNk2OXF3nAiNMQq-UqDtw7F8f-Y8LoFtzhNKVrQlu-F9jswnBhdk8Cp9s/s787/DOTDGirlCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEqqlX0YrcHdvzv4K-PdnZyw3KX4eDl39AY48zzZh5HuXfXc1o5Cszbnw0YRRj33BxyA72LnYG0qFIZtwQ5auNk2OXF3nAiNMQq-UqDtw7F8f-Y8LoFtzhNKVrQlu-F9jswnBhdk8Cp9s/s640/DOTDGirlCover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Our readers are invited to check out the website <a href="http://www.jorellelie.com/">here</a> to see some of the bigger pieces that are works in progress.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8zw5DFi46duvgK5xDoL-6n5pMywxkbFxdpTZvRAXkIYLFGidOyEK_xxEHppfce5oAox0IU4SaTPDrW688j1MjLi3MjFvP6jHS-elwUQ4bEyXaVxrcaeDdj289__P24d3YjGSuvVLnBo/s572/JagerDeer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8zw5DFi46duvgK5xDoL-6n5pMywxkbFxdpTZvRAXkIYLFGidOyEK_xxEHppfce5oAox0IU4SaTPDrW688j1MjLi3MjFvP6jHS-elwUQ4bEyXaVxrcaeDdj289__P24d3YjGSuvVLnBo/s640/JagerDeer.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Looks like the artist Rev. Jorell Elie works out of  <a href="http://www.thehonorablesociety.com/">The Honorable Society</a> in West Hollywood, CA.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRPUdWag3MEdZL_3rNoSdg2CmQXBEN1caA4N3J4Fc8owqI4KM82TjvTjhaGgyUjQgoBG9ThxFonw57ZP_sYFk8xTpNqLBWtiluFCpN7uF0LS87oCIb21v8nok1H-18RKKb_KtuUaJ5BI/s774/KidDrawing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRPUdWag3MEdZL_3rNoSdg2CmQXBEN1caA4N3J4Fc8owqI4KM82TjvTjhaGgyUjQgoBG9ThxFonw57ZP_sYFk8xTpNqLBWtiluFCpN7uF0LS87oCIb21v8nok1H-18RKKb_KtuUaJ5BI/s400/KidDrawing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>You can reach out to Elie at tattoosbyjorell@gmail.com, or follow him on Instagram @thejorell.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJi-Us_2emjD23-qHbcQ0m-m3-1Ss06Az-V0XFSLNIwktm-vA5wcc3EQMqphyphenhyphennvw1QyDjorjXIBUTn8_TWgOmJOQWsM2EVW2Z75LJTT58YbJ2aLbBr1W9p9u9Byjf-Fhzi1i_9L1p5XA/s572/LaughingBuddha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJi-Us_2emjD23-qHbcQ0m-m3-1Ss06Az-V0XFSLNIwktm-vA5wcc3EQMqphyphenhyphennvw1QyDjorjXIBUTn8_TWgOmJOQWsM2EVW2Z75LJTT58YbJ2aLbBr1W9p9u9Byjf-Fhzi1i_9L1p5XA/s640/LaughingBuddha.jpg" width="322" /></a></div><div> </div><div>And, as mentioned earlier, you can check out more of this talented artist's work at <a href="http://www.jorellelie.com/">www.jorellelie.com</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1z5FLGkmT7kYiAMLjTxpB0_dKj39ltJLHBwmmtRdmny0Hbwz5wvdNZf2FMfn5iaEqVEYn_eJDJ5p9tFroWmAZfzQwF80oh7wb3JkPqBUipYAWpgwBPi-Ljj9CTqAPkctuzMvHH7C3Q8/s572/MIssyLeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1z5FLGkmT7kYiAMLjTxpB0_dKj39ltJLHBwmmtRdmny0Hbwz5wvdNZf2FMfn5iaEqVEYn_eJDJ5p9tFroWmAZfzQwF80oh7wb3JkPqBUipYAWpgwBPi-Ljj9CTqAPkctuzMvHH7C3Q8/s640/MIssyLeg.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to Jenna Elie for sending these pictures along and alerting me to Rev. Elie's upcoming trip to New York.</div><div><br /></div><div><b id="internal-source-marker_0.8951248165685683" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. Photos reprinted by with the permission of the artist.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b></div>

Work by Rev. Jorell Elie on Tattoosday

Trying to not to talk about the scarcity of posts back in August, we're expanding a little here, and sharing work by Rev. Jorell Elie. I...

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Marina's Hibiscus, Freshly Bloomed

A couple weeks back I ran into Marina on the corner of 30th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. She had just received this tattoo only two days before:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC2JqlygenyAo1bHAjWG8gffTwqRH44T7Z_VuzgPIpluEUhAmnh4iSo-pZBJtiesWPD65GKOOBI1z_E51GiuOXbzexTurj1zcDrAoNrTl0tCw_vKkJkGyBp1trg4escIE0k2YwC4iGVQ/s615/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC2JqlygenyAo1bHAjWG8gffTwqRH44T7Z_VuzgPIpluEUhAmnh4iSo-pZBJtiesWPD65GKOOBI1z_E51GiuOXbzexTurj1zcDrAoNrTl0tCw_vKkJkGyBp1trg4escIE0k2YwC4iGVQ/s640/photo.jpg" width="422" /></a></div><br />These stunning hibiscus flowers were tattooed by <a href="http://www.gustavorizerio.com/">Gustavo Rizerio</a> at <a href="http://invisiblenyc.com/">Invisible NYC</a>. Work from Gustavo has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/10/veronica-reveals-whats-under-her-sleeve.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Marina for sharing her lovely floral tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><b id="internal-source-marker_0.0048649669624865055" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit</span><a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></span></b><br /><br />

Marina's Hibiscus, Freshly Bloomed

A couple weeks back I ran into Marina on the corner of 30th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. She had just received this tattoo only t...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Natasha Dennerstein

As we enter into the last week of this, our fourth annual Tattooed Poets Project, things are picking up speed and readers should check back later in the day, after 3:00 PM EDT, as we have days of "double postings," to accommodate demand and greater interest among the participating poets.<br /><br />Although, I'm not sure how that works with the first of today's contributors,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/NatashaDennersteinPoetry"> Natasha Dennerstein</a>. Natasha hails from New Zealand (a Tattoosday first!), where it is a different day, already, I believe, but so it goes.<br /><br />Natasha sent us this snapshot of a portion of her tattoo sleeve:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrLuaESUypRUyxwagKHBrNCitTTNRYHWJonvzsCxnNeSjv2-iM4bnf7AFaxe9DZg7Us68yyW2TA24NWtkMM9YssxSBYwJXvqGJmg0GAUmw-dk9pDmrahvWLoXjyUdTFBLrfVG1KPHHwg/s1600/Natasha+fragment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrLuaESUypRUyxwagKHBrNCitTTNRYHWJonvzsCxnNeSjv2-iM4bnf7AFaxe9DZg7Us68yyW2TA24NWtkMM9YssxSBYwJXvqGJmg0GAUmw-dk9pDmrahvWLoXjyUdTFBLrfVG1KPHHwg/s640/Natasha+fragment.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br />Here is what Natasha has to say about this colorful body art:<br /><blockquote>My sleeve started as a bracelet of flowers and birds done by a girl called Megs in Sydney, Australia. It just kept growing to encompass a giant snake wrapped around the whole arm and then grew to encompass a Garden of Eden theme. I included birds, underwater creatures, clouds and things marvellous in the natural world. Eventually it covered the entire arm from wrist to shoulder and took three years to complete in fortnightly settings. I have left my other arm completely bare for the contrast. The artist is called Kyle and he works from his own studio in Wellington, New Zealand.</blockquote>Natasha's poem, is called Emergency! and, she says, "is a good example of my style of poetry and some of the themes that interest me." It was originally published in November 2009 in the literary journal <a href="http://www.otago.ac.nz/press/landfall/"><i>Landfall</i></a> # 218 in New Zealand:<br /><br />EMERGENCY!<br /><br />She goes to work every afternoon in the Emergency Department<br />and she boards a superceded vessel on a treacherous sea<br />and the captain is a colossal squid<br />and the crew are diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis.<br />The patients are squawking fledglings abandoned in the nest<br />and their wounds are gaping mouths. She feeds<br />them Diazepam, Oxazepam, Lorazepam and other pams<br />but they're still hungry for blood and intravenous fluids<br />and they still want changing. She is<br />the Indian Godess Kali with many arms and a blue face<br />and she smokes secretly, privately, in the fire escape<br />and the smoke is saffron. The accident<br />victims have pizza faces and butcher-shop limbs<br />and their cries are winter waves smashing on graphite rocks<br />and their car-wrecks are a pasta of metal and flesh.<br />She is a hungry dog and she wolfs down her tea<br />and her tea is a piece of putrid meat. The patients<br />can harm themselves and can not heal themselves<br />and they run in screaming : “it's an emergency – I'm in love!”,<br />and the intercourse is an addiction and the pregnancy is a trauma<br />and the child-birth is a piece of litigation waiting to happen.<br />And they all say “ help me, help me” and she can not help them<br />and their cries are stones in a bottomless well. She<br />gives them a drink of love – 125 mls in a styrofoam<br />cup - and they are healed. Their wounds are pink<br />zippers and their skin is a leather garment and<br />they are all done up and they are going home. She is<br />going home and she abandons the vessel on a paper life-raft and the<br />life-raft is made of medical journals and last years Womens<br />Weeklys and newspapers and the forecast is for rain.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~ </div><br />Natasha Dennerstein was born in Melbourne into a Russian/Polish Australian family and now lives in Wellington. She has spent many years working as a psychiatric nurse. She completed writing poetry for her MA in Creative Writing at the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University in 2011. HYou can check out her Facebook page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NatashaDennersteinPoetry">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Natasha for sharing her wonderful work with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoo are reprinted with the poet's permission. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Natasha Dennerstein

As we enter into the last week of this, our fourth annual Tattooed Poets Project, things are picking up speed and readers should check back ...

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The Tattooed Poets Project: Amy Rafferty

<div class="tr_bq">Today's tattooed poet is Amy Rafferty.</div><br />Amy narrates her history of getting tattooed:<br /><blockquote> "I've never been that sure why I got my tattoos and to be honest I'd probably put it down to poor impulse control.</blockquote><blockquote>I got my first when I was seventeen. Me and my friend Suzy were wondering around bored one day and we found ourselves looking in the window at Terry's Tattoo Studio. We could see all the big, hard men in there, grimacing and posing, with their arms covered in thistles and doves and black panthers.</blockquote><blockquote>To us it looked dead exciting and grown up and 'cool' and so we snuck in for a closer look.<br />An hour later we came out, all red-faced and tearfuI, me with a butterfly on my stomach and Suzy with a flaming heart on her shoulder.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH3xbPzEMFcic8q_Ft75spyQ7kHqyRnQOGH4rc97tBkuYb5YYb8KuhCM2Tz_8dA0pNwzrRNu3lbAIjWYtDJqDdD3Twgmmm3yysbPlFsVeE4x_zgZzlXL3DBp1EYUUnIWQvl4OyZmhZyE/s1600/rafferty+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmH3xbPzEMFcic8q_Ft75spyQ7kHqyRnQOGH4rc97tBkuYb5YYb8KuhCM2Tz_8dA0pNwzrRNu3lbAIjWYtDJqDdD3Twgmmm3yysbPlFsVeE4x_zgZzlXL3DBp1EYUUnIWQvl4OyZmhZyE/s320/rafferty+back.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><blockquote>We thought we were pure rock 'n' roll but we were too scared to tell our parents what we'd done. We both left it at that but then, ten years later, I got a Chinese good luck symbol on my back, ostensibly to bring me good luck but mostly it was to impress a sailor I was keen on.<br /><br />My dragon was next and that was to show I was brave (or getting braver) and the flowers on my leg started off as a single bud from when my friend Polly and I went to get tattoos together and over the years the bud has grown. I think there's some meaning in that.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuENQnLewmjYkyP1lO8JJBdkTk1C-aL-D8Dbq_s4-mPEeYL80k_VKO_St2HYgP1xEuQMLlRWAd1fNjU068Hz3T15J41XikR4TNkoMPe-BTvO91gMw2m8I3WGnUCM8cYsoARR2O4quq03c/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuENQnLewmjYkyP1lO8JJBdkTk1C-aL-D8Dbq_s4-mPEeYL80k_VKO_St2HYgP1xEuQMLlRWAd1fNjU068Hz3T15J41XikR4TNkoMPe-BTvO91gMw2m8I3WGnUCM8cYsoARR2O4quq03c/s320/rafferty+tattoo+1.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>In 2007 my Dad died suddenly and I had this strange instinct to let him know that I was okay, that I was coping, and so I think that's why my flower grew as it did. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtg4c9QFTriuNuhfk4ZTMmCsBDT3IZR7-e841SOlPxSDlwFWxloYGd9vYPS9iVm5uKczFYLLCx8aFXvuhYrT4HljepLV-LI2cOSUioYQiJnqs_uuz_pWdOoewc87prb8dxhtdrJRAIk_o/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+mid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtg4c9QFTriuNuhfk4ZTMmCsBDT3IZR7-e841SOlPxSDlwFWxloYGd9vYPS9iVm5uKczFYLLCx8aFXvuhYrT4HljepLV-LI2cOSUioYQiJnqs_uuz_pWdOoewc87prb8dxhtdrJRAIk_o/s640/rafferty+tattoo+mid.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><blockquote>And if somehow my Dad was aware of all this? Well he'd probably be shaking his head and saying ruefully "daft lassie, what are ye up to now?"</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLcwNJCh4FecY7c4gC36pMC7AFK6N50Y85bedx-jJcrvNVJpaYOQWmdqg__TVy4xDZLff9TpJyKrovW2K_L0Tyeh4SYPg7wPaFFKaQjP4JFX9LqSD_3ucEQBAxFI8fHiyhWfxved8Od8/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLcwNJCh4FecY7c4gC36pMC7AFK6N50Y85bedx-jJcrvNVJpaYOQWmdqg__TVy4xDZLff9TpJyKrovW2K_L0Tyeh4SYPg7wPaFFKaQjP4JFX9LqSD_3ucEQBAxFI8fHiyhWfxved8Od8/s640/rafferty+tattoo+finish.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><blockquote>I love the idea of that. He thought when it came to making big, life-changing decisions that I was an idiot and yes, he was probably right but he also showed a grudging and loving admiration for my impulsive side. </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBlApFqjitW09-LXzupZ7boJqN8YcVv7TFwRjqo4BdfWHFfdhawqbip-mR-2lD8iJowPsdjyRKMBsDbKPbXs3USeXA0OPdzRVgHhIMIpN7zqjVZ273Kc6OG-4UiORg5oHCGU59sbP6kg/s1600/rafferty+tattoo+finish+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBlApFqjitW09-LXzupZ7boJqN8YcVv7TFwRjqo4BdfWHFfdhawqbip-mR-2lD8iJowPsdjyRKMBsDbKPbXs3USeXA0OPdzRVgHhIMIpN7zqjVZ273Kc6OG-4UiORg5oHCGU59sbP6kg/s400/rafferty+tattoo+finish+detail.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><blockquote>For now, I think I'm done with tattoos, but you never can tell when I'll take a wee notion for another."</blockquote>It's cool seeing the evolution of this, Amy's floral tattoo, that has grown along with her.<br /><br />She sent us this lovely poem:<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Directions</span></b>.<br /><br />What you remember of them most is<br /><br />that they could not stop talking,<br />and that the road from Inverardran veered left,<br />and took you from the kirk by the Toll<br />of Atholl to the Shoulder’s Choke<br />where you heard them both,<br />heralding their own as the worst.<br /><br />Then by Stob Binnien,<br />shrouded in cloud and the eldest,<br />who sucked black mints,<br />black-tongued, bright-eyed and spry.<br />She picked at stitches and thought aloud<br />if it had been made in ‘Ehberdeen’<br />then it would have been made fitter<br />for its own purposes.<br /><br />And the younger, the witcher,<br />the one you loved,<br />all hook-eyed and pleasure driven,<br />passing the pretty lace between them.<br />She pulled it through but worse<br />this time, tighter, the threads biting.<br />She winked at you, slowly, dropping a lid<br />and said “it just depends who you know”<br /><br />And then Ben More and the great pools,<br />the flooded lights of Saint Fillan,<br />patron saint of the mad and the over-bound<br /><br />and between them, a circle of pretty white lace,<br />holding them both together.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~ ~ ~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Amy Rafferty is a Glaswegian living in the West Midlands. Her poetry and prose can be found in several anthologies and publications, both on-line and off.<br /><br />In 2009 she received a highly-commended mention for her poetry collection, <u>Pétursdóttir and the Land of Tiny Voices</u> and in 2010, two of her poems were short listed for the <a href="http://www.fishpublishing.com/poetry-contest-competition.php">international Fish poetry prize</a>. Amy is a postgraduate student of Creative Writing at <a href="http://www.gla.ac.uk/">Glasgow University</a> and sings with the cult, Glasgow band, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/therecoveryclub">The Recovery Club</a>. She is also the baby in the graveyard scene of the original <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070917/">Wicker Man</a> movie but she doesn't like to talk about it.  <br /><br />If you should wish, you can hear Amy singing <a href="http://www.myspace.com/therecoveryclub">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Amy for sharing her words and ink with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. The poem and tattoos are reprinted with the poet's permission. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"> If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span>

The Tattooed Poets Project: Amy Rafferty

Today's tattooed poet is Amy Rafferty. Amy narrates her history of getting tattooed:  "I've never been that sure why I got my t...

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Wesley Shares Two Significant Blossoms

I met Wesley in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, earlier this month, and she shared these two tattoos from her forearms:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEIgG2H824vZu-8o8_SsxpSoDEj6t2JOadBx03R-28RyGo-PqnlYKUzY4Cg4FyJV3kodkQ7tWtEAmfHCLB3-Dzk04dKzn1SwtSDgSh_YXFCyuuENi6Agk3vHiRbuAteSSy4VGP3qd8Ys/s1600/wesley+flowers+1+rotate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEIgG2H824vZu-8o8_SsxpSoDEj6t2JOadBx03R-28RyGo-PqnlYKUzY4Cg4FyJV3kodkQ7tWtEAmfHCLB3-Dzk04dKzn1SwtSDgSh_YXFCyuuENi6Agk3vHiRbuAteSSy4VGP3qd8Ys/s640/wesley+flowers+1+rotate.jpg" width="596" /></a></div><br />These two flowers are (pictured from left to right) a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_laevigata">Cherokee Rose</a>, which is the state flower of Georgia, and a Nile, or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_lotus">Egyptian Lotus</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvhnXGBwYJunbnm-qZrhE-Dxn8oWxVCkfJj70Xt29ps-WAcdRBzaXPKclHkmz4TNrUvCenMm_tag8MI0h_devihAorWCBX88ZuImDaX6W0Q8kBR4vpigKJKm3JHawYadzkhwuMHRPUyk/s1600/wesley+flowers+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvhnXGBwYJunbnm-qZrhE-Dxn8oWxVCkfJj70Xt29ps-WAcdRBzaXPKclHkmz4TNrUvCenMm_tag8MI0h_devihAorWCBX88ZuImDaX6W0Q8kBR4vpigKJKm3JHawYadzkhwuMHRPUyk/s640/wesley+flowers+2.jpg" width="608" /></a></div><br />Wesley explained that the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_laevigata">Cherokee Rose</a> is generally white in color, but white flowers don't generally translate well to white skin. Fortunately, they can occasionally grow pink, so that's the shade she chose for the tattoo.<br /><br /><br />Wesley explained the whole process of these tattoos in detail:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"I was born in Macon, Georgia and my dad's from Georgia and the whole myth is that when the Cherokees were driven out ... by the white people, they cried ... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_of_Tears">The Trail of Tears</a> ...and the flowers that sprang up where their tears [fell] were the Cherokee Rose. And [the flower on the left arm] is a Nile Lotus ... an Egyptian lotus, you see it a a lot on the sarcophagi ... Egyptian tombs, and it's about death and rebirth.... I got them ... in 2005 ...in Seattle by a guy ... Ian at <a href="http://www.luckydeviltattooparlor.com/">Lucky Devil Tattoo</a> in Capitol Hill, Seattle ... it was a year almost since I had been diagnosed and treated for cancer and it was sort of my celebration of 'I'm okay'  and I had some whole elaborate - I was going to have insects on the inside of my wrist and flowers on the outside, and there was a possibility of a snake, there was a whole big thing and ... the great thing about this artist was that he was like, 'here, let me do a temporary version of what that would look like,' and I was like, 'that would look really cluttered and ridiculous' ... and I realized that I really wanted them to be something I could see and I was more attuned to the flowers ... I wanted something that was close to home from my past and then something that was from another culture from farther away - there's the birth thing and the death thing. Yeah."</blockquote>Thanks to Wesley for sharing her beautiful tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Wesley Shares Two Significant Blossoms

I met Wesley in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, earlier this month, and she shared these two tattoos from her forearms: These two flowers are (pictured...

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Jenn's Lily of the Valley

I stopped Jenn outside of Madison Square Garden when I noticed the cool floral tattoo wrapping around her right ankle onto her foot:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnhFFbwbwBIiNgOK2A0b4AdPVcgsWtehsgQKRfcpkamTAFnv8MSZOTvjvUsVimnxKE13R6CVYr-uBRI-IFbB3wAhnUqkHdF2fbZvavE0O4Xv8HRnJQnPzbekKJ8IZ0SC0V9tzgwp-mUA/s1600/lily+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbnhFFbwbwBIiNgOK2A0b4AdPVcgsWtehsgQKRfcpkamTAFnv8MSZOTvjvUsVimnxKE13R6CVYr-uBRI-IFbB3wAhnUqkHdF2fbZvavE0O4Xv8HRnJQnPzbekKJ8IZ0SC0V9tzgwp-mUA/s640/lily+1.jpg" width="272" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDm03XjBGv1jjWa91S1W8qTWzyTGb02GRZep4U7qRwVCCpG2qG5c3zaRXgGcKrQ1SBdY-CoP0-Q6YaKOLsJ1YcEdeHcT1wNACVV2xUI5XBDGik45TrSc90o82j48wZKtJAR9Et2xMCIo/s1600/lily+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDm03XjBGv1jjWa91S1W8qTWzyTGb02GRZep4U7qRwVCCpG2qG5c3zaRXgGcKrQ1SBdY-CoP0-Q6YaKOLsJ1YcEdeHcT1wNACVV2xUI5XBDGik45TrSc90o82j48wZKtJAR9Et2xMCIo/s640/lily+2.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br />Jenn identified the artist only as Roland, at a shop in the Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego. "I had the idea for the design and he drew it," she explained. The flower depicted is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_Valley">Lily of the Valley</a>.<br /><br />When I asked why she chose this flower, she elaborated:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"I'm not super religious, but there's a story that, whenever Mary cried after Jesus' death, a lily of the valley would grow. I happen to believe that, through tears and feelings, that it really brings a person to life."</blockquote>Jenn is a therapist, and this expression of emotion leading to new life goes hand-in-hand with her vocation. The full context of the flower in a religious context can be read <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_of_the_Valley#Christian_legend">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Jenn for sharing her lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div>

Jenn's Lily of the Valley

I stopped Jenn outside of Madison Square Garden when I noticed the cool floral tattoo wrapping around her right ankle onto her foot: Jenn id...

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Kim's Floral Arm

I caught Kim in Penn Station one day after work last month, just as she was getting ready to board her train. She shared this floral tattoo that graces her upper right arm:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpz8dPd2xwvugVv6yVA0OUZS6_rZA29RpeR8Q65YqRNsc7Vyl98AgsiRymWWer0HCj0XhRrTxjIFeBgzTRc0ZoJy0lnrtfhYEsId7ZGbbCur2IupxOZDReSgHGtQNxi4ozSZ_fNOU-IwY/s1600/kims+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpz8dPd2xwvugVv6yVA0OUZS6_rZA29RpeR8Q65YqRNsc7Vyl98AgsiRymWWer0HCj0XhRrTxjIFeBgzTRc0ZoJy0lnrtfhYEsId7ZGbbCur2IupxOZDReSgHGtQNxi4ozSZ_fNOU-IwY/s400/kims+flowers.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br />This bouquet of daisies, sunflowers, and lotus, with a hummingbird thrown in, to boot, was tattooed by <a href="http://www.junioribanez.com/">Junior Ibanez</a>, who tattoos independently on Long Island.<br /><br />Thanks to Kim for sharing her ink with us here on Tattoosday!<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Kim's Floral Arm

I caught Kim in Penn Station one day after work last month, just as she was getting ready to board her train. She shared this floral tattoo ...

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Patti Shares a Stunning Floral Sleeve

<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today we have some work submitted by a reader, who patiently waited a month and a half for me to post her sleeve work. Although I do post submissions, they generally take a back seat to tattoos I encounter in the streets.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Patti sent in these photos of her stunningly beautiful floral tattoos running down her arm:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBvvFjDsnJhJE6tHoO2GBGBnKQZaL8oqX2kt084Kus3gsE6mFyyVejQeChwjEOG6hM-9N28so7SLlY20UYnDW8f8OR_ERjXglewX2SBp7o3GNCKSAMJBjkWc2GJ6HDyb6ScEiqCXnQfs/s1600/sleeve+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBvvFjDsnJhJE6tHoO2GBGBnKQZaL8oqX2kt084Kus3gsE6mFyyVejQeChwjEOG6hM-9N28so7SLlY20UYnDW8f8OR_ERjXglewX2SBp7o3GNCKSAMJBjkWc2GJ6HDyb6ScEiqCXnQfs/s1600/sleeve+1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7cMepU8Rgwb7Uz5uR7PPUjmgn59oqqRnrWe4sO7mztK9GCMEXLLw1zXTv2YEa_obTywPDknkyvJjuiGxxqOBA0u_oULJux4UEv3Mr8boW-86KmXZIVPDlh_wEVWH6SCy8AZFCyW-ps0/s1600/sleeve+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7cMepU8Rgwb7Uz5uR7PPUjmgn59oqqRnrWe4sO7mztK9GCMEXLLw1zXTv2YEa_obTywPDknkyvJjuiGxxqOBA0u_oULJux4UEv3Mr8boW-86KmXZIVPDlh_wEVWH6SCy8AZFCyW-ps0/s640/sleeve+2.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Patti credits the talented </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://mikesheatattoo.blogspot.com/">Mike Shea</a> at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/redemptiontattoocambridge?sk=wall">Redemption Tattoo</a> in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for these gorgeous flowers.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">She said she had started with a half sleeve, but "really loved it," so they turned it into a full sleeve. Can you blame her? She elaborated: </span></span></span><br /><blockquote><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;">"The original idea came from a quote, 'Where does one find the flowers? You must learn to follow butterflies, she replied.' (author unknown).  I chose lilies because they have always caught my eye…vibrant, vivid, strong…and there are endless variations of them.  </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sVNbvyuMs1Zig41NCARRTfSEji3QmCs-rMSbdpQ7GzBT9inqCyWgohYmCGtP3XapAOMamGh5MWkjjR6B8UT-P45uQAQZhfCZqUmwYU130bS-AbZjfTluYlueSdRVRbv-m13jP5uh0_U/s1600/sleeve+1+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sVNbvyuMs1Zig41NCARRTfSEji3QmCs-rMSbdpQ7GzBT9inqCyWgohYmCGtP3XapAOMamGh5MWkjjR6B8UT-P45uQAQZhfCZqUmwYU130bS-AbZjfTluYlueSdRVRbv-m13jP5uh0_U/s640/sleeve+1+detail.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"></span></span></span></span></div></blockquote><br /><blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;">To me, my tattoo symbolizes learning how to embrace life and live, surrounded by the love and friendship and support of others. It memorializes a sharp change in direction in my life’s path, and the end of a very dark and destructive time in my life.  It reminds me to keep on moving forward…to bloom, and to be myself.</span></span></span></span></div></blockquote><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bWcwozFL_uAvc7bxeUTJN8TSAPzKD-VgS-KV5iFmpEvuRVT4fwZPVhA0aKF3b51gWsyGm7u3MEVSSn2QNoNB5yZB1XQrLMQIEcdr0xQpoVJ511UYG_wRq5d2LFbHPDTDd2kMJGRdETE/s1600/sleeve+2+detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bWcwozFL_uAvc7bxeUTJN8TSAPzKD-VgS-KV5iFmpEvuRVT4fwZPVhA0aKF3b51gWsyGm7u3MEVSSn2QNoNB5yZB1XQrLMQIEcdr0xQpoVJ511UYG_wRq5d2LFbHPDTDd2kMJGRdETE/s640/sleeve+2+detail.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;">I chose Mike to do the tattoo because of his classic tattoo style, and Japanese influence."</span></span></span></span></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Work from Redemption appeared once before on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2011/05/our-1000th-post-davids-mermaid-and.html">here</a>.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thanks to Patti for sending in these photos of her beautiful work!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This entry is ©2011 Tattoosday. </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">If you are reading this on another web site other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://tattoosday.blogspot.com</a> and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I can contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span>

Patti Shares a Stunning Floral Sleeve

Today we have some work submitted by a reader, who patiently waited a month and a half for me to post her sleeve work. Although I do post su...

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Virginia's Flowers Forecast Spring

This is a quick one for Monday morning, on the last day of February, with spring looming just around the corner. Here's one of Virginia's tattoos:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cK7-qhZP06A98Q9yYTmToDWU37lsp-rN3YAS_SavfFe7iqsEwz-7YtR-PzHqYcxh7CcyYB67gtxx1gXYq830zijSzT9QoZdeDN5WsU_Jzzc6kE7TXdnj3X8QHYPHUcN7oYnzyEu_hrk/s1600/Gingers+flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cK7-qhZP06A98Q9yYTmToDWU37lsp-rN3YAS_SavfFe7iqsEwz-7YtR-PzHqYcxh7CcyYB67gtxx1gXYq830zijSzT9QoZdeDN5WsU_Jzzc6kE7TXdnj3X8QHYPHUcN7oYnzyEu_hrk/s640/Gingers+flowers.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br />Virginia is a long-time reader and fan of Tattoosday who I have met on anumber of occasions. This is the first piece she has shared with us.<br /><br />This floral tattoo is at the top of her right shoulder and was done by <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/pages/craig.html">Craig Rodriguez</a> at <a href="http://www.handofglorytattoo.com/">Hand of Glory</a> in Brooklyn.<br /><br />She explains further, "We are all hoping for an early spring. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissus_%28plant%29">Daffodils</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forget-me-not">forget-me-nots</a>. It is a memorial tattoo. I always bring yellow flowers to the cemetery when I honor my family members."<br /><br />Work from Hand of Glory has appeared previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Hand%20of%20Glory%20Tattoo">here</a> on Tattoosday. A piece of Craig's was featured <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2009/06/marks-gypsy-tattoo-pays-tribute-to.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Amen to the early spring! Thanks to Virginia for sharing this lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Virginia's Flowers Forecast Spring

This is a quick one for Monday morning, on the last day of February, with spring looming just around the corner. Here's one of Virginia...

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Jessica's Floral Half-Sleeve

A trip to the Fairway market in Red Hook last month was not only remarkable for the experience with the cheese monger, but because I met Jessica, the owner of this beautiful tattoo:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Rmh50_IuIgdhSZCcne8LS7PrVyYqHicchkILimWrfA9LfwOnsCKgVYbxudqb0YUTxeicqB7gbul9OEZd9eyTGZd0j3SKLfHrTW4Unm2gLCFWI7tCDVEAdr58J77FkBJTGJAYhhgX/s1600/Floral+Fairway+wm+rotate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Rmh50_IuIgdhSZCcne8LS7PrVyYqHicchkILimWrfA9LfwOnsCKgVYbxudqb0YUTxeicqB7gbul9OEZd9eyTGZd0j3SKLfHrTW4Unm2gLCFWI7tCDVEAdr58J77FkBJTGJAYhhgX/s640/Floral+Fairway+wm+rotate.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQIMm9cAb9WTX7NlmxAP1m5dLLeQlHZ5-wFlehW_-z7PQUatLLJnowdx_ipjo1T915unWOBDwKgKAFz3QgRyCSmElOfUnsg32puMZlm7WCFeRuDs-q8rWO_xzzRGbCwJy6b2TNRjl/s1600/Floral+Fairway+2+wm+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQIMm9cAb9WTX7NlmxAP1m5dLLeQlHZ5-wFlehW_-z7PQUatLLJnowdx_ipjo1T915unWOBDwKgKAFz3QgRyCSmElOfUnsg32puMZlm7WCFeRuDs-q8rWO_xzzRGbCwJy6b2TNRjl/s640/Floral+Fairway+2+wm+.png" width="306" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love the variety of flowers, colors, and textures: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXa5BrLdCUUSa3kXoXEhNx2neGakKBDR0et2NRf_whxV1-Urcw4T1i-5kTOBBp-8IQP4QcyAypjKZ2kYk5Jpv2vrSvUBDxWcYhR60NNZjHLrs5e2V4M3_7dLNs6_dmRBPQVbw7rDx/s1600/Floral+Fairway+2+detail.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHXa5BrLdCUUSa3kXoXEhNx2neGakKBDR0et2NRf_whxV1-Urcw4T1i-5kTOBBp-8IQP4QcyAypjKZ2kYk5Jpv2vrSvUBDxWcYhR60NNZjHLrs5e2V4M3_7dLNs6_dmRBPQVbw7rDx/s640/Floral+Fairway+2+detail.png" width="424" /></a></div><br />Jessica credited this work to Greg at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Poughkeepsie-NY/Planet-New-York-Tattoo/149896683154">Planet New York Tattoo</a> in Poughkeepsie.<br /><br />Thanks to Jessica for sharing this beautiful tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Jessica's Floral Half-Sleeve

A trip to the Fairway market in Red Hook last month was not only remarkable for the experience with the cheese monger, but because I met Jes...

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Two Segements of Renae's Arm

I spotted a whole lot going on with Renae's left forearm, while browsing at the Chelsea Salvation Army store, so I just had to ask.<br /><br />Let's deconstruct:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxlB7L2R5N0pQ8yXUR5C0l4a9FmV12UccbNhL6LmR7_lKsbNbVjkSknVT5H1Ds9dbumjQnJoj5e9snITr1dPB3xgP7mjeMM8UD1Sdnbb0PPquC2w_GGK8Omdm-pnTFu_c9qSuUiQB/s1600/Renae+Collage+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxlB7L2R5N0pQ8yXUR5C0l4a9FmV12UccbNhL6LmR7_lKsbNbVjkSknVT5H1Ds9dbumjQnJoj5e9snITr1dPB3xgP7mjeMM8UD1Sdnbb0PPquC2w_GGK8Omdm-pnTFu_c9qSuUiQB/s640/Renae+Collage+wm.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br />The first part of this tattoo is the dark heart on the inner part of the forearm. Renae attributes this to Rob at the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/hartandhuntingtonorlando">Orlando branch</a> of <a href="http://www.hartandhuntingtontattoo.com/">Hart and Huntington</a>. In over three years of inkspotting, this is the first piece on Tattoosday that has been credited to one of their shops.<br /><br />Renae, who has "no idea" how many tattoos she has (which is synonymous for "too many to count"), wanted to add to her arm, so she headed to <a href="http://www.brooklyninktattoo.com/">Brooklyn Ink</a> in Bay Ridge.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.brooklyninktattoo.com/alex_tattoos.html">Alex Franklin</a> was given free reign, according to Renae. Her exact quote was "use your imagination and run," which must be music to many a tattooists ears.<br /><br />Alex did the flourishes around the original tattoo, along with the phrase "gutta cavat lapidem," a Latin phrase by Ovid which translates to "dripping water hollows out a stone," which is a shortened version of the line "Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence." This quote is known to many New Yorkers who have seen it inscribed underground <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniemole/2867842328/">here</a> (with a broader description <a href="http://www.mta.info/mta/aft/permanentart/permart.html?agency=n&line=D&station=4&artist=1&img=1&xdev=240">here</a>).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And he tattooed the piece on the other side of the arm:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw278Fz6Rt6O9iEH7qaMsn6nv0_PA-ilbXcyicrO3ylbM3vQFq8dEzztFExhulSn1kCxNEqXXS2aXLjpXsZwsfh-5tPjtcPJJKvPREJ4O2pFax4IiJ9kR1j9t0V81tahNjJPNrIE4B/s1600/Renae+floral+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw278Fz6Rt6O9iEH7qaMsn6nv0_PA-ilbXcyicrO3ylbM3vQFq8dEzztFExhulSn1kCxNEqXXS2aXLjpXsZwsfh-5tPjtcPJJKvPREJ4O2pFax4IiJ9kR1j9t0V81tahNjJPNrIE4B/s640/Renae+floral+wm.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><br />Work from Brooklyn Ink (and a lot by Alex) has appeared previously on Tattoosday <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/Brooklyn%20Ink">here</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to Renae for sharing her tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Two Segements of Renae's Arm

I spotted a whole lot going on with Renae's left forearm, while browsing at the Chelsea Salvation Army store, so I just had to ask. Let...

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Alex Shares a Floral Tattoo, Roots and All

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sometimes I see tattoos before I see people.<br /><br />Back in July, for example, I approached a guy on the West 4th Street subway platform to ask him about this tattoo on his right forearm:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrjA-iUiH9ajXuXC2dfEazxOgDxQnP9EqyWz2dZ5Gv8xrgIDe3bIQAV7DVC5RDHsl08U7n4WtV75j_4SymkjdVe2fDC2nFcfSl5yXnxi3CspFQ_lVp3yjtGqlilf6F2hOkgemNC-L/s1600/alex+floral+1+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrjA-iUiH9ajXuXC2dfEazxOgDxQnP9EqyWz2dZ5Gv8xrgIDe3bIQAV7DVC5RDHsl08U7n4WtV75j_4SymkjdVe2fDC2nFcfSl5yXnxi3CspFQ_lVp3yjtGqlilf6F2hOkgemNC-L/s640/alex+floral+1+wm.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It was only after I said hello to him that I realized he was someone named Alex who lives in my neighborhood in Brooklyn.<br /><br />In fact, Alex had a tattoo featured <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2008/07/honoring-his-son.html">here</a> back in 2009, after I stopped  him in the laundromat.<br /><br />This floral tattoo is a representation of how a flower overcomes obstacles and pain to lay down roots, rises up, and blooms.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczOoeq4EDrGZzTpC2QaT3ggBzGxiVwN2IsBfUHv-4ZM6G4wa7l3KXOTlSA8Pp82FHlCicjEQL68hmEm66SWWlsVPGL_2QVXPHll2uohyphenhyphen4fNaKx-sB3levbN7g7wP88_4ON_sEZqkp/s1600/alex+floral+1+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhczOoeq4EDrGZzTpC2QaT3ggBzGxiVwN2IsBfUHv-4ZM6G4wa7l3KXOTlSA8Pp82FHlCicjEQL68hmEm66SWWlsVPGL_2QVXPHll2uohyphenhyphen4fNaKx-sB3levbN7g7wP88_4ON_sEZqkp/s400/alex+floral+1+detail+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />He draws the comparison to life, as nothing comes without hard work and bypassing obstacles.<br /><br />The tattoo was created by Shon Lindauer at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Thicker-Than-Water/225369517165#%21/pages/New-York-NY/Thicker-Than-Water/225369517165?v=wall">Thicker Than Water</a> in Manhattan. Shon is the same artist that did the <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/01/tyger-tyger-burning-bright.html">tiger on my calf</a>. Other work from Thicker Than Water has appeared previously on Tattoosday here.<br /><br />Thanks to Alex for once again sharing his work with us here on Tattoosday!

Alex Shares a Floral Tattoo, Roots and All

Sometimes I see tattoos before I see people. Back in July, for example, I approached a guy on the West 4th Street subway platform to ask him...

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Shaina's Back Piece Blooms

A post-work errand had me walking down 6th Avenue to 23rd Street where, to my delight, I ran into Shaina, whose large back piece stopped me dead in my tracks. Lucky for me, and all of our Tattoosday readers, she had no problem sharing it with us here:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsf3uMBcYDYfNyJSbQzLjK5GndrADOax9IDqPzWid-6j6Nd21LyuWz9ci-23pMCDqBShT2M7Pxs541tY4u3Et5BY07W5KhE_ZVPPh0UDXjejueBGBwm9PYf5fOafK5GmmwGPM92Q5/s1600/Shaina+Back+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsf3uMBcYDYfNyJSbQzLjK5GndrADOax9IDqPzWid-6j6Nd21LyuWz9ci-23pMCDqBShT2M7Pxs541tY4u3Et5BY07W5KhE_ZVPPh0UDXjejueBGBwm9PYf5fOafK5GmmwGPM92Q5/s400/Shaina+Back+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This piece is a cover-up (more on that later) and initially was born out of a desire for a large bunch of purple flowers. Shaina explained that, at six feet tall, her size can sometimes take the edge off of her feminine side. "I try as hard as I can to be girl-y," she said, and she embraced her floral design as "a sign of girliness".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmyOcFAxeXb-dCtllAD8osOKGWjRp1WqhiVTadAhz8r55LPb7AJHGIqvPBbmG_DgH6ZPCrFHSl9Hab4UWgsjmEe2qS8m9a5rmTdUmUB6S4m-9BMjFIwNvKp4JitiRBnBL5LMBILFs/s1600/Shaina+Back+detail+wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigmyOcFAxeXb-dCtllAD8osOKGWjRp1WqhiVTadAhz8r55LPb7AJHGIqvPBbmG_DgH6ZPCrFHSl9Hab4UWgsjmEe2qS8m9a5rmTdUmUB6S4m-9BMjFIwNvKp4JitiRBnBL5LMBILFs/s400/Shaina+Back+detail+wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />As time passed, the whole tattoo, which Shaina estimates was composed in five four-hour sessions totaling twenty hours, took on additional elements. When her grandmother passed away, she added a memorial line for her ("In Loving Memory of Eleanor Vespie) along with the red carnations, which were her favorite flowers.<br /><br />She later added the additional memorial on her neck, for her cousin Tasha.<br /><br />The tattoo was created by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/cliff_evans">Cliff Evans</a> at <a href="http://www.hellhoundmusic.com/fuzionink/">Fuzion Ink</a> in Norfolk, Virginia.<br /><br />Of course, I had to ask about the tattoo she covered up. Shaina looked at me, and I'll give her points for honesty, she confessed, the original tattoo had been a portrait of the Icelandic singer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B6rk">Björk</a>.<br /><br />She looked at me. I looked at her. "Don't take this the wrong way," I cautioned her, but what would possess you to do that?" Shaina had good humor about it. Like a lot of eighteen-year olds, what seemed cool at the time, in retrospect seemed ill-chosen. But there are many amazing tattoos out there that might not exist had they not been needed to cover up an earlier, less memorable piece.<br /><br />Thanks kindly to Shaina for not only sharing her lovely back tattoo with us here at Tattoosday, but for taking the time to chat so candidly about her body art.

Shaina's Back Piece Blooms

A post-work errand had me walking down 6th Avenue to 23rd Street where, to my delight, I ran into Shaina, whose large back piece stopped me ...

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Nadine's Ankh and Orchids

I met Nadine last month and she was kind enough to share this beautiful floral piece with us:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Bu40rcDsxooq64knDFKw_-myTNOQvNVAGAmw9Ip_rCqL38ts6JwvzVwrPT8UNvM5y1ZrggPTg_Je_R8nMKjjQ-upnfE7SZZl5Tb-fqW9PKC2zwyUnQCkijeV37J0KwotfvRM0_aN/s1600/ankh+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Bu40rcDsxooq64knDFKw_-myTNOQvNVAGAmw9Ip_rCqL38ts6JwvzVwrPT8UNvM5y1ZrggPTg_Je_R8nMKjjQ-upnfE7SZZl5Tb-fqW9PKC2zwyUnQCkijeV37J0KwotfvRM0_aN/s640/ankh+front.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><br />The symbol in the foreground is her own "stylized version" of an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankh">ankh</a>, a symbol dating back to ancient Egypt which means eternal life.<br /><br />She has orchids added to the piece because her mother loves those flowers.The orchids were inked about five years ago which is remarkable because reds and yellows tend to fade more quickly on the skin and, Nadine notes, "so far my color has held true".<br /><br />The ankh took about 45 minutes to do while the rest of the tattoo took five and a half hours over two sittings.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WljjpgbAuCopmQv4L7P5-GNNaR3ZWVDxuEawWClDcQfScVj6JIXUMR1n0rxt2o2HhBtEy_gouvCumHd8UXuMh_EDrtok3SNHj2Z89yY_oBXBh8hG9U4MQUGwBz0cSPcZviYSFCgD/s1600/Ankh+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WljjpgbAuCopmQv4L7P5-GNNaR3ZWVDxuEawWClDcQfScVj6JIXUMR1n0rxt2o2HhBtEy_gouvCumHd8UXuMh_EDrtok3SNHj2Z89yY_oBXBh8hG9U4MQUGwBz0cSPcZviYSFCgD/s400/Ankh+collage.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br />She wanted to point out that the outline is done in purple ink, not black, a nice artistic touch that she convinced her artist was a good choice.<br /><br />This lovely tattoo was done at <a href="http://nyadorned.com/">New York Adorned</a>, by <a href="http://www.bryanrandolphtattoo.com/">Brian Randolph</a>.<br /><br />Work from NY Adorned has been posted previously <a href="http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/search/label/New%20York%20Adorned">here</a> (links to all posts tagged NY Adorned).<br /><br />Thanks again to Nadine for sharing this fantastic tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Nadine's Ankh and Orchids

I met Nadine last month and she was kind enough to share this beautiful floral piece with us: The symbol in the foreground is her own "...

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Mandy's Leopard Stars

I spotted Mandy on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan last month and I had to stop her to ask about this, one of her three tattoos:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlJibfHq5NdOLuWL5wkPfrB84yBfiH1jUapLmualIMSW0zPH2JAtbc3Drr8_KosClUfkSmME6dUc_pCQg1gU0EQHwhyphenhyphenEptkH-OVVdrZSEVuLE5cDkyTZAlxM-BxNqpstYtUXHji3d/s1600/Mandy+Leopard+Stars+detail.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468465133350278834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlJibfHq5NdOLuWL5wkPfrB84yBfiH1jUapLmualIMSW0zPH2JAtbc3Drr8_KosClUfkSmME6dUc_pCQg1gU0EQHwhyphenhyphenEptkH-OVVdrZSEVuLE5cDkyTZAlxM-BxNqpstYtUXHji3d/s400/Mandy+Leopard+Stars+detail.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />She came up with the design and made sure to include the leopard print that she likes so much.<br /><br />She credits the artist <a href="http://inkxpression.com/preview_003.htm">Eric Newby</a> at <a href="http://inkxpression.com/">Ink Xpressions</a> on Ringgold Road in East Ridge (Chattanooga), Tennessee.<br /><br />You may notice another tattoo peeking into the picture, so let me show you the larger perspective and a glimpse of the piece to the left of the stars:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU15Xi0N2H2DrOxNy9leBy4dAcTHHQ8cTfLx-0c9hBdbQcjcg5XFUnt_xqmorKP1nTkSUY6JS5GoW6KprAMN0MUeIgNNnrf03DtdfhLJYrZS2ctjUrAMYmYLfQ5eLqbF9p1PhUGh6/s1600/Mandy+Leopard+Stars.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468465052413726930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXU15Xi0N2H2DrOxNy9leBy4dAcTHHQ8cTfLx-0c9hBdbQcjcg5XFUnt_xqmorKP1nTkSUY6JS5GoW6KprAMN0MUeIgNNnrf03DtdfhLJYrZS2ctjUrAMYmYLfQ5eLqbF9p1PhUGh6/s400/Mandy+Leopard+Stars.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" /></a><br />Mandy informed me later, via e-mail, that the floral piece<br /><blockquote>"was actually a stencil I found, and I really liked the design a lot. I had two black and white tattoos, so I wanted bright colors and we decided no outlines would look cool. It was a long process to get the colors I wanted to absorb, but it was well worth it in the end. The artist was <a href="http://www.myspace.com/shanehartlinetattoos">Shane Hartline</a> at <a href="http://www.evermoregalleries.com/">Evermore Galleries</a> in Chattanooga".</blockquote>Thanks to Mandy for sharing these tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Mandy's Leopard Stars

I spotted Mandy on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan last month and I had to stop her to ask about this, one of her three tattoos: She came up wit...

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A.J.'s Floral Ink

I ran into A.J. earlier this month, walking aling Seventh Avenue near 34th Street.<br /><br />She has seven tattoos, and shared this lovely black and gray floral piece on her upper right arm:<br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIN-3KtDh5I5cPo7ImqKiOl2dvRDn4PVub3vZwHmp0pCI-JQ4qEdd75MPIsG-eNRmFyOcmEb3xm0bINY__VRAE4iH_B1dboIpQB3n-3FtiBMfxO37iq1ajoMheYhiI2eqZ96gjiBWDuk/s1600-h/AJ+Floral.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375758166035422130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIN-3KtDh5I5cPo7ImqKiOl2dvRDn4PVub3vZwHmp0pCI-JQ4qEdd75MPIsG-eNRmFyOcmEb3xm0bINY__VRAE4iH_B1dboIpQB3n-3FtiBMfxO37iq1ajoMheYhiI2eqZ96gjiBWDuk/s400/AJ+Floral.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />She had been debating on whether to add color or not, but is pretty happy with the way this tattoo looks.<br /><br />This tattoo was created by <a href="http://feelarush.com/jr.html">Junior</a> at <a href="http://feelarush.com/">Adrenaline Rush Tattoo</a> in Newark, New Jersey.<br /><br />Thanks to A.J. for sharing this lovely tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

A.J.'s Floral Ink

I ran into A.J. earlier this month, walking aling Seventh Avenue near 34th Street. She has seven tattoos, and shared this lovely black and g...

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Tattoorism 101: Jenny's Unforgettable Memorial to Her Mother and Grandmother

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdDrLAWCdIV5B5393CKwvifHiBes712wdQWQ9lhlLvXVenK5UmbOHMyO_OdEDwZ8I62SYVdz6E_q1YzZVVe2ZZ_SoNXlF1R45kjDerjw2HTCQvUCPn4n_QKGpmc3A0aJQHRt9JvP4BFn0/s1600-h/adj+IMG_4301+-detail.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300745549725945842" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdDrLAWCdIV5B5393CKwvifHiBes712wdQWQ9lhlLvXVenK5UmbOHMyO_OdEDwZ8I62SYVdz6E_q1YzZVVe2ZZ_SoNXlF1R45kjDerjw2HTCQvUCPn4n_QKGpmc3A0aJQHRt9JvP4BFn0/s400/adj+IMG_4301+-detail.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 396px;" /></a><br />Despite unseasonably warm temperatures this weekend, I didn't see any tattoos, shattering my expectations. However, all was not lost. I received a lovely e-mail from a reader named Jenny who brightened my day with an amazing tattoo. She must have been reading my mind when she said, "Since it's winter and most of us have our ink covered by turtlenecks and wool sweaters, I would let one of my tattoos out and share it with you."<br /><br />And what Jenny sent me was a breathtaking floral tattoo that is simply beautiful:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrzjaHgo9_unokVFqrYFKD8KHZArA-CB6wRebo_BI7rpm8OIL1abrQW1qhHdHCDTqAny9lgusgPH54bjrh1iDFwmKpVLq8do_CNB4w38naZjEkXIVdtdIDFVveRpB5dn_tT6WoFg6QsXh/s1600-h/adj+IMG_4302.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300745396256524418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrzjaHgo9_unokVFqrYFKD8KHZArA-CB6wRebo_BI7rpm8OIL1abrQW1qhHdHCDTqAny9lgusgPH54bjrh1iDFwmKpVLq8do_CNB4w38naZjEkXIVdtdIDFVveRpB5dn_tT6WoFg6QsXh/s400/adj+IMG_4302.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" /></a><br />I'll let Jenny explain this piece in her own words:<br /><blockquote><br />"My grandmother and mother are two very special people in my life, and both have passed away. When I was 21, I got my first tattoo. It was a small piece, but it meant a lot to me. My mom was so excited for me - she told me that she wished that she had the money to get a tattoo herself! My mom died without ever getting a tattoo, but blue was her favorite color.<br /><br />My grandmother passed away a few years after my mom, and I decided that I would get a tattoo for them. The tattoo did not start out as planned. I went in to the shop thinking that I'd get myself a small lilac on one shoulder that had a green ribbon wrapped around it (Grandma in the Green House had lilac trees). I was also toying around with the idea of some sort of blue tattoo for my mom, but I had no idea what to do.<br /><br />When I talked to the tattoo artist, she was designing a lovely lilac tattoo, and I asked her to put some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forget-me-not">Forget-me-nots</a> with it for my mom. She created two separate sprigs, and the forget-me-nots were perfect. I went in to plan for a lilac tattoo, but I left with a shoulder of forget me nots (my largest tattoo, and I had it done in one sitting - it was intense, but I am so glad that I did it in one sitting). A sprig of lilacs will go on the left shoulder once I have some more money and the design is "right" (it's good but not ready, yet). For now, I have my mother's forget-me-nots intertwined with my grandma's green ribbon."</blockquote><br />A closer look shows how well the two elements of the forget-me-nots and the green ribbon are woven together, just as Jenny's mother and grandmother are permanently sewn into the fabric of her life:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZ9FEhuXJNPaJRyUoEP8fxgQecUaopIxkLdZHnkHAwVqBMDOTWvVqZJ0tTxUJhrbsOrPKzgQZr7nI_BFUrxiWTlMf-nO0yZraTsb1WdcChzs3svd3I1jaOIA71QSEOAiH2BHUgB9Ne6Qb/s1600-h/adj+IMG_4301.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300745503525696962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZ9FEhuXJNPaJRyUoEP8fxgQecUaopIxkLdZHnkHAwVqBMDOTWvVqZJ0tTxUJhrbsOrPKzgQZr7nI_BFUrxiWTlMf-nO0yZraTsb1WdcChzs3svd3I1jaOIA71QSEOAiH2BHUgB9Ne6Qb/s400/adj+IMG_4301.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" /></a><br />This simple and poignant memorial tattoo was inked by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/shstattoo">Kira</a> at <a href="http://www.shstattoo.com/index.htm">Sleepy Hollow Studios</a> in <a href="http://www.potsdam.ny.us/">Potsdam, New York</a> (40 minutes from the Canadian border).<br /><br />Much thanks to Jenny for being a loyal reader and from infusing a drab weekend with color by visiting us here at Tattoosday and sharing her tattoo!

Tattoorism 101: Jenny's Unforgettable Memorial to Her Mother and Grandmother

Despite unseasonably warm temperatures this weekend, I didn't see any tattoos, shattering my expectations. However, all was not lost. I ...

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