Tattoos what I got on me...

I love tattoos!  Love love love!!!  I've wanted tattoos on my skin since the age of around 8 when I became aware of the permanent illustrations on the arms of the hairy bikers that rolled up to whatever pub my Dad had taken me to... on his bike I hasten to add.  I would wander around with Dad, sipping on a Coke while he chatted to his friends about bike parts and ride outs they were planning.  My eyes would dart from the colourful racing bikes to the shiny Harley Davidsons, whose riders rolled around all beer guts and beards and those smudged old tattoos that started my fascination with body art.

As I got older I had idea after idea for the tattoo I would get when I turned 18.  Of course they ranged from the stupid to the ridiculous from age to age, including Roger Rabbit to a devil...

When I was 18 I decided to go get my first tattoo - a collection of four stars between my shoulder blades.  Not the most interesting or artistic of designs I admit, but nevertheless it got me hooked.  I desperately wanted to get more and more work done but unfortunately due to a restrictive relationship, I wasn't allowed.  Then at the age of 22 and near to the end of that relationship, I broke free and decided to get the words 'Patience' and 'Great Happiness' tattooed in Thai on my wrists.  These marked the end of one part of my life and the beginning of another.  Shortly after, I applied to university, my Grandpa passed and I had a break down.  It was not a good time for me.

That summer, after I'd been accepted into university and realised life wasn't that bad, I designed, saved for and got the tattoo that really helped me change.  It was the hottest day of the year in 2008 and as I lay on the couch, my back sweating and my hands clammy, the artist got to work on my black and grey Art Nouveau vine on my left hip.  Ouch.  What kept me from getting too nervous was the sound of the woman in the next cubical whose screams of pain mimicked that of a hard core porn star!  Fits of giggles is not the best thing to have whilst being tattooed...

Later that year, after about a month at uni, I'd planned, designed and received an old school yellow rose on my right forearm.  This was then followed in the new year by a pink and red rose on my left forearm, mirroring each other as I felt imbalanced with just the one!!  I got so many positive comments on my roses that it spurred me on for more!

Student loans are wonderful things.  I used a fair bit of that money to fund my gypsy girl who resides on my upper right arm.  She is beautiful!  With big blue eyes, curly raven black hair and yellow roses (to match the one on my forearm) in her hair.  I wanted a gypsy girl to remind me not to settle for anything that makes me unhappy.  Thats about it though lol!  She has no deep and meaningful message.  I just wanted a pretty girly.  Oh and she has paintbrush earrings too!

The last tattoo I acquired was the line of text 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' from the Pink Floyd song, my favourite.  And because it is my favourite song, I wear it proudly across my bony chest from shoulder to shoulder.

Up next.....?  Oh I have far too many ideas and drawings, and ideas for drawings of tattoos for my future.  All I know is they are going to be pretty, colourful and EXPENSIVE!!!