it's a sickness...

i've always loved tattoos...i went out & got my very first one AS SOON AS i turned 18! it was just flash...nothing custom...& not something i regret...just kinda wish i'd given it more thought

each of the 3 i got later, meant something...& i'm still thrilled with them - love em!

but i've always wanted more...& when i say more, i mean MORE!

i didn't know what, exactly...that's why i never went for it...i always knew that i wanted some art to represent my children - but i didn't envision that tat being the BIG piece that i knew i'd eventually have...i just knew that one day, it would come to me

then a few months ago, it kinda did...

Jaden was commenting on that 13 year old tat on my back - the one that always makes me wonder if it started Jaden's dragon obsession...he was saying how cool it would be if it grew & went down my arm...&...well...uh...

light bulb!

what better way to represent my amazing son, than with an amazing dragon! & a dragon design could definitely create the beautiful 1/2 sleeve i envisioned having one day!

i still wondered how i'd tie in the girls...i wanted something just as amazing & special to represent them too...& just like that, it seemed to come to me as well - fairies! something that they do indeed love...sticking with the whole mystical/fantasy theme...even a good representation of the beautiful, magical beings that they are! :0)

& so - the idea slowly came to life...

i talked to my friend, David...he lives/works about 2 1/2 hours away, but comes home to visit regularly...i described to him what i had swirling around in my head...i sent him pics i had found online, to give him an idea of what i liked & what i didn't...we tentatively scheduled a weekend a few weeks out...& he drew up some sketches

& then the countdown began!

i continued to save my pennies & beef up my i'm-finally-gonna-do-something-for-myself-and-not-feel-guilty-about-it-tattoo fund...then a bonus at work also came right on time...when this weekend finally rolled around, i felt like a kid on Christmas eve...i was sooooo excited!!!

i'm not gonna show u full shots of both tats just yet...cause it's hard to see our final vision...it's all just outlining right now...JUST 4 1/2 hours of outlining! ~lol~ the basic set up for David to come in & work his magic with shading & color next time...& probably another time after that...chances are, i'll have 2 more sessions - one to finish the fairies with color/shading (they're on my other arm) & to begin the fill-in/shading/background of my sleeve...then one last sitting to fill in all the color for the dragon sleeve

don't i look thrilled?! ~lol~

David came to do the work in our dining room...& Curtis was able to sit & chat with us for a lot of the sitting...i had my cell (FB & Twitter) to keep my mind off the pain...but honestly, it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be - u kind of zone out after a while...well, at least until he gets to that tender, fleshy skin right around ur armpit - ouch! ~lol~

it really is a sickness...a need...an addiction if u must ~lol~ but one that i'm definitely not ashamed of...& hey, it could be worse, right?! ;0) now, another countdown has begun...i'm sooo stoked to get these 2 pieces finished! i'm not planning on stopping after that either...sorry Ma! well, i will chill for a while...but i have plans for at least 4 more in the future - they will be more of the smaller ones, but still kick-ass art on their own...& who knows after that? i'm always getting inspired & thinking up more designs...i just drew this cupcake the other week - looks like it could make a pretty 'sweet' tat, huh? ;0)


so, tell me...

do u agree?
do u have tattoos?
are u now addicted?