Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Tatted Tuesday- My Tattoo Collection!

I am hesitant yet excited to write this post...

I have been wanting to write this post since the beginning of this blog, 5 years ago.
This is also part of my Summer 2016 Bucket List

I have always loved tattoos, especially small / interesting ones. 
I have always wanted tattoos but grew up in a family that not too accepting of them. 
As my mom put it during our NYC trip, 
"How did you become so alternative? To rebel against conservative parents?"

For the record, my parents are not that conservative, but still.

The rest of my family are more conservative. 

If you don't like tattoos, this post is not for you. 
Check back tomorrow =)

So, I'm sorry not sorry, I love my tattoos.

So here is my collection, to date:

About my tattoos {When/Where/Why/Who} from head to toe:


Ribbon: 19 yrs old, I don't know where I got this one, this was my third tattoo. I got this with my sister Bianca and 2/3 of my sisters have this tattoo too!. It is behind my ear. Looks pretty worn now, I have gotten it redone 1-2x but wearing glasses every day wears it out. 

13: 27 yrs old, I got this at Mischief Tattoo NYC by "yuiktats" {see original blog post here}. Friday the 13th tattoos are a tradition in the tattoo community. 13 is a lucky number in Italy and my family. The candle style of this tattoo was spare of the moment but it does look like the 13 necklace that my Nonna gave me. Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton added the red to it a month or so later. 

Hanger: 26 yrs old, I got this tattoo on the last day of our Tacoma trip last summer at Tsunami Tattoo by Nate. I got this for my love of fashion and blogging, which is why I got it when I got to visit my blog buddy Hilary

Bodice: 27 yrs old, you may be like WHAT?! See the details below, this is a new one and I am obsessed! Done by Adrienne from Looking Glass Tattoos in Brick. We went to high school together and this is the first artist that I have ever made an appointment with. I love it! I love that this is my 13th tattoo, my first done by a woman tattoo artist and it is a woman's body! <3

Fire: 27 yrs old, done by Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton {see original blog post here}. I got this tattoo because the past 6 months have shown me the great side of my career {teaching, in case you are new here}. My last job reignited my passion compared to the experience before... {see waves tattoo below}. There are 6 flames in this tattoo to symbolize my immediate family. 

Waves: 26 yrs old, done by Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton {see original blog post here}. After a terrible year at a school that was more like an abusive relationship than professional, I got the waves to symbolize moving on and being carried away to something better.  There are 4 waves in this tattoo to symbolize me and my three sisters. 

Eye: 26 yrs old, done by Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton {see original blog post here}. I got this after being given my malocchio rights {Italian tradition to get rid of the evil eye} on Christmas Eve last year. 

Triangle: 26 yrs old, done by Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton {see original blog post here}. I got this at the same time as my eye tattoo. This is a matching tattoo with my husband, they line up when we hold hands. An equilateral triangle symbolizes that "every part manifests the whole" and that as one side shifts the other sides shift to realign and keep the shape together. A lot like a working relationship, especially a marriage. 

Semi-colon: 25 yrs old, done by Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton {see original blog post here}. I got this as part of the Semi Colon Project, the movement that encourages you to continue to write their own stories, because only you can continue your story. I got this after a rough point during our first year of marriage and in support of reducing the mental health stigma. 

Elephant: 24 yrs old, done by Chuck from Neptune Tattoo {see original blog post here}. I got this tattoo as the start of my bachelorette weekend. I wanted an elephant before I got married because they are good luck, my Nonna's favorite animals and elephants stay with their families for life. 

Five Tick Marks: 18 yrs old, I don't know where I got this one. This was my second tattoo. The idea for this tattoo came to me in a dream. The four tick marks symbolize me and my three sisters and the fifth strike that goes through the other four symbolizes my mom who runs through all of us. This tattoo has been retouched a few times too, I don't think I can retouch it again without making it more blurry. It is an old tattoo, but I still love it. 

BFF Girl: 27 yrs old, done by Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton {see original blog post here}. I got this tattoo with my best friend/big sister from my sorority ΑΞΔ at Rider University. We have been like sisters for 9+ years and she is always someone I can call and celebrate life with. She has the other girl and they match up and look like they are chatting on the phone! I think this was my most painful tattoo though...

Heart / Sunshine TFJ: 17 yrs old, I don't know where I got this done originally. My first tattoo! Yes, I was 17, not the legal age to get tattooed in NJ but I went with an older friend that I worked with at a beauty salon. I originally wanted this tattoo on one of my toes, which the tattoo artist said was not possible. Some places do tattoos that small now, but not really 10 years ago. I got this heart because when I was a senior in high school I lost one of my friends to a car accident and it honestly shook me to the core. It really made me think about how temporary life really is and how it can all end in a matter of seconds. Getting a tattoo was an experience that I wanted to make sure I had. I added the sunshine and TFJ to the tattoo in college {again Brian Mock from Kiss of Ink in Trenton added to this one!} with two of my ΑΞΔ sisters. As the for TFJ part, sorry, that part is a secret. 

So there you have it!
My current tattoo collection, 13 in total!

I do realize that using an autopsy diagram of my tattoos could be helpful if someone murders me,
cuts me up and sprinkles me around.
Morbid, but true!

I do have more tattoos in mind {sorry mom!}
I do want to have a 3/4 sleeve on my left arm,
here is my wishlist,
this changes sometimes but generally this is what I want:
1. Black line- I want this under my triangle to kind of mark the end of the 3/4 sleeve =)
{source- blxckink on instagram / artist- rachainsworth}
2. Hands Passing a Heart- I want this above the crease of my elbow on the front of my arm,
this was a Friday the 13th tattoo option, maybe next time- i.e. January =)
{source mischieftattoonyc on instagram / artist- tattoobyxxmj}
3. Balance- I want this written in white ink above the black line ^
{source & artist- jonboytattoo on instagram}
4. Florals- I want this to be the main component of the outside of my sleeve. I want wild flowers without any outlines {specially by the artist Amanda Wachob}
5. Diver- I am not sold on the diver per say, but I love this take on a "pin up girl".
I think she is so cute!
{source: Tattooist Seoeon}
6. Stop Making Sense- I want this under my arm, kind of by my arm pit. This is the name of a Talking Heads album that is amazing and we love.
{source: florres.tumblr.com}
7. Anatomical Heart with Flowers: I want this on the inside of my arm above the eye,
this was also a Friday the 13th option, so maybe next time too!
{source: mischieftattoonyc on instagram / artist- yuiktats}
8. Leopard Print: I want this in between my anatomical heart and the "Stop Making Sense" tattoo,
this one is Music Kills Kate from Instagram.
{artist: natesiggard}
9. Gemma Correll Pug Tattoo: I mean I love my pug, no surprises there. Best dog ever.
{source: Lucky Pug Tattoos on Instagram}
10. Hop Cone: I want add a branch of hops to my wild flowers part.
{source: shshshel on instagram}
11. DNA: not sure where but somewhere by the anatomical heart,
maybe coming out next to some of the florals?!
{source: jmonike on instagram}
12. Snake / hands: I want this as a stick and poke from taticompton, maybe as a sternum piece... probably minus the rose though. Maybe with some of her star designs.

You can keep up with my inspiration for my tattoos on my dedicated Pinterest Board: "Tatted"

A little bit about a typical tattoo process / experience/ tips:

Pick a shop that you know people who have gone and have been happy with their experience
and read about them online.

All of my tattoos, aside from my newest bodice tattoo {see below!},
have been walk in appointments.

I took this picture from Tsunami Tattoo on the last day of our Tacoma trip last summer:

Look at the artists work, see if their tattoo style is similar to what you are looking for.
This can be hard because tattoos are personal,
so if people are asking for praying hands all the time,
that is what their books will look like but look at the line work and the thickness of the lines.
Also look for healed photos not just fresh tattoos.

Talk to the artist about what you are thinking about.
 I always bring pictures / save ideas on my phone to be able to show
and help the artist visualize what I'm talking about.
I have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to my tattoo ideas: "Tatted"

Lets be honest-
I can't sketch any ideas because they would have no idea what I am talking about-
I am that bad at it...

This is what Nate drew up for my hanger tattoo after we talked about it
and I showed him some photos from my "Tatted" Pinterest Board:

Don't be afraid to change the slightest details,
some artists will give you a hard time about changes,
 but it will be on YOUR body forever, not theirs.
So make sure it is exactly how you want it.

After the sketch phase- they make a stencil of the tattoo
and place it on you as almost like a temporary tattoo.

Make sure you get the placement right.
Don't be afraid to tell them exactly where you wanted it
before they place the first stencil on, it is easier that way.
But if you don't like it when they do, ask them to move it the way you want it.
Some artists can be hard about this step too, but once again it is your tattoo on your body.
Also twist and check out the placement from a few different angles.

They use the stencil to follow as they give you the tattoo.

Overall I don't think tattoos are that painful,
they are more like an annoying feeling, not really "pain".

To heal my tattoos I use aquaphor for the first week or so
and then Jergens "Ultra Healing" lotion for about a month later to keep it hydrated.

I also avoid the pool and beach for 10-11 days after a new tattoo,
and put sunscreen on my tattoos each time I know I will be in the sun.

So about this new bodice tattoo!

We went to the Visionary Tattoo Arts Festival in Asbury Park last weekend!






This was the first tattoo convention that I've been to and it was so cool!
So many people and so many artists with different styles!

We went mainly because I made an appointment with Adrienne from Looking Glass Tattoos in Brick.
I wanted a bodice, like a dress form, but with wild flowers coming out of the head.

I am obsessed with dress forms- blogged about them in 2011.
I had one in my living room in my apartment, she now lives in my attic closet
and I have another InTheLeopardCloset shop room.

I think it came out perfectly!

After the tattoo, we ate some tacos from Mogo, naturally.
& walked around Asbury Park



What I Wore: glasses- c/o 10/10 Optics in NYC Designer: Faniel, lips- Hard Candy "Daffodil", necklace- gift from my Nonna, tank- vintage {via my Mom}, shorts- {old}, flats- sakshi9984 on Poshmark, bag- vintage Dooney & Bourke via PoshMark



Such a great time!


Do you have any tattoos?
Any plans for tattoo?
Any great and/or terrible experiences?

Please share your experiences!

Thanks for reading!

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1 comment:

Dewa Poker said...

I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They’re very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very short for starters. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post. what is bio gel