TrixieFaux

I got my first tattoo at 22. I always liked it and figured I'd get another, but it took a while. Finally got another one at 36. Then a couple more...nothing huge. Now I am 43 and am just getting around to getting bigger, higher quality ones. I think a reason I'm more into it now has to do with having a career (not super high-paying but stable), being in the same job at the same place for 10 years with a boss who respects my work, realizing that I can have a lot of tattoos and still be able to cover most of them with 3/4 length sleeve shirts while at work...and the ones that do show don't pose a problem there. I had a slow start but I'm just totally hooked now. I am glad it took this long to get the bigger stuff. When I was younger I was not researching my artists as well as I am now... I am getting images that are beautiful to me by artists I trust. At this point in my life I feel pretty confident I won't tire of beautiful animals and flowers.

Sept 14th will be the 2nd session on my arm tiger...Spencer will be adding some mandalas to the background and layering on more shading and a darker outline. First session was 5 hrs...next one will probably be a little longer. I am psyched!

haha, I know...everyone always thinks she's pissed but she just has an intense look. She just wanted some love.

Started this with James Spencer-Briggs last night. Normally I won't be wearing leopard print with it, it's just a jungle over here right now. Next appointment Sept 14th. My cat thought I should be taking pictures of her instead... Edited to add better pic but it came out sideways for some reason...

It's probably not equating it...just comparing different types of pain. Most of us probably have a general pain scale of 1-10. Once a woman has a baby, she realizes the pain scale actually goes up to 100 (panic inducing levels). So, to get your first tattoo after you've already had a baby...should be nothin. Totally different? Yes. But not as painful. And you are right--cheaper and much lower maintenance!!! I can also imagine that it would be annoying to keep hearing that. Like you care. Note to self: don't say that at my appointment tomorrow. Don't worry, I wasn't planning on it. Not going to talk about having a baby and I'm not planning on doing any whining either.

sooooo...not a sailor or a prostitute???

We have a kid, and yet, we still keep getting tattooed...my husband didn't even start until last year when she was 3.

My mom hates tattoos, too. What can ya do? She still loves me. She told me she thinks they are trashy. I told her a tattoo itself cannot be trashy...the wearer can be, but I am not a trashy person...so, there you go. She also pulled the "get therapy" on me again this last trip when she spotted another tattoo. I had to tell her again that I am happy with my tattoos, happy people don't need therapy. She has a problem with tattoos. People with problems need therapy. So, yeah, she basically needs therapy to get over her problem w/my tattoos. Hee hee. My mom and I both have a sense of humor, so we can get into these brief debates and then we just go on. I know she will never like tattoos, but I do think she could stand to open her mind a little more. It is so shallow to judge someone based solely on appearances.

Within tattooing, there seem to be lots of simultaneous trends... the trend toward "traditional" seems to be a pretty good one--solid tattoos, then there's the upside down script on the inner wrist trend... I guess whatever floats your boat. Maybe the next trend will be those splashed on water-color looking ones? Haha, that is not something I hope for, I will not be getting one of those, just a possible trend. I am really into black & gray for now.

depressing

I just followed a bunch of you. I'm trixiefaux there too.

We were in Fairfield (close to Enosburg Falls). Was that close to you? I know, it is so beautiful...so much green, I love it there.

Ha, I hear you. It's getting like that w/me and @DJDeepFried, too. At first, I was the one with tattoos. Then he got 1. Then he got a huge one for his 2nd, bigger than mine put together. I was a little jealous. So now I'm getting a huge one. I had wanted a tiger and mentioned it a long time ago. Then he mentioned something about the possibility of him getting a tiger. Then I was like, well, I better get my tiger right now before he does. Haha. Then, he can still go ahead and get one, it's a free country, we can be twins if he wants, but at least it'll be him copying me and not the other way around hahaha. I'm getting mine Aug 13th. :-P I especially agree with your last sentence, it's pretty fun.

We are on a 2-week vacation to see family and friends on the east coast. A highlight was staying a night at our friend's organic dairy farm in northern VT where I had stored 3 boxes of photos before moving to Los Angeles in '98. Our 4 year old got to see her first clear, dark nighttime sky full of stars, made her first s'more at a campfire, and saw her first herd of cattle up close, in-person. While my friend's sister was singing and playing guitar by the fire, Stella (my daughter) said, "This is the best song ever. This song is making me want another s'more." Haha. Good times. PS-another awesome thing I just did was to buy an LST t-shirt!

I thought that was good but I also read and liked another article he wrote called Haters in which makes a different point....about there being room for traditional and realism and how people need to chill out with their criticisms: http://tattooartistmagazineblog.com/2012/01/06/dan-henk-tattoos-tattoo-artist-magazine-blog-haters/

I've been tattooed by a guy called Big Al back in the early 90s in New Hampshire, then in more recent years in LA I've been tattooed by Mark Mahoney, Graham Chaffee (x3), and Kim Saigh. I was so impressed by my Kim Saigh tattoo I thought I'd stick with her forever but changed my mind because the work of James Spencer-Briggs, also at Memoir, caught my eye. I'll be seeing him very soon for a big one. Interested in Maxime, too now, among others...

Haha, love it.

This was kind of funny... I'm on vacation visiting family. My mom thought she saw a tag sticking out the back of my shirt, reached out to fix it and discovered it was a tattoo she didn't know about. @DJDeepFried was taking pictures and documented it. Pretty soon that left arm won't be so blank any more.

All in favor say aye. Aye!

I think it was a little offensive when you said "kinda stupid". Not liking something for yourself doesn't make it stupid.

I can't "like" this the easy 1-click way since I'm on the iPhone soooo... Like!

So sorry for what you are going through. I think you've gotten good advice re: tough love. If she can't live with you guys (because she is an adult now who needs to take responsibility for her own life) she will have to learn to be independent. At the same time though, if she is truly addicted to cocaine rather than just using it recreationally, she probably needs to live at a rehab or halfway house until she is detoxed and has some tools to put into place for triggers like being angry. Or maybe there's an outpatient program she could take advantage of? Once she gets out would be a good time to do what Dan S. Suggested by agreeing to pay in full for down payment and one month of rent with her knowing that the next month is on her.

@tika has a beautiful one by Ivan Szazi in the LST Gallery: http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/gallery/japanese-and-asian-tattoos/10756-ivan-szazi-jan-2007.html

One of my Facebook friends posted this video by a girl about body image...she is addressing discrimination against overweight people: 'I Am Fat' YouTube Video: Meghan Tonjes Responds To Fat Haters