Hi everyone. Long time reader, etc. My name's Emma, I'm 35, I live on the east coast of Scotland. I'm married with two little girls. I have always loved tattoo art but only got my first tattoos last year; they're now one big tattoo that stretches from halfway down my upper arm to over my shoulder and to the base of my neck. They're European goldfinches and apple blossom, in a colour realism style.
I'm getting my third tattoo tomorrow at the Scottish Tattoo Convention - a piece that will probably take up all of my left inner forearm. I'm a sort of queasy mixture of nervous and excited. I have seen the design (a rework of a reference I provided) and it's beautiful. A forearm piece is obviously a lot more visible than what I have: it feels like a much bigger commitment, but the placement feels right to me. I don't think it would be an issue if I lived somewhere a bit more cosmopolitan - I flew over to Portland, Oregon for my best friend's wedding last year and it seemed like every man and his dog was sleeved up - but in my little town I don't know anyone else with visible tattoos apart from faded, blurry green pin-ups on much older men, and the odd butterfly on a shoulderblade or bit of old tribal that makes an appearance on a rare sunny day.
However! I am 35 years old, surely a proper grown up by now, and it's about time I stopped being so worried about what other people think. Though he himself has no tattoos my husband is enthusiastically supportive and that's all that matters, and for job interviews and family occasions and such there are always long sleeves.
Looking forward to getting to know you all.
