I had always known as a child that I would grow up to have a lot of tattoos. I’ve planned to be predominantly tattooed for as long as I can remember. I used to draw on my arms and hands because I couldn’t wait to grow up and start an art collection on my skin. My husband is more tattooed than I am– *insert drooling emoji*.
My husband and I gift each other permanent body art frequently, but we don’t get anything matching or pre-discussed. We use birthdays and holidays as an excuse to add more to each of our collections– it’s a PERFECT couple-hundred dollar gift idea for loved ones who love tattoos.
MY FIRST TATTOO
I got my very first tattoo before a cheer camp with friends. I was 19 and got a not-so-hidden ankle tattoo, but we used to wear tall socks at work and I knew it could heal without sun exposure. I walked into a tattoo parlor for the first time and asked for an owl (my favorite animal). The tattoo artist let me know, “that’s not how this works, you have to show me what you want”, so I drew a little owl on a scrap piece of paper. He placed that owl right onto my ankle and needled it in.
BACK TATTOOS
My newest tattoo is of our solar system, gifted to me by my husband. I wanted this because the universe quite literally (usually) has my back. I included Pluto because it was my favorite planet before it wasn’t a planet– it was the smallest and coldest (like me for most of my life) and discovered on February 18th, 1930 (63 years before the day I was born).
My hidden (aka covered) tattoo was a cute (basic?) little quote with made-up meaning toward my childhood. Just like all the other cool girls on Pinterest, I figured I would be super trendy and get an offset, moody quote with some leaves flowing around it like wind. It said, “Not all those who wander are lost” a little too small for its thickness in font. I fake-tanned the tattoo into a blur and had to have it covered, never again making the mistake to leave my ink in the sun.
I covered the quote with leaves because they hold unique value to my life as well. When I was 7 and needed glasses, it was the end of the world. It wasn’t until I realized I had never really seen the leaves on the surrounding trees to be thankful for a traumatic fear of insecurity. This left me with green skin and an oddly shaped tattoo.
To match the shape of the greenery, I decided to head into a more realistic piece of art, something more mature. I photographed my very favorite spot at home– along the Mid-Hudson Bridge– and brought it in to replicate on my body. Most people think it’s the Golden Gate and it makes me reconsider not adding the Walkway Across the Hudson in the distance, although a sun has replaced that gap now.
MATCHING TATTOOS
A tattoo special to my heart is one that matches my dad and brother. My little bro wanted a matching tattoo for his 18th birthday, so we decided on something that holds special value to us as siblings. On my dad’s 50th birthday, we forced him to go get the same piece as his first tattoo!
LIMB TATTOOS
Although most of my tattoos have special meanings and memories, one of my favorite tattoos is the one that means the least. I got my fifth tattoo of a compass to symbolize my travel lifestyle when visiting Denver early on. It was my first tattoo by my favorite artist, Samazon!
The tattoo that made me known as “the girl with the shoulder tattoo” is one for my family, and started with a test run. I tested the waters of a shoulder/collarbone tattoo with a tiny little symbol, which closely relates to Plato’s Universe, something I used as a reminder to be thankful to the universe for guiding me in this cool life.
It was cool for a bit, but I trusted Samazon with my ideal shoulder/collarbone tattoo, which I explained more after getting it done: Tattoos by Samazon. This is supposed to symbolize light and being a free-spirit, a trait my grandmother categorized me as when giving each of her grandchildren symbols to celebrate.
Perhaps my most visible tattoo is one of my fairly new aspen leaves falling down the back of my left arm. Getting ready for a half sleeve on that side, the leaves remind me of my favorite place and true home, Colorado ❤
I have some upcoming tattoo plans, but if anyone can guess what is next, I’ll consider using your input! I can’t wait to be absolutely covered in art one day. 🙂
-tattooed ksex
KSL 