My first tattoo that I got is on my right calf and depicts a graveyard scene with a skull at the base of the gravestone and the devil's arms reaching out of the ground. This was the cover of a cd for a local band that I loved so I wanted to pay homage to that time in my life when all I did was go to punk shows every weekend. In the background is a sunset with beautiful pinks, purples, reds, yellows and oranges. These were the colours I saw the day of a friend's funeral. He was also in the "scene" and I wanted to pay tribute to him.
My second tattoo was also a tribute to this special person that passed away but in a more obvious manner. It is a gravestone with his initials and the name of his band with a red rose at the base. After he passed, I brought a single red rose to his grave site from the bouquet I received at my high school graduation that he unfortunately missed. This tattoo is on my left leg, inner ankle.
Also on my inner ankle but on the right leg is my third tattoo. My first roommate and I both got jack-o-lanterns with flying bats in the background because Halloween is our favourite holiday.
On the top of my right foot is my fourth tattoo. This was extremely painful. My foot was swollen for two weeks and my toes looked like little sausages so be prepared if you want to get a large tattoo on your foot. In this tattoo is a beach complete with waves, sand, palm tree and setting sun. I got this because the beach is one of my addictions as you may have read earlier. Because this is a rather "girly" tattoo, I had Bobby add in a pirate ship just to make it more awesome. And it worked.
My fifth tattoo is a black and orange nautical star on the back of my neck. I also got this as a memento of my old punk days. I also got this one to remind me of my best friend back then, Kat. She was pretty cool and was always there with me back in the day.
My sixth tattoo is also on my neck, but on the side, behind my right ear. It is a couple of cherries because that is my "sweet spot." I also think highly of myself and when I see cherries I think they are cute, delicious and sweet, which describes me perfectly. This is the only tattoo not done by BT.
On my back are tattoos number seven and eight. These are two automatic pistols (handguns) pointing up towards my head, one on each shoulder blade. I got these because they are on the back of one of my hoodies for my favourite band, My Chemical Romance.
On my hand is a much smaller but more meaningful tattoo. Tattoo number nine. Between my thumb and index finger on my left hand I have a spiderweb with a black widoe spider and on her back instead of a red dot there is a red heart. I got this one to remind me never to be stupid again. I was in an abusive relationship for two years and my heart was caught in a web of lies, hence, the tattoo.
Number 10 is on my back as well but in the centre between the guns. It is a large, twisted tulip tree. When I was rowing up in Port Elgin, on the corner of my street was this beautiful tulip tree and I will never forget walking past it several times a day on my way to and from the beach. The tree is just a reminder of where I'm from.
Finally, if you've read this entire thing, we've come to my last tattoo story. Number 11 is a work in progress on my chest. So far I just have the outline done but believe me this was the most painful. On my chest is my twisted take on the Claddagh ring, a traditional Celtic ring. The ring has a heart in the centre held by two hands and there is a crown on top of the heart. The heart symbolizes love, the hands symbolize friendship and the crown symbolizes loyalty. I wear mine on my right hand with the heart pointed towards mine to symbolize I am in a committed relationship. So...on my chest I have a skull (the crown), flanked by two roses and two wings (the hands) and when I go back for colour I will adding in a heart-shaped locket (the heart).
As you can see, tattoos are a very important part of my life. Tattoos are like art to me and my body is the canvas. I like the permanency and having the story of my life with me at all times. My tattoos are a part of who I am and always a great conversation starter.
Becky this was such an interesting post. I'm intrigued by tattoos but don't have any myself, so I really enjoyed reading the stories and reasons behind every one of yours. I absolutely love the idea behind the tattoo you're going to get on your chest.
ReplyDeleteEach tattoo has such an interesting story, I envy you for being so brave! I would love to get a tattoo, but I need to find something that means something to me, like all of your tattoos. Thank you for the stories! I love hearing tattoo stories because there is always something to them.
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies! Glad to share anytime.
ReplyDeleteBecky, I enjoyed hearing the stories behind your tattoos. They are awesome, by the way! I have two myself, and both mean a lot to me as well. I designed them myself and everything, and it sounds like we may have shared the same artist. Some people will never understand, but I think it truly makes a person unique; you get a tattoo for yourself, not for others, they don't have to understand it.
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