#14 DZP: Get a Tattoo

#14 DZP COMPLETED!

That's right! Thanks to Hillary at English Ink I gots me a tattoo!

Now this isn't my "first" tattoo, but it might as well be! The first one was when I was visiting Julie in Ohio, and I got a small Gemini symbol on the inside of my right ankle, but now I have big feathers!!!

It all started when I saw this picture from google, and fell in love.


I gave the picture to Hillary and she totally ran with it. I told her I'm open to her ideas to create this artwork, I just loved the look of these feathers... just maybe some feminine touches could be added. She sent me a rough draft of my feathers, and with visions of shading... I was so stoked!

This tattoo means a lot to me.
First of all my father has tattoos (and practically everyone on his side of the family) and my father spent a good portion of his younger years "running" with the Indians and being apart of the "modern" tribes.

When I first saw the drawing from google, it reminded me of him and I can see the feathers hanging off the dream catchers he'd bring home for me. He used to tell stories to me about those days, like his version of bedtime stories.

Now the broach that Hillary added was a wonderful feminine touch! It's like an antique from those times and I love the ribbon from it. It reminds me of my necklace from the 1800s that Julie gave to me. Julie gave each one of her bridesmaids an antique necklace/locket from different time periods, mine being the oldest (and the best! duh!)

Now let's talk pain... it took about 2 hours, and I do NOT wish that kind of pain on ANYONE! The outlining hurt and especially at the top of my ribs and the bottom of the feather (stupid internal organs!) The shading wasn't too bad in the beginning, but after a while my right hip got restless and I had to take a break. After the break, the pain just got greater and greater, towards the end when she was doing the highlighting, it was damn there unbearable, I wanted to scream at several points! I know I let out some whimpers out and I squeezed my eyes shut so tight.
But I'm just proud I didn't cry!!! I'm one tough cookie damnit!

However when I got up off the table (took like 5 minutes to do), and I looked at the finished artwork in the mirror, I then started to cry. It is so amazingly beautiful and it's on ME!

Super Uber Thank You's to Hillary for the amazing job & Boss Lady Netters for being there for me: making sure I was breathing, letting me break the bones in your hand and leaving finger imprints (and thanks annette for wearing stretchy exercise pants...)