We, as people, always have things other people can’t tell by looking at us. You can’t tell by looking at me that I was bought up a Northland girl, that I have always loved listening to Ace of Base or that my brothers and I used to spend hours every weekend making dams in the ditches over the back of our farm as a child. We all have our inner personalities that don’t always outwardly show. They are the hidden traits that make us who we are.
I’ve always wants to wear a little bit of that on the outside. I got my first tattoo about 20 years ago. It was a small flower, an iris, the significance of which is huge to me, but one of those things that not everyone needs to know. About 3 years ago I had it added to. More significance added. That tattoo was worked on on three separate occasions.
Recently I got the urge to wear more of my story on the outside. I worked with a tattoo artist for about 5 weeks, going back and forth with artwork that reflected what I wanted to say. We finally came to something I was happy with. It has the original flower, the kids initials and cherry blossom, all of which is special to me in its own way. It brings the story to the outside but it’s still personal.
Ever wonder what a fairly large tattoo looks like in the making?
Kinda looks like a big ham there, huh? I lay on my side like this for 4.5 hours while Michelle from Body Modz worked her magic. Looking at this now I shudder as I mentally visualise that tattoos are done with needles. I cry at the thought of going to the dentist. 3 needles puncturing my skin over and over for hours? Eh. Not so hard. Exact thing I was telling myself over and over…actually it was hard. If I were to be truthful.
Just about done. Tattoos always look scary as they are being done. Swelling, ink and all that stuff. I took this in the mirror on the one occasion I insisted on a break – the tattoo lady had amazing staying power. Seriously. 4.5 hours and that lady was still going strong. Me? Not so much. I insisted at this point I needed to get down and walk around. Just for a minute. Yea those are my undies. No worse than you see at the beach. Dad. Calm down.
And this. This is the semi finished version. Again, Dad, calm down. No worse than you see at the beach, remember? Still swollen. The iris in the middle is un-coloured as yet. The cherry blossoms will fade to a lighter pink. There is still shading to be done throughout.
I still have about an hour and a half work to be done in a few weeks time.
So there it is. My story. Or a chapter of it. Outwardly there, but still hidden if I want it to be. Just the way I wanted it to be.
laters
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