So You Want a Tattoo, Huh?

I’ve talked several times in the blog comments about getting my first tattoo, but things have been so busy I haven’t actually had a chance to blog about it. :) So I thought I’d fill everyone in, especially those who didn’t get to see it in person at Nationals.

This year, my husband and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary. I can’t believe it, but it has actually been that long (we married when we were babies—wink). Heaven forbid we go with something traditional for gifts like linen, silver, or even a trip. Oh, no. We started talking about tattoos several months back. I’d always been intrigued by them, but never thought I’d get one myself because I had a fear of needles.

Well, after years of being stuck for infertility and pregnancy issues, I’ve learned to live with needles and their purposes. The pain wasn’t usually too bad unless I ended up with a phlebotomist who couldn’t get to the vein good. Now, I breathe my way through giving blood. But let someone stick me over and over just to create a design? I wasn’t sure…

But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted one. I wanted something on the outside that would signify the changes in my life that have occurred on the inside. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I think I’ve come a long way in terms of strength, self-confidence, and maturity. So I started looking long and hard for the symbolic representation of how I felt. The hubby joined me, and we finally settled on something we loved.

We chose patterns based on a Celtic shield, which symbolizes strength and spirituality. The knots inside represent eternity. We each used our favorite colors (green for me, purple for him). The tattoos aren’t exactly alike, but instead are an inverse of each other with matching knot work. His looks more masculine and mine more feminine. I love them!



Adam inking the tattoo—We chose Kreations in Huntsville, AL, based on a friend’s recommendation, and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the artist’s talent, the clean and cool atmosphere, and their clear explanations of the process (because I’m way too uptight to go into any new situation without asking a bazillion questions).




Finished: Mine—I’d been so worried about how much it would hurt, that I was amazed when it didn’t hurt that much at all. It’s like a scratching sensation. I had some pain the closer he got to my wrist because of the nerves that run through there, but he seemed to know just when I needed him to pause.




Finished: Hubby—Of course, my husband didn’t even flinch while he was being worked on. And his took much longer than mine because it was so much bigger. He said that after a while it just got irritating, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He’s talking about getting another and I’m going to see if I can go with him and watch it being done.

Maybe it’s the writer in me, but I was fascinated with the process, with the stories of the people who came into the shop, with the artist and why he chose this career, seeing the design as it came to life, and on and on…

I debuted my new tattoo in Orlando at National Conference. Even some of my chaptermates hadn’t seen it before then. Lots of people commented on it while I was there, which was flattering but also disconcerting. I wasn’t used to having it, and don’t really think about how noticeable it is (mine is located on the inside of my left wrist). Perfect strangers would stop and talk to me about my tattoo. But all the comments were positive, so I’m not complaining. :) Of course, if I ever have to hit the pavement for a corporate job, I’ll probably have to invest in a slew of long sleeved shirts.

So there’s the tattoo story. Tell me, would you consider getting a tattoo? What about if it was guaranteed not to hurt? What would you get, and where?

Angel