Tattoos? Need advice and show 'em if you've got 'em!

[schock77]

And yes, I already scoured past threads for this. My husband and I are 33 and neither of us have any tattoos. He has wanted one for a LONG time and we've been researching artists, trying to nail down a design, etc. and all this looking and talking has me thinking about getting one myself. I'm even really picky about what he gets too.

I want it to be art- It's got to be well done or I'm not doing it as I will have to live with it. But now I'm wondering what to get. The only tats I can think of that are especially meaningful would of course involve my kids. Maybe their names? Or something beautiful to symbolize each one?

I am involved in martial arts, so I thought about the Korean symbols for "peaceful confidence" as that's one of the mantras of Tang Soo Do, but I may wait and do that to celebrate when I get my black belt.

I guess I just feel like if I'm going to get one at this age, it has to be just right, you know? I can't blame it on being young and reckless! And as a preschool sp.ed. teacher, it has to be somewhere I can hide it. First I thought I'd get one on my shoulder blade, but then I won't see it and not sure I want that either? Inside the wrist? On the front side of my hip?

I'm hopeless............ Ideas? Advice? Pictures? Thanks ladies!

[LenaGardner]

My only advice is to get it somewhere you can see it. I have 4 on my back, 1 on my side, 1 on my ankle and one on my foot...and my favorite is the one on my foot because I get to see it If you get it on your foot, that's easy to keep hidden for work, and so is the inside of the wrist with watches and chunky bracelets...but if you do wrist don't forget to think about how you want it read, like which direction, if there's a word especially How fun!

[emmasmommy]

i have the girls names on the top of my foot with 4 cherry blossoms on it (to symbolize all of us) and i also have a treble clef with ivy wound through it on my ankle (i was a music major in college). i also want to get one on the inside of my wrist, but as of right now that's just a pipe dream. i want something to describe me but i'm not finding that 'perfect' word....

[schock77]

Originally Posted by emmasmommy

i want something to describe me but i'm not finding that 'perfect' word....

Exactly.... and I've been looking everywhere for ideas. On one hand, I want it to be original, but if it's beautiful and meaningful to me, I don't care if it isn't "one of a kind."

And then, if I do find a word, I have to find the font......... you KNOW that's got to be just right too!

[Stacey42]

I go with Lena, I have two on my back & I love them both but can only see them in a mirror. They are also my largest ones, specifically created for me by the tat artist after a great deal of conversation & looking at designs. I have one on each ankle as well, they are small & were my first two tats. One is the Chinese symbol for 'enjoy yourself' and then other is a purple mushroom.

I was 30 when I got my first one so I understand the whole has to be just right mentality. My next tat, which will occur if I can ever manage to up save the money without something else suddenly needing it more will be on my abs. I am almost 45 and done having kids so I feel I can finally get a belly tat. I'm going to get a Tree of Life design similar to some henna work I had done while pregnant with DS1, and I want the kids names incorporated in it somehow.

My suggestion is ask around about tattoo artists in your area. Visit thier shops & studios, talk with them about what you are thinking of doing. Bring any artwork suggestions you have even if they are not quite what you want but sort of like it. The really good ones will work with you on the design and placement issues.

[lovely1m]

I have 5. I have one on my shoulder blade - a butterfly with my name, on the side of my low back -Japanese word for dream with stars and a moon, on my chest -a teeny, tiny India Ink cross my friend gave me when I was 14, my shoulder cap -fall leaves swirling around and the inside of my ankle -shamrock. My favorite place I had done is my shoulder cap. Its easy to show when I want, easy to cover when I don't want, its a different place to have done and I can easily see it. I am planning on getting the one on my shoulder blade prettied up next. Its very 1998 (when I had it done), very you pick a picture on the wall and they slap it on which was the norm then. My tattoo artist is working on making me something for it now. I also want a dove with my son's name on it soon. His middle name means dove. I just can't decide where I want it. As soon as I can figure out a placement, I have the actual tattoo figured out. Good luck! I don't regret any of mine, I love them.

[Sherri Tierney]

DH and I were considering matching tattoos for a while. We were going to get our first son's footprints on our shoulders. He was a 20 week stillborn due to my incompetent cervix and we thought the whole 'angel on my shoulder' was a pretty neat way to honor him. We went so far as to talk to different artists, etc. but never went ahead with having the ink done. That was 10 years ago so I doubt it is something we would do now though I still think about it once in a while. If I were to do one now I would want to incorporate my other kids somehow and that could get to be too much for my taste as I wouldn't want anything big or elaborate.

[TeriBeary]

Originally Posted by Sherri Tierney

DH and I were considering matching tattoos for a while. We were going to get our first son's footprints on our shoulders. He was a 20 week stillborn due to my incompetent cervix and we thought the whole 'angel on my shoulder' was a pretty neat way to honor him. We went so far as to talk to different artists, etc. but never went ahead with having the ink done. That was 10 years ago so I doubt it is something we would do now though I still think about it once in a while. If I were to do one now I would want to incorporate my other kids somehow and that could get to be too much for my taste as I wouldn't want anything big or elaborate.

Sherri, my first son was born at 22 weeks for the same reason. I plan on getting his foot prints on my shoulder too. or handprints. I haven't completely decided yet, but I will do it. This year would have been his 11th birthday and I try to do something to honour his birthday each year so maybe I'll do that this year.

BTW, isn't incompetent cervix the worst possible name for the condition?!

[LJSDesigns]

I have one; a small butterfly in the hollow between my collar bone and shoulder. It is very easy to hide, about the only thing that won't do it is a spaghetti strap. I've had it for ten years now and while I really love it, I have never had the desire to get another one. It is enough for me. It is in a place where I see it everyday, but very few people know I have it and are always surprised when they see it. Guess I don't come across as a woman with a tattoo. I think that is the reason I call it my little rebel yell.

[Sherri Tierney]

Originally Posted by TeriBeary

Sherri, my first son was born at 22 weeks for the same reason. I plan on getting his foot prints on my shoulder too. or handprints. I haven't completely decided yet, but I will do it. This year would have been his 11th birthday and I try to do something to honour his birthday each year so maybe I'll do that this year.

BTW, isn't incompetent cervix the worst possible name for the condition?!

I'm sorry to hear that you went through the same thing. This year would be my son's 11th birthday too. June 17th. He was born on Father's Day and this year his birthday will be on Father's Day again. We always release balloons for him and I try to think of other things to do but its always so crazy because my daughter (conceived 4 months after we lost him and my first cerclage baby) was born just a year and a week later so every year June is just a blur.

[MandaT]

I have one of those "young & reckless" tattoos, except I still love it. It's a pair of horseshoes, on my lower back, of course I can't see it and would love to be able to see it, but ahh... to be 18 again. lol

I do want another. I small hummingbird with a ribbon in it's bill wound around a 'gatepost' with 3 daisies around the base of the post. I have it sketched out, and the idea, but I'm sure it will be awhile before I get it done.

[Milmomma]

I guess I'm a bit crazy sounding... I currently have 6, and have done them all over the states. I wouldn't get one here though. As soon as we back in a few weeks I'm getting an old one extended and two more. I love my back piece so much and eventually would love to have one on the inside of my wrists, but its something that is gonna go along with my husbands. I just have to wait till he retires. With the new regulations he could be barred from re enlisting and its not worth that. So for now I'm saving that spot. Though I'd love a 3/4 sleeve or maybe even a whole sleeve someday. For now I'm content on working on my back.
pics-

[hollyxann]

I currently have 3 and at least 2 more that I'm for sure getting.

I have tiny star on the inside of my left wrist, which I'm going to expand, just not sure into what exactly.
I have wings on my back with a purple cancer ribbon in them. I drew them up myself. I'm also going to add a little to them.


And I have a flower on my right hip, that needs redone badly! It was my first tattoo.

I definitely want something for Kennedy, and I have like 2-3 others I want. I definitely want something else on my other wrist too.

[Paula]

No ink here, but I love seeing beautiful arty tattoos.

[seatrout]

I've just got a small flower on my right shoulder - I had it done 30 years ago and have never regretted it - even though I don't see it hardly ever. DH hates it though - after 10 years in the navy - he hates all tattoos. Good job I had it done before we met

[Shawna Clingerman]

I have one on the inside of my left wrist, but it I went for something substantial size wise because I wanted something really noticeable - a few years ago I was severely depressed and suicidal - so this tattoo is just a reminder that I lived through it and that I will be ok:



That is my forearm, I would say it goes about half way up - for me the closer it got to the wrist the more it hurt - but it was 100% worth it, I absolutely love it. I guess I would say it would be easy to hide in the winter with long sleeves... but honestly I've never had the need to

[ariesfl326]

I have a dolphin on the back of my right shoulder. I agree with getting them where you can't see them mostly because you never know where you might be one day with your career (unless you are a tattoo artist). I've been itching for another one for a long time now but can't decide what I want.

[HeatherKS]

I have three. The first pic is the most recent one - I got it in October 2011. It's on the inside of my left wrist and I love it. It's the perfect size to be covered up by my larger watches but is still fairly visible and just seeing it makes me smile. FWIW, this one HURT. Like really hurt. The rest were uncomfortable but tolerable. This one I wanted to be finished as soon as she started.


I got the pawprints to symbolize my babies several years ago. They're on the top of my right foot. (Wow. You can't see that one at all but you get the point. LOL)


I don't have a pic of my third one. It's on my right shoulder blade. It was a "in college and want a tattoo" tattoo and I don't like it. I'd like to get it covered up and I know what I want but I haven't found any artwork that I love just yet. I'm still looking and it's on my list of things to do.

I guess my advice would be to think it out and KNOW what you want before you get it. I think the ones people regret are the spur of the moment, gotta get it done right now, type of tattoos. At least that's my experience. Find somewhere that's willing to really talk to you about what you want before they start inking, and get recommendations from friends about artists that they have had good experiences with too.