Showing posts with label russ abbott. Show all posts
Showing posts with label russ abbott. Show all posts
Man Day
I took pictures, but yet again can't find the cord for my camera, so they're forthcoming. I swear.
We got there around 3 and it was pretty busy. The list for tattoos was already three pages long, but I went ahead and added myself just in case they could fit me in before I needed to leave. I meant to get a shirt, but never got around to it. I also got my picture taken inside the cutout of the artwork for man day. Mama always said I'd make someone a good husband. ;) Jenn and Lauryn participated in the smoking contest which entailed seeing who could get it down to the butt while inhaling the fastest. Ah, hilarious. They were having trouble getting participants for the wing eating contest and I didn't hear how that panned out. Jenn also spun the wheel of destiny and got a Harley Davidson shot glass. Apparently she also stood on the Captain's back while he laid on a bed of nails.
The reason I missed some of this was because I ended up being in charge of the list. Not-Jason (I can never remember this guy's name and I keep trying to call him Jason and he's not, so thus the Not-Jason) needed a break so I took over. It was actually pretty fun. It was very similar to working as a hostess in a restaurant, minus the vibrating coasters. Russ got his hands on a bullhorn, which sped up the process of finding people so they could get their manly tattoo. I got to live my little dream of being a shop girl even if it was only for an hour or so.
We got there around 3 and it was pretty busy. The list for tattoos was already three pages long, but I went ahead and added myself just in case they could fit me in before I needed to leave. I meant to get a shirt, but never got around to it. I also got my picture taken inside the cutout of the artwork for man day. Mama always said I'd make someone a good husband. ;) Jenn and Lauryn participated in the smoking contest which entailed seeing who could get it down to the butt while inhaling the fastest. Ah, hilarious. They were having trouble getting participants for the wing eating contest and I didn't hear how that panned out. Jenn also spun the wheel of destiny and got a Harley Davidson shot glass. Apparently she also stood on the Captain's back while he laid on a bed of nails.
The reason I missed some of this was because I ended up being in charge of the list. Not-Jason (I can never remember this guy's name and I keep trying to call him Jason and he's not, so thus the Not-Jason) needed a break so I took over. It was actually pretty fun. It was very similar to working as a hostess in a restaurant, minus the vibrating coasters. Russ got his hands on a bullhorn, which sped up the process of finding people so they could get their manly tattoo. I got to live my little dream of being a shop girl even if it was only for an hour or so.
Two Tattoo Events Worth Noting
For those of you in or around the Atlanta area, here are two events worth checking out in the near future.
The first is on Saturday August 1 from 7-10pm at YoungBlood Gallery. Danielle Distefano (who did the 13 spade on my chest) will be having an art opening. The theme is 100 ladies and all the paintings will be for sale. There are the usual snacks and drinks. It runs through August 30th. She's a total sweetheart and very talented, so if you're in the area, try to check it out.
The second one is the following Saturday August 8. Ink & Dagger will be hosting and since I can't say it any better, here's the info from the man himself:
Starting at noon, Ink & Dagger will open its doors and let the festivities begin with a smorgasbord of manly tattoo designs for $50 or less. After you get your manly badge of honor, head to the big tent and raise a glass to the Y-chromosome while enjoying a plate of the city’s finest BBQ. Stick around for a live sideshow performance from the world famous Capt. Stub-Taggo. He’ll amaze your eyes and astound your senses as he performs timeless sideshow acts including sword swallowing and the human pincushion.
As the day progresses, the Captain will host a carnival of events including an lady dunk tank, arm wrestling showdown, bobbing for lobsters, wing eating contest, cinder block toss, and the human dart board... to name a few!
Everyone wins on “Man Day” but a lucky few will win a free spin on Ink & Dagger’s soon to be world famous “Tattoo Wheel of Destiny”. Once you emerge victorious from one of our manly competitions, your true destiny awaits as you step up and face the wheel. Throw caution to the wind and give it a spin.
The festivities don't end there... The Man Day after party is hosted by our friends at The Graveyard Tavern. You won't want to miss the painted ladies and debauchery!
Don’t worry ladies, if you’ve been thinking this day would have nothing to offer you, you’ve got it all wrong. No man is worth a damn without a good woman at his side. So we wouldn’t dream of excluding you… just keep those skirts short and your necklines low. We’ll see you on “Man Day”!!!
I will, of course, be attending both. Keep your eyes peeled for the redhead in the tattoo print dress and don't be afraid to come over and say hi.
More Pictures
Goinked from Meg aka my personal photographer. Thanks, love!
I'm in pain and having trouble walking, but in love. He's absolutely amazing and there's no two ways about it. I'm ridiculously happy with the results, even if I am starting to develop the nasty scaly scabbing. I figured I wasn't going to dodge that bullet. That would've been too easy. I had to promise everyone that the office that I'd print out the picture so they could see it since I can't exactly go lifting up my skirt or dropping trou at work.
Apparently my spell checker doesn't like the work "goinked". Its loss.
Augusta Tattoo Expo
A huge shout out to Russ and the Ink & Dagger crew, Beth (Russ' wife), Melissa (one of Russ' clients and helper for the day), and Muriel (the adopted I&D artist). They were all amazing and not just because I was stuck with them for 10 hours yesterday. The arena was FREEZING and Beth went out and got me a heating pad and Melissa let me borrow her sweater. The heating pad was really the lifesaver. I was to the point where I was shivering so badly it was affecting the tattoo process. Not good.
Instead of both working on me at the same time, Russ and Muriel switched off for the first 5 hours. So it wasn't any quicker than if I were just being tattooed by one of them. They would pow wow when they switched, so it was interesting insight into how a tattooist's mind works. As Russ said, this is normally stuff inside their heads but they have to communicate it to each other. The toughest part was in hour 6 when they both started working on me. That was definitely a sensory overload experience. For the first time ever, I cried while being tattooed. We took a break around 6.5 hours so I could get it together, eat something, and just power through the end.
They were actually holding the tattoo of the day competition until we were done. I jokingly said it when they pushed it back by an hour the first time, but then the organizer came over and asked when we'd be done so we could enter. I thought that was pretty nice. Of course, from what I heard, there wasn't really much other competition and everyone had taken an interest in the piece. So it would've been silly to hold a tattoo of the day competition without the Russ Abbott and Muriel Zao collaborative piece entered.
As for the convention itself, it wasn't much to write home about. We had a little time to kill before I got tattooed, so we walked around, but there wasn't much of interest. The sound system also wasn't that good, so it was hard to tell what they were saying sometimes. I think at one point they were having $25 piercings and $40 something involving acetate, or at least, that's what we thought we heard. They had food, but it was pretty bad. The pretzels that were supposed to be soft were ridiculously salty and on the hard side. There's a distinct possibility they were left over from the last event.
Overall it took 8.5 hours of tattooing time, we won tattoo of the day, and I will have no problems taking a break after this. It was definitely one of the toughest things I've gone through. It was worth it, as the piece is amazing, and the crown jewel of my collection. Muriel suggested doing a full "sleeve" on my thigh that has a macabre circus theme. Hmmm.
Pictures will appear in Skin & Ink magazine, or so I heard. I'll have to confirm with Sylvia. She got a couple pictures of all of us and then one for winning tattoo of the day. After a good night's sleep and some real food, I'm really glad I did it. The experience was tough, that's for sure, but I made it. I think when I get back into it, short tattoos are in my future. ;)
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Oh My God, I am getting the coolest tattoo ever.
They didn't have anything on paper yet, which was fine. I instead got the verbal tour of their idea. For those who have seen The Prestige, I'll be getting a magician very much like Hugh Jackman's character. For those who haven't, he's going to be a Victorian era magician with the tux and mustache. Muriel assured me that he would be "sexy". Rock on. Instead of a rabbit coming out of the hat, it's going to be this tentacle type thing that Muriel is apparently known for. The feel is going to be gothic and creepy, which is pretty much perfect.
Russ is starting to creep me out with how well he picked it. I was obsessed with magic when I was younger. Rannie and I even did a "messed up" magic show for the talent show in 4th grade. It's always been something that fascinates me, so it's pretty damn perfect that I'll have a magician of my very own. Maybe he can make my ass smaller. :P
I honestly haven't thought about it much since I've been dealing with all this work drama, but when I heard the design, I was so excited. If it comes out the way I'm seeing it my head, and it probably will and more, it could very likely become my favorite tattoo. Now I'm even more excited for the photo shoot as well. This is going to be an awesome piece to highlight. Plus, I'm way prettier than their last 3 cover girls, give or take.
Meg will be tagging along to document, so keep your eyes peeled for a Facebook album and highlights posted here. Hopefully I'll also have a "tattoo of the day" trophy to show off.
They didn't have anything on paper yet, which was fine. I instead got the verbal tour of their idea. For those who have seen The Prestige, I'll be getting a magician very much like Hugh Jackman's character. For those who haven't, he's going to be a Victorian era magician with the tux and mustache. Muriel assured me that he would be "sexy". Rock on. Instead of a rabbit coming out of the hat, it's going to be this tentacle type thing that Muriel is apparently known for. The feel is going to be gothic and creepy, which is pretty much perfect.
Russ is starting to creep me out with how well he picked it. I was obsessed with magic when I was younger. Rannie and I even did a "messed up" magic show for the talent show in 4th grade. It's always been something that fascinates me, so it's pretty damn perfect that I'll have a magician of my very own. Maybe he can make my ass smaller. :P
I honestly haven't thought about it much since I've been dealing with all this work drama, but when I heard the design, I was so excited. If it comes out the way I'm seeing it my head, and it probably will and more, it could very likely become my favorite tattoo. Now I'm even more excited for the photo shoot as well. This is going to be an awesome piece to highlight. Plus, I'm way prettier than their last 3 cover girls, give or take.
Meg will be tagging along to document, so keep your eyes peeled for a Facebook album and highlights posted here. Hopefully I'll also have a "tattoo of the day" trophy to show off.
Collaborations
After some serious thought and talking with a few people who truly "get" my obsession, I'll be getting a collaborative tattoo from Russ and Muriel. For those who don't know, it's when two tattooists are tattooing at the same time on the same piece. They usually also share in the design process. It's a way to get a large piece done in half the time. I called today to confirm and Russ, by way of Jason (?) was all for it and said I was awesome. He was tattooing so I just let him know that I was in and would be by to meet with both of them shortly before this goes down.
When I originally asked about it, he said they got to pick the design, I'd only be on the hook for one of their hourly rates, and it would probably take 5-6 hours. Placement will most likely be the front of my right thigh. Now I think he's open to my input on what I want it to be. Crap. That means I have to think! I trust them both, so I didn't much care what they picked, as nuts as that sounds. I have so many ideas, I don't know what would look good on that large of a canvas. This is an opportunity to do something big and visually stunning. And all on display for other convention goers.
Downside is the convention is in Augusta, so I'm going to have to drive 2+ hours one way. The harder part will be explaining this to my parents. I'm less nervous about it now than I was when I made the decision, but I can't just disappear for a day or so. The good news is, if I don't feel like driving back on Saturday night, I can crash at my grandparents' house for the night. They'd probably be happy to see me. That will all be hashed out sometime this week. Daddums is the tougher critic, so I'll deal with him first. I'm half expecting him to say he'd rather do the driving to and from. I can see him at a tattoo convention now. LOL
So that's my big news and will be my final tattoo until September. Yikes! At least I'm going out with a bang before my hiatus. ;)
When I originally asked about it, he said they got to pick the design, I'd only be on the hook for one of their hourly rates, and it would probably take 5-6 hours. Placement will most likely be the front of my right thigh. Now I think he's open to my input on what I want it to be. Crap. That means I have to think! I trust them both, so I didn't much care what they picked, as nuts as that sounds. I have so many ideas, I don't know what would look good on that large of a canvas. This is an opportunity to do something big and visually stunning. And all on display for other convention goers.
Downside is the convention is in Augusta, so I'm going to have to drive 2+ hours one way. The harder part will be explaining this to my parents. I'm less nervous about it now than I was when I made the decision, but I can't just disappear for a day or so. The good news is, if I don't feel like driving back on Saturday night, I can crash at my grandparents' house for the night. They'd probably be happy to see me. That will all be hashed out sometime this week. Daddums is the tougher critic, so I'll deal with him first. I'm half expecting him to say he'd rather do the driving to and from. I can see him at a tattoo convention now. LOL
So that's my big news and will be my final tattoo until September. Yikes! At least I'm going out with a bang before my hiatus. ;)
It's Official
So much has happened today.
After feeling almost frustrated for choice with all the tattooists who are attending, I decided to call Russ and get his advice. I figured he'd know a fair number of the attendees and be able to point me in the right direction. Firstly, we discussed my desire to be tattooed by Muriel. I told him I hadn't heard back from her yet so he gave me her number. He also gave me a list of about 5 guys who I should talk to. I picked the first guy he suggested Jeff Ensminger and the guy he said he knew somewhat well Matt "Skinny" Bagwell. But before I get to them, I called Muriel.
She is super, super nice. She said she'd gotten my email, but hadn't replied yet. So I told her to ignore it since I'd changed my mind. We batted around a few ideas and decided on an iron work inspired 1/4 sleeve around Lucy that fades into cherry blossoms on the back of my shoulder. Since I'm looking to go more traditional Japanese on my back, I figured the cherry blossoms would flow the best. We talked for a good 10 minutes and I'll be seeing her in person when she gets into town. That way she can see what she has to work with and then set up an official appointment. I'm really excited to work with her.
After that, I shot Jeff an email and then got the number for the shop Matt/Skinny works at. He was tattooing, but one of the other guys helped me out by playing middle man. I decided to give him the dragon. I described what I wanted and he requested a picture of my back to see what's currently there and my height. I ended up taking this vaguely soft core porn shot of my back as no one else could do it. I think it still gives the idea, though. So I guess I'll hear back from him in a day or so once he's had time to look at the pictures and source material.
So everything is booked. There was some drama over my flight, but in the end I only ended up paying $36 out of pocket. Sweet! I just have to fly out about 4 hours earlier than I originally planned. I'll get in around 2 and check in isn't until 4, so maybe I'll just explore for a few hours. I think they said something about a shuttle to the mall and I know they'll hold my bags until check in time. Maybe I can ask if I can lay out by the pool before I'm officially checked in. ;) That means I'll be there well in time for the meet and greet at 8. Yay!
After feeling almost frustrated for choice with all the tattooists who are attending, I decided to call Russ and get his advice. I figured he'd know a fair number of the attendees and be able to point me in the right direction. Firstly, we discussed my desire to be tattooed by Muriel. I told him I hadn't heard back from her yet so he gave me her number. He also gave me a list of about 5 guys who I should talk to. I picked the first guy he suggested Jeff Ensminger and the guy he said he knew somewhat well Matt "Skinny" Bagwell. But before I get to them, I called Muriel.
She is super, super nice. She said she'd gotten my email, but hadn't replied yet. So I told her to ignore it since I'd changed my mind. We batted around a few ideas and decided on an iron work inspired 1/4 sleeve around Lucy that fades into cherry blossoms on the back of my shoulder. Since I'm looking to go more traditional Japanese on my back, I figured the cherry blossoms would flow the best. We talked for a good 10 minutes and I'll be seeing her in person when she gets into town. That way she can see what she has to work with and then set up an official appointment. I'm really excited to work with her.
After that, I shot Jeff an email and then got the number for the shop Matt/Skinny works at. He was tattooing, but one of the other guys helped me out by playing middle man. I decided to give him the dragon. I described what I wanted and he requested a picture of my back to see what's currently there and my height. I ended up taking this vaguely soft core porn shot of my back as no one else could do it. I think it still gives the idea, though. So I guess I'll hear back from him in a day or so once he's had time to look at the pictures and source material.
So everything is booked. There was some drama over my flight, but in the end I only ended up paying $36 out of pocket. Sweet! I just have to fly out about 4 hours earlier than I originally planned. I'll get in around 2 and check in isn't until 4, so maybe I'll just explore for a few hours. I think they said something about a shuttle to the mall and I know they'll hold my bags until check in time. Maybe I can ask if I can lay out by the pool before I'm officially checked in. ;) That means I'll be there well in time for the meet and greet at 8. Yay!
Hell City Bound
HUGE NEWS!!
Through a series of site jumps from Ink & Dagger (shameless plug), I ended up looking at Hell City Tattoo Fest in Phoenix. They have the flagship convention in Columbus, OH at the end of the month and then the Phoenix event over Labor Day weekend. I was thinking of taking a vacation by myself this year and the tagline for the Phoenix event was "Tattoo Vacation". A sign, mayhaps?
There was the small matter of money. I knew I was getting a nice tax refund, but we filed right at the deadline, so I figured I wouldn't see it for 6-8 weeks. Lo and behold, I come home and my Fed refund is in today's mail. Sweet! So once that gets deposited, I'm booking my flight and hotel for Phoenix.
As for the matter of being tattooed, there are tons of talented artists. One will actually be guesting at Ink & Dagger at the beginning of June. I emailed her on Sunday about doing some work while she's in town, but haven't heard back. If I don't hear back from her before she's in town, I'm gonna call the shop when she gets in and set something up. She'll also be at both Hell City events. So if I like her and she likes me, maybe I can go ahead and book time with her for Phoenix.
There are tons of others I'm interested in, but I've only sent emails to two of them. One I got a form email back thanking me for my interest. He's one of the organizers, so I doubt I'll get in with him. Though, I got in with Russ so stranger things have happened. I also emailed a guy from Austin. I'm gonna send more out today to others I was interested in. I have several ideas that I think are ideal "convention pieces". They are:
*A cupcake with devil horns and a spaded tail. Possibly a banner that says "Devilishly Good"
*A peach with a banner that says "Dirty" (my take on a Dirty South tat since I am a GA girl)
*An Ed Hardy inspired piece, right now I'm between a geisha and a flower inspired by this bag.
*Something that uses the text "No Love Lost"
Russ will be attending so if he's there when I next find myself there, I fully intend to pick his brain. Plus, they have a "worst tattoo" category in the competitions, so I may have to enter Ol' Blue Balls and see how we do. This could get interesting.
Now time to email more tattooists and see who wants to tattoo me.
Through a series of site jumps from Ink & Dagger (shameless plug), I ended up looking at Hell City Tattoo Fest in Phoenix. They have the flagship convention in Columbus, OH at the end of the month and then the Phoenix event over Labor Day weekend. I was thinking of taking a vacation by myself this year and the tagline for the Phoenix event was "Tattoo Vacation". A sign, mayhaps?
There was the small matter of money. I knew I was getting a nice tax refund, but we filed right at the deadline, so I figured I wouldn't see it for 6-8 weeks. Lo and behold, I come home and my Fed refund is in today's mail. Sweet! So once that gets deposited, I'm booking my flight and hotel for Phoenix.
As for the matter of being tattooed, there are tons of talented artists. One will actually be guesting at Ink & Dagger at the beginning of June. I emailed her on Sunday about doing some work while she's in town, but haven't heard back. If I don't hear back from her before she's in town, I'm gonna call the shop when she gets in and set something up. She'll also be at both Hell City events. So if I like her and she likes me, maybe I can go ahead and book time with her for Phoenix.
There are tons of others I'm interested in, but I've only sent emails to two of them. One I got a form email back thanking me for my interest. He's one of the organizers, so I doubt I'll get in with him. Though, I got in with Russ so stranger things have happened. I also emailed a guy from Austin. I'm gonna send more out today to others I was interested in. I have several ideas that I think are ideal "convention pieces". They are:
*A cupcake with devil horns and a spaded tail. Possibly a banner that says "Devilishly Good"
*A peach with a banner that says "Dirty" (my take on a Dirty South tat since I am a GA girl)
*An Ed Hardy inspired piece, right now I'm between a geisha and a flower inspired by this bag.
*Something that uses the text "No Love Lost"
Russ will be attending so if he's there when I next find myself there, I fully intend to pick his brain. Plus, they have a "worst tattoo" category in the competitions, so I may have to enter Ol' Blue Balls and see how we do. This could get interesting.
Now time to email more tattooists and see who wants to tattoo me.
Secrets and Lies
I cannot keep a secret to bless myself. I swear.
Jen (a co-worker of mine from BBW) and I are getting inked on Friday night by Danielle. She's getting a penguin in one of three possible spots and I'm getting a spade (like the playing card) with the number 13 in it on my sternum/diaphragm area. Since there will be two of us for the first time since I got oh...my fourth tattoo or so...pictures are going to happen. I need to remember to put fresh batteries in my camera.
Prior to that, we're headed over to Ink & Dagger so she can get a consult with Russ. Since he doesn't charge for consults and he's not afraid to give an honest opinion, I figured it couldn't hurt for her to bounce a few ideas off him. She has a decent idea of what she wants and I'm sure he'll help to refine it all further.
Haven't heard from Phil or Lee about my appointment bumping. I'm sure they just didn't feel the need to confirm the change. I still feel bad and I know appointment changes and the like happen all the time. At least I had the decency to call and reschedule rather than just not show up at all. Mark gets really pissed when that happens and understandably so. Phil will absolutely get my money, just two months later than originally planned. Goddamn life getting in the way.
What do we think of gun tattoos? Like an Old West revolver type tattoo? All manner of opinions are welcomed. Come out of the woodwork, loyal readers! I want to hear your thoughts.
Something like this:
Or
Jen (a co-worker of mine from BBW) and I are getting inked on Friday night by Danielle. She's getting a penguin in one of three possible spots and I'm getting a spade (like the playing card) with the number 13 in it on my sternum/diaphragm area. Since there will be two of us for the first time since I got oh...my fourth tattoo or so...pictures are going to happen. I need to remember to put fresh batteries in my camera.
Prior to that, we're headed over to Ink & Dagger so she can get a consult with Russ. Since he doesn't charge for consults and he's not afraid to give an honest opinion, I figured it couldn't hurt for her to bounce a few ideas off him. She has a decent idea of what she wants and I'm sure he'll help to refine it all further.
Haven't heard from Phil or Lee about my appointment bumping. I'm sure they just didn't feel the need to confirm the change. I still feel bad and I know appointment changes and the like happen all the time. At least I had the decency to call and reschedule rather than just not show up at all. Mark gets really pissed when that happens and understandably so. Phil will absolutely get my money, just two months later than originally planned. Goddamn life getting in the way.
What do we think of gun tattoos? Like an Old West revolver type tattoo? All manner of opinions are welcomed. Come out of the woodwork, loyal readers! I want to hear your thoughts.
Something like this:
Or
She's Blushing!
As seems to be my Sunday routine, I spent most of the day in tattoo shops. First I went to Ink & Dagger to chat with Kurt and work out a time to get Lucius finished. He's super nice about everything. We've tentatively set time for 6pm on April 17 and there's 1.5-2 hrs of work left. He needs to finish his tail and then he said there are some general things he wants to tinker with. So keep an eye out there.
Russ agreed to add a pirate hat on Ol' Blue Balls. That may happen around the same time. He said he was down with it. No one can believe I actually went through with it. Life is too short not to have a ridiculous tattoo. Or two. Or one with a pirate hat. Arg matey.
Then I went over to GFY to show Mark our antics. He was tattooing, so I kinda had to flash Andrew and him. He gave me a look and I blushed. I NEVER blush. There's only one other person in the world who can make me blush. Of course, when Mark pointed out I was blushing it made me blush more because I was thinking of said other person who can make me blush without even trying. Oh so funny. And probably the first time I've been embarrassed in a long time. I hung out there for a while, looked through the latest Prick (still hotter than the cover girl), and then went on my merry way. I need to schedule time to talk about my foot in a serious way.
In other news, I want to get my sternum tattooed. I have no idea what I want, but I'm sure it'll come to me. I've learned to just let the inspiration flow. Rushing things results in cover ups and that's totally no fun. Plus, you can't exactly tattoo on boobs very well. So I guess we'll see what develops on that front.
Russ agreed to add a pirate hat on Ol' Blue Balls. That may happen around the same time. He said he was down with it. No one can believe I actually went through with it. Life is too short not to have a ridiculous tattoo. Or two. Or one with a pirate hat. Arg matey.
Then I went over to GFY to show Mark our antics. He was tattooing, so I kinda had to flash Andrew and him. He gave me a look and I blushed. I NEVER blush. There's only one other person in the world who can make me blush. Of course, when Mark pointed out I was blushing it made me blush more because I was thinking of said other person who can make me blush without even trying. Oh so funny. And probably the first time I've been embarrassed in a long time. I hung out there for a while, looked through the latest Prick (still hotter than the cover girl), and then went on my merry way. I need to schedule time to talk about my foot in a serious way.
In other news, I want to get my sternum tattooed. I have no idea what I want, but I'm sure it'll come to me. I've learned to just let the inspiration flow. Rushing things results in cover ups and that's totally no fun. Plus, you can't exactly tattoo on boobs very well. So I guess we'll see what develops on that front.
Lucy Part 2
So now for the real post that everyone has been waiting for.
Tuesday night was the drop dead date for Lucy's second session. I called Mark the night before to remind him that I was going to be there and he should show up. I got there right at 7 and Russ was setting up for me. There was another chick getting tattooed on her hip and she went way overboard with privacy IMO. They had the room sealed off and a screen up inside the room. Seriously? Honey it's not like your cooter is hanging out. But whatever. Maybe I'm just immodest.
We got to tattooing around 7:40 and I was starting to get a bit miffed that Mark hadn't showed up yet. Of course, I forgot that his concept of time is very different from most peoples'. He's on tattooist time, which I think is somewhat like being on GMT or something. Russ wasn't happy that I "ratted him out" for his singing/humming/making noise along with the music last time. We bickered about that all night it seems. Every time he would hum/sing/make noise along with music he'd go "Not singing!". (Sorry Russ, the story was just too good not to share!).
Mark rolled in about 8:30 when Russ was bantering with a flash seller. I admit, I was glad to see the cranky Brit. He kept me distracted for a good hour. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have someone there to distract you. Russ had a lot of work left to do all over my arm, so I was getting work done in some pretty tender places. Him laughing at me or observing habits he's never noticed before were a welcome distraction. It was at some point during this time that we were introduced to the "tittie skull". I remember Mark was still there because he was laughing along with the rest of us. He ran off before Russ finished, so he hasn't gotten to see what she looks like in all her glory.
After a little under 2.5 hours of tattooing and almost 3 hours of being there, Lucy was done. He bandaged me up and then we launched into the antics mentioned in the previous entry. For those waiting with bated breath, he is 100% real. I call him "Ol' Blue Balls" for short, like a pirate. I actually want to see if Russ will give him a pirate hat. I mean, how much more ridiculous can you get than a dick skull? Not much, methinks.
Oh and Mommums said that Lucy looked creepy. I was like "That's the point" and she was like "I didn't think she'd be that creepy". Score!
And for fun, a few quotes taken out of context that made me laugh:
Me-"As you can see, my legs are wide open" (I was wearing a skirt)
Russ-"It's like tattooing on a Goddamn trampoline!"
Mark-"You need to stop wiggling"
Me-"He's fine"
Mark-"Yeah, because he's leaning on you"
Tuesday night was the drop dead date for Lucy's second session. I called Mark the night before to remind him that I was going to be there and he should show up. I got there right at 7 and Russ was setting up for me. There was another chick getting tattooed on her hip and she went way overboard with privacy IMO. They had the room sealed off and a screen up inside the room. Seriously? Honey it's not like your cooter is hanging out. But whatever. Maybe I'm just immodest.
We got to tattooing around 7:40 and I was starting to get a bit miffed that Mark hadn't showed up yet. Of course, I forgot that his concept of time is very different from most peoples'. He's on tattooist time, which I think is somewhat like being on GMT or something. Russ wasn't happy that I "ratted him out" for his singing/humming/making noise along with the music last time. We bickered about that all night it seems. Every time he would hum/sing/make noise along with music he'd go "Not singing!". (Sorry Russ, the story was just too good not to share!).
Mark rolled in about 8:30 when Russ was bantering with a flash seller. I admit, I was glad to see the cranky Brit. He kept me distracted for a good hour. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have someone there to distract you. Russ had a lot of work left to do all over my arm, so I was getting work done in some pretty tender places. Him laughing at me or observing habits he's never noticed before were a welcome distraction. It was at some point during this time that we were introduced to the "tittie skull". I remember Mark was still there because he was laughing along with the rest of us. He ran off before Russ finished, so he hasn't gotten to see what she looks like in all her glory.
After a little under 2.5 hours of tattooing and almost 3 hours of being there, Lucy was done. He bandaged me up and then we launched into the antics mentioned in the previous entry. For those waiting with bated breath, he is 100% real. I call him "Ol' Blue Balls" for short, like a pirate. I actually want to see if Russ will give him a pirate hat. I mean, how much more ridiculous can you get than a dick skull? Not much, methinks.
Oh and Mommums said that Lucy looked creepy. I was like "That's the point" and she was like "I didn't think she'd be that creepy". Score!
And for fun, a few quotes taken out of context that made me laugh:
Me-"As you can see, my legs are wide open" (I was wearing a skirt)
Russ-"It's like tattooing on a Goddamn trampoline!"
Mark-"You need to stop wiggling"
Me-"He's fine"
Mark-"Yeah, because he's leaning on you"
Skulls and Private Parts
So Russ absolutely insisted I blog about this so here goes.
Last night went from normal tattooing session to one for the history books in about 10 minutes. While Russ was finishing up Lucy, he felt the need to show off one of his particular specialties reserved for a select few. It is...the "tittie skull" (and my spell checker seems to think there's another way to spell "tittie"). I give you the appropriate visual aid.
He had about 4 of them in various shapes and configurations and we all got a good laugh. The conversation somehow degenerated into something like this:
Me: I want one!
Russ: Seriously?
Me: Yeah! Come on! If you're up for it, I'm up for it!
Russ: But you're a girl, you can't have a tittie skull, you need a dick skull!
Me: Go for it!
And thus I was officially inducted into the private part skull club. The way to get a free tattoo is to hang around long enough and let the tattooist have his way with you. If you're willing to let him do whatever he wants, you can have a free tat. I was laughing so hard for most of the time he was tattooing me, he was like "It's like tattooing on a Goddamn trampoline!". That, of course, made me laugh harder. He finished in about 20 minutes and the end result was absolutely hysterical. I literally burst out laughing about every 5 minutes on the drive home.
So without further ado I give you Dick "Blue Balls" Johnson, the founding member of the Dick Skull Club.
Happy April Fool's, kids!
Last night went from normal tattooing session to one for the history books in about 10 minutes. While Russ was finishing up Lucy, he felt the need to show off one of his particular specialties reserved for a select few. It is...the "tittie skull" (and my spell checker seems to think there's another way to spell "tittie"). I give you the appropriate visual aid.
He had about 4 of them in various shapes and configurations and we all got a good laugh. The conversation somehow degenerated into something like this:
Me: I want one!
Russ: Seriously?
Me: Yeah! Come on! If you're up for it, I'm up for it!
Russ: But you're a girl, you can't have a tittie skull, you need a dick skull!
Me: Go for it!
And thus I was officially inducted into the private part skull club. The way to get a free tattoo is to hang around long enough and let the tattooist have his way with you. If you're willing to let him do whatever he wants, you can have a free tat. I was laughing so hard for most of the time he was tattooing me, he was like "It's like tattooing on a Goddamn trampoline!". That, of course, made me laugh harder. He finished in about 20 minutes and the end result was absolutely hysterical. I literally burst out laughing about every 5 minutes on the drive home.
So without further ado I give you Dick "Blue Balls" Johnson, the founding member of the Dick Skull Club.
Happy April Fool's, kids!
Big Pimpin'
I can be such a shameless pimp-tress sometimes. I was on a separate website and someone (I believe she follows this blog. Wave if you do!) asked if anyone had any experience with Timeless Tattoo here in town. Being one of the few Atlantans, I jumped in with both feet and told her I'd never heard word one about them. They have good reviews on Yelp, hands down the most reliable review site on the interwebz, but it was mostly for the owner. Very little was mentioned about the other artists. I looked at the portfolio of the artist she'd picked and his work just didn't seem to suit what she wanted. So I told her to check out Overlord, Memorial 2, and Ink & Dagger. That, of course, got me to thinking who else I wanted to work on me.
I love Dave Kruseman's use of color. It's absolutely fantastic. I have no clue what I'd have him do, but it's so pretty to look at. I also really like Danielle Distefano's work. As I learned from Russ, she and another 13 Roses defector opened a shop in Grant Park. They actually had their big opening on Friday complete with $20 tattoos, which I missed. How come I always miss the tattoo sales? *pout* Anyway, I'd like to have her do something on me as well. So I may wander by at some point and poke my head in. It would help to have an idea first, though. I keep saying I'm going to take a break after I finish Alice, but who knows? I'm a sad, sorry addict.
I love Dave Kruseman's use of color. It's absolutely fantastic. I have no clue what I'd have him do, but it's so pretty to look at. I also really like Danielle Distefano's work. As I learned from Russ, she and another 13 Roses defector opened a shop in Grant Park. They actually had their big opening on Friday complete with $20 tattoos, which I missed. How come I always miss the tattoo sales? *pout* Anyway, I'd like to have her do something on me as well. So I may wander by at some point and poke my head in. It would help to have an idea first, though. I keep saying I'm going to take a break after I finish Alice, but who knows? I'm a sad, sorry addict.
Puppet Experience
Hopefully that's a good enough size for everyone. I'm still futzing with Blogger's image uploader. I is not computer savvy.
So yesterday was the big day. I got there early, as I am wont to do, and Russ was still in sketching mode. So I just hung out and was privy to the now infamous Russ Abbott "Hunky Male" calendar. ;) Once the obligatory paperwork, stenciling, and readying was done, it was time to put needle to skin.
It HURT. Not like the usual "this is unpleasant, but I can live with it". It was like slowly wiggle away kind of pain. I managed to keep it together pretty well. I forgot to breathe at some points and then had to refocus. My elbow and the ditch (inside of your elbow) were probably the worst. That's when I started making faces. We took two breaks, which for once I was actually grateful for. I'm still too stubborn to ask for one outright unless I honestly believe I'm going to die. And that's only happened once to date. I think this may win for second most painful after my sides. Goodie.
Russ was great. He would occasionally sing along with the music, which provided a nice momentary distraction. Everything you see in the picture was done in less than 3 hours (it was timed). There's only an hour and a half to two hours of work left, which made me happy. I'm not so much a fan of running around with unfinished tattoos, especially in visible places. However, I don't think it's that obvious that she's incomplete (much like Lucius). Also probably not easily visible in the picture is the amount of detail. Her braids have a ton of detail. Parts of her skirt actually look like fabric. Her nose and mouth also have a lot of soft details that also are probably hard to see. If you see me in person, I'll be more than happy to point them all out. Talent like that doesn't grow on trees, kids.
My second session is at the end of the month (March 31), probably just enough time for me to work up the emotional energy to do it again. I'm sleeping with saran wrap on my arm (per Mark and Shane's suggestion) to help the ditch heal better. It's uncomfortable, but if it means better healing in the long run, I'll suck it up. I only have to do it two more nights. Haven't broken it to the parents yet, but I figure I'll do it soon. They can't exactly talk me out of it. What's done is done. Plus, when I have my arms down by my sides you can only see her hand from the front and part of her skirt from the back. It's not like *BAM* giant tattoo!!
Overall, it was a really positive experience. The whole I&D crew is great and that's probably a reflection on their esteemed leader and proprietor.
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