Talking all about my tattoos + VIDEO!

I'm often asked all about my tattoos. How many do I have? Most painful one? What ones do I actually have? Where are they all? 

I've covered a little bit about them on my "about me" page, but I figured as I've started a Youtube channel, it was the perfect time to go the Tattoo Tag and really talk about all my tattoos and some of my favourite tattooists.

At the end of this post you'll find my video, but I thought I'd also include some photos and links here too so you can have a good look!

Why I love leg tattoos

You may have noticed recently that I've had a number of new tattoo additions added to my legs.
I'm kind of on a collecting mission especially since meeting the absolute doll that is Madeleine June and falling head over heels for her artwork and tattoo style. Plus she's a fellow hufflepuff so we're essentially kindred spirits.

I've always been a big fan of leg tattoos but have been slower in the collection front in this area until now.
For me, my legs are for collecting a mish-mash of cute smaller tattoos. Definitely all in colour.

You see. I kind of have a love/hate relationship with my legs. From the knee down I'm OK with them. My calfs aren't half bad. But my thighs, well they're a different story entirely.

And that's half the reason I'm on a leg tattoo collecting mission. Because the more ink i have on my legs, the happier and more confident I feel about them!!

Tattoo healing with coconut oil

I'm often asked how I go about healing my tattoos, and the simple answer is that I keep it clean and moisturised.
Recently I've seen the rise of coconut oil in the beauty and skincare world, and seen a number of people recommend it as a natural moisturiser for healing tattoos too. Having been given a pot of coconut oil from a friend I decided it was the perfect time to try it out and add it to my tattoo experimentation list.

Previously I've been a cocoa butter fan for healing my tattoos having moved away from the usual Bepanthen some years ago. I changed my healing routine from the recommendation of a tattooist, and this time again, my tattooist said it was a good idea too.

6 things that every tattooed girl knows to be true

Did you know that as soon as you get a big visible tattoo life kinda changes a bit! 

Now I've been extensively tattooed for some time now, like 5 years (I started my right sleeve at 22) so I guess I know a thing or two about living with tattoos now!

As I'm working on bringing more tattooey (is that a word? Yeah sure, let's stick with it!) content to the blog here's xx things that every tattooed girl goes through.

You were born an original - stay that way

Originality. It's a funny thing.

A quick google search brings up so many quotations:

"All good things that exist are the fruits of originality"

"Originality is a by-product of sincerity"

"It is better to fail at originality, than to succeed at imitation"

And it's that last one that sticks out to me most.

This blog started out life as a tattoo blog, and tattoos remain to this day, one of my biggest passions. The art as a whole took a bit of a sideline last year due to being pregnant for half the year, and being a new mum for the remainder, but I will be focusing more content to tattooing this year, starting with a bit of a rant. 

I've previously talked about tattoos and originality in this post about copying tattoos back in 2015, but I want to do a little revisit. 

I recently saw yet another tattooist having to call out another on stolen artwork just a day into 2017! To be honest, it makes my blood boil. Imitation is NOT a form of flattery. Whether it's written word, a photograph, an oil painting or a tattoo.

Some frequently asked tattoo questions answered

This blog started life as a tattoo blog as it's one of my true passions in life but tattoos have had ro take a bit of a back burner in recent months due to falling pregnant with Henry.
However I still get asked lots of questions about tattoos which of course I'm always happy to answer.

As I haven't talked about tattoos for a while I thought I'd do a little Q&A from questions asked in person over the last few months and some from Twitter and put them together here for you.

TATTOOS: Five things only tattooed people understand

Being a heavily tattooed person can lead to some unique situations and experiences. I
I've been heavily tattooed for three years and have experienced some strange and unusual things. 

And I'm not the only one... it seems our little community have all had our fair share of unusual things to deal with courtesy of our ink.

TATTOOS: How I prepare for a tattoo session

So after many many tattoos in my seven year history of collecting, I've  learnt a few tricks of the trade when it comes to sitting through some of the longer, tougher sessions. 

I'm  pretty much a complete wuss when it comes to tattoos. My pain threshold is pretty minimal. I mean indigestion has me in tears... I am a huge cry baby. 

Anyway, in my time I have successfully sat for a number of tattoos lasting longer than three hours. In fact, I'm  currently writing this post whilst sitting through a three hour tattoo. My longest tattoo session was six hours. I'm  not going to lie to you.. it was f**king tough, and really hard work. I've  also cried during two tattoos (I did keep going) and have come close a number of times to just stopping midway through  a session (but I persevered through to the end!), so I do know what many of you will be thinking  and going through.

TATTOOS: The sternum tattoo - the new fashion statement

If you're  like me, you'll love looking at tattoos on Pinterest and Instagram,  and being inspired by others tattoo work.

 
And you will have noticed over the years that there tends to be a trend within tattoos,  especially in the more mainstream community.  The 90's saw the rise of the tribal armband,  and the 00s saw a lot of love for the lower back or affectionately  named 'tramp stamp'. 

Recently I've noticed a trend in sternum or under-boob tattoos. They are cropping up on Instagram and Pinterest in all sorts of styles, from neo-traditional full colour,  to intricate black and white dot work.

LIFESTYLE: My Raremoments Boudoir Shoot Experience

I recently won a facebook competition for a boudoir shoot at a local photo studio called Rare Moments Photography and thought I would share my experience with you. 

I've never done anything like it before and thought hey, you only live once right. After a pretty shit start to the year, I felt like my luck was starting to change and maybe things were on the up so why not try something a little out of my comfort zone. After feeling pretty down about myself and feeling let down by my body, I wanted to gain my old confidence back, and prove to myself I'm still the woman I was last year,  if not better!

Arriving into the very scenic Petersfield I found the studio pretty quickly. I was instantly welcomed in and seated and having a chat with one of the girls on reception. Shortly after commenced hair and make up.

Not going to lie I felt glammed up after Casey was finished with me. If only I could look that sophisticated everyday.

Then onto the shoot. My photographer was amazing.  Put me totally at ease, completely comfortable and made the entire experience relaxed and most importantly.... fun. I couldn't hold all the poses (credit to models everywhere) and I was sweating like mad as it was a hot Saturday and even the HUGE fan was giving up on itself! The whole photo experience was fab. I would definitely do it again!

They have a slightly different set up compared to most studios. Viewings are done on a different day to the shoot. I think its quite good personally.  It keeps the anticipation going longer, and you're more likely to stay with in budget as you're not still riding your glam high from being a model for an hour.

On arrival to our ordering appointment we were met by the lovely staff and shown to a private room with a sofa (and sweets) to be shown my images. First was a slideshow set to music of all my photos. I was pretty impressed not going to lie, especially with the lovely and confidence boosting comments. 

Then we went through the images one by one using a traffic light system, green yes, amber maybe and red no. This eventually whittled us down to 13 images. We then got down to 8 final images in digital files. As with all photo studios the images are not cheap, but I was given a price list on leaving from my shoot so I was prepared. 

It was not the easiest decision getting the numbers down.

"Rare Moments did an amazing job. I'm so happy with the photos, and I really hadn't anticipated loving them as much as I do.
The entire experience was amazing. I felt empowered, beautiful, comfortable, confident and proud of myself. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking to treat themselves and boost their self-love and body confidence. "

You can find Rare Moments Boudoir Photography on Facebook or see their website.
*copyright is owned by Rare Moments Boudoir and images cannot be replicated without prior permission

TATTOOS: First Tattoo: Tips on breaking your tattoo cherry.

So as you may have seen I've been on a tattoo collecting mission over the past few days so I thought I'd share my tips and advice on getting that first tattoo.

Since the age of 18 I have had my fair share of tattoo studio encounters, and although the rules will vary from studio to studio, and you should always discuss any concerns with them specifically,  this guide should see you through your first tattoo, and ease a little of the nervousness, keeping you prepared and happy.

My first tattoo was on my 18th birthday at a local studio, Woody's Tattoo Studio in High Wycombe, Bucks. I had a swirly black 'R' on my ankle that I designed myself. I literally walked in, booked an appointment for later that day, and had it done. The studio sang Happy Birthday to me as well. To be honest, it was a fabulous start to my tattoo journey. 

TATTOOS: Tips on swollen legs and feet after a tattoo

As you may know I recently got a large lower leg tattoo. Unsurprisingly it swelled a touch the day after. Then it swelled a but more and spread into my foot. Needless to say, I was a little disconcerted, so I of course 'googled' it. This is where I hit a wall. There is loads of information on how to reduce swelling in your feet and ankles if you are pregnant.  Or if you have a sprained ankle. But not a lot specific to tattoos to placate my nervous mind, until I found this forum. 

So I thought I would post my findings, so I can share some knowledge on how to deal with swelling in the feet and ankles after a lower leg tattoo. 

This might not happen to you at all. I have a small tattoo on my ankle from my 18th birthday. (Yes I got inked on my birthday and the studio sang to me too!) And from memory, it didn't swell much at all and I do not remember being in any particular discomfort during the healing. However, it was relatively small.  Especially compared to my newest piece, which covers 90% of my outer calf. 

TATTOOS: Dani Green guesting at Dragstrip Tattoo - and more new ink

I'm a little bit in love with Instagram for introducing and educating me on some new and amazing tattoo artists, especially after discovering the beautiful work and lovely lady that is Dani Green.

This lovely lass creates some of the most beautiful girls in her signature style and I love every single one of them. And she's only been tattooing for a year! This girl is a name for the future.

TATTOOS: Disney Inspired Tattoos for the Tattooed Princess

I've had a bit of a Disney inspired weekend.
First I attended my gorgeous God-Daughters first birthday party, and of course it was a Disney Princess theme.