Stephanie's Story~

Meet Stephanie:

My husband and I were having dinner at a friend's house. When I explained my Women's Tattoo Project, our husbands began to share some of their thoughts about tattoos. Let's just say they are not big fans. Someone asked my friend's high-school-aged son and what he thought of girls with tattoos  and it just so happened that he had a girl friend there who--surprise!--had tattoos. She was willing to share her story. Stephanie plans to be a pharmacist.

Stephanie's tattoo Stories:

I got the tattoo on my back in honor of my grandfather who means the absolute world to me. He turned 80 this year (2014) and is still as agile as he was when he was 60. He’s that elderly man at the party who is always laughing and smiling and cracking jokes. The tattoo on my back says, "You are my smile" in Italian. He was born in Italy and moved to the U.S. when he was 20. He chose those specific words because that’s exactly what he is to me, my smile. If I ever have a bad day, I call up my two lovely grandparents and pay them a visit at their home in Rhode Island. 

My second tattoo is just below my left breast. I chose this placement because I’d like to be able to hide this tattoo, just like my first, so it won’t affect my future career as a pharmacist. I got the word "Wanderlust" because I always seem to be looking for something, whether it's happiness, love, or adventure. In my journey to find those things, once I receive those things they seem to slip away right through my fingers. I feel like I’m always wandering no matter where I am. It doesn’t really bother me much though, and that’s exactly why I got the word "lust" at the end.

I got my first tattoo when I was 17-and-a-half, and the second a few months after I turned 18. I don’t regret either of them because I feel as though I’m writing my own story, if that makes sense. I don’t mind when others ask about my tattoos because I would do the same--although I’ve never been one to love the limelight! My friends all loved my tattoos as any other 18-year-olds would. 

My papa cried when he saw the one that I got for him and murmured the words, "They don’t make people like you anymore. You are my everything. Thank you." As for my second tat, well, my family doesn’t know about that one yet!

Cristin's Story~

Meet Cristin: 

I met Cristin Sullivan at the optometrist's office where we were both waiting in line to pick up glasses. She's the owner of Luna Teas and Incense and a team leader with Pampered Chef. We got chatting about her tattoos and she agreed to be photographed and share her stories.

Cristin's stories:

The star was my first tattoo, a spiritual piece when I turned 18-years-old,  after six months of planning. It's a Virgo pentacle, a spiritual piece representing earth, fire and water. Above it is a representation of Mother Earth.I have what people may see as six tattoos, but is a full sleeve with 23 hours of work so far. I planned my sleeve for eight years! Within that sleeve I honor my mother with a Stargazer lily, my grandmother (who was more like a second mother) with a Tiger lily, my spiritual beliefs, and myself. Most people react positively to my tattoos; they're beautiful. If people don't like them, then they've kept it to themselves, and I don't much care. They're for me.

I have a Triple Goddess tattoo on my leg that I had to actually debate with the artist about the placement. The tattoo is placed so that the Maiden (waxing moon) is behind me, Mother Moon (full) is on the side, and the Crone (waning moon)is on the front. My maiden aspect is behind me, I am in my mother aspect, and I am always moving toward my crone aspect--always learning and becoming wiser.

 I have an elegant tribal of a sun and moon on my left forearm. My twin sister has the same tattoo. We are so different that everyone always said, "You two are like night and day!" Get it?

I have the numbers "413" on the back of my neck. Those numbers are the area code of my hometown. It is encased in thorns because I intensely dislike where I grew up and some horrible things happened to me there. In spite of that, I am incredibly proud of who I am and every experience that helped me become who I am. Beneath the numbers is the Kanji symbol for tree. 

The skull on my left shoulder is a representation of death to contrast and complete the cycle of life represented in the tattoos on my right arm. I'll be adding more to it eventually.

I'm glad when I'm asked about my tattoos. My tattoos all have deep meaning and are a piece of me.

April's Tattoo Story~

Meet April:

I'm 32-years-young and a mom to an awesome three-year-old girl. I'm a legal assistant, realtor and a Justice of the Peace. Officiating wedding ceremonies--as the "Offbeat Officiant"--is my passion, and I love all the amazing couples I meet. I currently have six tattoos and definitely plan on adding to my collection.

My first tattoo I got when I was 17. It was at a tattoo party before tattooing was legal in Massachusetts. It is a tribal butterfly design. It is my least favorite out of all of my tattoos, and I wouldn't mind getting it covered up with something larger in the future. There was no meaning behind it. I just really wanted to get a tattoo and it was a decision I made on the spot. 

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My 2nd tattoo I got when I was 25. It is a yellow rose with "mom" on my back next to my shoulder. My Mom was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2007 and passed away 4 weeks after being diagnosed. She was 56 years old. Yellow roses were her favorite. 

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My 3rd tattoo is my colorful owl perched on a sugar skull. I believe I was 27. I told the artist what I was looking for and was really happy with his creation. I love owls and I love sugar skulls.

 

My 4th tattoo is a colorful owl on my forearm. I believe I was 28. I had it done during a trip to South Carolina to visit my sister. The design is based on a vintage owl bank.

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My 5th tattoo is my little owl skeleton guy. I really like him. He reminds me of the vintage Halloween decorations. I believe I got him for my 31st birthday. 

Maybe it is a little weird, but all of my owls have names. Haha. The one on the sugar skull is 'Cotton,' the one on my forearm is 'Skittles,' and my owl skeleton is 'Tricky.'

 

I'm one of those people who don’t believe that tattoos need to have meaning. I get what I like. Things that make me smile. When people first meet me they usually say, "Wow, I guess you like owls, huh?" I think I'm done getting owl tattoos though. :) 

 

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My latest tattoo: I won a Facebook tattoo contest back in January 2014 that Cesar Perez was having. Finally, this past October, we scheduled an appointment. I drove to his new shop, Creative Ink in Keene, NH. Even upon arrival, I wasn't entirely sure what tattoo he would be giving me, but I felt confident with his work. He is a great artist. 

It was originally supposed to be one of his signature girl portraits... He wanted to do a girl wearing clown makeup, and I told him even though he is an amazing artist, I couldn't put it on my body because it isn't "me"

 

I told him I really loved the realistic skulls he tattoos. He put together this image of this cute delicate bird with a skull. I love it. Maybe just part of my dark side. I've just always liked them.

It was probably slightly crazy of me to drive two-plus hours to New Hampshire for an unknown tattoo, but life is short and it was a fun experience.

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**I met April in the parking lot of the my local supermarket. I had been driving  behind April's car and was curious about the business she advertised on the back  window. I was sure she'd turn off before I got to the supermarket I was heading to, but to my surprise she turned into the parking lot. I parked beside her car and asked her about her business...and then I saw her tattoos! She was very willing to share her tattoo stories.