Danse Macabre

Okay, the first version of this post was totally cracked out. Not good. Let's try this again, shall we?

I was browsing tattoo portfolios at work today because I was bored (in between getting yelled at for shit that isn't my fault) and it got me thinking about my back. My original thought was angel wings going the length of my back. However, upon closer examination, Mae is placed such that getting the left wing to look right would be very difficult. Like, it would have be super skinny before I wanted them to be super skinny. If that makes any sense. I'm not sure it does, but whatever.

Russ suggested previously I get something to do with dancing on my back since I already have the quote on my back about dance. I started with the concept of angels since I started with the angel wings. I bounced around the internet and then decided to go for more of a dance theme. For some reason, the concept of a danse macabre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance_macabre) popped into my head. Lucy is somewhat dance macabre-ish, so it would work well to move from my arm to my back. As I did more research, I decided I really liked the concept of having a ballroom scene on my back with 5 dancing couples. I think some of the couples might have one partner as a skeleton and one partner as human in various ballroom poses. I also want "danse macabre" in the tramp stamp area. In a very pretty font of course.

I thought it also might be cool to have different artists work on different couples. I could have everyone's style but still make it look like a complete piece. I'd also want some kind of background to make it look like a ballroom. I'll probably discuss it with Russ and Mark on Tuesday and see what they think. They're my top two choices to work on a couple, then I'm batting around ideas for the other three. That's, of course, if I even end up getting 5 different artists to work on me. The level of skill is roughly the same and I may give some artists who aren't quite as good at skulls or skeletons a different pose or couple to work on. Ideally, I'd have two couples dancing near my shoulders, one in the center of my back over my current back piece, and two on my lower back, then "danse macabre" at the base.

I was trying to put pictures up, but the stupid thing won't work. *sigh* Maybe later. In the mean time Google "gothic puppet" or "Van Helsing" to get an idea of what I'm going for.

What Makes You Different Makes You Beautiful

I hope to inspire every girl with tattoos with this post. Whether you have 1 or 100, I hope this post will touch someone. I know I wish someone would say it to me.

My tattoos don't make me ugly. It's not some bizarre form of self mutilation. They don't make me undesirable. They don't make me *gasp* unmarriagable. I love my mother, but if I hear how no man is going to want me because of my tattoos one more time, I'm going to scream. Or some equally snide comment from my father that the only place I'll ever find a husband is a biker bar. She claims she doesn't want to marry me off, but I think some days she's convinced she's going to have two spinsters still in the house. Every time there's a new one, I have to hear about how it will show in a wedding dress, yet, no man wants me. So how is it that I'm going to shame my mother at my wedding, but I'll be damn lucky if I even find a guy dumb enough to marry me? Or will I end up with some guy their age and we'll run off and get married in Vegas?

My tattoos make me beautiful. They make me different. And they are part of who I am. I'm not "too pretty" for tattoos. I am one of "those people". There are plenty of men out there who find tattoos attractive. Most of them also have tattoos, but I'd bet there are some who don't. I don't want a guy who wants a cookie cutter bobblehead for a partner. I want a guy who isn't okay with just any girl. I don't know what my tattoos say to them, but I know what they say to me. I don't really care what people think and I'm not afraid to express myself. I happen to be proud of being a walking art gallery. I always have something to bring me joy even on the worst of days. I always have stories to tell. I have a genuine piece of art that was made for me.

Tattooed women of the world band together. Wear your ink with pride. Don't let the bastards get you down. Don't let people convince you that you're ugly or slutty or unworthy. If anything, you're better than all of them. You had the guts to take a chance. To do something permanent. Even if it didn't work out like you hoped (let's face it sometimes they don't), you stepped out on the limb. You pushed the envelope.

I have tattoos. And I am beautiful.