Meaningful Ink

I have a confession...an obsession that I cannot stop thinking about...I am counting down the days until I can get my next tattoo. [Unless someone buys me one, it's going to be at least a year, but still].

I love thinking that no one, besides me, is ever going to have the same map on their body. They will never have the same moles, scars and wrinkles. I am completely, one hundred percent me. But I still like to decorate my skin to celebrate the thoughts that are in my head. The process is beautiful and a work of art prior to the evidence of the art.

It all starts with an idea.

October 2010, WQ Symbol

For years we drew some sort of WQ with a heart symbol on our wrist to remind ourselves of our strength and self-love. After 2 years, I decided it was time to give myself this permanent reminder.

August 21, 2011

When I was 16, my cousin passed away. He had had cancer from age 2 to 6 and had been cancer-free for two years when he passed. Shortly after, a friend drew the above ambigram, and I held onto it until my brother's 18th birthday. We each got tattoos dedicated to him, our life inspiration.

August 21, 2011

 I still wanted to incorporate an actual sun into my tattoo, and decided to get one behind my ear. I would have liked it to be a little higher because of its size, but I love it.

February 2012

In 2011, my best friend [my "wife"] told me she wanted us to get matching diamond tattoos. I told her only if we did so on some weird body part...like our big toes. A year later, she took me to get these - a symbol of our friendship and our strength.

September 2012

The infinity tattoo with my fiance was the only tattoo I ever got without thinking for months on it. I've known since I was 18, that I wanted to get a tattoo for him in some way, but this was his idea and I love it. Even before I was engaged, I knew that he was there, committed to me.


My next few tattoos will be super fun / meaningful ones as well.

I'm planning on getting "time and change" on my left thigh - a testament of my time at The Ohio State University, and the everlasting friendships. "Time and Change will surely show, how firm thy friendship O-HI-O."

I also want an intricate back piece [much after I'm married]. The angel veins of the heart absolutely astound me. In the bigger strings I plan on including symbols of the people who have changed my life - my family, friends, future children, etc Around the tattoo it will say "If I were to pluck on your heart strings, would you strum on mine?"

Behind my neck I want to get an infinity sign with the word strength spelled in it. The loops will incorporate a heart and a peace sign "peace, love, strength, forever." I've been wanting the peace sign and heart since I was 17.

I plan on someday getting tattoos for my future children as well :) and lately I've been really thinking about getting a chest piece. I'm not sure why, I used to think they were very limiting, but they have really grown on me. I love the beauty in some of them, like Christina Perri's. Basically, I want a bunch of "small" tattoos all over, not necessarily a sleeve or full body piece.  Who knows what else! It is just so exciting to plan this art work.

When I was younger, my friends always talked about piercings and went and got them. I only ever wanted my nose pierced [which I did at 18, and then got the other side pierced at 22]. I've also had my tragus pierced but took it out after a couple of months. I currently don't have my nose piercings in, but I definitely miss having my left one [the one I got first]. Interestingly enough, I found out that my nostrils are different sizes drastically when I got my right side done!

Take a look at my opinion article I wrote for the Daily Sundial last year!

Happy Tuesday!