...Iffy Inklings...

Growing up, I've always had people(mainly guys!) stare at me because I was tall, skinny, and not ugly. I got so used to the staring that I don't notice it at all anymore. The only reason I know people still stare is because my boyfriend always says, "Dude, like the past 5 guys we walked by stared at you." But, now that I have tattoos on my chest, EVERYONE stares.

I read this blog called Sometimes Sweet and she does a feature every Tuesday called Tattoo Tuesday that features girls with tattoos. I love reading what the ladies have to say about how society and friends perceive them because of their tattoos. Most of the girls say that people stare a lot, get many questions, and that people actually touch them without permission. Well, I didn't think that would apply to me for some reason. But oh how wrong was I.

I work at a public library and I'd say that 70% of the people I help ask about my tattoos, and of the 70%, 30% reach out to touch them. I always have to say, "Um no, please don't touch me, " and then things get awkward. I would NEVER reach out to touch someone I don't know, let alone their chest! It just blows my mind that someone would think that's ok. I am, however, fine with people staring. I have beautiful art out in the open and I want people to see it or I wouldn't have gotten it there. It just surprises me how much people stare!

I was walking through Target the other day (where I got this ^ shirt for $2!) and there was a mother pushing a cart with a baby inside that she was talking to. She got distracted by my chest and stopped talking and stared so much that she ran her cart into an aisle end. Ya. Things like this happen frequently now. You would think with everyone being tattoos these days that people would be used to it!

Luckily I've only had one person express disgust at my tattoos. Most people come up to me and ask about them and tell me how "beautiful" or "3-d" they are. Surprising, a lot of people ask me if they are real because they look too perfect! When they say they say that, I always tell them the wonderful Jay did it. Because so many people stop me, it's hard to do things quickly, like clothes shopping the other night!

It's been so great working with Jay because he seems pretty excited about the tattoo as well. I think it's fun for him because he's never done a tattoo like this, so it's kind of a "challenge" for him. When he was doing the right side tattoo he kept throwing out ideas of what we could do to finish the chest piece, which I've appreciated so much. He kept saying "we" and would correct himself to say "you". I had to tell him that hey, this is your tattoo, too, in a way! It's your art that's on me. I want you to be happy right along with me!

I've decided that in the center of the spools of thread, I want to have an old pair of scissors, and 2 more pairs of scissors going off near my shoulders. But that's as far as I've gotten, design-wise. Still need to think of all the little things to fill in the space!

Oh, and I must add that the right tattoo hurt. Kind of a lot. While I was getting the tattoo I kept telling myself that it doesn't hurt. As I was walking home though, I was like, Holy hell, that hurt! My entire right arm hurt after as well because I think it was tensed up the whole time. I'm super nervous about getting the center of my chest done where it's very bony. Agh!