AlannaCA

I'm really really flattered(and surprised) that I was inspiring to you Lizzie(in even a small way)!
I am the type of person that likes to stay in the background and i'm kind of the watcher and listener of whatever is going on around me. I try my best to be positive force and always have a smile on my face!
I read this post on Christmas night and it was so uplifting to have someone recognize that I really am very interested in my new hobby. As well as the fact that I was so sick and mostly stayed in bed over the holidays, so it was a nice pick me up.
I hope that other will contribute to this thread and share some positive stories!

i took the week off to go to the cottage and breath some fresh air and relax. recently i did the Warrior dash(5km mud race with obstacles) it was so amazing and im hooked! i want to eventually work my way up to Tough Mudder!
im new to running-been doing it for fun for the last year- and im training pretty hard for a half marathon coming up this fall!
oh and how could i forget in a couple weeks in going skydiving!! its easy to back out of something big like this but im organizing a group to go with and they will keep me from backing out! hahahaha

check out Daniel Innes at Pearl Harbour giftshop. amazing artists! Daniel has been tattooing for a long time and he is really good! Pearl Harbor Gift Shop | Daniel Innes

@BrianH I actually have and she's been very supportive with my tattoo projects. Best part is when she helps me out with the aftercare on the hard to reach areas of the back piece!

That's what she said!
Rob

My Mom hasn't seen my legs since I just had the one on my calf. My baby sister's graduation is coming up in May and I'm planning on "surprising" the family when I show up in a dress.
I'm curious how my Mom will react.

I got my first tattoo almost a year ago! wow time flies! i feel kind of deja vu ish because i think i have talked about this tattoo in another thread somewhere but its my dogs names joia(no longer with me) and avelan(current) with a paw print. i thought about it for sooooo long and asked co-workers and friends what they thought and if i should do it, really whatever they said didnt matter because my mind was made up!

I am very curious to hear peoples stories of how you told your parents about your first tattoo. where they mad, accepting, do they not know, whats the deal? please share your stories whether they be funny, sad, harsh or stupid! were you old enough that your parent influence didnt matter? do you still hide them to this day?

so the reason i started this thread is because i wanted to know how other peoples families reacted to their first tattoos and everyone who contributed to the thread did not disappoint! i was hoping that peoples stories might give me inspiration to get over my fear and just do it and that maybe one day i would be able to add another entry with my own story. well at a young age my dad put the "FEAR" into me and my brother which made him a very scary man to us,(thats why i said i was afraid that he might kick me out of the house, its so easy to imagine the worst possible scenario). we were sitting on the couch this evening watching the news about the Japan earthquake and i just decided to come out and say it. I gave him this long explanation in one breath and when i was done i had to try not to look away because thats when i usually get the "look". what i mean by the "look"- if you dont know already- is what we would see when we got in trouble as kids and it would scare the crap out of us. well the "look" did not come and neither did many words! actually no words at all, just a sound, something along the lines of hmuhff !?1? then he turned his attention back to the TV and i left the room and had to remember to breath again! i wonder if i shocked him or if my plan of leaving tattoo magazines strategicly placed all over the house(to desensitize him) worked? anyway whatever the reason im glad i got it over with!

This is an awesome article written this week on the best tattoo shops in Toronto. Just in case some of you LSTers wanted to come visit us up north!! :)
The Best Tattoo Parlours in Toronto
pay special attention to #8!! ;)
Below is just a little bit to tease you! (click the link to read more and see pictures!)
The Best Tattoo Parlours in Toronto
Posted by Ryan Bolton / May 12, 2011
33 Comments
The best tattoo parlours in Toronto are varied. Different clienteles, histories, techniques et al. But they all have one thing in common -- they're well revered by Toronto's tattooed community, which is to say, well, just about everyone, including the suits. I have tattoos, you have tattoos, we all have tattoos. And with a glut of shops popping up just about everywhere in the city -- every two steps along Queen St. for damned sure -- it's a good idea to make sure you're getting ink from a shop that has a bit of a reputation for, say, quality. Let's stay away from that guy's basement apartment (read: scratcher shop).
Like everyone says, it's going to be on you for a long time (read: life). And although sometimes it's fun to strike when the inspiration is hot, most people (read: those that aren't inebriated) like to put some thought into their pieces. Reasonable enough.
Here's a list of Toronto's best tattoo parlours in Toronto.
Pearl Harbor Gift Shop
These guys do it right. They hold onto the traditions of tattooing, are respectful, have a drop-dead gorgeous shop in Kensington, and, what do you know, do really freakin’ good tattoos. They take pride in working directly with the client on each piece. It also helps that Toronto’s legendary Bill Baker runs the place with Daniel Innes. In summation - it’s a solid shop. More »
Passage Tattoo Parlour
One of the city’s best (and most hidden) tattoo shops. Built over the years on a solid word-of-mouth reputation, Passage simply does brilliant custom work. As custom tattoos are beginning to become the norm for a lot of customers, these guys will take what you want and give you the best possible version. And they’re all nice as hell. More »
Archive Tattoo Studio
Having only officially been around since 2008, David Glantz’s shop has built up quite the hype. Doing 100% original tattoos, Archive strives to have a connection with the client. They want to feel you out and what you’re into before putting tattoo machine to skin. And for a lot of people, that’s good peace of mind. No matter, the tattoos that come out of this place are pretty damn impressive. More »
Imperial Tattoo
With a handful of artists, Imperial Tattoo has someone for just about every style – realism, illustration, Japanese, traditional, colour, Celtic. Holed up in a clean, open-concept loft space at Ossington and Queen, Imperial also houses Ronan Gibney, considered to be one of the city’s top tattoo artists. That never hurts your reputation. More »
Seven Crowns Tattoo
Most people, me included, just straight up like co-owners Matthew Ellis and George Brown. They’re nice dudes with antiquated style when it comes to decor. Carving out their own terrain all alone up at Yonge and Eg, Seven Crowns is known for their custom work. And like most of the city’s top tattoo shops, they are pretty much hidden. They are sought out because of their work, like a good shop should be. More »
Tat-A-Rama Tattoo Shop
Here’s Toronto’s classic street shop with all the history. Found in Etobicoke (yeah, seriously, far west end), this little shop in a mini-mall has had some of the city’s most acclaimed tattoo artist put in at least a stint at Tat-A-Rama. Most got their start here. That says a lot about the shop’s owner, Eugene, who has been at the helm for the past 18 years. More »
TCB Tattoos
Here’s a street shop that gets it right. With people constantly coming and going and an open atmosphere between tattoo stations, TCB is built on community. Splashed with art and colours everywhere you look, these guys service everyone from businessmen to college kids to day labourers. And with six artists and an apprentice, TCB has a lot of capacity. More »
Speakeasy Tattoo
Albeit a relatively new shop, Speakeasy is drenched in tradition. It’s a classic-styled tattoo shop that holds onto the respect that comes with tattoo culture. Lizzie Renaud, the shop’s owner, has tattooed around the world, which translates into bringing what she’s learned and seen overseas to the shop. They also have a fluffly Pomeranian named Wilma if that counts for anything. More »
New Tribe Tattoo
With a prime location downtown (across from MuchMusic), New Tribe has a steady passerby clientele always popping in. Doing it all – tattoos, piercings and even haircuts – New Tribe is known for always putting out a solid tattoo. This monster of a shop (it rings in at 4,000 sq. ft.) is built for the masses. You want to get a solid piercing or tat after seeing Katy Perry at Much? No problem. More »

here's an update guys! i went sky diving this morning and it was the most amazing experience of my life! my friend said just as addictive as getting tattooed i wanna go back for more!! and i wasn't as nervous as i thought i was going to be. you dont have time to be nervous really! actually the scariest part is signing the liability wavier before you get suited up.

I decided to go for it :D
Got both done, pix to come after the swelling goes down...

here's an update guys! i went sky diving this morning and it was the most amazing experience of my life! my friend said just as addictive as getting tattooed i wanna go back for more!! and i wasn't as nervous as i thought i was going to be. you dont have time to be nervous really! actually the scariest part is signing the liability wavier before you get suited up.

i took the week off to go to the cottage and breath some fresh air and relax. recently i did the Warrior dash(5km mud race with obstacles) it was so amazing and im hooked! i want to eventually work my way up to Tough Mudder!
im new to running-been doing it for fun for the last year- and im training pretty hard for a half marathon coming up this fall!
oh and how could i forget in a couple weeks in going skydiving!! its easy to back out of something big like this but im organizing a group to go with and they will keep me from backing out! hahahaha

here's an update guys! i went sky diving this morning and it was the most amazing experience of my life! my friend said just as addictive as getting tattooed i wanna go back for more!! and i wasn't as nervous as i thought i was going to be. you dont have time to be nervous really! actually the scariest part is signing the liability wavier before you get suited up.

ahahaha....im loving everyones stories and input, keep them coming!!

i think i might be back. but i can't get too distracted as this semester is the first one doing "real" science and math.
August has been a blast! i saw 3 rattlesnakes, learned how to mist-net and handle bats while camping in Tahoe National Forrest, handled 6 bats (5 on the trip and one last Friday during my volunteer shift at Wildcare), and performed my first necropsy yesterday on a opossum that had been attacked by a dog (or at least i'm guessing that due to the large wound it had). it's all kind of creepy crawly science shit, but it's been life changing and i love it!

here's an update guys! i went sky diving this morning and it was the most amazing experience of my life! my friend said just as addictive as getting tattooed i wanna go back for more!! and i wasn't as nervous as i thought i was going to be. you dont have time to be nervous really! actually the scariest part is signing the liability wavier before you get suited up.

This is a great thread to bring back,
My Labradoodle now about 9 years old

Heres my baby girl Maggie, nearly 3 now

My brother-in-law's got a 6 toed female cat which his young daughter named "Sebastian". Cat's meaner then hell.
Probably pissed of about getting a boy's name . . .

my cat Louie... only photos I have were taken when we first got him from the shelter a year ago. He's got two extra toes on each paw.

I'm trying to get some more ideas for a tattoo of our cat, Zola. She is a black/white tuxedo cat, lived in the shelter for 4 years, and incredibly sweet. I know a lot of cat owners say this, but she is unlike any other cat I've met. Not so independent, never scratches/bites, she doesn't even meow, more like a cooing/purr-meow sound. She's a pretty cuddly little thing, only 7.5 pounds.
I asked my artist to tattoo her but I can't think of what kind of things I'd want to have in the tattoo with her. She's such a simple girl, looks out the window, sleeps, plays with hairbands, eats, sleeps, sleeps, etc. I'm thinking of having him turn her into an egyptian goddess but I'm kind of scared to ask for an "egyptian" style tattoo. I thought about having him turn her into a traditional "mean" looking panther, aka a panther with tuxedo cat markings, but he didn't seem too into it.
I've got a few months before the appointment so I'm sure I'll figure it out.

I got this idea from Shawns thread on his new "bundle of Joy" where he announced he was adopting this cute italian grey hound. i know im not the only one who loves talking about their pets so please share away.
heres a little explaination of my pictures.
DEPRESSING STOREY WARNING: the first one is of Joia (joy-a, this is the portugues slang word for treasure/jewels) she was my first portuguese water dog. i rescued her from a hell hole of a living situation. i got her at the age of 1 yr and she lived with me and my family until she passed 7 months later. unfortunately she was born very very sick and by the time we found out something was wrong it was too late. sorry for the sad storey but thats life!!!
the 2nd and 3rd is of Avelan my current dog. we showed her within Canada and she got her championship with 4 weeks, we are so proud of her. now that shes sterealized we cant show her anymore so we've moved on to training in agility. its so much fun and shes got so much talent and ability!!
lastly are some pictures of cross stitch pieces i did. i do this in my free time because it keeps my hands busy and i think its as close as im gonna get to art of any kind becasue i dont draw anymore.