else

I've had *2* beautiful tattoos from Levi Hatch, he did both my raven-girl and my anchor.

I believe he's left Oklahoma though, last I heard he was in Michigan.

I've been following his work and it's just so good! I'd love to have another from him.

Think Ink tattoo in Norman is probably the only place I'd go in Oklahoma (besides Richard Stell ;))

David Bruehl came out of there too.

I was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis type I. What does this entail? Fuck me, I dunno, as it progressive and unpredictable. I might just keep getting giant tumors, which I already have and have named for my favorite tattooers. I could get cancer, or brain tumors. My spine may curve, but my posture is pretty bad anyways.

I could get tumors that break bones, and I can get a nice amputation for that. Or it may just disfigure me.

It's what they thought the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick had, but he had something else.

Wanna know the real shitty part? It's expensive as Hell to treat, and I may be able to get through on SSI/Medicare/Medicaid, but my tattooing will always be underground.

And right after I renewed my license too! I have the will to live, and my body is messing with me. When I make a bad joke, I laugh at myself and say, "Oh. I kill me."

Now I add, "Literally."

But am I complaining? HELL NO! Not even one little bit. Although I do find it shitty. Hence the post.

Dude...

That sucks.

My sister has a whole bunch of the cafe au lait spots and we've always wondered if that's what she has. So far so good for her though.

I have my own incurable thing... I've posted about it some, and it's actually what led me here in the first place.

The way I look at it is this - there are no guarantees at all. I could step off the curb and get hit by a bus tomorrow. "now" is all you can count on. I try my best to fully inhabit "now".

The future is fuck scary. The past, it's gone. I want every moment I have to be as happy and good as possible, so I focus on the good, attend to the things that make me happy, and try to let all the rest of it go.

I got the job I wanted :)

Welcome :)

This place does the same thing to me. It makes me want more, and bigger, and now!! ;)

So reading this thread, I'm getting the impression that getting my knees tattooed while on vacation is a really bad idea, right? Especially if a good part of said vacation will involve walking around a lot?

Oh lord, no...

The knees are rough. I didn't want to walk *anywhere* not even from the couch to the kitchen for a couple days after mine.

I LOVE scrubs on new leg tattoos.

In fact, I wear them to bed on fresh tattoos. They're great because they're light and easy to wash. When things are still sticking I wear them right into the shower.

I have an appt with Steve bryne in august

You'll love him :)

Oh! @Colored Guy

I've been away for a long time and just catching up around here... I'm so sorry to hear this.

Love and comfort to you and your wife.

I've worked with hospice and I have the utmost respect for what they do.

I love everybody's squidpants!!! :)

Thanks @Pugilist !!

Jennifer is getting her Master's in horticulture and, I thought, did an excellent job of melding "botanically accurate" with American Traditional. Up close they're really amazing, all the details of a botanical illustration are there. My uncle lives in Fayetteville and I was visiting him for a few days last summer and took my opportunity while I was there ;)

Heeeeeeeeeeeeey lady! How are you? Your gams look great - who did those peonies?

I'm good :)

I'm back in Portland for right now, indefinitely at this point :)

The peonies were done by Jennifer Billig formerly of Atlas tattoo in Portland but most recently in Fayetteville, AR. Super nice!!

Hey guys!!

Long time no see, eh? ;)

I was just thinking about y'all, about how much I missed LST.

I've slowed way down the past few months but I'm still hard at work on the squidpants project.

It is *super* hard to get good pictures of one's own legs... the best I can do at this moment is link back to a picture I posted in the fall. You can't see all of them in it, and there are 2? (maybe 3?) more since then.

http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/forum/general-tattoo-discussion/4394-your-overall-look-tattooed-person-page19.html#post81060

Thank you so much Tron!!!

Welcome :)

Hey!!! :)

[ATTACH]10048[/ATTACH]

Frank Carter, Frith St.

He drew this on in quite an awkward space between two pieces on my leg. Super nice guy, had fun getting this one.

First time in Frith Street!

And I robbed this picture from Frank's Instagram btw

Damn!!! I LOVE that!!!

Congratulations @Reyeslv it's stunning!!

Went back thru this thread b/c the direction I'm going in, I'm going to be heavily tattooed on one side of my back/one upper arm, and kinda sprinkled on the other side and I was getting antsy about it... and saw this picture-so stunning how the tattoos look together, and with your dress, just beautiful.

Thanks :)

At least 4, maybe 5 of mine, when I walked in the door for my appointment I had no idea what I was getting.

The rest I had an idea ("how about a dragon?") but I've never seen sketches or anything ahead of time.

I like it like that, I like surprises! :)

Since eventually I'll be on disability, which is a huge bummer, I'm planning on "celebrating" the fact with hand tattoos.

Right now I'm thinking Steve Byrne for that, but I'm hoping to work for about 10 more years, so there's no telling who I'll be wanting my hands done by when it happens.

It'll be my gift to myself.

Hi Libby!

Welcome!

As a rule, the members here will be glad to point you in the direction of a good tattooer, and then suggest that you take your ideas to them and let them do their job with it :)

That's why they make the big bucks, right? ;)

Awwww! Thanks @Graeme , @hogg , @Delicious , @TrixieFaux , et al.

I love that picture, I was stunned when I saw it. I was flipping through the photographer's favorites from the wedding and there it was. I hadn't realized she took that picture. (Admittedly, I'd put back a few by that time of the night!!)

I honestly had no idea how awesome the tattoos all look together - I never see them from afar like that, never see them the way a distant observer would. It's no wonder I get stopped on the streets!! :)

Thanks @Graeme :)

I was stoked when I saw it, I don't usually get to see my tattoos from that angle, y'know?

Welcome!

I'm in Klamath Falls right now :)

I can't wait to see your pics