JZT

Here's the tat Lauren and I designed for her forearm. We quibbled a little about it, but she is happy and planning to use it as a base for a whole sleeve.

I watched the TLC dvd about machine tuning and am wondering if I slept through portions of the class as it had many details in it that I hadn't heard about changing parts for different uses. I'll be watching it again. It was beautifully done, with Lisa's voice and Matt's fingers. I want to go back to school again.

I have been enjoying keeping up with John and Mia and Maria on Facebook. John is fulfilling my expectations for him. Mia and Maria are also doing beautiful work.
My business cards came and they are gorgeous.
Baby Josh and Jimmy have promised to build me something to work on.
I subscribed to Tattoo Revue, but still no issue. Hurry up, everybody.

Tomorrow night is my poetry feature at Cafe Lean. I'm psyched. Hope to find some tattoo victims.

Up Early

Decided to catch up on 'scapes and The Flyaways this morning, both of which I have been neglecting. I visited TLC two weeks ago. I really needed a tattoo fix and it felt like home to be back at school. I met Crispus, who Lisa is sponsoring so he can go back home to Uganda and begin a business there. I also picked up three more t-shirts; a gorilla for MJ, and two TLCs(another for myself). Talked with Matt about doing my rose in January. He will be going to Am-Jam in Syracuse and I'd love to go there. They have found a location for their second school in San Diego and a former student to operate it. I hope I can visit there someday.

Not much tattooing going on around here. I ordered new business cards, as the pink ones are not quite appropriate for TATTOOing, but they have not yet arrived. Subscribed to Tattoo Revue, also not yet appeared. Keeping up with Maria (salsa dancing in Florida), Mia (doing cosmetics in D.C.) and John in his own shop(!)through FB. Don't hear much from Michael Colon or anything about Sandy/Chico. Lisa dropped off the new shop video about machine tuning which I will be watching this afternoon, probably during the Christmas wrapping.

My own

After I worked on Josh, I wanted to keep going, so I asked J to stretch my arm while I tattooed myself. It didn't work out too well and I ended up just doing it myself. I filled in and went over some of the green leaves and then added more purple hearts, little ones, so I have 3 orange hearts for my kids and now 8 purple ones for the grandchildren. I love it. It is colorful and looks more linked than it did before. Now thinking of other stuff to add.

Josh's Brothers

After T-day

Baby Josh is coming tomorrow for his tattoo. I'm ready to go. I've been reading tattoo books about history, choosing, meaning, etc. and exploring websites. Also ready to work on myself a little as soon as I get two more hands.

No tattoo

I got my new rotary machine this week, but haven't used it yet. It is red and matches my box. Baby Josh showed me the drawing he wants on his shoulder. It is a beautiful tree. The weekend went by with no tattooing and I miss it. Reading a great book called Ink.

Boob Shot

Okay, first boob today. My daughter had a tat she had gotten in high school (I didn't know at the time, ha) that was pretty washed out. So we brightened it up and enlarged it. She is very happy. I, Ms. Self-critical, is finding flaws in it. Good thing she lives here, so I can work on it more when it heals. I'm learning, I'm learning. I'm posting it small so you can't see my colors aren't too solid



I gotta tell ya, I love this. It feels good to have the machine in my hand, to choose colors, even to do the set up. I just want to be more skillful, faster.
Doing a little touch up work on Zach tomorrow.

for Arthur

I am awed by my grandson. Zachary was the first tattoo at home today. He had me put a rope tie draped over his shoulder with an arrowhead clasp on his bicep - a bolo tie for my father. My dad died two years ago on Halloween. He was a wonderful man and I adored him, but I am a little overwhelmed with the fact that he meant so much to his great grandson. Zachary seems happy with the tattoo. I am as usual critical of myself, but happy that he is happy. He rushed off to show Travis, who approved.

Next I worked on my own arm a little, filling in a couple of more leaves. It is surprisingly easy to work on yourself and I may find myself doing more.

It was satisfying to lay out the materials and get to know them. Everything is set up pretty efficiently and I'm good to go. Small problem with the machine cutting out. Can't figure out why.

I ordered and rec'd the correct number of needles. And the spirit masters. Duh. And the sharps container I forgot the first time. Tech Guy helped put them away.
Lauren found a new butterfly so I can do a coverup on her old one. The list is growing.

Zach wondered what my dad would think of the tattoo thing. I must admit, I'm not sure. He always supported everything I did, tho, so, maybe. (We all know what my mother would say.) I love you, Zach. You, too, Dad.

Damn the Health Department

I called today and was told that I cannot get a tattoo artist permit without being "affiliated" with a shop. What the heck?

My stuff arrived finally on Wed. night at 6 p.m. T-rex, the Tech Assistant, eagerly tore open the boxes and packages, arranged the ink, filled the cabinet drawers per my instructions, and was ready for me to start tattooing. His father also stopped in and asked the same question. Would I be ready to tattoo him this weekend? Answer is no. I want to practice up. Sounds like he wants a whole sleeve and I need to start out on smaller pieces. And, now, I have to straighten out the AlCo permit thing. I'll have to ask Lisa.

My power source is a lovely red. I goofed up the needle order and had to send for more. Finally found the spirit masters, right where Lisa said they were. That should all be here on Friday.

Had dinner with Tom tonight. He is very interested in what I'm doing and I appreciate that. He is a good friend.

Grrrrr...

The UPS man did not leave my stuff today because I was not here to sign for it. I had seen him at work yesterday and told him I was at the library. He is there every day. The dummy. Tomorrow I'm waiting at home for him. He's supposed to be here early.

Per Lisa's suggestion, I am finding it no problem to perform at least one tattoo operation every day. My list of potential victims is growing. My first is going to be myself. I need more leaves on my arm. We'll see how that goes.

T-rex, my new Tattoo Tech, helped me lug in and scrub up the white chest for supplies. He also unpacked the scanner. Tomorrow he is anxious to unpack the UPS delivery and put stuff in the drawers.

I found tons of flash sites and free fonts on the web. Heard from Maria in Michigan a couple of times. No response from the guys. Linda Hladun was in the lib yesterday and we talked about Matt doing her baby portrait.

Spending money

The credit card is sizzling. Ordered ink, disposable tubes w/needles, gloves, green soap, power, clip, pedal (a round one) from Unimax. Ordered one rotary machine from Virtual Village to try it out. Got the scanner, etc. yesterday. Now for the dollar store for the odds and ends. Gosh, I'm frightened. Must tell the kids no Christmas this year. Took myself out to breakfast and ran into Dave Raynsford, who was more than happy to chat about Elf Project and show me his tattoos. Eli and I went to the park, then to Heather's where Jack pulled the Snowy Owl trick. I told H. she must design her own tattoo. She has some fantastic white/silver roses on wine glasses. I wish someone would invent a lasting white. Once again the day has gone by without housework. I need help.

Murder

I dreamed last night that I murdered some strange old man with a pair of scissors. God knows where that came from.

When I got home last night I re-read the whole TLC website, looked at everyone's tattoos. Found my mistakes and want to go back and fix them. The butterfly needs a little more black on the right bottom. The Screamer needs more purple, but that's understandable. I'd certainly never touch her again. I found I really like the devil's head with the flames I did the first week. I'd suggest some shading, some color in the drawing the Fainter came in with. There's a little mistake (I missed the orange under the robin's wing) in the wedding piece. Like the tree but could have done the coils more delicately. The minister's Kathy has a clunky A. Would like to dude up the old eyeball. The cover up on Jim worked okay but still hate the subject.

Would also like to fix up my own leaves a little bit. Maybe I'll try it when I get my supplies, which I will work on ordering tomorrow. Need to bathe Eli today. His ears are all oily from the medication. The house is a wreck from two weeks of neglect. And, I want to start drawing, subscribe to a couple of mags. Then, finish The Last Child and psych myself up to become a library person again.