Funny enough, while filling out one of those Instagram templates about tattoos, I had several people comment that they had no idea I had so many. One suggested a tattoo tour, and here I am! I love all my tattoos, I love the culture and the way they make me feel. In a very conservative city like Miami, they are often covered up, as people here are not always very fond of them, but I’d really like to change the stigma. Sure, it is lifting in many places, but I feel like if you are a young professional mother, they are still frowned upon, which is just the silliest.
I have established really amazing relationships with my main tattoo artists, and I really love that I have mainly been tattooed by women. I’ll be sharing the who/what/where of them, and also their stories because although they are really pretty or cool to look at, they also have deep meaning.
- Butterfly on lower back // Tattoos by Lou // Artist unknown
Lets start at the beginning. I didn’t hesitate one minute when I turned 18. The only birthday gift I wanted was a tattoo, and it was quite the affair. My older sister came with me, along with a pile of my friends. I picked something off the wall, at a generic but popular tattoo shop and put it in the most eye roll inducing spot ever. What can I say? I was a teenager. Yes, I have a tramp stamp. No, I don’t care in the least. I have fond memories of it, and that time in my life. Plus, I never see it. Like, taking these photos is when I was able to really get a good look at it after all these years.
2. Smashing Pumpkins heart // Tattoos by Lou // Artist unknown
My second tattoo was the SP logo. They were my favorite band, with an adorable logo, so it was only natural I would get it tattooed. I know a lot of people get freaked out getting “favorites” tattooed, especially when they are young, but I can honestly say they are still my favorites. If you know me personally, you definitely know this is true. I got this one about a year after my first, so I went to the same shop with my best friend at the time, who got her first that day as well.
3. Smashing Pumpkins lyric // Ocho Placas // Javier Betancourt
There was a very big gap in time between my 2nd tattoo and my third. Like, 8-ish years (?) worth of a gap. In that time, I had a lot of friends that were into tattoos and was way more informed as to what a good shop and a good artist was. This was a totally spontaneous one. My husband and I were at a bridal shower where we had a few too many tropical drinks and started talking about tattoos. Before we knew it, our friend who has beautiful handwriting had scratched out two of our favorite Smashing Pumpkin lyrics and we were at her most trusted shop, Ocho Placas, with its most talented artist, Javier (who is now the owner). Mine is from the song, Fuck You (An Ode to No One) and reads, “Destroy the mind, destroy the body, but you cannot destroy the heart,” while my husband’s is from Muzzle and reads, “I fear that I am ordinary, just like everyone.” Fun fact (s): it was his first tattoo + I was wearing a dress when I got there so I had to go into a private room so I wouldn’t be exposing my goods for everyone to see. Ah, youth.
Unfortunately, this one will be covered up in the near future as it hasn’t aged well due to placement. It rubs up against my pants a lot and has gotten really blurry and hard to read.
