The Frugal Village Tattoo Parlor

[Nada.Leona]

DH has been watching too much "L.A. Ink" and now I'm thinking about tattoos. So I thought I'd bring up the subject.

So, what is your opinion on tattoos? Like 'em? Loathe 'em? Do you have any? How many? And if so, can you post appropriate pictures of them?

[kittykatstrong]

I have a white daisy on my shoulder that I got about 12 years ago. I have thought about getting more with my girls names but dont have the money and can never decide where to get it.

[daughter of pearl]

I have a tribal "tramp stamp" (that term wasn't around when I got it, or I wouldn't have!) which I got for my fortieth birthday...have thought about another...wanted to get a lotus flower to commemorate a friend who died last summer, but am not sure and they do cost a bit.

Note to everyone re: lower back tat's...if you get one, it could affect your ability to get an epidural during child birth, so weigh the consequences.

Do you know what you want to get, LadyNada?

[Nada.Leona]

I have one tattoo at this point. It's a small spider web with a tiny spider hanging down from the web, and it's on my right shoulder. I love it, it's so adorable.

I have several others I want to get. I would like to get my wedding band tattooed on; I'd like to get a beautiful picture I can't find right now of an angel embracing a girl; an outline of Canada.

[MyMelody]

Neither DH nor I have any. We have friends who are former tattoo artists and have full sleeves and some beautiful work done, though. I have not gotten any because I can't think of anything I would love enough to want it on me forever. Like, what if I change my mind and I suddenly don't like it? I would also want something very unique and custom, if I did get one, and I would want it on a part of my body that I could easily conceal for work. And also, I am sort of scared of the tatt gun.

[MrsOptimistic]

I have one on my left forearm that says "love laugh live". It's the first in what I hope will be a full sleeve of text. I've been either pregnant or broke the last 5 years so it's just slow going. Ha!

[Linus]

I love my tattoos. I have 5 actually (see below) and still have a few more I want to get. *ALL* of mine are self designed and inked by Jacqueline at Yonge Street Tattoos (awesome work).

The ram and metal dog are my two zodiacs. (these were my first and I did them because I wanted to at least try once to see if I liked it or not..)

Linus, on my neck, kinda self-explanatory.

The crest with the sword represents my family crest with motto (translated, literally, means courage towards the summits). The sword's hilt is that of the Acadian Cross. (to honor my family and where I am from)

The flag with the shield represent my nationality (Canadian) and heritage (Acadian)

The Michelle, Ma Belle is a tribute to my mom. The white ribbon, with her year of birth and death, is a remembrance of violence against women (since my mom was a victim of this). The song is written by her favourite band/artist. The frog is a symbol of her french-ness and her collection of frogs while the quill highlights her creative side as well as her translation ability (she was a translator and ran her own successful business as such). This was done to remember my mom in a positive manner. It was freeing and the most painful tattoo I ever got (nearly passed out). Oddly enough, it reminded me of the relationship I had with my mom: meaningful but oh so frustrating. And a tribute to the person she was.

I think I'll be waiting until I'm settled in L.A. for a year or so before I get my next set.

[Rhayne]

I have one tattoo, a purple butterfly on my right ankle. I want more but it's a slow decision since I'll live with it forever. When I got it I didn't want one out of a book. I wanted an original one. I brought a picture of a butterfly like the ones in winnie the pooh. I told the tattoo artist to change parts of it. He ended up drawing a whole new one for me. I love it and I can safely say NO ONE else has it. I cut up and threw away the only copy of it.

[MomToTwoBoys]

I have two of them that I've had for a very long time now. I don't regret getting them because I was sober when I had them done.

The first is on my lower back. It's a tribal heart with wings.

The second is on my lower front. It's a celtic sun.

I wanted to get more done but DH is sort of anti-tattoo. He doesn't like the idea of something that permanent going on your skin. I told him I wanted to get the one on my lower back added to. I wanted to put my sons' initials above and below it.

[jas]

Niether dh or I have any tattoos. He doesn't want any. I have thought a million times about getting one a small, tiny one. Someplace that is not going to look totally goofy when I'm 85 yrs old. So far have not done it.

Ds does not have any. Now for dd17 all she talks about is getting a tattoo. Once a week she asks if she can get one. Her dad would freak out on me if I took her. He didn't want her to even get her ears pierced. She was four and it was a few days before she was to be in a wedding. Which I took her and tried to get done. She begged for them. We got to the store and she got one done and screamed and hollered so much people were starting to gather around. So we left the store with one ear done. Dh had to pry the thing off/out since they were the ones for little kids.

She does have them done now though and she has her tragis done too. She will be 18 next March and she can do it on her own then. She does not know what she wants, but wants it to mean somethng. She does not want people to ask "What is it for" and she has no answer than "Just because I couldn't think of anything else."

[Thevail]

I have three:
My wedding band tattooed on my right upper arm, hubby has the matching one.

A little blackwork dragon on my center sternum just below the bra-band line.

and a huge central backpiece on my center upper back. It's a native American spirit shield that's a memorial to my grandmother and will have additional dangling feathers added for my parents (hopefully never). I copyrighted the design so no one else can ever copy it legally.

All of mine are mostly blackwork, because I think colors tend to go funny over time, and constant touch up gets spendy quickly.

Good tattoo work is EXPENSIVE (my tattoo guy is $100/hr.).. but it's an artists original work done on the worst canvas in the world to work on. And honestly it's cheaper than buying a really nice original painting would be, so I guess it's all relative.

As far as the getting older thing (this may get a bit crude, but it's important!) If it is going to sag or wrinkle badly don't get a tattoo there. The body was going to look like that anyway, but no one wants a rose that turned into a palm tree!!!

On the other hand, when I'm 85, I'm betting my tattoo will be the nicest looking thing on my body...

[Contrary Housewife]

I think tattoos can be nice if tastefully done. Of course everyone has their idea of what "tasteful" means. My dad had some done in the military decades ago. I thought about getting one when I was younger, but images of what my dad's tats looked like when they were 30 years old kept putting me off. And I didn't like the idea they were permanent. So, none here. My husband call them "tramp stamps" too.

I have done henna a few times. It's a lot of work to apply, but it goes away after a couple weeks, which I like.

[jas]

I have three:
My wedding band tattooed on my right upper arm, hubby has the matching one.

A little blackwork dragon on my center sternum just below the bra-band line.

and a huge central backpiece on my center upper back. It's a native American spirit shield that's a memorial to my grandmother and will have additional dangling feathers added for my parents (hopefully never). I copyrighted the design so no one else can ever copy it legally.

All of mine are mostly blackwork, because I think colors tend to go funny over time, and constant touch up gets spendy quickly.

Good tattoo work is EXPENSIVE (my tattoo guy is $100/hr.).. but it's an artists original work done on the worst canvas in the world to work on. And honestly it's cheaper than buying a really nice original painting would be, so I guess it's all relative.

As far as the getting older thing (this may get a bit crude, but it's important!) If it is going to sag or wrinkle badly don't get a tattoo there. The body was going to look like that anyway, but no one wants a rose that turned into a palm tree!!!

On the other hand, when I'm 85, I'm betting my tattoo will be the nicest looking thing on my body...

I just remember my dad having a few on his arms that you could barely tell what they were. Who knows where and when he got them. In the military for sure and I could almost gaurantee that the tattoo guy wasn't top of the line for sure.

I said the 85 and thought of some of these young people that get things on the face and just all over and I know things and feelings change over time and wondered if at that age would they wish they didn't put stuff on thier face. I could not imagine what it would look like if they wanted a face lift or something.

Most notably in the news is that woman that Jesse James (Sandra Bullocks husband) Has them on her face. Well even Kat from LA INK

[baronmom]

I have two. I have one on my lower back that is a butterfly with some tribal stuff on it. The other one is above my right ankle. it is two baby footprints with my grandson's name Kayden above the prints and the day of his birth/death of 11-4-99

[OOwl]

I have one and it's very personal and special to me. It's a small seahorse, original artwork, colored (still vibrant 8 years old) right above my inside ankle. I want another one, but not sure where yet. I do not regret it at all. Good luck on your decision.