I had been determined to get a tattoo for the past 4 years, but had never done it. I was going to do it when I lost weight for my 30th birthday… I didn’t lose weight. And so it went, I set goals, didn’t meet them and didn’t get a tattoo. Finally, on doctors (very scary) orders, I lost 10kg’s and managed to keep it off. So, when my 33rd birthday rolled around, it was time!
The other thing holding me back, besides my lack of goal achievement was what to get? Seeing as how tattoo’s are (as my parents always tell me) permanent, it had to be something that meant something and that was ‘me’. So, I Googled. I found some really nice ones, but nothing grabbed me (except the really big ones that are done down the side). I was almost decided on stars but then I had an epiphany! A daisy! Perfect and SO apt! I was given the nickname “Daisy Chainsaw, Last of the Poppy People” by someone who played a big role in my teenage years and my best friend used it too (though abbreviated to DCLOTPP). I also doodle daisies and sign cards with a daisy under my name. My brother bought me a daisy ring when he was in Greece because when he saw it he said it was ‘me’. So, decision made! Yay!
I stopped in at the tattoo shop and booked my appointment for the 21st March, a public holiday and the day before my birthday.
On the morning, I was feeling a bit tender after a late night out, but managed to pull through with many sugary drinks and a toasted cheese sandwich. I watched a girl get script tattooed down her rib cage and another get a tattoo on her neck. I was feeling calm and ready…
When it was my turn, Bevan and I looked at the daisy I had chosen and found some curly things to go on either side and decided to put it on my lower back. When it came to getting the tattoo, he asked me to sit on the bed and hug my knees and not to move. Now, I’m a twitchy person and have random sensitive areas on my back, so not moving is not a promise I can comfortably make. Bevan told me he’d do a test line without ink, so I’d know what to expect – he had described the pain and a thousand bees stinging you at the same time… not very comforting. So with the test line done and not nearly as bad as I expected, I was ready!
We chatted, I hugged my knees, cringed a bit once in a while, but thought I was being very brave! And that was the outline done. Then came the shading…. AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!! I was not ready for that! I held on though, surely that was the worst… the black curly design bits weren’t too think and the flower was lightly shaded. No problem! Then came the middle, yellow bit….he went over and over and over it, to make sure it was solid. It was also sitting right in the centre of the top of my pelvis. It felt like someone was slowly gouging out a piece of skin with a sharp knife. By this stage I was grinding my teeth and squeezing my ankles until my feet went numb.
While all of this was going on, a girl walked in to get a tattoo on her thigh and came to take a look at what was happening. She was very nice and complimentary – a little bit of reassurance goes a long way when you’re trying not to squeal with pain. She then asked me whether I had used the cream. ‘Cream?” I said. “Yes, the numbing cream.” Um… no! No one told me about a numbing cream! So I said “Nah… Im hard core!” and luckily Bevan agreed! But I do think that you should feel every minute of your first tattoo, it’s kind of like a right of passage.
So after it was done, I was covered up, told what nappy cream to buy and that was that! Success!
My garn and her twin sister came over to see me that afternoon, so I showed them and got them to help me clean all the dried blood off. And they liked it! At least that was something because I knew my parents would not be happy. But what could they do? My brother already has two, so I’m hardly the first one to go against their wishes (for a change)
It was a bit tender for a few days afterwards and then started getting really itchy when the scab started forming and falling off – nothing says crazy like someone hitting their lower back (instead of scratching) for no apparent reason. But it is all healed now and I think it’s really pretty and I have absolutely no regret!
They say that tattoo’s are addictive. I can tell you that for 3 weeks afterwards, I was adamant that they aren’t. But I now notice other people’s tattoo’s more and once in a while a new tattoo does pop into my head. But for now, I don’t have anything specific in mind and I don’t have a reason… so that’s me for a while, until the next epiphany or landmark.
This tattoo is me and reminds me that this is who I am… so take it or leave it!
The other thing holding me back, besides my lack of goal achievement was what to get? Seeing as how tattoo’s are (as my parents always tell me) permanent, it had to be something that meant something and that was ‘me’. So, I Googled. I found some really nice ones, but nothing grabbed me (except the really big ones that are done down the side). I was almost decided on stars but then I had an epiphany! A daisy! Perfect and SO apt! I was given the nickname “Daisy Chainsaw, Last of the Poppy People” by someone who played a big role in my teenage years and my best friend used it too (though abbreviated to DCLOTPP). I also doodle daisies and sign cards with a daisy under my name. My brother bought me a daisy ring when he was in Greece because when he saw it he said it was ‘me’. So, decision made! Yay!
I stopped in at the tattoo shop and booked my appointment for the 21st March, a public holiday and the day before my birthday.
On the morning, I was feeling a bit tender after a late night out, but managed to pull through with many sugary drinks and a toasted cheese sandwich. I watched a girl get script tattooed down her rib cage and another get a tattoo on her neck. I was feeling calm and ready…
When it was my turn, Bevan and I looked at the daisy I had chosen and found some curly things to go on either side and decided to put it on my lower back. When it came to getting the tattoo, he asked me to sit on the bed and hug my knees and not to move. Now, I’m a twitchy person and have random sensitive areas on my back, so not moving is not a promise I can comfortably make. Bevan told me he’d do a test line without ink, so I’d know what to expect – he had described the pain and a thousand bees stinging you at the same time… not very comforting. So with the test line done and not nearly as bad as I expected, I was ready!
We chatted, I hugged my knees, cringed a bit once in a while, but thought I was being very brave! And that was the outline done. Then came the shading…. AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!! I was not ready for that! I held on though, surely that was the worst… the black curly design bits weren’t too think and the flower was lightly shaded. No problem! Then came the middle, yellow bit….he went over and over and over it, to make sure it was solid. It was also sitting right in the centre of the top of my pelvis. It felt like someone was slowly gouging out a piece of skin with a sharp knife. By this stage I was grinding my teeth and squeezing my ankles until my feet went numb.
While all of this was going on, a girl walked in to get a tattoo on her thigh and came to take a look at what was happening. She was very nice and complimentary – a little bit of reassurance goes a long way when you’re trying not to squeal with pain. She then asked me whether I had used the cream. ‘Cream?” I said. “Yes, the numbing cream.” Um… no! No one told me about a numbing cream! So I said “Nah… Im hard core!” and luckily Bevan agreed! But I do think that you should feel every minute of your first tattoo, it’s kind of like a right of passage.
So after it was done, I was covered up, told what nappy cream to buy and that was that! Success!
My garn and her twin sister came over to see me that afternoon, so I showed them and got them to help me clean all the dried blood off. And they liked it! At least that was something because I knew my parents would not be happy. But what could they do? My brother already has two, so I’m hardly the first one to go against their wishes (for a change)
It was a bit tender for a few days afterwards and then started getting really itchy when the scab started forming and falling off – nothing says crazy like someone hitting their lower back (instead of scratching) for no apparent reason. But it is all healed now and I think it’s really pretty and I have absolutely no regret!
They say that tattoo’s are addictive. I can tell you that for 3 weeks afterwards, I was adamant that they aren’t. But I now notice other people’s tattoo’s more and once in a while a new tattoo does pop into my head. But for now, I don’t have anything specific in mind and I don’t have a reason… so that’s me for a while, until the next epiphany or landmark.
This tattoo is me and reminds me that this is who I am… so take it or leave it!
