You don't want to miss out on this!

If you follow me on facebook, you've probably already heard about the amazing deal that Trey (owner of Baltimore Street Tattoo) offers on Black Friday, and if not.... here are the details:

On Black Friday (November 29th, the day after Thanksgiving),  if you buy a gift certificate(s), you will be matched by 50% of what you spend.  There is no minimum or maximum and the gift certs do not expire.  Not sure what to get a friend or relative for the holidays this year? Get them a gift cert to get tattooed or pierced at either location of BST ! So, if you spend $100, we'll give you one for $150, for example....AND if you happen to be one of our first 10 shoppers, you'll be matched 100% ! We will be opening at 9am and I've heard people will show up early in typical Black Friday spirit, but really, that 50% deal is super awesome, especially if you get tattooed on a regular basis. 

Not much else is new, I'm staying busy and enjoying life...hoping the same for you all... Happy and Safe Holidays! Oh, and there are a few more new pics up on FB :)

yay! new photos posted in new albums!

Check out my facebook page for new pics to peep!

Tattoo Contest!

Welcome! Ashley and I are so excited to tell you about our contest! The lucky lady who wins our contest will be the proud new owner of a pretty little sakura cherry blossom tattoo with a sparkly dermal gem piercing in the center of the flower! Similar to the one in this pic!

This is a 2 part contest: You will first get the tattoo from me and then once healed, you'll go to Ashley to have her pierce you. You can put your prize anywhere you want it (within reason) and we want you to tell us where and why you want it as your contest entry!
How to enter:
Send me a pic or video of yourself pointing to where you'd like to have your new tattoo (it will be about the size of a quarter). Include your story as to why you think you deserve to win …and here is the kicker… you're going to want to make it really good, because the public will be voting! Send pics via Facebook message or direct email and I will post asap & confirm your entry so you can start sharing your link!

I will post your pic in a special album on my Facebook page and you can share it with your friends and family and tell them to share it with their friends and family and whoever gets the most likes will win!  Ashley will promote on her Facebook page, and Baltimore Street Tattoos will promote on theirs, as well.  However, remember… ONLY the likes on your pic in my special folder will count.

The contest is going to run from August 1st till midnight August 31st and the winner will be announced September 2nd.  This prize is valued at approximately $160!  Guys, you are welcome to enter, too, but the prize cannot be substituted in any way.  What you win is what you get!  Prize must be claimed before January 1, 2014.

 

New Pics!

Hey peeps~ just letting you know that I've added a few new pics to my site and there are more to come.  Everyone getting ready for summer? Don't forget to keep a lil bottle of sunblock (high!) in your bag/pocket so that you can have the protection you need to keep your artwork looking fresh and bright!
I'm super excited that it's getting closer to July when I'll be doing my guest spot at Homeward Tattoo in Rehoboth Beach, De ~~ I've had a few inquiries on appointments so far & I'll be posting my schedule as it gets closer, but for sure it's the week of July 8th :)
Hmmm what else is going on.... Lots of big projects in the works and all good ones! Hope you are all doing well and see you soon!

What's new!

First of all, I want to thank everyone for their continued support! I seriously do have the BEST clients!!! Love all of you! We had a fab time at the Baltimore Tattoo Convention this year and I'm already looking forward to the next one. 
I am changing up my schedule a bit~ I am phasing out Wednesdays in favor of Mondays.  All existing wednesday appts will remain as is and I will now be available for both walkins AND appts on Mondays between the hours of 1pm- 8pm. 
I'm also excited to announce that I will be doing a guest spot at Homeward Tattoo in Rehoboth Beach, DE this summer.  I will be there the week of July 8th and will announce set dates/times as we get closer.  If you will be there on vacation, drop in and say HI!! If you want to book an appt w/me, just shoot me an email.  I'm hoping to do a lot of fun, small, beachy themed tattoos!

Fantasy Realism

When people ask me what kind of tattoos I like to do, or what my "style" is, I generally describe it as a fantasy version of reality, or in other words, what I'd LIKE to see as reality.  I like my tattoos to have a dreamy quality to them, bright in color, sharp in focus, but with an element of mystery and fantasy, a feeling of nostalgia.  Having said that, here are 2 recent pieces that fit the bill.

The first is a memorial piece for Sarah's father who was a deer hunter.  The second piece is a framed image of the Grand Teton mountain range, also a memorial piece.  Both images are in gold frames, capturing a moment in time, freezing a technicolor memory, lost loved ones in their final, favorite resting places.  Hope you like them as much as I enjoyed doing them.

Coffee or Tiki ?

Here is the latest installment of Debra's tiki & sweets themed leg.  One of her favorite vices is coffee, so she asked for a cup of joe with a tiki theme.  My first thought was to do a carved tiki mug but I later opted for a more delicate & feminine painted retro style china cup, instead.  We are both very pleased with the results, what do you think?

Making a connection with your tattoo artist...

ok , ok, we've all made fun of those tattoo artist shows on tv where the client tells their story and it's accompanied by an over the top dramatic re-enactment, but seriously....  There IS some truth to be told about the magic that happens when a client and artist make a true emotional connection or bond of friendship.  It makes it possible for us (the artist) to really dig deep and draw from personal experience and desires to give you (the client) a truly intense personalized experience, and not just a tattoo.  You will always remember us and it will make it more difficult for you to get tattooed by someone else who you don't have that connection with... heh heh heh see how we get our velvet claws in you? They go in sooooo smooth, you don't even know they're there!

Most of my clients are repeats, whether we're working on a big project like a sleeve or backpiece or just filling up their body with artfully placed memories... We definitely form a bond, I get to know them, their families, their ups and downs... and I'd like to think that they get to know me, too :)

I'm excited about some upcoming projects... one is on a long time client named Cheryl, whose upper back piece, "Truth Fears No Trials",  is in my Girly Tattoos section of my Art Gallery.  We are adding on to her 1/2 sleeve and taking it down to a 3/4 sleeve.  This project was started ages ago, Cheryl came to me with a fairy on her arm that wasn't quite what she wanted... it didn't have the right "feeling" to it.  The fairy was shaded in black, almost like a stone statue and she had tiny color wings.  I reworked it for her by softening up the shading and adding larger, more colorful & much more majestic wings and later we added a sugar skull, flowers, stars, and butterflies with light grey shading to give it just the right amount of balance between heavy and light.  To continue down her arm we are going to add some traditional Mexican "milagros" imagery.  Bright, colorful, whimsical trinkets will cap off her arm perfectly!  When she told me she wanted to add on but wasn't sure what would look right, I immediately thought of the milagros~ sacred hearts, fluttering eyes, mystical moons~ I'll post some pics once we get started on it!

I've got an appointment scheduled next week to do more work on Mary Kate's Victorian themed half sleeve.  The main focus of that piece is a lacey gloved hand holding a posey of flowers symbolic to the wearer.  Next week we are adding a luna moth flying towards a crescent moon on her inner arm.  Someone remind me to take pics! Hmmm maybe I need to get that tattooed on ME ? A fancy heart that says "Never forget... to take pictures!" ;) 

  I'm also looking forward to finishing up Michael's Japanese sleeve.  You can see the tiger from the lower half of his arm in my Beasts section of the Art Gallery.  He already has a dragon on his upper arm that we did years ago and since then we've added tons of stuff like a Kitsune fox goddess, a fox chasing a cunning little rabbit, and lots and lots of traditional background imagery like wind, fire, cherry blossoms, and craggy rocks.  Our goal is to have it finished by the Baltimore Tattoo Convention this year so he can enter it in one of the contests, yay!

Oh! And speaking of cherry blossoms, here is a pic of those watercolor style cherry blossoms I did at the Austin convention...

Baltimore Tattoo Convention

It's that time of year again! The Baltimore Tattoo Convention will be April 5th -7th and I'm taking appointments starting right now! Just contact me with what you want and if you have a preferred date/time.  I will also have my original artwork and jewelry for sale, so save your pennies!  I will be representing Baltimore Street Tattoo with fellow artist, Chris Gogel .  Come see us!

Deep in the heart of Texas!

Waking up to day 2 of the Star of Texas tattoo convention here in Austin.  Yesterday was a little slow, but a lot of fun.  I did a cover up of a cover up ~ subject matter: Nightmare Before Christmas, which reminds me,  I really need to get photos of the "NBC" sleeve I did a few years ago.  I'm so bad about taking pictures.  I also got to do one of my convention special tattoos~ I designed a nautical star with a little heart in the middle and a number 13 below to represent "The Star of Texas 2013".  If you want one, I'm doing them for only $40, omg get one, they are super cute! 

I also sold some jewelry, 4 earrings.  Did you know I design jewelry?  I use vintage findings, beads, semi precious stones, and a limited amount of modern ingredients.  I make necklaces, charm bracelets, and earrings.  The earrings are designed as "singles" and meant to be mixed and matched.  I make jewelry that I would want to wear, so it's a really great compliment when other people want to wear it, too!

Last night Dave Wah and I went out for some amazing Thai food at a great restaurant called Mai Thai.    They have the best Tom Kha soup I've ever had.  There is SO much good food here in Austin, I love it here!  I think tonight we're going out for bar-b-que, yummm.

I have a feeling today will be super busy~ I'm doing "walk ins" all day, so drop by and let's do something!

"Like" me on Facebook!

hey peeps,  I've made myself a lil Facebook promo page.. come "like" me here !

New Pics! Psychedelic 1/2 sleeve...

Yay! I've posted pics of Emily's psychedelic 1/2 sleeve.  It started as a walk in a few years ago.. she strolled in on a saturday for a White Stripes peppermint symbol and not too long after she made an appointment to add on the Flaming Lips girl art.  Capping off the bottom is the most recent addition: a melange of art from The Beatles famous Yellow Submarine movie.  Check out the pics in my Girly Tattoos Gallery on my site.  Thanks!