Tuesday, May 26, 2015

New Ink

If you follow me on Instagram (@CarleeMcDot) or noticed my thigh in pictures from yesterday's Vista Strawberry Festival 10K Race Recap pictures (in a non-creepy way of course), then this isn't breaking news to you, but for the rest of you, I thought I'd make a formal announcement ;)

I got my tenth tattoo on Friday!

Yup... TENTH... I guess you can say they are a little addicting ;) But honestly, the hubby and I normally use them as Christmas, birthday, or anniversary gifts to each other / ourselves. It is like art that you will keep with you forever.

I had an appointment at American Tattoo in Bonsall (where Ryan and I have been going for the past 7 or so years) Friday afternoon. I ended up having to wake up before the buttcrack of dawn so I could get my 10-miler in BEFORE work, since I knew I wouldn't have time to get in a run after work and still make it to my appointment on time.


I had been wanting another tattoo since I got my last (but isn't that how it always is?!), but decided to finally pop on it! I was thinking an anchor (our tattooist, Sam Phillips, is an amazing traditional artist, so I knew it would be right up his alley) and possibly some roses. Unfortunately (for my tattoo) my leg isn't that big, so I had to cut the big flowers out because they would have started wrapping around the back of my leg. (No biggie, I have already decided one of my arms will turn into a floral half sleeve, so I can save my flowers for that ;))


I gave Sam a couple ideas of what I wanted and he got to drawing. I LOVE what he came up with. I showed him a picture I was digging the colors of (bright aquas and pinks), but wasn't sure if the color would pop as much on my darker skin (What can I say?! The sun loves me ;)). He said he would definitely work with the brighter colors and we would see how it looks.


We got started and I knew this wasn't going to be one of the more painful tattoos in my collection (Praise The Lord!). It was a bit more tender when we got closer to the top of my knee, but nothing too crazy.



Obviously the more shading and coloring we did the more raw the skin got (please excuse the blood, but you gotta expect it when you are getting a needle jammed in you over and over, right?!).



In total, I think it was probably about an hour and a half (definitely much shorter than the 5+ hour sitting I did for the cherry blossom tree on my back).

Source: samphillips23's Instagram Feed

I LOVE IT! I think it might be my favorite one yet (but I may or may not say that after each one I get ;)). I know it has only been a few days since getting it, but the healing process this time around seems to be easy-peasy!

Do you have any tattoos? 

5 comments:

letoxer said...

Hi :)

Nice one! I've been wanting to get my first (I know!) ink in a while. Biggest question I had so far is that can you exercise freely? No need to worry about sweat/infection?

Thanks,
Tamas

Kc said...

I definitely noticed in your race recap, haha, and think it's gorgeous!!! I've been thinking about getting another tattoo (I have three) for awhile now. I usually get a new one of "big" trips. My last three I got in Toronto (when I was 16) then LA (on a girls trip) and then in NYC a few years ago. Time to start thinking of my next one...

Scarabocchio Girl said...

It's gorgeous! I'm thinking about getting a traditional tattoo over my elbow, I'd like to have an owl, but I'm still looking for one that I really like. I've got several tattoos, from small to big. The biggest is a two pieces all connected in one by the same artist in two different times. The first piece is an incredible koi fish with waves on my shoulder, and then I've attached other waves plus lotus and frangipani flowers down my left arm. It's amazing, made by very talented Balinese artist Made Bugik from Demon Tattoo...I did it when I went to Bali (twice ^^)

John @ run. geek. run(disney) said...

Love it. Great art work and great coloring. I dont have any yet, but do want some. It will be an eventual gift to me. A couple I want, so need to pick which will be first as well.

Meridith said...

Gorgeous tatt, Carlee! I have none thus far but I have two that I want (always planning). I want words on my foot and a Russian nesting doll somewhere (but where, I'm not sure).