Tattoo Thursday Chat!

Hey all of you babes and babettes!

So, grab some popcorn, maybe a cup of joe, and get ready for a super fun post tonight!

Tonight's chat is going to be all about tattoos, a few of mine, where I got them done, why I got them done etc.

// Basically, I got my first tattoo when I was 15!!!! About two weeks before my sweet sixteen, and let me just tell you, I got hooked immediately! I am a very artistic person, and have been since I was young, so having the ability to be walking artwook makes me more happy than I can say!

Behind all of my tattoos are meanings I find very important and special to me! I know a lot of people think it's stupid to get tattoos with meanings and such, but I honestly love what they remind me every single day when I get to see them!

I am only sharing a photo of two of my little ones tonight, but I will be sharing a variety of photos all done by my tattoo guy :)

sharing

// F I R S T tattoo I am sharing with you guys is my arrow on my arm.

Basically, on this past Christmas, my husband got me a gorgeous arrow necklace, and in it was a little letter he wrote me, just encouraging me etc. side note, I have been undergoing a massive variety of health problems, and have gotten a few surgeries and procedures done, and it has been extremely difficult and painful (this ties in with the story) so anyway, the letter said "Where life is hard, and you feel a lot of tension, just imagine you are an arrow that God is pulling back to shoot off into great things. I loved that so much, because even though this is difficult, I can remember that sometime soon, it wiill be over. Also, in Psalms, it says like an arrow in the hand of a warrior, and I want to be a warrior. Every morning I wake up, I see my arrow and decide I want to be brave today. My beautiful friend Laura also designed my arrow, on Instagram she is: @LAURATALLEYY

Next, we have my "M" on my finger, which is for my beautiful husband Michael :) I also have a tattoo along my traps that says "Because you're mine..." and his says "I walk the line" because we are massive Johnny Cash fans.

This one I designed and drew up for my husband, it is an old pocket watch with a rose behind it and the time is stopped on the exact time we became husband and wife, my initials are in it, and the Roman numerals are the date we got married. :) My husband wanted to keep this to the original drawing, so yes, there are flaws. Not Matt's flaws, my flaws because I drew it. Before anyone pointed that out haha

This is also my husbands tattoo, it is a Star Wars rebel sign, again designed by the fiercely talented Laura Talley @lauratalleyy

Now, frequently asked, WHO DOES YOUR TATTOOS? My amazing friend Matt Duarte does them! He is located in the Inland Empire, he is the sweetest guy ever, so talented, so artistic, SO talented. He is so gentle, not heavy handed at all, and what I really appreciate about him is that he genuinely knows his clients. He treats us all like his friends, and I admire that so much. Last time I got a tattoo, he was asking me how I was feeling, and he was like "Dude Amanda how is your youtube? I subscribed! How is your blog?" and he genuinely puts interest into us all. That means so much to me that he actually pays attention to his clients and makes them feel so comfortable and he talks to us and just makes you feel at ease! I cannot possibly say enough good things about him! If anyone lives around Palm Springs, Yucaipa, etc. or just wants to make a trip out here and have lunch with me and then get a tat, go see him. He will not disappoint. I will reply to any messages or emails that would like his number, so let me know :) Did I mention he is freakishly affordable?

I'm just going to post some more pictures of Matt's work (these are not any of my tattoos) Make sure you follow Matt on instagram @artistathand and email him at socalartist@hotmail.com