Thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed part one of We Are Inked Mums! I have a second helping of lovely Inked Mums who have offered to share their stories! Both of the stories below are intriguing and touching. I felt blessed having them share their words with me and I hope you feel the same way reading them now.

xx Tin

Dee from The Inexpert

I’m 34. I had never had a tattoo before I was 33, I now have two. My first tattoo is very significant, very beautiful, very private and very special.I had it done by an exceptionally talented artist while my grief was still pretty raw.

This tattoo was never going to be controversial, being tattooed on your ribcage is pretty low risk in terms of judgement especially as I’ve had two kids and am unlikely to spend much of my life in a bikini.
More recently, somebody else died. Not someone close to me, but close enough that it brought back so much of the grief that I’d been battling with. At about the same time, an artist in the studio where I had my first tattoo was showing off some of the work that he was looking for skin for. At Dragstrip they call these ‘Artist Day’ pieces. Basically, the artist gets to tattoo a design that he/she has wanted to do, and because you are giving your skin up as canvas, they work at a reduced rate. So, in a very reactionary – ‘life’s too short’ and ‘I’m far too hung up on what people think’ way, I went off and donated a forearm.
To have a visible tattoo was a much bigger deal for me. I knew that I would be judged on it, what I didn’t realise was how much I’d be judged. I have been laughed at – yup, out loud, I’ve had people grab my arm and tell me my tattoo is beautiful, I’ve had people ask me the meaning of the owl in a monocle and fez. more often than not, when people dare to comment they are incredibly positive. But it’s what goes on when people don’t comment, the looks, the sideways glances in meetings.
For most of my public facing work I choose to cover up, even more so since I read the Guardian article debating tattoos and Ascot. I suppose what strikes me is that, even today we are absolutely judged first on how we look, and one of the judgements that people make regarding tattoos is that if you’ve elected to have something permanently inked onto your flesh you are, in some way, a second class citizen.
Interestingly, aside from the bereavements, I am more or less the same person at 34 as I was at 32. Only at some point after turning 33 I had a couple of tattoos. My childhood and background, educational achievements, career successes, marital status, family size, home, car, anything that may be used to determine my ranking or ‘class’ as a person, has not changed. Just the ink … so what do you think of inked mums now?

 

Sara from Walking With Angels

My first ever tattoo was the little cross on my back, when I had it I just believed it would be my only one and it was like a little rebellion to life I guess. Fighting for my own identity.Then I had the fairy which was the whimsical part of me, you know the belief in the land of fairytales.

The unicorn done which was a real statement to what I was going through in life. In mythical belief the unicorn is the only creature that cannot be broken and it was like a testimony to the fact that life will not break me, no matter how it was trying.I then had my foot done, no real reason behind my foot just my love of orchids and my addiction to tattoos ha ha!
I then had my triqueta done, it was actually done the day before I laid Livvy to rest, it was my way of saying we are forever connected and also my belief in eternity. So as you can imagine it’s incredibly important to me.

Then I had the moon and stars done, when my girls were little I read them the book “Guess how much I love you” which has the words “I love you to the moon, stars and back again”. This is our way of telling each other of our love, even on Livvy’s grave it has the words “we love you to the moon and stars and back”. The four stars represent my girls.

Then I had my roses added to the unicorn, I felt as if the unicorn was just there so I wanted more to fill it in, no real reason behind the roses except the fact that I love them. Black roses are awesome.

Next was my portrait of my dear grandad, the tattoo is a copy of a vintage photo I have my grandad from his navy days. My grandad was the man who raised me, taught me, loved me. My dad wasn’t a strong figure in my life growing up (he is now) so my grandad was my world. He taught me to read before nursery school and grew in me a passion for books that I still have now. I love this picture of him so it seemed only right that this one became the tattoo. Though I can guarantee when I get to heaven he will have words with me.

My last one done was the quote, I first heard this on the film walk the line the adaption of a Nicholas Sparks book. The reason it hits home with me is that when we go visit Livvy’s grave we always fine a little breeze surrounds us. I told the girls once that it was Livvy surrounding us with her love. See how the quote fits.

I’ve changed from having a tattoo as a little rebellion to actually loving them as an art form. I love the culture behind it and the individuality they offer you.See that’s me, I bet you are glad you asked now. I’m planning my next tattoo right now, having the girls names on the opposite side to my quote with some filigrees added.

I’m then having some scripture added underneath my cross we I’m having extended. I really want a day of the dead skull but my hubby says no boo hoo. I love concept of them, live after death etc.

Lots of love

Sara x

 

July 4, 2012
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