Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Sometimes Change Can Be Good For us....


Change and partial cover up of Butterfly with roses in to Butterfly and Cherry blossom branch.
Tattoo by Russell Kashey-Fortier at Lucky 7 Tattoo, Kings Beach/North Lake Tahoe, California.
When I was just a little tiny woman in my 20's, I would fight change tooth and nail. To me, change represented discomfort, having to learn new things, and the possibility of someone or something disappearing from my orbit. Never wanting to put more than the minimum effort into my life AND being scared of the unknown kept me from making changes happen that would have benefited my life in ways I cannot even imagine at 43 years old. No first marriage, quitting my chump change  jobs, and letting people tell me how to live "properly." So glad I finally stopped being scarred and just listened to my gut! Now change is welcome in my life. No longer having" fear of the unknown" has helped me love living in my own skin in a bunch of ways. Especially when it comes to tattoos......

Me and "Rocker" Dave in 1985, around the time of our trip to "Biker Bobs Tat Shop" in Belmont, Ca.
Way back in 1985 My rocker boyfriend and I went to the local biker tattoo parlour in Belmont, Ca. I was going to get something real tough, like a black rose with a tiny drop of blood hanging from its thorns. How punk rock! Rocker boyfriend was set on inking the Led Zeppelin Swan Song logo on his arm, you know the drawing of the male angel getting thrown out of heaven that was on their albums? Yeah, that one. Well Dave being the smarter of the two of us changed his mind after observing this "tattooer" and his shop. Me? Well I had a death wish, PLUS I wanted to show Dave how down I was for him,  my bright idea was getting Dave's Swan Song design on me! Pretty punk rock of me huh??!!

Well Dave wasn't as impressed as I had hoped, and shortly after, I moved to Tahoe and Dave moved on to other girls. After a number of years of rockin the Swan Song tattoo it was time for it to go. By the 90's I had become a body piercer, and had a clue as to what a good tattoo is.

My boss at American Grafitti in Sacramento created a big, wonderful Queen from Disney's Snow White as a backpiece, skillfully hiding my tiny, ill conceived "Dave tribute/Rocker tattoo." As my boss shaded over my sad little tattoo he had a good laugh, and I blushed, and change was very good indeed.

Moral of the story. If you have a tattoo that is dated, a name of someone you no longer date, or a tattoo of a butterfly that instead looks like a date you would buy in a grocery store, you CAN change it. Come on by Lucky 7, let the fellas show you want can be done to cover up and change that tattoo you no longer dig, or maybe never did like. Keep you mind open. Not all ideas work well, but plenty can be done to make you happy with your ink.

Let me think about where this blog is going kids. I can take it. Follow us, and/or leave a comment for me. I sure would appreciate it.

Kathleen @ Lucky 7 Tattoo and Piercing North Lake Tahoe, Ca.