gettin' in the mood for the tattoo expo!!!!

Every August here in the bay area we have a Tattoo expo at the Oakland cow palace. And every year I go. And every year I am poor and can't afford to add to my skin art. :( But I go non the less, to see new artists and old at work. I flip though their photo albums to see what they have done and collect their cards if I like what I see. The artists come from all over the world. I have had the pleasure of talking to some famous artists and meeting new friends who also like body art and modifacation. I have seen some things I wish I hadden't (even I can still blush) and I have had the chance to hold Natalia's ahnd while she got her nose peirced. That was great, she didn't belive me when I told her that her eye would squirt out a jet of tears. I know mine did! They usually have a few bands playing, some food places and shopping for things like purses with skulls on em. (I so want one) They also have a tattoo compatition, where the judges score them on certin aspects of the body art, from fine line work to color work to old school or retro tattoos, asian inspired, bamboo art (ouch) and photo renditions....the list gos on and on. It's a huge affair that last about 3 days. This past year a few people had decided to get tatoos at the expo or soon after when they had the money and located the artist they picked out from the show. I decided to take pictures of a few of the tattoos for fun and to share with others. I included my own as well. well, most of em. LOL Hope you enjoy, and if you have any (*cough* you know you do *fishy fishy* feel free to share as well) :)

2 Of my Tattoos. The purple writing I got in Japan, it's Kanji for Cho -Cho meaning Butterfly and was done with bamboo. I can still remember the sound of the bamboo sticks hitting eachother, funny enough it was the least painful. The black fine line was done 11 years ago, if you can't tell it's a sleeping pixie. It was done the "normal" way with a tattoo gun and the artist was a hot mexican guy who also peirced my nose...(boy would my parents love to talk to him) Lucky for me he is serving as a guest in the state pen for assult! Whew! dodged one there!

This one is on my right sholderblade, It's actually a cover-up of my ex-husbands name. This guy did a great job, you can't see his name at all. And it went along with my fairy theme, this one is about 8 years old.

This is a bad picture of her, but this is the one on my left sholderblade, I derw it and took it in and a nice guy did this one for me as well. Her Butt looks kinda big, but oh well. It's on my back so it's not like i have to see it. LOL Funny enough the guy who did this one is also incarserated for assult. I think I am cursing my tattoo artists! I got this one about 7 years agao. I scratched it while it was healing and it needs touch up pretty bad. LOL

This is one of a matching pair of starts I ended up getting in Berkey with Natalia about 6 years ago. Natalia got the same one only she decided on blue and black. I was on a marti gras kick for some reason and did the star in green and purple, This also inspired me to re-do my bathroom at my mother's house the same colors, she wasn't inpressed. They are on my left and right sholders. Haven't heard from this artist...he seems to have dissapeeared. LOL Figures.

This Picture was taken seconds after Trinity finished it. he designed it and I adored it. It's my favorite one so far. Maybe because it's the newest one, I got this one a year ago today. None of my tattoos have any real meaning, I like fairies and stars so thats what I seem to stick too, but this one had some meaning for a change, I asked for 4 stars all compleatly diffrent. Each star represents my imideate family. The largest being my dad, down to the smallest being me. This was the most painful one I ever got. the rest were only mildly irritating, this one had me silently screaming my head off. But it was worth it. My parents actually like this one.

This picture is super tiny but if you look hard enough you can see 2 tattoos. The smaller one is just a simple black spider I decided to get on a whim. I was babysitting the day after and the kid smacked it thinking it was real. Dang brat!that one would be about 12 years old. The one under it would be my first Tattoo I ever got. I was only 16 and compleatly under age. It's a tribal Falcon I saw on the shop wall. I thought it was great (still do) it's pretty small, but imagine how long I hid that thing considering that my parents only learned about it 5 years later. It's amazing what stickers can hide.LOL the guy that did this tattoo also did the cover up of my ex-husband's name. I belive he isn't in Jail or at least he has been released.:) I also have one on my ear, it's a tulip, but don't havea picture of it. It's the smallest tattoo I have. Therefore the hardest to take a picture of.LOL

This is a Picture of Nauel's forearm, He decided to get this last year at the tattoo expo. It's a Koi fish, he also has a Tiger in a jungle on the same arm on his Bicep.

This is Rodrigo's (Natalia'sother brother) first and only Tattoo so far. he got it last year at the tattoo expo as well. This was one of the best artists we researched. This sugar skull was extreemly expensive, but worth the money for the quality work that he did. Rodrigo cried, and we laughed at him because we are mean girls. LOL

This is my friend Freddie (my ex's best friend and one of my suitors) He is in the middle of getting cover up work done. He has lots of tattoos, but I don't have Pictures of them all yet. I haven't seen the finished product yet, but will post the finished tat once I see it. He will be moving into my apartment complex in september so I will be seeing him a lot I am sure.:)

This is my friend Rosa's arm. Sje got this one when we attended last years tattoo expo. The colors are amazing, the same artist did Nauel's Koi fish.

This would be Nate's tattoo. nate is one of the 23 year olds I date from time to time. And this is why I started talking to him. I fell for his dumb line when we met and he told me, "alisons your name?, why I happen to have your name tattooed over my heart!" I was had. I adore a man who can make me laugh and this was extreemly funny to me. it still is.

This is also Nate, His last name is Vias lobos, so he has a slight obsession with wolves....I have an obsession with vampires and fairies so I can't complain.

Nate again...shirtless in my livingroom on a hot day...(THANK YOU) He got this tattoo because he had a huge scar running down his arm. I never asked how he got the scar, I was sidetracked by his shirtlessness.

This is Nate's back. Again work in progress. I went with him to get theese all done 3 months ago at the same time. Not shure where he is going with this or what his point is, but he's shirtless in my living room. Thats all that mattered to me. LOL :) Okay so he said he need a place to work out and watch the olympics at the same time and his parents wernt giving up their livingroom so I said he could come over and I would watch the olympics with him and provide lots of water. Little did he know he provided the eye candy for my day.:) LOL

AHHHH Nate again...*drool* I put this one here so we can all enjoy his prettiness, in all his shirtless Glory...except for Boo, Boo don't look at this! Boys have cooties till your 20 years old!

Nate and me, dang he is so pretty. Wish he was older. Although I do have my cougar status again since sailor guy still hasn't called. LOL

okay well thats it fo rthe tattoo pictures, hope you like em. I will have more I am sure. I do have plans to get another one on my left foot to match the right one, as well as one on the back of my neck. I'll have to see what kind of money I have in the bank. Kisses!