Tattoo Tuesday V.17

This week I am super stoked to feature a long-time friend of mine, Melanie! I've known Ms. Melanie for many years and she's always been a bright little part of my day whenever I see her, be it at a show, visiting us up here in Prescott, or wherever else. She's as cute as a button and as pretty as they come, intelligent, funny, you name it. Melanie is also someone who is very strong in her convictions, and I find this to be a very admirable trait, especially since she's held these beliefs for a long time, and since she was really young. She's incredibly honest, and this shines through even in this post. I hope all of you enjoy her words as much as I did when she sent them my way. I especially love what she says about dealing with others' judgments and negativity. So thank you Melanie for allowing me to feature you, and thank you for the sly little compliment you threw in there too! haha.

Name/blog name: melanie (godfreemelanie.blogspot.com)

Age: 23

Occupation: just finished school, and working at lush handmade cosmetics. (but i recently applied to be a teaching assistant at the science museum, so keep your fingers crossed for me!)

Tattoo/location: desert dog-inspired memorial on upper right arm.

Artist/shop/location: jsn anthony at golden rule in phoenix, az.
(www.jsnanthony.com)

1) Tell us about the tattoo you are sharing with us- is there a background story or special meaning? Why did you choose this particular piece of art?

i have a few different pieces dedicated to the animals i grew up with. each dog played a huge role in my life. i was a loner growing up, i couldn't really relate to other kids, and my family life was pretty chaotic and depressing, but the animals in my home were always there to let me cry into their fur and dress them up in costumes when i needed some cheering up. i understand how weird and maybe kind of creepy that sounds, but i've come to terms with being a pretty weird lady. one of my favorite dogs was gunner; he was an australian shepherd with two different colored eyes, who enjoyed spending a lot of his time outside (even in the middle of summer!) eating rocks and seed pods that fell off of the mosquite tree in the backyard. he was born a few months after i was, so he was there during a lot of my awkward growing-up moments. to remember him forever (and his love for 120 degree weather), i have an arizona sunset framed in rope spelling out his name on my upper arm. it is one of my most cherished pieces, and jsn could not have done a better job (though it is definitely in need of a touch up!). it is perfect in every way, just like my old pal gunner.

2) Do you have any other tattoos? If so, what do you have and where?

i do! last summer i had "farewell" tattooed above my left elbow, again done by jsn anthony in phoenix, az. a portrait of another one of my aussies, cassie, dressed up like a sailor on my right arm done by seth wood at a convention in phoenix, az. a dog bone surrounded by flowers with a banner that reads "coco" that was done by patrick sans in flagstaff, az. "love or perish" (a quote from martin luther king jr) on my right foot done by jason at immaculate in mesa, az. and my first tattoo, a red and yellow rose signifying friendship, was done by ed at tattoo artistry in tucson, az.

3) Do you plan on getting more?

absolutely! tomorrow i am getting a beet tattooed down my left thigh and an upside down cross tattooed between my boobies, both of which i am REALLY excited for! i also plan to get more work done for my beloved companion to complete a sleeve on my left arm. it's a long process of thinking it out and saving up the money. i recently moved to portland, or and i'm itchin' to start on a vegan inspired piece done by brian wilson at scapegoat tattoo.

4) How do your family and friends feel about your tattoo(s)? Have you run into any adversity or negativity because of them?

my brother has his entire right arm done, his elbows, his entire back, his stomach, and his thighs tattooed...my parents don't mind his work as much as they mind mine! after getting my 2nd tattoo, my mom cried and told me to think about what i would look like on my wedding day. psh, most of us have seen danielle and hank's wedding pictures...if i look half as hot as that woman, i'd be ecstatic! i have run into plenty of negativity because of my tattoos, but it doesn't bother me too much. since i was young, i've learned to let the teasing and shitty comments roll right off my back. i don't really care what a complete stranger thinks of me, and you shouldn't either. swimming in the mainstream is such a lame dream!

5) Any advice for those interested in getting tattooed but haven't gotten one yet?

as everyone has already said, really plan it out. i've seen plenty of horrible tattoos that people regret afterward, but they can be covered up so it's not the end of the world. if you put a lot of thought and meaning into your pieces, you may not even care how horrible they look. we've all seen, or had, shitty stick-n-poke tattoos before, but they're around just for the memories, just for us...not everyone else. also, bring lots of candy along with you when you get tattooed. i always fill my purse with chocolate, lollipops, and luna bars. i eat a big, hearty meal before i get tattooed but if i'm not eating candy during my session, i can't sit for longer than an hour!