Wednesday

Today was a great day. I woke up to find that Little Miss Madeline's swelling was almost all gone, and she was in great spirits- much better than the day before, of course. I spent the day with her, laying around and organizing/cleaning the house. I eventually got ready and headed off to do some errands before Hank got home; I was nervous to leave Madeline for a minute but she was fine. When I got back Hank and I walked down to Esoji (Japanese/sushi) and had a great belated birthday dinner with his family. His Mom is always vacationing and we have been gone so much so we couldn't celebrate closer to our birthdays, but it was nice having yet another celebration! We received very generous gifts and had a great meal with wonderful people. Afterward Hank and I went on a long walk downtown, which was nice because today was my day off from the gym and I was happy to get a little activity in. Now Hank is at a band meeting followed by practice, and I am here in our newly organized bedroom making playlists for our girls roadtrip this weekend. I am really excited to spend some time with my girlfriends and be on the beach for a few days!

Lately I have really, really been wanting to get new bedroom furniture (and living room too) but I know I can't until we buy a house. It's hard for me to wait, but I know its for the best so we can actually decorate when the time comes and not have random stuff that doesn't fit in our home. We won't be buying for awhile, but we're always looking. Hank has less than a year of school and then everything changes. Can't wait :).

Tomorrow I will be spending time with one of my greatest friends, Emily. She is in town for the weekend so tomorrow is the only day both of our schedules work out, between her working schedule and my trip. I'm very excited to see her!

So, that's it for me today. I need to go do some more packing and then I will be going to sleep. I hope all of you had a wonderful day!

As tatuagens estão na moda!

Olá a todos os amantes da arte!

As tatuagens estão na moda! É bonito de ver uma tattoo bem feita sendo exibida com orgulho pelas ruas da cidade em todo país e em todo o mundo. A tatuagem celebra infinitas situações, além de alimentar o ego de quem as possui. A cada dia que passa, a aceitação do grande público a essa arte se faz mais presente. Hoje em dia, é dificil encontrar um jovem que não queira a sua própria tattoo. As novas tendências e a quebra de paradigmas, firma ainda mais o compromisso com a liberdade de expressão e a pluraridade cultural das grandes metrópoles. Nada melhor do que a arte para dizermos "Tudo" ou simplismente não dizermos "nada".

É cada vez mais comum expressarmos o nosso sentimento em forma de tattoo´s. Existem várias manerias de celebrarmos isso. Tomaremos como exemplo o "dia dos namorados". Quem nunca pensou em ter o nome do amado ou da amada tatuado no corpo? Pois bem, o dia da festa se transformou no dia dos namorados, nos EUA e na Europa, o Valentine’s Day, 14 de fevereiro, em homenagem ao Padre Valentine. Em 270 a.C., o bispo romano Valentino desafiou o imperador Claudius II que proibia que se realizasse o matrimônio e continuou a promover casamentos. Para Claudius, um novo marido significava um soldado a menos. Preso, enquanto esperava sua execução, o bispo Valentine se apaixonou pela filha cega de seu carcereiro, Asterius. E, com um milagre, recuperou sua visão. Para se despedir, Valentine escreveu uma carta de amor para ela. Foi assim que surgiu a expressão em inglês "From your Valentine". Mesmo tido como santo pelo suposto milagre, ele foi executado em 14 de fevereiro. No Brasil, a gênese da data é menos romântica. Alguns a atribuem a uma promoção pioneira da loja Clipper, realizada em São Paulo em 1948. Outros dizem que o Dia dos Namorados foi introduzido no Brasil, em 1950, pelo publicitário João Dória, que criou um slogan de apelo comercial que dizia "não é só com beijos que se prova o amor". A intenção de Dória era criar o equivalente brasileiro ao Valentine's Day - o Dia dos Namorados realizado nos Estados Unidos. É provável que o dia 12 de junho tenha sido a data escolhida porque representa uma época em que o comércio de presentes não fica tão intenso. A idéia funcionou tão bem para os comerciantes, que desde aquela época, o Brasil inteiro comemora anualmente a data. Outra versão reverencia a véspera do dia de Santo Antônio, o santo casamenteiro.

Isso é engraçado... Conhecemos várias situações em que artistas famosos tatuaram o nome dos amados em seus corpos e que se arrependeram amargamente de tê-lo feito. Assim comos nós, que somos meros mortais, também acontecem muitas coisas dessa natureza. O fato é que devemos celebrar sempre! Ter uma tatuagem é algo muito sério. É preciso ter uma sintonia muito positiva quando se decide fazer uma. Uma boa tatuagem, nunca pode sofrer a dor do arrependimento do seu dono. O laço é eterno! Anjos, corações, flores, fotografias, frases... tudo isso pode ser representado e eternizado. Um sentimento expressado no prório corpo, descreve algo puro e de total confiança e entrega! Somente bons profissionais captam essa essência. Por isso, digo que devem haver profissionais com sentimento e muita percepção no nosso Brazil e em todo mundo. Somente assim, seremos respeitados e amados por nossa arte! Então pessoal, vamos continuar ditando a moda. Vamos Tatuar!!!

Tatuagem tá na moda do mundo pessoal!!! Vou dar um exemplo:

Rodrigo Carvalho - Salvador

Ivan Braz,das peles Suínas para as peles Humanas

Pessoal do A Tattoo, meu nome é Ivan Braz, sou de São Paulo capital e a alguns meses migrei dos treinos em pele suína para a prática em peles humanas. Apaixonado por tattoos praticamente a minha vida inteira, sempre desenhei e sempre fui inspirado pela temática das tatuagens. Comecei "tarde", mas em tempo. Tenho recebido apoio dos amigos e do tatuador Ninho Gonçalves, que atualmente trabalha na Espanha. Minha intenção é mostrar o resultado da batalha que enfrentei para adquirir e conquistar a confiança para transmitir a arte às pessoas. Tatuagem é para mim, paixão, é a explosão da arte. Obrigado e sucesso sempre!!!

Ivan Braz
E-mail: i.braz@hotmail.com

Madeline

Our little pup Madeline had a really rough day yesterday. We started noticing a lump under her jaw on Sunday, and it had us really worried so we planned on taking her to vet's office first thing Monday morning. When I woke up around 6:45 am or so, the lump had nearly doubled in size, and also migrated into her throat. It looked so horrible, and although she didn't seem to be in any pain we couldn't help but be super scared. We literally rolled out of bed and took her straight to the vet's, where they determined that a piece of foxtail grass -



had gotten up under her back molar somehow, made its way down under her tooth, and into her cheek cavity where it formed a huge abscess and serious infection! It's hard to believe such a small thing could cause so much damage. It was really a fluke thing- although foxtails in dogs ears, paws and snout are a common occurrence, one causing this much havoc is not. The vet said we were very, very lucky we brought her in when we did because it could have be life threatening, as it was getting close to blocking her airway.

They had to slice open her throat/cheek (the incision is huge- there are some photos on my flickr so click on either of these photos to go there), and there is currently a drain running from her cheek, down through her throat. She is on pain meds and antibiotics as well. For these first couple of days (until Wednesday) she can't have any visitors and I need to stay with her. The hole in her cheek is so huge, and held with staples so if she gets excited or moves a lot it's dangerous. The pain medication makes her lethargic so I know we'll definitely make it to Wednesday without any issues. Madeline will then get the drain out Friday, and next week the staples will go.



Madeline is seriously like our child and it was so heartbreaking when we first picked her up. I also had no idea that animal procedures could be so expensive, it's seriously insane. Obviously completely worth it though.

During times like this, I feel really thankful that Hank and my schedule is so open. Thankfully he was not out tour right now because I don't know what I would have done, he is so calm in every situation- unlike me and my emotional self. I literally broke down in the vet's office, it was quite embarrassing. So Hank will be taking over babysitting duties on Thursday afternoon, when I head down to stay with Emily at her lovely hotel (sunning and swimming) and then head to California for Chloe's birthday weekend. I return on Sunday evening to resume puppy nurse status, and Hank flies out Monday morning to record with a new band. FUN! I am really, really excited for him about that, it's going to be amazing...but that's a whole different story :). So Ms. Maddie will have one of us with her all day, everyday. I am so happy about that.

I'm currently sitting here on the couch, Madeline is asleep next to me. I just ate some Kashi Go Lean with almond milk and berries, and I am contemplating which movie to watch. OR shall I start True Blood? Netflix just sent me 3 good choices. Happy Tuesday to me and my recovering daug-ter (get it, daughter but a dog? hmm...)!

Luiz Augusto, Azamba Tattoo

Olá meu nome é Luiz Augusto, e sou conhecido pelo apelido de Azamba Tattoo. Seguem algumas fotos de meus trabalhos. Espero que vocês gostem. Fiquem na paz!

HK9 Tattoo
E-mail: luizaugusto@digital-artist.org
Telefone: (21) 30831980
Endereço: Shopping Nova América, no Centro Empresarial, sala 412. Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Fotolog: www.fotolog.com/azambujatattoo
Atendimento: Terça, Quinta, Sexta 14 ás 22:00hs, Sábado 10 ás 22:00hs e Domingos e Feriados 15 ás 21:00hs.

Sister, sister!

My sister and I got (very large) sister tattoos this past week. They'll be shaded and colored in a couple of weeks.

Here's us!


My very swollen leg:


And Lauren's!

teacup tattoo outline, originally uploaded by LaurHawth.

I love Prescott!

Today was such a wonderful day and reminded me yet again how happy I am to live here! The summers up in Prescott are definitely something to write home about- usually in the 70s-80s, fresh clean mountain air, and sunny. Today I spent the afternoon outside with friends and it was great. I walked down and met Amber Joy and Lilly (her new rescue puppy!) on the square around noon. I decided to leave Maddie home because Lilly hasn't gotten her spay scars out yet and I didn't want Madeline to encourage her to jump at all. There was the typical huge art fair downtown and Lilly was not having it, so we took her back to Amber's and then walked down to the Brew Pub to meet Adie, Addison and Cathy while they finished their beers. The afternoon turned into just relaxing, walking around and enjoying each other's company. Once Addy went home to eat the girls and I just sat in the grass on the square and had some much needed girl talk. Perfect weather, beautiful day. After hangouts we all decided to go see The Hangover, so we walked back to my house to get Hank and headed to the theater. I thought the movie was definitely funny- I've seen funnier, but this was total laugh out loud material, and it put me in a really good mood! Besides this splitting headache that suddenly appeared, that good mood is still here, now that I'm home and relaxing. Hank and Lance are recording in the living room, and I am going to spend the evening baking some blueberry flax muffins and continuing to organize this mess we made last night.

I hope everyone had a lovely day! Here are some photos from this afternoon.

Beautiful Prescott sky


Amber Joy and me


Cactus necklace, so cool


Amber and Lilly


Addison and Adie :)