Mom's First Tattoo

I have nothing against tattoos. Some of my favorite people have them and I believe they can be a great way to remember a time in your life, a person you have lost, or something important to you...I just haven't found the right tattoo to put on my body. Some people stigmatize those with tattoos, believing it says something about their moral code, I disagree...a piece of art on my body can actually express my morality and ethics for the world to see. What do I believe in? Look at what I put on my body!

Some tattoos are trendy and don't translate when they're a decade old. They "date" their wearers, who usually end up regretting that they put something permanent on their bodies. In an effort to not regret my tattoo, I have been putting off getting one for many, many years. I do believe 2011 is the year I ink my virgin skin. Since this is the year my son will walk in the 3-Day with me, I figured...why not get a tattoo in Seattle?

First, I went to google...HEY, don't judge, some people use it for medical advice, why can't I use it to find a tattoo artist? I discovered a woman who has a tattoo parlor in Pike's Market, a location on our tourism list. Her name is Vyvyn Lazonga. My attention was drawn to her because she works on breast cancer survivors, mostly those who have had mastectomies, to fill their scars with beautiful art pieces...making them whole again. She works on scar tissue, the hardest skin to work on because of it's inconsistent consistency (?!? huh?!?!?). What better person to deal with my deformed toe (this will be a totally seperate post...it does relate to my grandma) and commemoration of walking for a cure?

Madame Lazonga, from what I hear, is a legend of the tattoo world. When I posted on FB that I was thinking about getting a tattoo in Seattle, a friend posted "Are you going to Vyvyn Lazonga?" This response almost took my breath away! Check out her amazing art at http://www.vyvyn.com/

Tonight, I emailed Madame Lazonga to initiate my search for a tattoo. I'm hoping, even if she is not the artist that gives me my first tattoo, she can point me toward that person. I have a loose idea of what my first tattoo will look like, I just need a sculptor to form it for me. When I drew it out for my husband on scratch paper, he practically urinated on the kitchen floor. Needless to say, I hope I find a great interpreter in Seattle!!