How did it all begin? I date it back to the night back in 1980 when Rich drew a spider above my ankle with a black felt tip marker;-) Since then I have toyed with the idea of a tattoo. However I knew I did not want the stock "flash": you see on the walls of your local Tattoo shop (you know the roses, butterflies, etc.) - I wanted something I could call my own - a Mary-Ellen original ;-).

A couple of years ago before I turned forty, the full blown case of "tattoo fever" hit me. Becky and I would discuss this on-line quite often. Then Backstreets had those pewter Born To Run key chains available and there were sown the seeds of my design.

I wanted the sneakers, above my ankle, done in red. Rich was accommodating and once I was assured that he would not ask for a divorce and take custody of the boys if I had this done, I did my research on tattooing and tattoo artists. Since this is permanent thing unless you want to go through the pain of having it removed, everyone who is considering getting a tattoo needs to do research. I literally spent months on the web reading other folks experiences, recommendations and looking at others tattoos. I saw tattoos in places I NEVER would have thought to put a needle to, never mind having that needle there for more than just a few seconds.

the Tattoo Shop of Portsmouth

I had my design - the sneakers. Now I needed the artist. I had heard good things about a shop in Portsmouth. If I saw someone with at tattoo I asked them where they got it done and by who. Rich and I made plans to go out for dinner and then get my tattoo on Friday night, September 4. I dropped off the design at lunch time so the artist could sketch it out and make the transfer and I would return that evening for the "inking". When we arrived at the shop, they had not done the sketch yet. Here I was all psyched up for the event and no sketch. The tattoo was not going to happen that night;-(. I was told to come back tomorrow. Rich stayed home with the boys on Saturday and I drove to Portsmouth. Jeff Roe, an artist from Philadelphia sketched it out. We could not have the sneakers dangling from nothing, so they are on the "floor" if you will (I was not up for the Telecaster too).

the process

The sketch was done, I approved it and Jeff made the transfer and we checked out the placement on my leg. The transfer was applied. I chose the colors, black, red and white. Each color was put it's own individual cup, a new needle was loaded and we began. First the design is outlined and then the color and shading is filled in. It does not hurt - it's like getting your legs waxed or your eyebrows plucked (ladies will understand). There was just one other person in the shop an 18 year-old who was there for his first tattoo also. Tattoo George was his artist. Tattoo George put on the GH CD and we listened to "Born to Run" in a loop for 45 minutes while my tattoo was completed. The 18 year old had to be told to breathe, he was not in good shape and looked a little too pale. George gave him a drink and tried to get him talking, it was kind of funny - here I am chatting away and the 18 year old stud is ready to faint ;-)

In 45 minutes we were done. I had this cool bandage on the tattoo covered with Neosporin and told to keep the bandage on for 4 hours, then carefully take off the bandage, wash it off and keep it moist with Neosporin for 5 days. I walked out of the shop grinning from ear to ear.

My tattoo!!