According to a very generic Google search, about 145 million Americans have at least one tattoo. They have always fascinated me on why and where people get their tattoos and what they represent to that individual. I personally have 6 tattoos and counting. Mine all have meaning and significance. So below you shall find all my tattoos, where they’re located, what they mean, and what’s next to come!

#1 – Christian Cross

This was my very first tattoo at 18 years old. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I had always wanted a cross tattoo ever since I got baptized at 15. My friend, Andrew was deployed in the Army and came home on leave in the summer of 2016. I look him up and down and notice he has a cross tattoo on his arm. I told him I wanted the same tattoo, but more feminine. He said that’s what we are going to do today then. So 5 hours later, 4 tattoo shops we drove by and checked out, and $80 later… voila! It took about 15 minutes to get from start to finish.

It’s simplicity and feminity and the meaning behind it makes it my most meaningful tattoo.

#2 Compass

This next tattoo was a walk in appointment as well. I went to downtown Seattle for it. I was supposed to meet my dad downtown for a Mariners baseball game and I ditched him and the free 100 level seats to go get my compass. I was 19, I believe it was May of 2017 so I was going to school full time and had two jobs.

This tattoo represents that God has given me purpose in this life and that He will guide my steps on my Earthly journey. I think this cost $150 after tip. Definitely more time consuming than the first one and it took probably 2 hours and 1 hour for him to design.

The funny thing about this tattoo is the direction that North is facing. The compass is on the back of my right leg, at a 30° angle…. which means North points directly toward my crotch. Not intentional and it was only pointed out by a friend via Facebook. Oops.

#3 Semi Colon

January 2017 was probably the hardest time in my life thus far. It was the time when I almost lost my mother to schizophrenia. She had stopped eating and drinking altogether. She was sober from alcohol for about three months when she lost her will to live. She lost 70 pounds in about two weeks. We begged doctors to diagnose her and medicate her to save her life. Although she was not admitted to the psych ward, she was given the formal diagnosis of schizophrenia in the ER.

Later in 2017, I learned about Project Semicolon. It is a mental health project that brings awareness to mental health and suicide issues. The semi colon is used as a symbol in writing that although a sentence could have ended right then and there, the story does go on. Same concept for self harm and mental health; after you contemplate suicide or self harm or go through a mental illness, your story must continue and you must persevere.

I got this tattoo in October for $52 including tip. This is by far the sketchiest tattoo parlor situation I ever went into, but the ink is still pretty vibrant for being three years old and it being on the inside of my middle finger.

#4 Peony

This next tattoo I got at 20 years old in June of 2018. It is my biggest piece so far and truly solidified my love of art and tattoos. It was my first planned appointment where I had not nor wanted to be involved in the design process. I told the artist who is well known in my area that I’m willing to pay top dollar for a peony to cover my shoulder and she could add anything she wanted to it.

She did her thing and it turned out better than anything I could have come up with. $450 and 4 hours later, this is what she came up with. It covers the back of my shoulder and a little down my arm that is not pictured in this selfie.

I get compliments daily on it and some people refer to it as my cabbage tattoo because of the intricacy of the petals almost could be viewed as a cabbage. *rolls eyes upwards* This is also the first and only tattoo I have that doesn’t have significance besides the fact that I wanted it on my body, so I got it.

#5 You are Worthy Quote

This fifth tattoo was planned immediately after I was raped on June 13th, 2018. Which was a week after I got my peony done. Two days after the incident, I contacted the woman who tattooed the peony on me and confided in her about what happened. She did a phone consult with me and we knocked out this concept in about an hour and $170 later… this is the final product. It reads, “You are worthy, Dandelion”.

To answer some FAQ about this particular tattoo. Yes, white ink is used for the dandelion and for the top lettering. No, it does not glow in the dark. Yes, white ink is more painful to get and bleeds more than regular ink. My nickname is Dandelion, hence the Dandelion on my wrist. It was the phrase my ex fiance, Diego said to me when we were apart and came back together when I told him what happened. He is one of two people out of the six times that I have been tattooed that have sat with me while I got it done. The other being Andrew when I got my cross.

#6 Ace of Spades

This is probably the worst tattoo and most poorly done tattoo I have. I think I paid $120 for it and got it after I ended my engagement which was December of 2018. I always wanted an ace of spades because I love playing cards and it’s what I grew up doing with my nana before she passed away.

Diego said it was a terrible tattoo idea and so when I broke up with him, I got my eyebrow pierced and the piercer asked me if I wanted a tattoo as well to shove it in his face, so I said fuck it.

I got it on my other middle finger because fuck him and how he treated me.

What’s next?

Left Arm – Black and white Americana style

• A bicycle to represent the bipolar cycles featuring the Morton salt girl because you shouldn’t be a salty bitch. I would get this on the inside of my left forearm.
• The word “Relentless” on the outside of my left forearm which is the phrase that has gotten me through this recent bout of suicidal ideation.
• A pinup girl smoking a cigarette, holding a wrench to represent my time working for the Navy as a mechanic. I would get that on my left bicep.

Right Arm – Colorful pop culture references

• Pokemon’s Larvitar coming out of the screen of a Gameboy color. That game has made my life different and I have met so many people through that community and made great friends. That would be on my right shoulder / upper bicep
• She Hulk in her lawyer suit, comic book style. Reminds me to never give up on my dreams. Lower-mid bicep.
• Eeyore being lifted up into the sky by a bundle of balloons that are tied to the back of his tail. His story dealing with depression resonates with me. That would be on the back of my forearm.

Left Ankle

• scar cover up after I am done with all my foot surgery(s). I want to get a needle and thread for my nana who passed 5 years ago since she was the best seamstress I’ve ever known.
• FBI logo for my grandmother who’s first name is my middle name: Janice. She has severe dementia and used to work for the FBI when she was 19, which is pretty badass if you ask me…

I think that’s all my ideas.. for now, but that just about covers up my whole body.

Let me know in the comments if you guys have tattoos yourself and what you think about them!

Til next time,

Dani