I've never been one for tattoos. It wasn't that I was against them, per se. But I always felt that, if I were to ever get one, it would have to be something incredibly meaningful to me... something I ... Read More
I've never been one for tattoos. It wasn't that I was against them, per se. But I always felt that, if I were to ever get one, it would have to be something incredibly meaningful to me... something I wouldn't regret years later. At the time, I couldn't imagine what that would be.Well, as many now know, my mom passed away last month after a long battle with emphysema. When she was hospitalized, and we knew how grave the situation was, that's when it clicked: I wanted to get a tattoo in my mom's honor. I had hoped that it would've been years down the line... but once she passed, I suddenly had a sense of urgency. I felt completely lost without my mom. Every moment since that horrible day, I've been wearing a necklace she gave me, but it wasn't enough. I had found a birthday card she'd given me a couple of years ago that said "Love forever and beyond" in her gorgeous handwriting - and I knew.I told my friend Jenn that I wanted to get this done, and she said, "I know just the place." She sent me the link to Black Rose, and I decided to look up some of their artists' artwork. The first person's work I looked at was Chelsie... and almost immediately, I came upon a tattoo she'd done of a father's handwriting, saying, "Love ya, Daddy" - the exact same idea I had for mine. I don't believe in fate, or signs, or anything of the sort... but it struck me all the same. A deeper review of her work, and seeing how amazing she was at script, just cemented the fact that I wanted her to do my tattoo.After a brief consultation (I mean, mine really is quite straightforward), I had my appointment set for this past Friday, and had two of my best friends (Jenn and Greshka) along for moral support. Chelsie was great and really put me at ease, chatting with us the whole time as I occasionally squeezed Jenn's hand through the pain. My tattoo, that I thought would only take maybe 15 minutes, took nearly an hour because of how precise she was with the lines. The end result turned out even more incredible than I expected. It looked like my mom had taken a pen right to my skin... and obviously that was an emotional moment for me. I spent the rest of the evening staring at it and smiling through my tears.Eighteen hours later, I was back at Black Rose... this time with Jenn squeezing my hand as she got her own tattoo from Chelsie. She absolutely loves her end result as well. I cannot speak highly enough about how talented Chelsie is. I'm going to be able to carry a physical memory of my mom with me for the rest of my life, and I'm so grateful for that. Read Less