TAT.TUES. (that's Tattoo Tuesday pronounced TATTOOS) vol. 1.

Tattoos are a really important part of my life, for reasons that are purely deep and personal. I am not that person who randomly picked some flash off the wall or stumbled in drunk to get my here-for-the-moment boyfriend tattooed on me (although the spontaneity of that scenario gets me in a cool way). I am the person who chose to represent two of the things that occupy my mind daily on my body. My tattoos are a constant reminder of love, struggle, and overcoming loss to become the person that I am. My goal with TAT.TUES. is to present tattoos from people who are covered with tats and represent their story. Some may be personal stories, some may just be silly representations of themselves, some may be because of said stumbling into the parlour. Regardless, each tatted person is still a person. And while their tats don't necessarily define them, they become part of the person they are or are becoming.

Vol. I. The Tattooed Mama of The Mess in Messenger

name: Crystal Grier A.K.A. the Mama

occupation: Mama of The Mess & wife to cuddly courier, professional blogger

website: themessinmessenger.blogspot.com

age of first tat: 21 ish. i went with my lame boyfriend at the time who drifted off to go hit on a tatted girl in the parlour as i got ink put into my back...on my spine!

fave tat: they each hold a special place in my heart but i would have to say the portrait tat of my grandfather. he is the most special man in my life, next to my husband, The Papa. i think of him each day.

how many tats in total & description of each (including location and style):

3 tats. My fave as i mentioned is of my grandfather. it is a black and white portrait taken from a small photobooth picture from the 70s. it looks very frankensteiny. the first tat i got was of the words dulcius ex asperis meaning "through difficulty comes sweetness". it is in reference to a overcoming a psychological hurdle. but i apply the phrase to all aspects of struggle in my life. the last is of flowers surrounding this phrase with a butterfly landing on the petals. it covers the majority of my back. it initially was supposed to be a butterfly starting at my shoulders and struggling through the wind to get to the flower, but i found the pain unbearable and stopped after 4 sittings.

do you plan on getting more? and what are you thinking?: yes! yes! and yes! totally depends on available funds and ideas. i am hoping for:

* a zombie apocalypse half sleeve

* a zombie piece my megan lara on my back leg

* a phrase of my daughter's on my forearm in script

* and a chest tat referencing The Lorax

what is the thought process behind your tats?: my tats so far have all been very personal and thought out. i would love to get some tats that are ironic or funny but i feel like my body is still a reflection of my thoughts and i want my tats to reflect that. i also want them to reflect my interests and the loves of my life: my Babes.

any funny or crazy experiences: my mom was super against them at first, so i just hid them from her. most older people are amazed at the detail in my portrait of my grandfather. but recently i remember going to a bbq at my hubby's cottage. it is an end of the year thing with neighbours, mostly over 60, who get together and have a potluck. you know the kind with pemento meat and marshmallow salads. well, of our family, i, my hubby, his sis and our bro in law, all have tats. mine and the Papa's sister's tats equal a total of 4 and there must be over 20 between the guys. mine however was the only visible one. we came to the table of gaggling hens and it suddenly became quiet. i never assume but i thought the tats were the subject of conversation. ... they were. they had all been secretly discussing our rejection of societal norms and the heaven forbids of permanently altering our bods for life. although i am not one to like the cliques and whispers, i found this experience funny. just people not knowing voicing their opinions amongst like-minded individuals.

advice for anyone wanting a tat?: never get a portrait of a living person. eat and hydrate (with water) before the tat. research your tat artist. you pay for what you get...so expect a charge of $100 per hour. never feel pressured by the artist to get it done until you are satisfied. your back and other areas close to the bone HURT!!! i can say this because i have given birth to 2 babes naturally. i would much rather prefer birth to back tats.

And for your reading pleasure my tat story...

I had told the Papa that I wanted desperately to have my grandfather walk me down the aisle but because he passed away when I was 13, it wasn't going to happen. So I wanted to get a portrait tat of him. This was my gift on Christmas Day from my Secret Santa. A portrait of great Grandpa Ernest. Grandpa was amazing. He was gentle, solemn, a hard worker. He loved his family but had a special place in his heart for me and my sis, seeing as we were the youngest and only girls of all the eleven boy cousins. We were his sweethearts.

After searching for months in Montreal, I found an amazing artist. This is the man whom I have measured all against and whom only the Papa had succeeded in matching. It had to be perfect. So the Papa took off work, I went to Adrenaline Tattoo Studios on Sherbrooke. I sat for 4 hours with breaks in between. Robin Labreche, the artist, invited me to dine on cheese pizza in the staff lounge. It was awesome. He was professional. The tat is amazing!

I LOVE YOU GRANDPA!