Sunshine Story - Meanwhile at the Tattoo Parlour - June 1, 2019
On Friday, I’m heading off to a tattoo parlour in Fort Erie. No, there’s no one there I know who needs a Friendly Visit. I’m going there for me! To get a tattoo!
What kind of tattoo would a fairly strait-laced gal like me get? Eyeliner! Why would I not take 30 seconds in the morning and just put some on? Because I’m TERRIBLE at doing it, I’m always running late, and I just can’t be bothered.
I never wear makeup. That will come as no surprise to someone who sees me on a regular basis. But I have worn make up on a few occasions. Grade 9 and 10 high school – I looked like Rocky Racoon – but so did everyone. And thereafter, I stopped.
OK, I did wear makeup at my wedding, lightly applied by my dear friend and bridesmaid Shirley. Oh, and I wore makeup at Anna’s wedding – applied by a professional. Oh yes, there was another time – at Tom’s and Julie’s wedding. Now that was a story.
The wedding was in South Korea and I wanted to wear a traditional mother-in-law’s outfit – a hanbok -and I wanted a traditional Korean hairstyle and makeup. The same as Julie’s mom. The hair, no big deal. The make up. Well, first of all I speak no Korean and my makeup artist spoke no English. And I noticed she was getting a little frustrated and kept reapplying a paste on my face.
Then I figured it out. Korean women at the age I was then have few if any wrinkles. Me, I had that Ukrainian babushka of Chernobyl look. See https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-04-26/30-years-after-chernobyl-these-ukrainian-babushkas-are-still-living-their-toxic Every time she coated my face to hide the wrinkles, I would smile and crack up all her hard work. Thankfully an American gal who happened to speak some Korean arrived and communicated to the makeup artist to not worry about it. The experience of prettying me up must have given the makeup artist nightmares for a week.
*****
Why did I decide to get an eyeliner tattoo? Except for those four occasions, I haven’t bothered to wear eyeliner. Well, as I’m aging, I’m noticing that my eyes and lips are starting to disappear. My nose, on the other hand, is coming into a life of its own. Gah!
At GoodLife at a group exercise class I noticed a woman in her 50s, I’m guessing, whose hair and makeup always look perfect, as does the rest of her. I asked after class, “Did you use to be a model?” That was likely insulting – as middle aged women can model too. Ah well. Thankfully she just laughed and said, “Why would you ask that?” I responded, “Because your make up always looks perfect.” (And everything else, but I didn’t say that. I was being weird enough as it was.)
She responded, “I had it tattooed on!” “Really,” I said. I asked for the name of her artist but she lives in Vancouver. I don’t have much occasion to go there. Hmm. So I asked my daughter Anna which tattoo artist did her tattoos – my kid has a mural on her back – and she directed me to “Tat of Class.” I went on the website and fell in love with Jennette immediately. She does volunteer cat tats and gives the money to a cat rescue. She fashions areolas for women who have lost a breast to cancer. And as I later found out, she also loves Northern Ontario. Sign me up!
I was expecting it to be painful. It wasn’t. it was downright relaxing. She numbs the eye lids and gently holds your face while she’s applying the tat. The machine makes a purring noise and she tells wonderful stories. If I could nap I might have fallen asleep but I truly didn’t want to miss a second of it.
Laur drove me down the first time because I expected I would have super swollen eyes and blurry vision. That was not the case. So I drove myself down the second time – and Laur drove me for my third visit. Huh?! Three visits?
Jennette had warned me that some women have the kind of skin that throws off tattoos and it can take a few applications. My body was one of those. And the time I drove myself down? I ended up in the United States. Laur says, “How could you have possibly done that?!” I couldn’t tell him since I have no sense of direction. Heck, if I knew I was getting things wrong, I wouldn’t have done it in the first place.
It’s been two years and my tattooed eyeliner is starting to face, so I booked another appointment for this Friday. And yes, Laur is driving me, though he does assert, “You’re Canadian – they have to let you back in.” And I respond, “Laur – my nickname is Wreck It Ralph. Are you sure you want to take that chance? Afterall, I’ll have the van!”
But I’ve sweetened the pot. I have suggested that after my tat is done, we could go for a bike ride along Friendship Trail to Port Colborne and back – a mere 60 kms round trip. Why is that such a deal? Well normally if we go to Fort Erie, it’s from St. Catharines, which adds another 40 kms each way. I love, it but hubs – not so much.
*****
I should mention that the gal with the perfect makeup at GoodLife also had her lips done. Why am I not doing that? According to my tattoo artist Jennette, it’s pricey, it’s very painful, it takes a long time to heal, and it fades even faster than eyeliner. I’m not a good candidate.
Could I not take 5 seconds in the morning to apply lipstick? Yes I could but I am terrible at it – I’d get more on my teeth than on my lips. Also I always have my hands to my face. I would have it rubbed all over my nose. And one thing my nose does not need is a lipstick highlight!
(Hubs added this editorial comment: “You’d be Bozo the Clown!” Good thing I like this lad!)
What kind of tattoo would a fairly strait-laced gal like me get? Eyeliner! Why would I not take 30 seconds in the morning and just put some on? Because I’m TERRIBLE at doing it, I’m always running late, and I just can’t be bothered.
I never wear makeup. That will come as no surprise to someone who sees me on a regular basis. But I have worn make up on a few occasions. Grade 9 and 10 high school – I looked like Rocky Racoon – but so did everyone. And thereafter, I stopped.
OK, I did wear makeup at my wedding, lightly applied by my dear friend and bridesmaid Shirley. Oh, and I wore makeup at Anna’s wedding – applied by a professional. Oh yes, there was another time – at Tom’s and Julie’s wedding. Now that was a story.
The wedding was in South Korea and I wanted to wear a traditional mother-in-law’s outfit – a hanbok -and I wanted a traditional Korean hairstyle and makeup. The same as Julie’s mom. The hair, no big deal. The make up. Well, first of all I speak no Korean and my makeup artist spoke no English. And I noticed she was getting a little frustrated and kept reapplying a paste on my face.
Then I figured it out. Korean women at the age I was then have few if any wrinkles. Me, I had that Ukrainian babushka of Chernobyl look. See https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-04-26/30-years-after-chernobyl-these-ukrainian-babushkas-are-still-living-their-toxic Every time she coated my face to hide the wrinkles, I would smile and crack up all her hard work. Thankfully an American gal who happened to speak some Korean arrived and communicated to the makeup artist to not worry about it. The experience of prettying me up must have given the makeup artist nightmares for a week.
*****
Why did I decide to get an eyeliner tattoo? Except for those four occasions, I haven’t bothered to wear eyeliner. Well, as I’m aging, I’m noticing that my eyes and lips are starting to disappear. My nose, on the other hand, is coming into a life of its own. Gah!
At GoodLife at a group exercise class I noticed a woman in her 50s, I’m guessing, whose hair and makeup always look perfect, as does the rest of her. I asked after class, “Did you use to be a model?” That was likely insulting – as middle aged women can model too. Ah well. Thankfully she just laughed and said, “Why would you ask that?” I responded, “Because your make up always looks perfect.” (And everything else, but I didn’t say that. I was being weird enough as it was.)
She responded, “I had it tattooed on!” “Really,” I said. I asked for the name of her artist but she lives in Vancouver. I don’t have much occasion to go there. Hmm. So I asked my daughter Anna which tattoo artist did her tattoos – my kid has a mural on her back – and she directed me to “Tat of Class.” I went on the website and fell in love with Jennette immediately. She does volunteer cat tats and gives the money to a cat rescue. She fashions areolas for women who have lost a breast to cancer. And as I later found out, she also loves Northern Ontario. Sign me up!
I was expecting it to be painful. It wasn’t. it was downright relaxing. She numbs the eye lids and gently holds your face while she’s applying the tat. The machine makes a purring noise and she tells wonderful stories. If I could nap I might have fallen asleep but I truly didn’t want to miss a second of it.
Laur drove me down the first time because I expected I would have super swollen eyes and blurry vision. That was not the case. So I drove myself down the second time – and Laur drove me for my third visit. Huh?! Three visits?
Jennette had warned me that some women have the kind of skin that throws off tattoos and it can take a few applications. My body was one of those. And the time I drove myself down? I ended up in the United States. Laur says, “How could you have possibly done that?!” I couldn’t tell him since I have no sense of direction. Heck, if I knew I was getting things wrong, I wouldn’t have done it in the first place.
It’s been two years and my tattooed eyeliner is starting to face, so I booked another appointment for this Friday. And yes, Laur is driving me, though he does assert, “You’re Canadian – they have to let you back in.” And I respond, “Laur – my nickname is Wreck It Ralph. Are you sure you want to take that chance? Afterall, I’ll have the van!”
But I’ve sweetened the pot. I have suggested that after my tat is done, we could go for a bike ride along Friendship Trail to Port Colborne and back – a mere 60 kms round trip. Why is that such a deal? Well normally if we go to Fort Erie, it’s from St. Catharines, which adds another 40 kms each way. I love, it but hubs – not so much.
*****
I should mention that the gal with the perfect makeup at GoodLife also had her lips done. Why am I not doing that? According to my tattoo artist Jennette, it’s pricey, it’s very painful, it takes a long time to heal, and it fades even faster than eyeliner. I’m not a good candidate.
Could I not take 5 seconds in the morning to apply lipstick? Yes I could but I am terrible at it – I’d get more on my teeth than on my lips. Also I always have my hands to my face. I would have it rubbed all over my nose. And one thing my nose does not need is a lipstick highlight!
(Hubs added this editorial comment: “You’d be Bozo the Clown!” Good thing I like this lad!)