"What's your tattoo about?"
Okay, maybe not crafty, but it's art.
This is my newest WIP (that's Work in Progress for those of you who aren't up on the knitting lingo), being done by Chad Birgy of Primitive Urge tattoo shop in NE Portland.
I'm looking forward to getting it filled in in a couple of weeks! I am psyched to finally feel a bit more balanced, too. For eight years I've had a tattoo snaking up my right arm from wrist to shoulder, with a small 1 inch character on my left. Now, my bicep is, mostly, covered, and will soon be bright and colorful too. Having ink on both arms just makes me feel more even-keeled.
Plus, I rather like all the flowers that keep popping up. There are orchids at the top of my right arm. I started this tattoo when I was 27 or so. When I started learning to fire dance, I rediscovered my learning process, my movement style and my own beauty, in addition to developing a relationship with fire. Thus, I've got flames that start out at my wrist (in fact, if you look closely, they start out exiting two veins in my wrist, tho I didn't notice that the artist had done this until YEARS later!). They wrap around my arm and just above my elbow, leaves start coming out of the flames and at the top, on the bicep, is a trio of orchids - they are simultaneously being born of and engulfed in flames.
Orchids, of course, are being used here as a symbol for the feminine divine, which I needed to rediscover in myself at that time. In addition, then I had a serious partner in my life - he had a green thumb, and we had orchids blooming in our loft all the time. Vanilla, too, is both an orchid and an aphrodisiac. I, too, am capable of being a pretty living object and an incredible turn-on ;-)
Now, however, I've explored a million other sides of myself - so, I felt like it was time to balance myself out. This new piece is a rose that actually covers up a tiny little symbol I had there meaning "tender" - I got that it was I was 25, a reminder to myself to lighten up and not be so hard - I was on the defensive a lot in New York.
Then I moved to the west coast. I allowed myself to jump into the experience fully - maybe too fully - I did everything from stiltwalkers to ayahuasca here. I fell in love weekly, got my heart broken about as often, and had sound healings to help. Portland, Oregon, city of roses. I have had some of my most wonderful experiences with people in this town. I love it, and I'm happy to be back. I've also been broken and rebuilt a few times since I left - I'm a thing of beauty and I do have thorns - be careful or I might get caught in your hair.
(and for what it's worth, i'm still tender underneath. and on my petals).
Anyway, I was so thoroughly energized upon arriving home today that I cleaned my room, repotted a bunch of plants and then organized my studio and made a copy of this necklace for a Portland customer (good sex = a reboot to my system - and I think last night goes down in history). For better or for worse it's kind of a social extravaganza weekend here though, so I won't be accomplishing too much creatively except the sketches I've been taping to the wall. So be it! At least the space has been cleared, physically and energetically. For now, I need to go get ready for tonight's excursion to hear, and dance to, Cheb I Sabbah. I will probably get home late, and then tomorrow starts a 3-day weekend with a really amazing Portland phenomenon, March 4th Marching Band. Superhardcore job hunting is ALSO on the itinerary this week. I probably won't get around to making much, or to knitting either. Probably better that way. All this craftiness is making my butt bigger.
