I’ve always wanted a tattoo. But I’ve also always told myself I would never get one until I drew it myself. Why put someone else’s art on my own body when I am an artist myself? And I’ve always stuck to that. Not once have I ever been tempted to get a tattoo impulsively. It’s been 10 years now. But I finally drew one!

My sister, Beckie, and I decided we wanted to each get a tattoo before we turned 30, so with her 30th looming and mine being barely more than a year away, we decided to do it together, and to get the same tattoo. We wanted an image that described both of us and that had emotional meaning. Why else get a tattoo, right?

So, the day is set for tomorrow at 11:00. I’ll post photos after they’re done. My fabulous friend, Jenn, is going with us to shoot the event!

So, here’s what it means to us…

The flower is our version of a morning glory. It represents our mother who passed away little more than a year ago, after a 3 and a half year battle with ovarian cancer. We wanted something to visual remember her by, something we could see daily that would remind us of her and what a beautiful person she was. The morning glory is her birth month flower, it symbolizes love and affection. She was born in September.

The bird represents two things… the first is our great-grandfather who made both Beckie and me a necklace when we were just toddlers. They have our name in little square letter beads, and a bird bead on each side. It still to this day is my absolute favorite necklace. The second meaning is that it is a chestnut-backed chickadee, to be specific, the bird for the month of December, the month our mother passed away.

Plus, it was mom that always thought tattoos were ‘so cute’ and had always wanted to get one herself. She’d love that we’re finally getting one, so it seems only fitting :)