Often times I get asked the same few questions:

Why did you get your tattoo?

How many tattoos do you have?

What will you get next?

I was only 17 years old when I received my first tattoo. I barely had to convince my mother to let me get one, let alone take me to get one. She figured I would go on my own on my 18th birthday to get one anyway, luckily for me, she was right. My first tattoo opened the portal to the following 8 tattoos and the ones I will get in the near future.

Tattoo Number 1 : Swallow bird and stars

This was my first tattoo at the age of 17. This tattoo I actually drew and designed it myself in art class. This was done at Broadway Tattoo Lounge located in South Amboy, NJ. The year that this tattoo was done I had a loss in the family. Unfortunately, my aunt passed away on the same day as my grandfather. Just ten years apart. I decided to do a swallow bird and stars, because my grandfather was a boy scout leader and a fisherman. I decided to color in one of the stars with my aunt's favorite color. This tattoo was painless, considering it was my first ever!

Tattoo Number 2 - Three Butterflies

I had this tattoo done about eight months after my first one. I had gone back to the same place and had the same artist do this one for me. I had such a difficult time finding the "right" and "perfect" butterflies to suite this memorial tattoo idea. Shortly after the passing of my aunt, my grandmother passed away. I was always drawing butterflies for her when I was younger, so these fit my criteria perfectly. Oddly enough the funeral parlor was decorated in them as well. I just happened to pick three later realizing we were both born in the third month of the year.

Tattoo Number 3

This was the third tattoo I received. I went to Rose City Tattoo located in Rahway, NJ. This was literally a spur of the moment tattoo on my right thigh. The Catcher in the Rye has always been my favorite book after reading it in the tenth grade. I associate myself so much with Holden Caulfield. The quote I pulled the two lines from fits life perfectly and I could not be more happier with this tattoo.

"Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them - if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't education. It's history. It's poetry" J.D Salinger (24.60-62).

Tattoo Number 4

My mother went away to upstate NY for some work related thing. So, being me I decided I could get a tattoo without her knowing. Something that could be my little secret. I was 19 and it is not like I could not do it anyway, but I was afraid she would flip out. Right before work I went over to Rose City tattoo and received a small black star on my left wrist. Oddly enough from about 2009 or 2010 until 2016 I was able to hide my tattoo. Oh! My mom saw it and did not say anything!

Tattoo Number 5 - Tim Burton's: The Pin Cushion Queen

Some of you may or may not know that I am a die hard Tim Burton fan. I mean my bedroom is Tim Burton themed for God's sake. During the Spring of 2010 I had gone to Tim Burton's exhibition located at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. I was excited, in awe, and in heaven. It was too many emotions to put into words and I never wanted to leave. There were so many pieces of artwork I fell in love with and I had to have one as a tattoo. Yet again I convinced my mother and I drove myself over to the Broadway Tattoo Lounge. I had walked in simply to make an appointment, but an artist had been free at the time and said he would do it for me right then in there. I exclaimed " I only have 300 dollars on me for the deposit" and he said not to worry about it. So, over four hours later my ribs were freshly tattooed. Yes, that is me asleep getting tattooed. He said he never had someone lay there as perfect as I did and actually dropped the price of the tattoo!

Tattoo Number 6: Great Horned Owl

I had this tattoo done right before my last semester of college. (the first time around). This is what I called the "graduation present to myself." I just love owl and that is really the only reason I got the tattoo done. This was done at Rorschach Gallery located in Edison, NJ.

Tattoo Number 7: Two Pink Roses

In December of 2014 there had been a contest on Instagram floating around. You had to share the post, tag the artist, hashtag it with the hashtag provided, and pray you got picked. I must of shared the damn photo over 90 times..no I really did. On Christmas of 2014 I was picked as the Instagram winner. I won a free three hour tattoo session. I do not really have any "girly or feminine" tattoos, so I picked roses since they are my favorite flower.

Tattoo Number 8 : It's Just A Spark from Paramore's Song Last Hope

There are many reasons why I decided to get this tattoo. This song means way too much to me, just as the band does. I used to self harm and have been free from it for 5 yrs. It will be 6 in December 2016. I got it to represent To Write Love On Her Arms, Paramore, and those who were there for me in my darkest times. Those things were my "spark" or my light so to speak. " it's just a spark, but it's enough to keep me going. And when it's dark out, no one's around. It keeps glowing."

Number 9 : The Nightmare Before Christmas aka The Work In Progress

This Tim Burton piece was originally going to be our father lord of darkness...I mean Edgar Allan Poe. I originally had gone to the shop and dropped off a deposit for the Poe inspired tattoo. About two week before my appointment my mother said "You should get something to do with the Nightmare Before Christmas instead." So, while browsing online I found this incredible half-sleeve. I decided to show my mother and she somehow agreed to it. I'm going for a third session soon and I have a fourth coming up just before Halloween. I am so happy about this piece and I proudly wear it where ever I go. Brian at Rorschach Gallery is an amazing artist. Long story short we found out a relative of his actually works with my father..who would have known?