Ford Motor Company announced that it will offer short term medical insurance as part of a buyout retirement offer for almost all of its 41,000 hourly workers. The offer is intended to reduce the firm's factory work force. The New York Times reports that in the past Ford kept laid-off workers in a job bank rather than remove them from the payroll. This year, however, Ford is actively reducing its work force in anticipation of lower demand for cars in the future.
The short term medical insurance plan is a six month basic health insurance policy but the details of the coverage are not provided. Ford has not announced how many workers are expected to elect the buyout offer.
Considering the larger regional trend of employers hiring temporary workers and the shift toward individual health insurance (as opposed to employer-sponsored group insurance), some of these workers in the Detroit area are likely to consider alternate affordable health insurance options for the long term before deciding whether to accept the buyout package. Those who do not qualify for lower cost options could face higher health insurance costs through their state's high risk Blue Cross insurance pool.
HCC announces affiliation with Travel Insured International
In a press release dated 10/30/09, HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC announced its new alliance with Travel Insured International. HCC Medical Insurance Services LLC is a leader in online health insurance products for international travelers and expatriates. Travel Insured International is a provider of travel insurance services such as trip cancellation, trip interruption and travel assistance services.
HCC Medical Insurance Services President Mark Carney is quoted saying “We are very excited to announce our affiliation with Travel Insured International. In spite of the economic downturn, the international traveler and expatriate’s need for health insurance products continue to grow”.
Travel Insured International’s product portfolio will now include eight additional health insurance products that are already also available online at Freedom Benefits:
Atlas Travel Series – a short-term health policy for individuals traveling outside their home country
CitizenSecure(SM) – annually renewable major medical insurance with a term-life insurance option for individuals and families
StudentSecure(SM) – health coverage for international students and scholars studying abroad
IC+ International Term Life – term life insurance policy for individuals living outside the U.S. for up to 10 years
Other products offered by HCC Medical Insurance Services include: Atlas Group, Atlas Professional, CitizenSecureSM Economy, GroupSecureSM.
About Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International, based in East Hartford, CT, was founded in 1993 by the foresight of insurance industry executive Peter Gehris when he acquired the travel protection division of the Travelers Insurance Company. Travel Insured International delivers strong, affordable benefits in the customer’s choice of a broad range of travel plans, as well as group and customized protection programs. Travel Insured International has established and driven higher standards for policy quality and customer care.
About HCC Medical Insurance Services
The international products are administered by Indianapolis-based HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC (HCCMIS), a recognized leader in international life and health insurance offering coverage to consumers in more than 130 countries. Through its staff and a worldwide network of distributors, HCCMIS provides quality and value to clients. The company is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve its clients worldwide. HCCMIS is a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC), a leading international specialty insurance group headquartered in Houston, Texas. HCC has assets of $8.9 billion, shareholders’ equity of $2.8 billion and is rated AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor’s and AA (Very Strong) by Fitch Ratings. In addition, HCC’s major domestic insurance companies are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.
HCC Medical Insurance Services President Mark Carney is quoted saying “We are very excited to announce our affiliation with Travel Insured International. In spite of the economic downturn, the international traveler and expatriate’s need for health insurance products continue to grow”.
Travel Insured International’s product portfolio will now include eight additional health insurance products that are already also available online at Freedom Benefits:
Atlas Travel Series – a short-term health policy for individuals traveling outside their home country
CitizenSecure(SM) – annually renewable major medical insurance with a term-life insurance option for individuals and families
StudentSecure(SM) – health coverage for international students and scholars studying abroad
IC+ International Term Life – term life insurance policy for individuals living outside the U.S. for up to 10 years
Other products offered by HCC Medical Insurance Services include: Atlas Group, Atlas Professional, CitizenSecureSM Economy, GroupSecureSM.
About Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International, based in East Hartford, CT, was founded in 1993 by the foresight of insurance industry executive Peter Gehris when he acquired the travel protection division of the Travelers Insurance Company. Travel Insured International delivers strong, affordable benefits in the customer’s choice of a broad range of travel plans, as well as group and customized protection programs. Travel Insured International has established and driven higher standards for policy quality and customer care.
About HCC Medical Insurance Services
The international products are administered by Indianapolis-based HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC (HCCMIS), a recognized leader in international life and health insurance offering coverage to consumers in more than 130 countries. Through its staff and a worldwide network of distributors, HCCMIS provides quality and value to clients. The company is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve its clients worldwide. HCCMIS is a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC), a leading international specialty insurance group headquartered in Houston, Texas. HCC has assets of $8.9 billion, shareholders’ equity of $2.8 billion and is rated AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor’s and AA (Very Strong) by Fitch Ratings. In addition, HCC’s major domestic insurance companies are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.
Buying Life Insurance
Buying Life Insurance: What Kind and How Much?
Finding the middle ground between being "insurance poor" and unprotected requires assessing real needs and choosing products that are affordable. This article introduces different types of insurance products and the role that they can play in a personal financial plan.
Buying Life Insurance
Conventional wisdom says that life insurance is sold, not purchased. In other words, some people are reluctant to discuss the importance of owning life insurance, and others are simply unaware of the need to have life insurance. Although many large companies provide life insurance as part of their benefits package, this coverage may be insufficient.
Who needs life insurance? If there are individuals who depend on you for financial support, or if you work at home providing your family with such services as child care, cooking, and cleaning, you need life insurance. Older couples also may need life insurance to protect a surviving spouse against the possibility of the couple's retirement savings being depleted by unexpected medical expenses. And individuals with substantial assets may need life insurance to help reduce the effects of estate taxes or to transfer wealth to future generations.
Finding the middle ground between being "insurance poor" and unprotected requires assessing real needs and choosing products that are affordable. This article introduces different types of insurance products and the role that they can play in a personal financial plan.
Buying Life Insurance
Conventional wisdom says that life insurance is sold, not purchased. In other words, some people are reluctant to discuss the importance of owning life insurance, and others are simply unaware of the need to have life insurance. Although many large companies provide life insurance as part of their benefits package, this coverage may be insufficient.
Who needs life insurance? If there are individuals who depend on you for financial support, or if you work at home providing your family with such services as child care, cooking, and cleaning, you need life insurance. Older couples also may need life insurance to protect a surviving spouse against the possibility of the couple's retirement savings being depleted by unexpected medical expenses. And individuals with substantial assets may need life insurance to help reduce the effects of estate taxes or to transfer wealth to future generations.
A closer look at Secure Short Term Medical Insurance
The brand name "Secure Short Term Medical" is one of the best-known and most highly regarded low cost health insurance plans in the U.S. The brand actually consists of four products that each target a specific group of consumers. The four products are: 1) Secure STM, 2) Secure Lite STM, 3) Secure 12x3 STM and 4) Secure Saver STM.
What makes this product lineup work so well? Probably not any one thing in particular but rather a combination of factors. We could make an analogy to an "all star lineup" in a sports team. First, the plan is administered by Health Plan Administrators, Inc., arguably one of the best service organizations in health care today. Second, The Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York enjoys a strong reputation among insurance professionals and consumers.
Next is the length of coverage. This is the only insurance product that can adequately span a gap from just one month to 36 months of continuous coverage. With a growing number of consumers looking forward to post-reform insurance within a few years, the Secure 12x3 offers the flexible length of coverage they need del with the uncertainty of the health care reform timetable.
Eligibility for the four insurance plans is liberal so most applicants will qualify for coverage. In fact, in many cases this is one of the few options available to applicants who have been previously declined for health insurance with another company. The exceptions are listed in the "medical eligibility" section of the online product descriptions. It is important to realize that all short term medical insurance plans exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. This is what makes them so affordable and easy to access.
Only one of the four products screens for weight or previous declines in determining eligibility. That is the Secure Saver, as we might expect, since it it the lowest cost plan with the least predictable out-of-pocket expenses.
Finally, we cannot ignore price. Despite all the talk about the quality of insurance the fact is that many consumers buy based primarily on price. The Secure Lite and Secure Saver rank among the least expensive major medical insurance choices in many parts of the country.
A comparison of the four Secure STM products is published at FreedomBenefits.net and a description of coverage and exclusions is available for each product. Although all of these policies come with a standard "10 day free look", generic sample policy certificates are also available online for all four products for those who want to take a closer look at these insurance options.
What makes this product lineup work so well? Probably not any one thing in particular but rather a combination of factors. We could make an analogy to an "all star lineup" in a sports team. First, the plan is administered by Health Plan Administrators, Inc., arguably one of the best service organizations in health care today. Second, The Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York enjoys a strong reputation among insurance professionals and consumers.
Next is the length of coverage. This is the only insurance product that can adequately span a gap from just one month to 36 months of continuous coverage. With a growing number of consumers looking forward to post-reform insurance within a few years, the Secure 12x3 offers the flexible length of coverage they need del with the uncertainty of the health care reform timetable.
Eligibility for the four insurance plans is liberal so most applicants will qualify for coverage. In fact, in many cases this is one of the few options available to applicants who have been previously declined for health insurance with another company. The exceptions are listed in the "medical eligibility" section of the online product descriptions. It is important to realize that all short term medical insurance plans exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. This is what makes them so affordable and easy to access.
Only one of the four products screens for weight or previous declines in determining eligibility. That is the Secure Saver, as we might expect, since it it the lowest cost plan with the least predictable out-of-pocket expenses.
Finally, we cannot ignore price. Despite all the talk about the quality of insurance the fact is that many consumers buy based primarily on price. The Secure Lite and Secure Saver rank among the least expensive major medical insurance choices in many parts of the country.
A comparison of the four Secure STM products is published at FreedomBenefits.net and a description of coverage and exclusions is available for each product. Although all of these policies come with a standard "10 day free look", generic sample policy certificates are also available online for all four products for those who want to take a closer look at these insurance options.
Celtic Insurance gains customers with low prices
Pricing of short term medical insurance tends to be more stable than managed care plans or other types of health insurance. As a result, pricing trends tend to develop more slowly and it may take longer for advisers and consumers to identify those companies with cost advantages. One such example is Celtic Insurance that has slowly and quietly winning over customers with its low rates and strong customer service. The coverage is priced and issued completely online at the company's secure enrollment site managed by ehealthinsurance.
Buying Life Insurance For The First Time
Buying Life Insurance For The First Time
When one purchase insurance, it means that you are buying something that you would never use it, but in case you need to file an insurance claim, you would come to know how important it is to have right type of coverage. Follow the below given tips in case you are a first time buyer for life insurance.
It is a remarkable fact that people who is actually healthy get best rates on life insurance. You would be asked to pay a superior rate of anything that lessen your life expectancy for example, if you have smoking habit, or if you are overweight, or may be bad in driving.
The life insurance company would certainly ask you about your health check history and might desire you to take some kind of medical you as well test for. While filling up the health advice form you need to be true to them, in case you lie the company would find out and your life insurance policy would be surely canceled. And if in case your sick and were to die and then the life insurance company found out you lied earlier, if, for instance, you said you were a non-smoker but ended up dying of lung cancer from a smoking habit, they would then certainly deny the death benefits.
No matter what type of insurance you're purchasing, the course is fundamentally the same. Once you've determined what type of insurance and as well how much coverage you require, you could start contacting insurance companies online, straight by phone, or even through an insurance broker or agent to get quotes. Get quotes from numerous diverse insurers because premium cost could surely vary widely.
An insurance policy may cost less because it offers less, or dissimilar, features and benefits. And make certain the company you've settled on is highly regarded, with high-quality customer service and also claims-paying ability. All insurance companies are rated by chief rating agencies (e.g. Standard & Poor's, Moody's, A.M. Best) on their available capability to pay claims. You could also access these ratings online, by way of public libraries, or through insurance company literature.
An insurance policy is a legal contract that may be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand. But read it anyway before you sign on the dotted line to find out about the coverage you're buying. A life insurance policy is a lawful deal, which might be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand, but you need to read it anyways before you sign on dotted line to find out about the premium and coverage you are buying. For instance, the policy would tell you:
Who is covered?
What coverage eliminations and limitations apply?
When coverage starts and ends
How much coverage is actually provided to you?
How much you would pay for insurance coverage
How you report a loss and to file a claim
The most excellent key for purchasing right amount of life insurance is just to have sufficient coverage policy which meets your need. In case if it carry more life insurance than what you really required; you'll land up paying unwanted for higher premiums. On the other hand it is also significant not to have too little coverage, which might result in you being underinsured.
If you've been putting off for buying life insurance because you don't want to pay the premiums, you might be doing yourself damage in the long run. The younger you are when you buy life insurance coverage, the lower your premiums would pay. Make your life insurance policies work for you by taking the time to occasionally review your needs and coverages.
When one purchase insurance, it means that you are buying something that you would never use it, but in case you need to file an insurance claim, you would come to know how important it is to have right type of coverage. Follow the below given tips in case you are a first time buyer for life insurance.
It is a remarkable fact that people who is actually healthy get best rates on life insurance. You would be asked to pay a superior rate of anything that lessen your life expectancy for example, if you have smoking habit, or if you are overweight, or may be bad in driving.
The life insurance company would certainly ask you about your health check history and might desire you to take some kind of medical you as well test for. While filling up the health advice form you need to be true to them, in case you lie the company would find out and your life insurance policy would be surely canceled. And if in case your sick and were to die and then the life insurance company found out you lied earlier, if, for instance, you said you were a non-smoker but ended up dying of lung cancer from a smoking habit, they would then certainly deny the death benefits.
No matter what type of insurance you're purchasing, the course is fundamentally the same. Once you've determined what type of insurance and as well how much coverage you require, you could start contacting insurance companies online, straight by phone, or even through an insurance broker or agent to get quotes. Get quotes from numerous diverse insurers because premium cost could surely vary widely.
An insurance policy may cost less because it offers less, or dissimilar, features and benefits. And make certain the company you've settled on is highly regarded, with high-quality customer service and also claims-paying ability. All insurance companies are rated by chief rating agencies (e.g. Standard & Poor's, Moody's, A.M. Best) on their available capability to pay claims. You could also access these ratings online, by way of public libraries, or through insurance company literature.
An insurance policy is a legal contract that may be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand. But read it anyway before you sign on the dotted line to find out about the coverage you're buying. A life insurance policy is a lawful deal, which might be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand, but you need to read it anyways before you sign on dotted line to find out about the premium and coverage you are buying. For instance, the policy would tell you:
Who is covered?
What coverage eliminations and limitations apply?
When coverage starts and ends
How much coverage is actually provided to you?
How much you would pay for insurance coverage
How you report a loss and to file a claim
The most excellent key for purchasing right amount of life insurance is just to have sufficient coverage policy which meets your need. In case if it carry more life insurance than what you really required; you'll land up paying unwanted for higher premiums. On the other hand it is also significant not to have too little coverage, which might result in you being underinsured.
If you've been putting off for buying life insurance because you don't want to pay the premiums, you might be doing yourself damage in the long run. The younger you are when you buy life insurance coverage, the lower your premiums would pay. Make your life insurance policies work for you by taking the time to occasionally review your needs and coverages.
Don't Get A Tattoo In Spite Of Someone
The worst possible things anyone can do is go out and get a tattoo when they are mad and angry at someone just to spite them. When one gets a tattoo they should be in a calm state of mind. Being upset and mad at someone is the worst possible time to get a tattoo. Tattoos should not be gotten on a whim. They need to be planned out and constantly thought about. After all you will be living with your tattoo decision for the rest of your life so you better make darn sure that whatever design you are picking out, the location on your body where you want it, the size and the color is something that you will be able to live with and have no regrets about.
If you are upset at someone because they don't want you to get a tattoo you shouldn't just go out and get one anyway. You need to listen to their reasons to why they don't want you to get the tattoo and see if you can come to a compromise. If you simply can not some to a compromise you need to just think long and hard about your decision to get some body art. Don't get a tattoo just because, you will most certainly end up regretting that decision later on in life. Remember tattoos are a beautiful thing and are a form of expression, just make sure you want to express your tattoo for the rest of your life.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Set A Good Example
A lot of parents fear that one day their children will come to them asking if they can get a tattoo. Which in all honesty isn't that big of a deal, your children can ask for a lot worse. But parents who already have tattoos more than likely don't have this problem but do they? Interestingly enough there are several tattooed celebrities out there that are too keen on the idea of their children following in their footsteps, which is a little hypocritical. So if you don't want your children to have one tattoo or be covered in tattoos maybe you should think long and hard before you get one yourself. After all your children will not understand why you can get tattoos and they can't. If you had a bad tattoo experience than you should talk to them about it and help educate them in not making the same mistake that you did. But don't tell them they can't get one, because they will more than likely just go out and get one without your permission, if they are of legal age there really isn't anything that can be done about it.
Take soccer star David Beckham for instance, he has nearly half of his body covered in tattoos and he recently shared that one of his three boys expressed that they wanted to get tattoos just like daddy and couldn't wait to get them. David seemed like he didn't want his son to follow in his footsteps and told him he would have to wait a very long time for that and also added he hopes he give up on it.
So if you ever think you will have a problem with your children getting tattoos than you probably shouldn't get one yourself.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Zodiac Tattoos
When it comes to trying to decide what tattoo design to get it can be kind of rough. There are literally limitless ideas for tattoos, basically if you can think it, it can be tattooed. However, some people have a harder time than others when they have to pick out their tattoo designs. Tattoos are forever and you are going to be stuck with it for the rest of your life, so it is a good idea to put a lot of thought into your design. Never pick out a tattoo design on a whim, you will most definitely regret that decision.
If you are having a hard time thinking of a tattoo design that will stand the test of time than you should think about getting a zodiac tattoo. After all once you are an Aries or a Libra you are always an Aries or a Libra. Also there are so many different zodiac tattoo designs out there you will have no problem picking one out and making it your own. Also if you have children why not get their zodiac signs tattooed on you as well. All in all zodiac signs are a very safe tattoo, there is pretty much a very slim chance that you will end up regretting you tattoo if you go this route. Just make sure you don't go over board and get a huge tattoo of you zodiac sign, that may lead to some regret later on down the road.
Just think long and hard about your tattoo design. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Tattoos Becoming Less Taboo
For decades tattoos have been a big no no and a very taboo subject. However, tattoos are starting to go more mainstream now and with more celebrities and tattoo reality shows hitting the TV, tattoos are starting to be seen in a different way. Tattoos are still looked upon as a negative thing and some still associate them with rough and tumble bikers dudes, criminals and up to no good people. These stereotype unfortunately will more than likely always be there, but with more and more people speaking out about tattoos and with more people getting them things are slowly starting to change.
It is estimated that 45 million people have at least one tattoo. In the latest poll that was taken it revealed that 40% of people who are from the ages of 18-40 have at least one tattoo. With these numbers so high it makes one wonder why there is still so much negativity towards tattoos. However, times are a changing and tattoos are starting to be a little bit more acceptable. More and more companies are starting to admit that if their employee have a tattoo or a visible tattoo that it's no big deal. After all just because some has a tattoo doesn't mean they can't perform well at a job. Also with more celebrities and other role models out there having tattoos it has also helped with the way some people perceive tattoos. Hopefully, in a another 10 years or so tattoos won't be such a controversial subject with some people.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
More And More People Getting Tattoos
There has not been a poll done for at least a year or two to see if there has been a rise or fall in the amount of people getting tattoos. However, tattoo shop owner's are reporting that they are seeing an increase in business and that a lot of their business is coming from tattoo virgins. The latest poll that was done showed that a whopping 40% of people from the ages of 18 to 40 have at least a tattoo. That's almost half of the population. With the popularity of tattoos rising there are still quite a few people who fear tattoos and look down upon them. Unfortunately, this will always be a problem, after all people are allowed to have their own opinions. However, in this case people need to be educated about tattoos and know that rough and tumble bikers, criminal and up to no good people are not the ones getting tattoos these days. It is soccer moms and cooperate businessmen.
With that being said the popularity of tattoos continues to rise and tattoo shop owner's are happy to report that first time tattoo seekers are educating themselves more about tattoos. They also report that people are doing their research and are thinking harder and longer about jumping the gun and getting inked. This is good news for the tattoo community, the more people educated themselves about tattoos and the more mainstream they get maybe it will help tattoos not have such a bad wrap.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Lady Gaga Loves Tattoos
It is probably no surprise that the Poker Face singer loves tattoos. However, Lady Gaga is more well known for her out of this world fashion and her barely there outfits, but this pop singer also has a huge love for tattoos. Lady Gaga admitted to LA Ink's, Kat Von D that she got her first tattoo at the young age of 17, which as you know is underage. Lady Gaga admits that she acquired a fake ID just so she could get her first tattoo. As you can imagine she regretted her first tattoo considerably and got Kat Von D to cover it up with a pretty design of white roses clustered together and some vines.
However, Lady Gaga not only loves tattoos on her own body, she also loves the fact that one of her fans got a very huge, detailed and very intricate tattoo of herself on their arm. Lady Gaga is said to be very flatter by this gestures and says that she imagines that not a lot of pop stars experience this gestures and that she thinks that it is pretty rock n roll. Of course this isn't something that is recommended. Some singers come and go and you may feel pretty stupid a few years down the road it that singer or group you got tattooed on you is no longer popular. Just think long and hard about that choice and really think if they will be around for a long time.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Be Careful What You Ask For
When it comes to getting a tattoo you have got to put a lot of thought and consideration into the process. Tattoos are forever and whatever decision you make about what tattoo design you get and where you get it tattooed on your body, you are stuck with it the rest of your life. This is why it is so important to be 200% certain about your design and location. There is also another great tip that everyone should know. You should be careful what you ask for because you just might get it. Most tattoo artist will try to persuade you from a crazy tattoo and a crazy location of a tattoo like the face. Not too many well respected tattoo artists will tattoo someones face because they know society will not perceive it well and don't want to be part of a mistake.
Let's face it there are plenty of not so bright people out there that have gone out on a whim and gotten a very crazy tattoo. Take that Kimberly woman, who got 56 stars tattooed on her face. She indeed asked for the 56 stars but once her father saw them and flipped out she blamed the tattoo artist saying she asked for 3. This is a great example that people should learn from. Think through your tattoo design and the location. What you may think looks cool today you may not think is cool tomorrow or 10 years down the road. Just be certain about the design you want and try not to go overboard.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
When Will Thieves Learn
It is pretty safe to say that there are a lot of thieves out there that are not really that smart. For one they are not smart for robbing and stealing in the first place but a large group of thieves here recently just have not been thinking clearly, which is great for the police. There have been numerous robberies, house invasions and even assaults in the news lately and there is one very important thing these thieves are leaving behind to make catching them a heck of a lot easier. The thieves have some sort of very noticeable tattoo somewhere on their body that they completely forgot to cover up before they committed their crime. If you think about it this is a very stupid move. There really isn't much someone can do to get rid of their tattoo quickly. Laser tattoo removal lasts for months before the tattoo is faintly seen.
Believe it or not but it is rather easy to find someone with a certain tattoo. Police can canvas the area that the crime took place not only that they can visit local tattoo parlors and talk to several people in a certain neighborhood. Having a noticeable distinctive tattoo is noticed a lot more than one may think. A lot of people pay attention to those sorts of things because they more than likely have some sort of negative comment to make about it so it stays in their head longer.
Chances are this kind of thing will continue to happen as long as their are tattoos because certain people just do not think!
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
When Will People Learn
When will people learn that getting a tattoo of a lover's name is the worst possible idea in the world. Numerous of celebrities have gone down this road and one would think that people would take notice and not follow in their foot steps. I mean people are constantly watching celebrities every move so why not learn a lesson from their mistakes. Simply put if you are even thinking about getting a tattoo of your boyfriend's name or heck even of your husband's name just don't do it. It is pretty much guaranteed once your do this that you have put a curse on your relationship and you will break up or get a divorce. And you will be left with the reminder of that awful relationship for the rest of your life. It is best to just not be romantic when it comes to getting a tattoo. If you just have to get something to represent your lover or spouse think about getting a zodiac sign or something to that effect. Yes you will still have the reminder of them but it's doesn't make as strong of a statement of a person name. Plus people won't constantly be asking you, who is so and so.
It looks like Miley Cyrus' ex-boyfriend Justin Gaston has become the latest victim to this. Justin had a rather interesting tattoo of a very girly tattoo on the back of his arm and in the middle of that flower were the initials of MC. Well since the two have just recently broken up Justin wasted no time in going to the tattoo parlor and getting that girly flower tattoo covered up with some other design.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Megan Fox's Mom Hates Her Tattoos
If you have been living under a rock for the past couple of years you probably have no idea that they mega hot Transformer star, Megan Fox has nine tattoos on her very sexy body. She has been criticized ever since she became popular and people still talk about her tattoo collection today. Most have bad things to say regarding her tattoo designs, the quality of them, why someone so pretty would ruin their body etc. Well it seems that Megan's mother is one of those many people that don't care for her tattoos. She constantly asks her daughter why she must ruin her perfect body with tattoos. It has been reported that Megan's mother pleads with her daughter every time she gets a new tattoo not to get another one and of course in true Megan fashion she does not listen.
Megan's mother, Darlene's main concern is when Megan is older in her mid 30's to 40's and wants to play more mature roles in movies that directors will not hire her daughter because of her tattoos. Of course Megan has a great comeback for that. Angelina Jolie. She has had no problem finding roles in Hollywood, but then again she IS Angelina Jolie so that might have something else to do with it. Megan isn't exactly up to Angelina's stature but she does have time to improve on her acting skills.
So these leads us to the age old question do tattoos make someone less attractive and desirable?
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Different Reason's To Get Tattoos
One of the great things about getting tattoos is that almost everyone who has them gets them for a different reason. Most people who have tattoos just love the art of the tattoo and simply think they are cool. Some get them to remember a loved one, and others get them to mark a special occasion in their life. Another reason people get tattoos is to help mark a huge accomplishment in their life or to celebrate the birth of a child. Some people get tattoos to chronicle a long journey in their life, while others get them to chronicle a new clean journey in their life like Jackass star Steve-O. It is no secret that Steve-O has battled drug and alcohol addiction for a while now. Now that Steve-O is clean he has decided to mark his new sober life with tattoos. Steve-O's new ink will mark the milestones on his journey to get clean and to stay clean.
Simply put there is no right or wrong answer to the reason for you getting a tattoo. Getting a tattoo is a personal decision and you should never let someone pressure you into getting a tattoo or trying to discourage your from getting one. If your heart is set on getting a tattoo than you should by all means get one. Just make sure you have put some thought into your tattoo design and the location of your tattoo. Tattoos are a great, and more people need to realize this. Just like your mother and teacher's always taught you...never judge a book by its cover. This saying couldn't fit the tattoo community any better.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Tattoo Studios Trying To Be More Upscale
There is no denying that when a lot of people hear the word tattoo or see someone with a tattoo they may not have the nicest of thoughts. When most people think of tattoos negativity is almost always what they affiliate it with. Which if you are educated in tattoos and the tattoo community you will know this couldn't be further from the truth. The majority of people who have tattoos are law abiding citizens, they have never been to jail, they don't have a criminal background and they have good paying jobs. Unfortunately, the few bad apples that are out there that dawn tattoos have created this stigma. Back in the day royalty dawned tattoos and people of affluent backgrounds. But soon the lower class people caught onto the tattoo craze and the royalty soon stopped getting them. This is more than likely the reason why tattoos are associated with bad people.
However, there is a tattoo parlor or tattoo studio as they liked to be called in Las Vegas that is trying to get people to see that tattoo studios are not a bad thing and that they can be upscale. Club Tattoo is nestled in between an art gallery and an upscale cookware store. One of the owner's had this comment to make about them trying so hard to remove the negative stigma from tattoo parlors or studios if you will.
Our goal has been, from the very beginning, to remove the stigma of what people had thought of tattoos and tattoo artists, that they're kind of dirty, tough guys [working on] convicts, bikers [and] military guys overseas," Bennington says. "Our goal has always been to elevate the image of the tattoo industry as a whole."
Club Tattoo is striving to change public perceptions by putting the tattoo artists in its front."
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However, there is a tattoo parlor or tattoo studio as they liked to be called in Las Vegas that is trying to get people to see that tattoo studios are not a bad thing and that they can be upscale. Club Tattoo is nestled in between an art gallery and an upscale cookware store. One of the owner's had this comment to make about them trying so hard to remove the negative stigma from tattoo parlors or studios if you will.
Our goal has been, from the very beginning, to remove the stigma of what people had thought of tattoos and tattoo artists, that they're kind of dirty, tough guys [working on] convicts, bikers [and] military guys overseas," Bennington says. "Our goal has always been to elevate the image of the tattoo industry as a whole."
Club Tattoo is striving to change public perceptions by putting the tattoo artists in its front."
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Be Careful With Name Tattoos
Tyrese Gibson is no stranger to the tattoo gun. The male model/actor has several tattoos of his own. He has also revealed to Life & Style Magazine that he loves it when woman have tattoos. He truly thinks they are sexy. In fact Tyrese loves it when a girl gets his name tattooed on them because it lets him know that he is serious. However, you young girls and girls out there in general should know that getting someone elses name tattooed on you is a big no no. Not only is it the ultimate kiss of death of a relationship but what will you do once you are no longer together? An even worse thing to do is get a celebrities name tattooed on you just because you are a big fan. The best rule to follow when thinking about getting someones name tattooed on your body is DON'T.
If you are dead set on having someones name tattooed on you there are several routes you can go. For one you can get your own name with a cute little or masculine design around it. You could get the name of a beloved pet along with a paw print or you could simply get your children names tattooed on you. Another option you have is to get you mother or father's name tattooed on you. Just remember that tattoos are forever, but theoretically thinking they are actually forever. You can get them removed but that cost a lot of money and you will also endure a lot of pain to get that done. Not to mention that a highly possibility that some scarring will occur and the tattoo may not disappear all they way. So you could just be left with a very faint reminder of that name you want to get rid of. Just be on the safe side and don't be overly romantic when picking out a tattoo design.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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If you are dead set on having someones name tattooed on you there are several routes you can go. For one you can get your own name with a cute little or masculine design around it. You could get the name of a beloved pet along with a paw print or you could simply get your children names tattooed on you. Another option you have is to get you mother or father's name tattooed on you. Just remember that tattoos are forever, but theoretically thinking they are actually forever. You can get them removed but that cost a lot of money and you will also endure a lot of pain to get that done. Not to mention that a highly possibility that some scarring will occur and the tattoo may not disappear all they way. So you could just be left with a very faint reminder of that name you want to get rid of. Just be on the safe side and don't be overly romantic when picking out a tattoo design.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Should Tattooing An Animal Be Conidered Animal Cruelty
This topic is very controversial to begin with. Some people probably have not even heard of pets having tattoos. However, pet tattoos happen a lot more often than one may think. For instance, race horses are given a tattoo in their lip right before their first race so the horse can be identified. This tattoo is used if for some reason the horse's records get lost in between different owner's. The new owner's can then track down the horse's records with the tattoo in their lip. This same practice is used for dogs as well. Many dog owner's chose to get their beloved dog tattooed with a series of numbers on their belly in the event of the dog getting lost. The tattoos are sort of used for the same purpose as a micro chip. With that being said these tattoos don't seem to be very cruel. However, the tattoos are administered the same way as a humans so people may feel that in itself is cruel. But people should know that the tattooing itself doesn't hurt the dog like it does a human because they have more layers skin, but it is still uncomfortable to them. The sound of the tattoo gun is want makes them the most uncomfortable.
With that being said tattooing your pet doesn't sound so bad. However, to tattoo your pet just because you feel it would be "cool" for your pet to sport a tattoo, probably falls somewhere under animal cruelty. Getting a series of numbers tattooed on your pet is a whole lot different that getting an actual tattoo design tattooed on them.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Jermaine Dupri Gets Tattoo Of Janet Jackson
If you are not familiar with the tattoo world or tattoo culture you may or may not know that it is pretty much a tattoo no no to get a tattoo of your lover's name or to get a portrait of them. Tattoo artist often refer to this gesture as being overly romantic. Yes, it's great to experience getting a tattoo together but it doesn't have to be something like their name or their picture. It is literally considered the kiss of death to get your lover's name and or their picture tattooed on you. Let's face it people just don't stay together forever anymore and nine times out of ten once someone does this they all of a sudden split up. Well Jermaine Dupri and Janet Jackson have been dating each other since 2002. So it's been 7 solid years of happiness for this celebrity couple, which in Hollywood 7 years is more like 70 years. Let's just hope for Jermaine's sake that they can beat the tattoo cruse and stay together.
For some unknown reason Jermaine thought it would be a great idea to get a rather interesting tattoo of girlfriend Janet Jackson on his rib cage. Janet is being portrayed as the Virgin Mary of all things. Jermaine had no problem admitting that it hurt like crazy and he had to take at least 100 breaks because he couldn't take the pain.
So take this as a lesson learned. One do not get a lover's name or portrait on you. It's like playing with fire you will end up getting burned, maybe not now but somewhere down the line. And number two getting a tattoo on your rib cage is a very painful place to get a tattoo.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Your Child Wants A Tattoo, What Should You Do?
For a lot of parents out there one of the worst things that can come out of your child's mouth is that they want a tattoo. Of course you can go the route of saying not while you are living under my roof. But this simply little statement might actually persuade your child to go out and get one anyways. So parents you need to be careful with how you handle this. If your child wants a tattoo bad enough and they are of legal age there really isn't anything stopping them.
However, there is a way that you as a parent can ensure that they are going to a safe clean tattoo parlor, and that they are being wise about their tattoo design. Instead of jumping down your child's thoart and immediately saying no you need to have an open mind. Would you rather your child go behind your back and go to a shady tattoo parlor or would you like to take part of this time in your child's life? You as a parent may not condone tattoos and you may not like them yourself. But you should educate your child on tattoos and the seriousness of them. Instead of pushing them away you should embrace this with them. Talk to them about the design that they want to get and help them come to the decision that they design they are picking out is not gaudy, un-tasteful and or too big. Even though you may not like tattoos yourself, wouldn't you much rather your child not regret what tattoo they got and that they got it done in a clean environment. Not to mention what a great bonding experience it is for parents and their children to experience a tattoo together. So before you say NO, think of the above tips.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Where Does The Negative View On Tattoo Come From?
Over the years tattoos have become more and more popular and the tattoo community is trying their best to change the stigma that is put on them. However, this stereotype of people with tattoos being, up to know good, criminals, or trashy people is hard to over come. In fact most people in the world that dawns body ink couldn't be farther from the above things. Most people who have tattoos are law biding citizens that hold down a good paying job. They devote their life to charities and being a good person. Even sports teams like the Denver Nuggets have fallen victim to this ridiculous tattoo stigma. The Denver Nuggets is one of the most tattooed NBA teams out there and just recently people have started to call them the Denver Thuggests instead of the Nuggets, simply because everyone on the team has tattoos.
So one might start to wonder where does this hatred of tattoos come from? Is it a generational thing? Is it the way a person was brought up? Their religious views? Unfortunately, this question will probably never get answered. But it might be wise to start with the generational thing. For instance men who were in the army, navy, or any other military in the 50's and 60's it was considered semi ok for them to have tattoos. And every since the year 2000 hit the youngsters of that generation have contributed to the rise in tattoos. So thus explaining the generation thing. Because it seems that more people that fall in between those generations have a harder time accepting tattoos and can't seem to get past the negative stereotype that is attached to tattoos, which is complete hogwash by the way. In conclusion, we will probably never find out the reason behind why so many people have a problem against tattoos and where that hatred comes from. The tattoo community just has to keep fighting an uphill battle in hopes of one day overcoming the negativity.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Free Tattoos
One major thing that keeps people from getting tattoos is the money. If you want a good tattoo and you have a pretty descent sized tattoo picked out that has a lot of detail in you. You are looking to pay some big bucks to get the designed inked on you. However, there might be an answer to your prays. There is a tattoo parlor in Omaha that gives free tattoos all day long. The tattoo parlor has done this for nine years in a row and doesn't see any reason to stop. The shop considers it a customer appreciation day. And as you can imagine people start lining up the night before to ensure they have a good spot in line and to make sure they will receive their free tattoo.
Just in case you are wondering there really isn't a big catch to this. In order to receive a free tattoo you have gotten a tattoo from Liquid Courage sometime within the last 12 months. And if you don't fit that bill than you can simply make a donation to a local animal shelter. Your donation can simply be a bag of dog food, some dog bowls, a dog bed or something of that nature. Either which a way you look at it those items cost less than a tattoo.
So if you live in Omaha and love tattoos be sure to mark this on your calendar for next year. And if you don't live in Omaha consider taking a road trip but remember to bring a donation with you.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Some Great Facts About Tattoos And The Tattooing Process
There is so much information out there about tattoos and tattooing it is ashamed that most people who want or are getting a tattoo for the first time don't know. It is a wise to educated yourself about tattoos and the tattooing process so you are not going into it blind. Getting a tattoo is a very serious decision in ones life and shouldn't be taking lightly. There are things that can go wrong when getting a tattoo or that may occur after the tattoo is done, although these things are rare. This is why it is so important to educated yourself about the world of tattooing and tattoos.
First and foremost one should know that there is no school for tattooing. Tattoo artist mainly just develop their skills on their own or go through an apprenticeship program at a tattoo parlor to learn the tricks, skills and information of the trade.
Secondly, people often hear that tattoos are addicting. While this is true it's not because the ink that is used to apply the tattoo has a magical power. Tattoos become addictive because people want more artwork on their body, or they enjoy the rush of adrenaline that they experience while getting one. When the body endures any kind of intense stress or pain it is counteracted by a burst of adrenaline to help ease us through this. However, once the adrenaline rush has worn off, the body can become tired and possibly a bit shaky. It is quite normal to have the shakes after getting a large tattoo, or one with a lot of detail in the outline. The more trauma done to the skin, the more adrenaline is pumped through your body. So basically people are addicted to the adrenaline rush they receive while getting the tattoo.
Lastly, people are well aware that they should not get a tattoo unless the tattoo artist uses a new needle. While it is extremely important to do this because of health reasons there is another good reason why you should never let a tattoo artist re-use a needle on you. After a tattoo needle is used once it becomes dull and does not pierce the skin as it should. This could lead to choppy or uneven lines.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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First and foremost one should know that there is no school for tattooing. Tattoo artist mainly just develop their skills on their own or go through an apprenticeship program at a tattoo parlor to learn the tricks, skills and information of the trade.
Secondly, people often hear that tattoos are addicting. While this is true it's not because the ink that is used to apply the tattoo has a magical power. Tattoos become addictive because people want more artwork on their body, or they enjoy the rush of adrenaline that they experience while getting one. When the body endures any kind of intense stress or pain it is counteracted by a burst of adrenaline to help ease us through this. However, once the adrenaline rush has worn off, the body can become tired and possibly a bit shaky. It is quite normal to have the shakes after getting a large tattoo, or one with a lot of detail in the outline. The more trauma done to the skin, the more adrenaline is pumped through your body. So basically people are addicted to the adrenaline rush they receive while getting the tattoo.
Lastly, people are well aware that they should not get a tattoo unless the tattoo artist uses a new needle. While it is extremely important to do this because of health reasons there is another good reason why you should never let a tattoo artist re-use a needle on you. After a tattoo needle is used once it becomes dull and does not pierce the skin as it should. This could lead to choppy or uneven lines.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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The Story Of The Tramp Stamp
If you have been living under a rock for the past decade or so you may not know what a tramp stamp is. A tramp stamp is a tattoo located on the lower back of a woman. With nearly 20% of women out in the world having a tramp stamp one starts to think, where did this not so nice term come from. Unfortunately, there really isn't any documentation to who came up with this now popular term. However, if you ponder it for a moment it is a no brainier that a tattoo located on the lower back just above a woman's gluteus maximus is going to being a lot of attention, whether it be considered sexy or vulgar. So rest assured women this term wasn't brought about because women who bare them are more promiscuous than ones who don't have one.
In fact, some tattoo artists think this popular tattoo got so popular when low rise jeans became a huge fashion trend. These low rise jeans gave women the chance to show off their lower back tattoo and be flirty and coy about them at the same time. And in doing so it prompted men to let their other brain get ahead of themselves and presume something that is probably not true. Thus bringing the stereotype that women with lower back tattoos aka tramp stamps are more promiscuous than women that don't have a tattoo there. This is more than likely where the term tramp stamp came from.
So women don't let the term tramp stamp bother you. Embrace it and prove people wrong!
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Some Great Tattoo Tips
The tattooing business is booming right now even though the stock market and economy isn't doing so well. So with that being said more and more people are heading to their local tattoo parlor to get some fresh ink. Some of these people are repeat customers while others are first timers. If you are a first timer there are probably a hundreds questions, thoughts and concerns going through your head about actually going through with the whole tattoo process. Below are a few useful tips that you should familiarize yourself with before you head to your local tattoo parlor and get inked.
* Make sure you educated yourself on tattoos and tattooing. It is better to know how the tattoos work and what all is involved in the process. Also it also helps to find out how much pain and discomfort will be involved before hand so you can prepare yourself. A no brainier is that this tattoo will be with you for the rest of your life so make sure you are making the right decision. After all it is better to be a little cautious than to get one on the spur of the moment and regret it later.
*Make sure the tattoo parlor of your choice is clean and follows the proper cleaning and sterilizing that is required for tattoo parlors in your state. All tattoo parlors should have an autoclave, use new needles for every customer and wear new disposable gloves with every client.
*Select the right designs. This is very important. You have numerous outlets to find a design you will be happy with the rest of your life. If you can't find one at the tattoo parlor look through magazines, the internet, books, or come up with one yourself. But keep in mind a custom tattoo will end up costing you more.
*Ink proofing is very important. If you like black ink tattoos this rule doesn't apply to you as much. However, if you want to add some color to your tattoo it is best to ask the artist to proof the ink to make sure it will look right on your skin tone. Some ink colors look good on some skin tones while other's don't. Lastly, some ink colors tend to fad and look dull on certain skin tones.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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* Make sure you educated yourself on tattoos and tattooing. It is better to know how the tattoos work and what all is involved in the process. Also it also helps to find out how much pain and discomfort will be involved before hand so you can prepare yourself. A no brainier is that this tattoo will be with you for the rest of your life so make sure you are making the right decision. After all it is better to be a little cautious than to get one on the spur of the moment and regret it later.
*Make sure the tattoo parlor of your choice is clean and follows the proper cleaning and sterilizing that is required for tattoo parlors in your state. All tattoo parlors should have an autoclave, use new needles for every customer and wear new disposable gloves with every client.
*Select the right designs. This is very important. You have numerous outlets to find a design you will be happy with the rest of your life. If you can't find one at the tattoo parlor look through magazines, the internet, books, or come up with one yourself. But keep in mind a custom tattoo will end up costing you more.
*Ink proofing is very important. If you like black ink tattoos this rule doesn't apply to you as much. However, if you want to add some color to your tattoo it is best to ask the artist to proof the ink to make sure it will look right on your skin tone. Some ink colors look good on some skin tones while other's don't. Lastly, some ink colors tend to fad and look dull on certain skin tones.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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MOM Tattoo Not That Popular Anymore
Perhaps it should be said the traditional tattoo of the word MOM in a heart or on a banner is not popular anymore but getting tattoos to represent your mom is still very popular. Many tattoo artists have commented that they have seen this extremely popular tattoo that has been around for decades fizzle out here lately. However, they are quick to say that, that doesn't mean people are not coming in to get a tattoo to represent the woman that gave them life. In stead people are getting their mother's favorite flowers, a saying she would always say, a portrait of her or even her actually name tattooed on them. For some unknown reason the plan old MOM tattoo doesn't seem to strike people's fancy anymore, but there still are a few men that come in and request the very popular traditional tattoo.
Another trend that tattoo artist are seeing is that particular mother's and daughters will come into the tattoo parlor and get tattoos together, sometimes it will be the same tattoo and other times it will be different tattoos. Either way the bonding that comes along with the just getting a tattoo together can never be broken. So if you are thinking about getting a tattoo to honor your mother think outside the box and think of something that represents your mom, like her favorite flower, animal, saying or anything of that nature. Of course if you are a guy nothing says love like the good old MOM tattoo.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Can Tattoos Help Cause Skin Cancer
People who are against tattoos and have nothing good to say about them are constantly trying to find ways to prove tattoos are bad. The latest bit of news to hit the newsstands is that tattoos may help contribute to some people getting skin cancer. This claim came about when a few people reported some cases of skin cancer in the area of their tattoo. These tattoo haters claim that the metals that are some tattoo inks increases the chances of one getting skin cancer later on down the road.
However, what these people don't realize is the these materials that are in tattoo ink like, cobalt and aluminum are not causing skin cancer. In fact dermatologist have cleared this claim, by making it known that the tattoo ink is unlikely to do any harm because it is confined to cells in the skin called macrophages, whose job is to absorb foreign material. The culprit to the skin cancer was more than likely a mole that a tattoo was tattooed over so the person wasn't able to notice the changes in their mole. So the bottom line is, there is no evidence to prove that tattoos lead to skin cancer. Once again all the tattoo haters are proven wrong. Tattoos are not evil things, they are a right of self expression, just like someones hair color or hair cut. People need to start realizing that just becaue someone may look a little different or dress a little different it doesn't mean they are a bad person. Having tattoos doesn't make you less of a person but if you have something against someone because they have tattoos that does make you less of a person.
However, what these people don't realize is the these materials that are in tattoo ink like, cobalt and aluminum are not causing skin cancer. In fact dermatologist have cleared this claim, by making it known that the tattoo ink is unlikely to do any harm because it is confined to cells in the skin called macrophages, whose job is to absorb foreign material. The culprit to the skin cancer was more than likely a mole that a tattoo was tattooed over so the person wasn't able to notice the changes in their mole. So the bottom line is, there is no evidence to prove that tattoos lead to skin cancer. Once again all the tattoo haters are proven wrong. Tattoos are not evil things, they are a right of self expression, just like someones hair color or hair cut. People need to start realizing that just becaue someone may look a little different or dress a little different it doesn't mean they are a bad person. Having tattoos doesn't make you less of a person but if you have something against someone because they have tattoos that does make you less of a person.
Tattoos More Popular Than One May Think
There is no doubt that tattooing has grown in popularity over the last ten years, with more celebrities and other public figures dawning them it makes more people want to get them. However, to some people's surprise the tattooing business hasn't been effected by this horrible economy, they are actually seeing an increase in business. On the flip side of that not only are more people getting tattooed but more people are enduring the painful sessions to get a regrettable tattoos removed. Even more incredible is that tattoos, and tattoo related words are the most search words on the internet beating out the adult market, which is pretty impressive.
So this does bring some sort of hope to the tattoo industry in one way and it also hurts the industry. It's great that more and more people are getting interested in tattoos. The only down fall is that could mean more and more people are not thinking clearly about their tattoo decisions, thus is the reasoning why the laser tattoo removal business is booming right now. Either which a way you think about it the tattoo business is still on a rise and clearly isn't going anywhere anytime soon and the popularly of tattoos doesn't seem to be falling either. However, what certain people need to realize is the tattoo industry and tattoo artist can not be blamed for people's poor decisions when it comes to a tattoo design.
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Ashley
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So this does bring some sort of hope to the tattoo industry in one way and it also hurts the industry. It's great that more and more people are getting interested in tattoos. The only down fall is that could mean more and more people are not thinking clearly about their tattoo decisions, thus is the reasoning why the laser tattoo removal business is booming right now. Either which a way you think about it the tattoo business is still on a rise and clearly isn't going anywhere anytime soon and the popularly of tattoos doesn't seem to be falling either. However, what certain people need to realize is the tattoo industry and tattoo artist can not be blamed for people's poor decisions when it comes to a tattoo design.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Pharrell Williams Gets Tattoos Removed
Believe it or not the tattoo removal business has been booming in recent years. More and more people are heading out to laser tattoo removal facilities and getting their inked they no longer want or regret removed from their skin. Even though these laser removal sessions can cost a whopping $1,000 a pop, people are still flocking to these facilities. Obviously, the pain that they will endure from the multiple laser session are worth it to get those tattoo mistakes removed from their body.
The very talented and successful Pharrell Williams is one of these people. He has decided to get rid of all if not most of his tattoos. He has not gone into detail to why he has decided to get his tattoos removed. Perhaps, he regrets the ones he has or wants a clean canvas to start over or simply doesn't want tattoos anymore. Pharrell has gotten tattoos removed from his back, both biceps and both forearms. This is a great example to many young people out there. You should think extra hard about your tattoos. Getting a tattoo just to get one is not the best reason to get a tattoo. The best advice that anyone can give a young person or anyone who is thinking about a tattoo is simply wait. Think about your design and keep thinking about it and wait a month or so and if you still want it then go and get it. After all if you wake up one morning and decide you don't want or like that tattoo design you got you can't just scrub it off.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Celebrity Tattoos: Ed Westwick
If you are a fan of the highly popular CW hit, Gossip Girl you are probably aware that Ed Westwick has a secret love for tattoos. The Gossip Girl hottie admits that he loves tattoos and says that he foresees himself getting plenty more. However, Ed doesn't really have the normal tattoos. Ed's tattoo collection is mostly of song titles and something he saw off the wall in a public bathroom.
Below are a list of Ed's interesting tattoos:
1. He has "Heartbreak Hotel" tattooed on his chest because he is a huge Elvis fan.
2. He has "21 Grams"
3. "Love me two times" The song by the doors.
4. "I heart romance" on his forearm, which is the one that he saw in a bathroom stall and thought it was a good idea for a tattoo.
5. "You make me feel like the one" across his shoulder
Ed has several other meaningless tattoos on his body. He pretty much as the attitude that he will get anything tattooed on him and that he is pretty much game for anything. If he sees something he likes he'll get it permanently inked on him. Ed also say he is not quite done inking up his body. He admits that they are way too addictive to give up. He says, "They’re addictive. Get one. You’ll never look back. Live fast, die young. Be a good-looking corpse. Leave a good-looking tattoo.
Not too many people can pull off meaningless tattoos, so just be careful when picking out your tattoo design.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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How To Keep Your Mind Off The Pain Of Getting A Tattoo
One of the most common questions that is asked when the word tattoo comes up is, does it hurt. Of course that answer is yes, getting a tattoo is no walk in the park. You will most certainly experience some sort of pain and discomfort when getting a tattoo. So now that, that is out of the way, one may wonder what they can do to keep their mind off the pain of getting a tattoo. The first and most important thing to be aware of is, it is not a good idea to take some kind of over the counter pain medicine before you get the tattoo. Pain medicine caused your blood to thin and it is very common for you to bleed when you get inked. If you have taken something that thins your blood you are increases your chances of bleeding more. The more blood the harder it is for the tattoo artist to do a good quality job.
Some other great tips for first timers to know to keep their mind off of the pain of the tattoo is simply concentrate on your breathing or simply count. Another great distraction is to bring an I-Pod so you can listen to music and if you don't have one of those simply strike up a conversation with your tattoo artist. Some don't like to talk while tattooing while others do. Also it never hurts to bring a friend along to talk to or hold their hand. Just remember that the pain your are enduring is completely worth it.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
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Top Five Popular Tattoos
Every few years or so the fads in tattoos change, while some designs are always popular sometimes news one manage to squeeze their way into the popular tattoo fads. At this moment in time there are five tattoos that seem to be rather popular amongst men and woman. Below is a list of the most popular tattoos right now.
*New school tattoos, which is really a newer take on the traditional style tattoos that were made popular by sailors and servicemen. These new style tattoos are anchors and swallows, but with one small difference. The colors and detail are more vibrant.
*Japanese Kanji Tattoos are starting to get real popular with people, mainly women. Women are drawn to this particular style and love to have it Incorporated into a full sleeve with various kinds of kio and carp fish, as well as the popular Japanese characters.
*Floral and heart tattoos. These two tattoos are timeless tattoos that have been around since the tattoos first came mainstream. There are a plethora of designs, colors, and detail that one has to choose from to make their very own.
*Star tattoos is another example of a timeless tattoo design that has been popular for decades. Stars are also a great tattoo design to pick and not have to worry about regretting your choice. The came in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, clusters, bursts and so on.
*New school tattoos, which is really a newer take on the traditional style tattoos that were made popular by sailors and servicemen. These new style tattoos are anchors and swallows, but with one small difference. The colors and detail are more vibrant.
*Japanese Kanji Tattoos are starting to get real popular with people, mainly women. Women are drawn to this particular style and love to have it Incorporated into a full sleeve with various kinds of kio and carp fish, as well as the popular Japanese characters.
*Floral and heart tattoos. These two tattoos are timeless tattoos that have been around since the tattoos first came mainstream. There are a plethora of designs, colors, and detail that one has to choose from to make their very own.
*Star tattoos is another example of a timeless tattoo design that has been popular for decades. Stars are also a great tattoo design to pick and not have to worry about regretting your choice. The came in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, clusters, bursts and so on.
*Tribal tattoos have been around for hundreds of years now and don't show any signs of getting any less popular. However, tribal tattoos of today's time are little more complex than they were when they first hit the scene.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Misspelled Tattoos
Unfortunately, there are many people out there that have a tattooed misspelled, this awful practice happens more than one may think. The horrible thing about misspelling a tattoo is there is not way to erase it and start over. Once it is misspelled it is going to stay that way forever, not unless there is enough room to correct it or room to cover it up with another tattoo.With this being said it is pretty ironic that tattoo is one of the most misspelled words out there. So if you don't want to be like the many people out there in the world that has a misspelled tattoo follow these next steps and you should be never have this problem.
Most tattoo artist put your tattoo design on a piece of transfer paper that gets applied very similar to a temporary tattoo. Before the tattoo artist puts it on you they ask if everything looks alright and they ask the same after the have applied on you. So before they put this template on you make 100% sure that whatever word or phrases that you are getting tattooed on you is spelled correctly. If you are unsure of a spelling of a word, for heaven sakes look it up. Also after the tattoo artist has applied the transfer paper to your skin check again to make sure everything looks correct before they fire up the tattoo gun and go to town on your skin. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to a tattoo.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Most tattoo artist put your tattoo design on a piece of transfer paper that gets applied very similar to a temporary tattoo. Before the tattoo artist puts it on you they ask if everything looks alright and they ask the same after the have applied on you. So before they put this template on you make 100% sure that whatever word or phrases that you are getting tattooed on you is spelled correctly. If you are unsure of a spelling of a word, for heaven sakes look it up. Also after the tattoo artist has applied the transfer paper to your skin check again to make sure everything looks correct before they fire up the tattoo gun and go to town on your skin. It is always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to a tattoo.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
What To Do Before You Get A Tattoo
One may not think that you will have to prepare yourself for getting a tattoo but you would be wrong. It is highly suggested that you get a good nights sleep the night before and be well fed before getting a tattoo. The reason for getting a good nights sleep is so that while you are getting your tattoo you will be more relaxed and able to sit still. As far as not getting tattooed on an empty stomach it could lead some people to feel faint and you certainly don't want that to occur when you are getting some ink done. These two simply things also help you feel less tense and more at ease, the more stressed and uptight you are the longer it could take for you to get tattooed and it your design might not turn out so well. So try to remain calm and be sure to get a proper amount of sleep and don't have an empty stomach.
Another good rule of thumb to follow when getting a tattoo is to make sure your body is all clear of any alcohol or drugs. Some experts say not to have an alcoholic drink for 48 hours prier to getting a tattoo. Alcohol thins your blood and will cause you to bleed more when getting tattooed and the more you the bleed the more difficult it is for the artist to do good quality work. Also be sure not to take any pain relievers before getting tattooed they have the same effect as alcohol. If you follow these few simple steps you should have a pleasant tattoo experience. Just know that it will hurt and you will experience some pain and discomfort. Try to stay relaxed and calm. If you are feeling anxious try taking a couple deep breathes and try to concentrate on your breathing. Also another good distraction is to bring an I-Pod with you to listen to music to keep your mind off the pain or simply strike up a conversation with your tattoo artist.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Another good rule of thumb to follow when getting a tattoo is to make sure your body is all clear of any alcohol or drugs. Some experts say not to have an alcoholic drink for 48 hours prier to getting a tattoo. Alcohol thins your blood and will cause you to bleed more when getting tattooed and the more you the bleed the more difficult it is for the artist to do good quality work. Also be sure not to take any pain relievers before getting tattooed they have the same effect as alcohol. If you follow these few simple steps you should have a pleasant tattoo experience. Just know that it will hurt and you will experience some pain and discomfort. Try to stay relaxed and calm. If you are feeling anxious try taking a couple deep breathes and try to concentrate on your breathing. Also another good distraction is to bring an I-Pod with you to listen to music to keep your mind off the pain or simply strike up a conversation with your tattoo artist.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Tattoo Parlor Helps Catch Gun Traders
Tattoo parlors are constantly being ridiculed for simple being opened and giving people tattoos. Well one tattoo parlor that was opened by two undercover ATF agents decided to add a little something extra to their menu. They offered the luxury for illegally gun traders and smugglers to buy and sell guns in the tattoo parlor as well. The tattoo parlor was open for nine months and fulfilled it promise to giving people tattoos as well as providing them the opportunity to buy drugs, guns and even pipe bombs.
A total of 30 people were arrested and a huge variety of handguns, riffles, and pipe bombs were all included in what was recovered from the back of the tattoo parlor. However, this also shines a negative shadow on the tattoo community because it portrays the fact that all people interested in tattoos or all people with tattoos are involved with illegally activity or up to no good. So well tons of guns and drugs are now off the street it still leaves a sour taste in the tattoo communities mouth because now the tattoo haters have even more of a reason to hate on the tattoo community.
What society needs to realize is yes there are bad apples out there and yes they may have tattoos but it shouldn't make you automatically think all people who have a little bit of body art is a bad person breaking the law. After all you can't judge a book by its cover. Give tattooed people a chance you will easily find they are just like you expect they have a little colorful and interesting body art to look at. After all if the whole world was made up of the same people it would be a boring place.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Steve-O's Tattoo Regrets
Believe it or not the crazy Jackass star does have some regrets about the many tattoos he has. However, he has no problem with the huge tattoo of himself that covers his entire back that reads "Yeah Dude, I rock! Steve-O" nor does he regret his copy cat tattooed of Angelina Jolie's prayer for her eldest son Maddox on his shoulder blade. Or having Billy Bob name written on his arm. Not to mention the "I have a small wiener" on his arm." But he does regret a pot leaf on his wrist and the dribbling d**k on his arm.
So Steve-O has decided to get this not so great tattoos that he now regrets covered up with another tattoo. This just goes to show that even crazy guys like Steve-O make tattoo mistakes. There are a few tips that could learn from Steve-O. Number one take your tattoos seriously and think them out. Don't just walk into a tattoo parlor and say oh I want this and close your eyes and pick some random design. Also don't get inked when you are intoxicated with alcohol or drugs and lastly don't let a friend persuade you that some pot leaf on your wrist or something of equal uselessness is going to be so cool and awesome. Just keep in mind what is cool when you are a teenager might not be so cool when you are older. For example, telling your children to stay a way from pot is going to be really hard coming from someone with a pot leaf tattooed on them.
The main thing that one needs to do is just be responsible when it comes to getting a tattoo. They are forever and there is no easy way of getting rid of them if you decided your tat is no longer cool or that you no longer want it. Think twice and ink once.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
So Steve-O has decided to get this not so great tattoos that he now regrets covered up with another tattoo. This just goes to show that even crazy guys like Steve-O make tattoo mistakes. There are a few tips that could learn from Steve-O. Number one take your tattoos seriously and think them out. Don't just walk into a tattoo parlor and say oh I want this and close your eyes and pick some random design. Also don't get inked when you are intoxicated with alcohol or drugs and lastly don't let a friend persuade you that some pot leaf on your wrist or something of equal uselessness is going to be so cool and awesome. Just keep in mind what is cool when you are a teenager might not be so cool when you are older. For example, telling your children to stay a way from pot is going to be really hard coming from someone with a pot leaf tattooed on them.
The main thing that one needs to do is just be responsible when it comes to getting a tattoo. They are forever and there is no easy way of getting rid of them if you decided your tat is no longer cool or that you no longer want it. Think twice and ink once.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Tattoo Parlor Hours
If you have decided to get a tattoo one important thing that you need to be a ware of is the hours your tattoo parlor or studio is open. A majority of tattoo parlors open around Noon (12:00 PM) everyday and close anywhere from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM and most stay open until midnight Friday and Saturday. However most tattoo parlors close early on Sunday or may not be open at all. First thing is first drop by your desired tattoo parlor and learn the hours so you don't drop in when they are not opened. Also don't be a closer, a client that comes in 15 to 10 minutes before closing, tattoo artists really hate this. Also to be curious to the tattoo artist, don't be waiting outside the door waiting for them to open the shop up. Give them some time to get in and get settled before you bombard them.
Another important piece of information to know is a vast majority of tattoo artist will let their repeat customers make an appointment so they don't have to wait around. Ask your artist if they could do this for you as well. Also keep in mind that most tattoo parlors don't have a huge waiting line so you don't have to worry about that. The only time this could be a problem is if you are visiting a very popular tattoo parlor like Miami Ink, LA, Ink or Carey Hart's tattoo or studio in Las Vegas Hart & Huntington or any tattoo parlor that celebrities like to hang out at and get inked.
Another good piece of information to know is that some tattoo artist charge by the hour and some charge by size, design, how much ink is being used or amount of detail the tattoo has. You just have to ask your particular artist to see which method they follow and always remember to tip your tattoo artist.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Another important piece of information to know is a vast majority of tattoo artist will let their repeat customers make an appointment so they don't have to wait around. Ask your artist if they could do this for you as well. Also keep in mind that most tattoo parlors don't have a huge waiting line so you don't have to worry about that. The only time this could be a problem is if you are visiting a very popular tattoo parlor like Miami Ink, LA, Ink or Carey Hart's tattoo or studio in Las Vegas Hart & Huntington or any tattoo parlor that celebrities like to hang out at and get inked.
Another good piece of information to know is that some tattoo artist charge by the hour and some charge by size, design, how much ink is being used or amount of detail the tattoo has. You just have to ask your particular artist to see which method they follow and always remember to tip your tattoo artist.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Most Common Tattoo Cover Up
As you can imagine the most common tattoo cover up is of past lovers, boyfriends, girlfriends, husband's and wives. But you may also be surprised that they are a lot of other reason why one may want their tattoo covered up with a new tattoo. However, you must understand that in order to cover up a tattoo properly you are looking at getting a new tattoo that is at least three times the size of the one you are wanting to cover up. So this is why it is so important to think before you ink. Getting a lover's name tattooed on you is literally the kiss of death. If you want to get a tattoo to symbolize your life for someone go with imaginary and not their name. If you break up you will still have to live with that tattoo but PAUL's name or whomever name will not be permanently etched in your skin.
The other common reason for someone getting a tattoo covered up is if the first tattoo turned out horribly wrong. One tattoo artist has said that a very attractive young woman came into his parlor with a cute little butterfly tattoo on her ankle. The only problem was that body of the butterfly looked like a certain male body part. The artist was able to transfer that ugly butterfly into a gorgeous one. Tattoo artist also warn people not to go to Mexico to get a tattoo because it us cheaper. This woman with the male body part butterfly learned this lesson the hard way. Also tattoo artists say they get a lot of woman come in after they have had children to get that tattoo on their stomach covered up or adjusted so it looks presentable again. Which is another great reason why woman should think twice before getting a tattoo on their lower stomach.
The moral of this story is think twice, ink once. Make darn sure that you are making the right decision about your tattoo and the location as well. Also do some research about an artist before you let them tattoo you. After all you don't want to end up an ugly deformed tattoo.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Are Tattoos Safe
A lot of people fear that getting a tattoo is not safe because there are slight chances that you can get infected with Hepatitis B or C as well as HIV or Aids. However, the chances of this happening are rather slim. Tattoos in general are very safe, that is if you choose an appropriate facility that has the proper sterilizing and cleaning equipment and follows all recommended safety precautions you should have no worries.
If you are new at tattooing and have no idea what to look for when it comes to making sure your tattoo parlor is clean and follows the proper health code and guidelines, below is a list of important things you should look for or ask to see to ease your mind.
*Make sure you see an the autoclave and sterilization certification if you don't see it ask to see it. The autoclave is the machine that sterilizes the tattoo equipment.
*Make sure they are wearing gloves. Some sort of latex medical glove should be worn to protect the tattoo artist as well as you from any germs or anything else.
*Ask what kind of training your tattoo artist has had and what kind of certificates that have. There really are no tattoo training programs out there but they should have a license or some sort of certificate from whatever state they are practicing in to make it legal.
*Make sure ointment, ink, water and other items should not be returned to a universal container after it has been removed for use on a client. This is for obvious health reasons. Basically anything a tattoo artist uses on your should be thrown out and anything with blood on it should be put in a bio-hazard container.
*Make sure new sterile needles are always removed from an autoclave bag in front of you. This is to make sure the needle is fresh and clean.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
If you are new at tattooing and have no idea what to look for when it comes to making sure your tattoo parlor is clean and follows the proper health code and guidelines, below is a list of important things you should look for or ask to see to ease your mind.
*Make sure you see an the autoclave and sterilization certification if you don't see it ask to see it. The autoclave is the machine that sterilizes the tattoo equipment.
*Make sure they are wearing gloves. Some sort of latex medical glove should be worn to protect the tattoo artist as well as you from any germs or anything else.
*Ask what kind of training your tattoo artist has had and what kind of certificates that have. There really are no tattoo training programs out there but they should have a license or some sort of certificate from whatever state they are practicing in to make it legal.
*Make sure ointment, ink, water and other items should not be returned to a universal container after it has been removed for use on a client. This is for obvious health reasons. Basically anything a tattoo artist uses on your should be thrown out and anything with blood on it should be put in a bio-hazard container.
*Make sure new sterile needles are always removed from an autoclave bag in front of you. This is to make sure the needle is fresh and clean.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Kiefer Sutherland Addicted To Tattoos
If you have tattoos yourself or know someone who has tattoos you probably are aware that they have this uncontrolled power to make you want more than one once you have been inked. Well it seems that the star of the hit show 24, Kiefer Stherland is no expection to that rule either. Kiefer has openly admitted that he is addicted to getting tattoos and whenever an important event happens in the actors life he marks it with a fresh piece of body art. Kiefer has said that he has a lot of tattoos and feels that they are like a disease, once you are marked for the first time you have to get more.
Keifer explains his first experience of getting a tattoo when he was 16 years old.
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Keifer explains his first experience of getting a tattoo when he was 16 years old.
"I got my first tattoo when I was 16 and had just left home. I was really scared so a couple of friends and I got tattoos as a bonding thing. From then on, anytime I went through something in my life that mattered to me I had this desire to make a tattoo out of it."
However, Keifer is quick to admit that it can be a bit of a nuisance to cover them up for work. He also admits that when he sees his tattoos all covered up he often wonders if he shouldn't have gotten inked in the first place. But he quickly justifies his reasoning's of it being a nice map for himself about the journey of his life.
Your Tattoo FriendAshley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Having Tattoos Means Is A Result Of Low Self-Esteem
As long as tattoos are around there are going to be people putting them down, saying they are bad influences and nothing good can come out of them. Which couldn't be farther from the truth. Just because someone displays a little body art on their skin, it doesn't mean they are a bad person with no morals or respect for society. However, a new study is now claiming that if a person has three or more tattoos it is highly likely that they have low self-esteem. The study suggests that tattoos are not just fashion accessories but driven by a wide range of motivational factors that are significantly associated with self-esteem. So psychologists are warming people especially youngsters to think long and hard before they decided to get a tattoo.
Of course the 48 people that were questioned for this study, not one of them admitting to having self-esteem problems. They all reported the reason they got their tattoos was one of the following:to be rebellious, to belong to a group, for aesthetic reasons and because of a strong emotional attachment.
However, a researcher was quick to admit that people are tending to get tattoos these days because of emotional attachment. She also admitted that not everyone falls in this low self-esteem category when it comes to having three or more tattoos. She even mentions David Beckham as a perfect example of a person covered in tattoos that has a very high self-esteem.
The moral to this story is don't believe every negative thing people say about tattoos.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
Of course the 48 people that were questioned for this study, not one of them admitting to having self-esteem problems. They all reported the reason they got their tattoos was one of the following:to be rebellious, to belong to a group, for aesthetic reasons and because of a strong emotional attachment.
However, a researcher was quick to admit that people are tending to get tattoos these days because of emotional attachment. She also admitted that not everyone falls in this low self-esteem category when it comes to having three or more tattoos. She even mentions David Beckham as a perfect example of a person covered in tattoos that has a very high self-esteem.
The moral to this story is don't believe every negative thing people say about tattoos.
Your Tattoo Friend
Ashley
Here are some great Tattoo Designs you can check out!
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