tattoo empek empek

Folks...some TRUE news is SO BIZARRE...you just can't make this kind of craziness up! And yet you find yourself head in hands pulling your hair out as to how grown adults in charge of a city of several hundred thousand people actually meet and DECIDE that THIS is what's best for ALL OF US!!!

RGJ News Article

"The Reno City Council agreed Friday to cancel fireworks for the Fourth of July, bowing out to the much bigger Star-Spangled Sparks show in downtown Sparks. It will use that money and other funds to support special events."

Oh Goody!...just what "special events" are we going to use that money on?

"The council agreed that the $7,500 planned for fireworks would be better spent supporting the national hand cycling championship that will be part of the Tour de Nez bicycle classic on June 17-20...With that backing, “we could get them every year and make it into a bigger event,” Councilman Dave Aiazzi said."

WOW! hand cycling over 4th of July Fireworks!!! Yippeee!!! But WAIT!!! It gets better...

"The Council has made special events a top priority this year as a means of drawing tourism and to help cheer up local people in this recession.

Weight loss program: The council also supported member Dan Gustin’s request to spend $15,000 in its next budget to put 12 police officers and firefighters, if they agree, on a three-month program to lose weight in hopes they will stick with it. Their initial program would be overseen by a doctor, physical fitness experts and a nutritionist.
Preventing any one of them from a heart attack would save the city $1 million in medical bills, Gustin said."

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

This awesome little owl, submitted by Cassidy, was inspired by this very blog! After seeing the tattoo on Rae in this post, Cassidy contacted Rae through me and was given permission to get this owl done. Owl Tattoos FTW! Cassidy's owl was done by Amy Cole from Tigerlilly Tattoo in Portland.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I've been very busy! Now, on to more important stuff, like the above reader submission from Matt, which was done by Tomas Archuleta of Thick As Thieves Tattoo in Denver!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Some time ago I wrote about the advantages of revamping a piece of clothing so it becomes more wearable. But as great an idea it may be to reach for the scissors, do think twice - I did a small closet clean out and cursed my 17 old hippie ass for destroying a lot of fine clothing; making high waists low, changing the shape of skirts, and worst of all, drawing with this awful decoration paste on some pieces making them totally unwearable for someone who does no longer spend the days burning incense listening to, ehrm, goa trance.

After crying blood for a little while it was however time to get on with some cutting, as I am wiser now than ten years ago (amen! to that). My gradmother recently gave me her hand made foot-long dress that hasn't been worn for a couple of decades. It's ultra thin and beautifully flowing, so for a while it felt like a shame to cut it. But hey, if no one wears it the way it is, why hesitate? After scrweing up and cutting it off too much and then managing to save it again, it turned into something that might become my favorite new summer dress - so unbelievably light to wear, with such a lovely collar and what best, the ugly-pretty pattern makes it go along with my yellow, purple, blue green and pink shoes and sandals! (Or red ones for contrast, like now, together with the belt. No need to mention black shoes since they go with everything anyway but yeah those too). Now that's what I call a versatile dress!


As for the hair, I did a mixture of these two hairdo's (my number 3 and 4). The vintage bow comb is from Hoochie Mama Jane.

Psst. I'm featured as a vintage style muse this week on Debutante Clothing (where also the most fabulous and funny vintage dress ever was featured too)!
www.debutanteclothing.com

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I wish I knew what this was, I really do. It looks like a totem pole of demons? With some kind of weird scarred-out blob in the middle. Is it a tribal-mutant batman logo? AND DO YOU SEE THE SCRATCHED UP FETUS ON HIS ELBOW? I mean really, how could you miss that? I don't even know what the stuff on his forearm is. If anyone can help decipher this, please let me know! I was staring at this guy for ages trying to figure it out.



I wish I knew what was on his back, too. You can see a bit of it poking out. I bet it's incredible.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The other day I was browsing around a thrift store I came upon the most adorable girdle ever, a white and red polka dot dream. But with the amount of derrière I have I could only dream of squeezing into these...

Leaving them behind was of course not an option, and for a slight minute I thought of keeping them for myself as a decoration for the boudoir (as if I have one, well, boudoir corner perhaps). But then I decided to give them to Ina for her birthday hoping she'd fit in to them. And if not, she'd get something pretty for her boudoir instead. But they did fit and that makes me very happy (and her too! :)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I went to the Maryland Deathfest this past weekend and OH BOY did I see so many amazing metal tattoos! One million distorted zombies! Ten thousand blurry black and white messes of somethingorother! A good handful of band logos! I have a LOT to share with you guys, but let me start with this gem (perhaps the best of the bunch):



THAT GIRL IS TRUE. EVIL. I love the fancy flourishes added to each word, it really rubs in the brutality of her tattoo.

Tune in soon for more!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Flower Girl Tattoo Picture

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Pictures © Hanna Anttila

Last Sunday Ina and I were photographed at my place for a picture series of 50's enthusiasts and shared values. And as you know we usually go all domestic and cosy on Sundays.

(and in my case it sadly stays Sundays only... I've received some requests to show pictures from my home. I will do that one day, but like you might tell from the pics above, it seldom is tidy enough in all places for me to take any pics. Hrmm... but you know, both of us can't look good at the same time. It's either me or the house.)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Rob Ryan : Tears That I Cried Over You

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

(wohoo, I got to write that stupid headline again :)

Cherry & Lola : Catfight (as seen at Wanted II)
Photo by Marko P

It's a busy burlesque summer coming up:

* This Saturday, the 23rd, it's time for Club Wanted V, the last one for the season! The evening starts with the rock n' roll and swing dance workshop as usual, then it's time for some brand new summery burlesque numbers. The band for the night is The Slippers! Don't miss it!

* If you missed our The Good, the Bad and & the Pretty show together with Sally Vanilla last month you'll have a chance to see it again at the From Helsinki to Honolulu via Hysteria burlesque cruise June 14th! Also performing a bunch of other great gals from overseas such as Kitten on The Keys, Baroness Eva von Slut, The Diamond Daggers and Lucky Penny from the Atomic Bombshells, as well as Burlesque Polaire from over here!

* I will perform at the Hellbilly Fest on June 19th at bar Loose in between The Guitar Slingers and The Surf Rats!

* Sally Vanilla and I will do a burlesque show at Tavastia July 10th at the PSYCHORAMA - Psychobilly & Burlesque Festival 2009.
More info on that later.

You can also catch our whole IttyBitty troupe at the Helsinki Pride Festival women's party on June 26th and at Free Rauma (in Rauma, of course) July 18th.

Pssst. there might be even more dates coming up soon...

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I have a dress that has spring written all over it. Or, it more of shouts SPRING and therefore had to wait in my closet for months until it finally made it's premier. (Now I'm going to start listening for small cries of summer from the closet to see what to dig out next.)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

FIRST AND FOREMOST...DON'T THINK I'D EVER DISRESPECT RONALD REAGAN. He was a great President.

BUT...I'm growing ever increasingly tired of Reaganomics, Reaganophics, The Reagan Principle, Reaganesque!!! It's like people DON'T realize that when you were young...and little Johnny and little Bobby lived next door...they BOTH had great dads...but like your always hearing that only ONE of those dads ever mattered!

Reagan was great...and he may have been the last thing Republicans can remember that great... but if that's true? IF A PARTY ONLY has one guy that is rememberable enough to mention, and he was great in the '80's...you gotta see we're in TROUBLE!

WHEN ARE CONSERVATIVES GOING TO STAND BACK UP (in the 'real' world of actual elected officials) AND REALIZE THAT IT'S WE - WE - WE THE PEOPLE that think Conservative (maybe like Reagan)...but like millions of others JUST LIKE HIM!

GOOD POLITICS is NEVER going to be about one man or woman! It's about WE. It's a TEAM effort to make this country great! Reagan was a wonderful man and politician...but he is just one man amongst millions of great country men and women!

What Reagan represents that NOBODY likes to bring up is "Old School"! Guess What? I'm at that PERFECT AGE to see it come full circle LOL :) When I bucked as a youngster...I thought my folks were "such 'Old School' "...I have grown kids now...that have lived through the bucking, and now we laugh about how they used to think I was 'Old School'...but guess what else? Old School in my generation, in theirs, and in the 'old schools' of our parents and grandparents is WHAT WORKED!

IT WASN'T JUST REAGAN!!!!! GOP-get back to 'Old School'...and just leave Reagan to live out his peace in his grave! There are millions like Reagan...and some even better is my guess...get on with getting it all out...

Suddenly...I need a cup of TEA :) Later...readers...gonna sip and remember...

BUT...IF REAGAN WERE HERE TODAY...THIS WOULD BE HIS EXPRESSION!!!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Michael sent in these pics of another ace black and grey owl

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

We still have international appeal! Laurens of the Netherlands sent in this awesome black and grey piece.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Fellow brit Duke (or Emma!) sent in this fellow, done by Antony Flemming at World of Tattoos, UK.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Have been a bit lax with recent posts, as a result I have a raft of reader submissions, starting with this owl from Alli, her first tattoo. I say, start as you mean to go on!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The above owl comes courtesy* of TattoosDay. Their full post can be found here.

Well, I stole it. But, still...

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Bubo The Owl From Clash Of The Titans. Artist unknown though!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Later this month, my two sons will be 26 & 20!!! They're no less my babies today however than on that awesome May, 23 26 years ago :)

My boys showed up this morning and made me biscuits & gravy with scrambled eggs for breakfast (at the appropriate not too early time of 10am LOL). A graceful glass swan came for me with a single fragrant rose. I received a beautiful house/plant flower called Guzmania or Soledo. It's a gorgeous plant and I just can't decide if I'll keep this one in the house, or make it a permanent addition to my yard :) All was complete with cards that always make my eye leak :)

Without fail, my boys always come up with very unique and personal gifts. They found from their grandmother, and gave to me an old cassette tape from March, 1983 (two months before my eldest was even born) of me playing the piano. Mostly gospel, some pop (of that day and before), and a couple of country tunes. What a blast from the past...I was 20 years old when that was done :)

I LOVE YOU BOYS! Thanks for yet again another perfect Mother's Day. I've always said... God's greatest gift to me ever was the amazing gift to have been your Mother :)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Oh...Lawdy, Lawdy, Miss Clawdy! I don't have a green thumb...not even a brown one LOL! I have a BLACK thumb hahaha!

Last year, I damn near killed myself trying to have the perfect yard, since I'd just moved into this neighborhood, into this beautiful home...and I bought FLATS of FLOWERS that I just could never get around to planting.

I planted sometimes 60 per day! Then...I was DONE...and didn't plant more for many days...therefore some I'd purchased...died in the garage...never having seen the light of day :) "Don't even tell me you've never done that....I won't believe you LOL!"

This year...I decided (my 2nd Spring in this home)...I'd do it different :) THIS YEAR...I will ONLY purchase 12 per day...as twelve can be done in a quick hour or so...still get dinner out...still watch a movie...etc...LOL...

TODAY...I wake up to this beautiful day and finally think FLOWERS! I KNOW it's MAY 9th, the very day before Mother's day...but in Reno....you still pray on May 9 you might NOT have yet another 3-4" snow yet to come LOL :) (It HAS snowed here on July 4th before)...

I'm looking out the window of my office, and the snow is ALL GONE (for now) on Peavine Mt. The old folk have always told me NEVER plant before the snow is off Peavine :) Sad truth is... Peavine has been naked twice already...I just decided at May 9...maybe it will STAY naked :)

I went to the flower store...and yep...they were all JUST SO BEAUTIFUL...I couldn't do with 12. I purchased 24 that HAVE to be planted. I purchased two "buckets" of flowers that can just be placed and watered :) (I like those...less work for me LOL)...

I dug 24 holes. I fertilized 24-4" deep holes. I then planted 24 separate flowers. I then covered 24 holes. I then sprinkled 24 holes with rich soil. I then mixed appropriate feeding water for 24 holes. I placed my "batched flowers" upon my posts... I'm not sure they don't look hokey...but they smell good and I love them :) I asked my husband...he said it was OK... then my neighbor came out and said they looked nice...but standard gardner brown plastic buckets on stucco posts...I'm not sure. I like them...but some in this neighborhood are all about the realism...

After I planted 24 flowers...I look back at my bushes...and it doesn't like I did much of anything! 24 flowers doesn't go very far...Much Planting Ahead in my future :)

I KNOW MY TEXAS & RENO FRIENDS WILL TELL ME THE TRUTH....do my bucket flowers look OK on my posts at the front of the house? LOL...thanks for your input :)

I finished my task...but decided...I should stick to 12 per day... I will post more pictures as our summer goes on.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

This is another tattoo in my favorite category ever: friends convincing other friends to get ridiculous nonsensical tattoos. Hilarious and awesome. And awful.

This was the first tattoo for this poor/rad soul. Description from the friend whose idea and drawing it was is below.





"i dont really remember what led up to the idea of swift getting a 20 second drawing i did of 'a dog going through a divorce' as a tattoo, but it was certainly assisted by it being 3am and a fair amount of alcohol on his part.. he woke up that next day and said "you know what? fuck it. lets do it." so less than an hour later i was paying someone $60 to permanently put it on swifts arm. dudes got sad depressed moppy divorced hair, hes unshaven and mopey, and hes got a little suitcase and dufflebag. he just needs to crash on your couch for a week or two. you know what happens when you call a tattoo shop and tell them you "want to get a cartoon dog getting a divorce", they dont believe youre serious. like 3 places didnt believe us."

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Vicky Morgan

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Ed's BACK! I wrote a story long ago about Reno's icon eccentric Ed The Waver. A seeming hippie with a story of unconditional love that walked to the moon and back, and almost everybody waved :) STORY HERE.

The VIDEO portion of that story is "currently temporarily unavailable"! I've written those folks to FIX THAT SOON, because his video is priceless on many levels. I included the "link" in case it does get fixed. He does chant a strange mantra as he walks...it's on the video...that I can't show you right now! I've found no other record of that chant. But...Ed has graced our roads & highways since the 1970's with kindness and a WAVE :)

My son's girlfriend works at the VA hospital here locally...and thankfully is also one of the few that follows my blog (love ya E) :) Since she had read my previous story of Ed the Waver...she recognized him immediately when he came in recently for an appointment and she had the pleasure to serve him.

She told him of my story on my blog, and asked him if he could give her something as a momento of their actual meeting. He gave her an autograph. Now most would think that an autograph is just a signing of a name. NOT FOR THE WAVER! This must be the most amazing and most intriguing autograph I've ever seen. SEE TOP LEFT STORY PICTURE - CLICK TO ENLARGE :)

It took me a while to actually READ all of it...and decipher it...and try to figure out what seemed like hyrogliphs within it...BUT I FIGURED IT OUT!...and it only made me wish I could give this odd fellow a nod and say Thanks Again for being a true icon of Nevada... The strange "quotes" or "designs" within the autograph...are the WORDS he CHANTS as he walks our highways, streets, & neighborhoods and just continues his misson to WAVE :) Of course, the hand drawn within is his...traced...as another wave :)

God Bless you Ed....we're all still waving back, and I personally am HONORED to have in my possession a legitimate token of your life story in the form of your unique autograph :) THANKS E for sharing that with Mama C :)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I love Nevada :) It's nice to know that Blue Rhino (the folks that provide your BBQ propane tanks) elected Reno, NV as the 9th BEST city in ALL OF USA for cookouts :)




Our ranking was based on the fact that we have SO MANY rain free days with temperatures under 90 degrees from May through August. Yea Baby! The grill at my house is hoppin' several nights a week...even in the winter LOL :)

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I got a spur-of-the-moment zombie tattoo last week from Alex at Three Kings in Brooklyn. If you've seen my millions of bad zombie tattoo posts, you know that a good, gory zombie is hard to come by. And I got one!!!!



Because it was a TOTAL impulse tattoo (I just dropped by the shop to hang out and watch my friend Myles tattoo my friend Josh for a couple minutes and ended up getting tattooed myself!) I didn't know where the image was from. It was just something AWESOME that Alex had drawn up (he had a bunch of drawings for their Friday the 13th Zombie day that were too involved for the $40 zombie deal they had going). Turns out it is from this obscure comic that not one, but TWO of my friends knew about!



In other new tattoo news, I also got my other crow filled in. They're by Myles, also at Three Kings.



I'm so stoked on them! They look great.

I'll post some legitimately bad tattoos soon, I promise. I just wanted to share these awesome ones because I am so excited about them.

• 
• 
• 
• 
•