Tattoo Tuesdays: Hello Mister Misfortune

I remember the days when I didn't like to read. "Ahhh . . . Maddie don't say that," I'm sure is what you are thinking, but it is true. Regardless I had this innate sense to horde books when given the chance. A bookshelf in my room growing up (only one?) was slowly filled with books received as gifts or books I glimpsed at school book fairs. The gifts, more often than not, were given by a relative with thoughts of spurring me onto reading . . . what they deemed 'appropriate' or 'enticing', meaning young Maddie was unlikely to read it. I kept the books because that innate sense said "Keep these books, smart people, bookish people, have books and lots of them." I was facinated by this magical breed of humans.

I had quite the hodge podge collection; from basketball memoirs to self-help books to Christian themed chapter books (fiction and non-fiction). Even now I want to ask people what they were thinking with their book choices. It is obvious they were not taking into consideration that children and adults do not have the same motivational igniters.

One such horded classic was The Borrowers by Mary Norton. I have never read it. I tried over and over again to read it, but as I said back then I was not a reader. The cover so intrigued me, three 'little people' gathered round a giant wooden block in the act various tasks. I wanted so badly to be the bookish type and perhaps I kept it in lieu of that day coming. Sadly I don't have the book anymore. I may have purged my shelves at some point or donated it, I can't remember. This post has decided for me that the book will make it back to my shelves and to my tbr pile.

Why am I telling you this on a Tattoo Tuesdays post? The first thing I thought of when I saw today's tattoo was little people, Borrowers. (insert smile) It took me down memory lane and I wanted to reminisce with you.




“Misfortunes make us wise” ~Mary Norton (The Borrowers Afield)



The 'Misfortune' of my youth (of which I have many) would be that I can't claim to have always loved books and reading. However, just as the quote says, and the tattoo shows by the butterflies fluttering away, is that this bit of history from my past has made me wise. I can use it my writing. I can instill it (or maybe enforce would be a firmer rhetoric to follow, insert grin) in my children what I neglected to do in my youth; love books, love reading, and everything that goes with it.


Other Features for today:




COLOR! I would agree with the Tumblr person's sentiment "I want to kiss it."

 

 

If you haven't listened to Lydia, go now and do so!
This is Lydia's Illuminate cd cover*.
My favorite song (not on that album) is It's In Your Blood.

*According to the click through link the tattoo is by Kyle Berg at Dark Water Tattoos in Illinois.

Tattoo Tuesdays: Where do you wear your heart?

I imagine I am not the only person in the world who wears their emotions on their sleeve . . . or better yet, a giant flag waving in the wind proclaiming to all how I feel, etc. This can be annoying, frustrating, and so many levels of 'vulnerable yuck'. I'm still a private person a good deal of the time. I can't help thinking, though, that at times it would be nice to wear the emotions at the right time, for the right person, in an open 'free the bird from the cage' way. Let your words be silent and the emotions speak for themselves. Life just isn't that easy and we get to live the adventure of voicing these precious feelings for good or bad.

Pinterest find for today. The detail is subtle, but enough that I stare at it wondering if I have an innate attraction to veins and the blood that gives our hearts true life (i.e. not our emotions). Oh wait . . . I do. Biology, Science, Health class . . . never my favorite subjects, but this tattoo is just (sigh) the right fit. I much prefer this style of heart for a tattoo than a Valentine's heart.

Other Features for today:

Goldfish will always be synonymous with childhood for me. All things aquatic
usually share a place of high regard in my life anyways . . . you know this.

Tattoo Menu: Yes, I would like one please. Does it come with the guy? (insert grin)
Tattoo by: Rosana ‘Derma Donna’ at Dermadonna Custom Tattoo in Amsterdam, NL
Found via: Pinterest and TattooSnob

Point me in the right direction . . . please.

I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions.
I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.
~ Oscar Wilde

Tattoo Tuesdays: Tickle Me with Feathers

There seems to be a fascination lately with feathers. Feather jewelry, feathers in my hair, feathers EVERYWHERE! So why not a feather tattoo?!?

Perhaps I like this tattoo more for location and what it is of rather than the detail, color, etc. That's okay, I don't always have to have detailed reasons for why I like a tattoo. I was browsing my tumblr feed (having completely forgot about today's tattoo feature) and bam! This came up and I knew what to feature today. I'm quite partial to tattoos on the ribs or near that area. (Listen to me I sound like an excerpt...I knew watching that LA Ink marathon would pay off :)

Speaking of all things feather, you should checkout Lisa Marie's One of A Kind line she features some jewelry I know I will be purchasing soon. Follow her on Twitter too and tell her I sent you! (P.S. Lisa if you see this, please can we see you add a feather ring to your line? :)

Quote of the day:

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”

~Emily Dickinson