I have wanted to get a tattoo for almost ten years. I’ve talked seriously about it for three years, including spirited discussions with extended family members who don’t like tattoos or think I will change my mind and regret getting one.
I consulted with my husband a few years ago to gauge his reaction. As expected, he was chill, and though he was concerned about our teenage daughter wanting one, he said I should do what I wanted.
I always thought I wanted to get a small sailboat on the inside of my right ankle. I can’t tell you how often I’ve used a pen to draw the sailboat on my ankle. On multiple occasions while on vacation, I've also gotten a temporary sailboat tattoo to try it out. Recently, however, I started to re-think the sailboat. I knew I wanted something nautical but was less drawn to an actual boat. That’s why it took me so long to pull the trigger. I wasn’t 100% sure exactly what I wanted to get.
In the Spring, I started to think about other tattoo options that captured my love of travel and sailing, but that wasn’t a sailboat. I wanted to personalize the tattoo and ensure it had meaning to me, given that it will be on my body forever. I took to Pinterest, and suddenly, it felt like I was heading in the right direction (pardon the pun). In August, I found the image. I saved it, looked at it for a few weeks, and then booked my appointment at Bamboo Tattoo, owned by someone I know.
I had no idea it would take seven weeks to get an appointment, so it felt like forever away when I was offered October 1st. August passed quickly, and September was a busy month getting kids back to school and into a new routine. Before I knew it, it was October 1st.
My tattoo artist’s name was Ibz. He specializes in micro tattoos and has mad skills. He showed me a picture of a recent Lego figure tattoo he created. Seeing that picture gave me confidence that he could easily pull off a simple compass, no matter how small.
Ibz asked why I wanted a compass. I told him I had sailed my whole life and was sailing when I met my husband. I also explained my love for travel and how a compass represents direction and adventure. I told him I wanted to personalize the tattoo to be even more meaningful.
After our conversation, Ibz created a stencil of the tattoo using an iPad. He reviewed it with me a few times and then printed it off. Ibz recommended I adjust the location of the tattoo slightly to ensure it lasted a long time. I got giddy when he placed the stencil on my ankle and saw it in the mirror. My nerves were gone, and I was excited.
Getting the tattoo didn’t hurt much. At times, it stung a little bit, but for the most part, it was comfortable. In total, it took about 10 minutes to complete the job. The tattoo took about three weeks to heal properly, and I had to wash it and apply cream two times a day. I never noticed it was scabbed and dry, probably because it’s small.
I love my tattoo. On the one hand, I’m shocked I went through with it. On the other hand, it feels like it’s always been there. Every time I see it, I smile, confirming I made the right decision. I already have my second one planned, so stay tuned for more.
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