End of the Road

Ok, here's a little pile of photos from my last day at Off the Map.
I didn't get a chance to post them that night,
because we had a big dinner out with my Northampton peoples,
OTM crew, and Megan and Joan (who came up from Brooklyn to get tattooed).
There was supposed to be some CT folks there, too,
but 2 inches of snow scared them off.
(Ohhhhhhhhhh... no I DIDN'T!!!)

Megan got the black squirrel tattoo,
(sorry for the terribly wonky photo)
and then when I thought we were done,
surprised me with the rabbit request.
It was a torn off piece of China Pan's paper menu of the zodiac.
2011, Year of the Rabbit.
She wanted it on her hand,
but that would probably just f up her whole year,
so we compromised,
and settled for elbow ditch.
Not something I normally do,
but it's China Pan and Megan.
How could I say "no"?

Joan sat so well,
(even though she was nervous)
and got this conch shell on her foot.
She's a science nerd,
which means we get along splendidly,
and I got to hear a bunch of rad facts about conches.

And finally, I left Off the Map with a little parting gift.
A framed photo of me in the frame.
And since I knew it'd be a difficult explanation,
I took a photo of me holding the framed photo of me in the frame.

I had a super successful trip,
and enjoyed it greatly.
Thanks tons to Maynard House and Off the Map,
I couldn't possibly have been treated any better.

Outside the Box,

and Off the Map.
Day Three.

Amber cracks me up,
she's the best kind of kookie.
And she always has rad tattoo projects for me.
A squirrel and a spool of thread on a 5 cent stamp,
done under her (super skinny) arm.






















I'm enjoying this guest spot more than any of the previous ones.
It's split half and half with old clients and new ones,
and it's really working well out that way for me.
I feel really fortunate to have such a dedicated clientele who are willing to wait around till the next time I'm in town,
and even more flattered whenever someone new decides I'm the one they want to get tattooed by.
(especially when looking through the extensive OTM guest artist list!)
It's been an inspiring few days here already,
cause there's always some big ideas being tossed around in this shop,
and someone painting,
or drawing up a sleeve for the next day.
And Mr Riegle always has a new hard drive of music to tell me about.

I am making plans while I'm here.
New year, new ideas.

The end of August

Amanda only comes up to MN a couple times a year,
but every time she does she gives me an awesome project to tattoo.
So far there's been the blue footed booby and the sheepgoat.
This time, we started working on filling the rest of her 3/4 sleeve.
Antlered squirrels running through a poppy field?
Yes, please.



There's very few better ways to start a work week,

or to close out a month.

Goodbye, August.

I'll probably miss you this winter.